Although there is no shortage of information and advice about good nutrition, Doug, 37, by his own admission, had no idea what a healthy diet was before he joined The Biggest Loser Club. Growing up in a family that didn't teach him about how to make good food choices, he had lots to learn on his journey to goal weight.
"For me The Biggest Loser Club has been about education – that's been the big thing – I really learned about food. I had no idea what was good to eat, I didn't eat fruit or vegetables and what I thought was healthy actually wasn't. I thought white bread was good because it had wheat in it and that full-fat milk was healthy for you. Even my presumption that 'fat-free' is good for you was rubbish – these foods are usually boosted with sugar! I discovered all these things myself just by using The Club."
Doug came from a background where eating for health was unheard of. "I come from a family of six that has diabetes right through it. There was no culture of exercising. Constant health neglect is what I think they practised. It’s the Australian attitude, 'they’ll be right, don’t worry about it' – so they didn't! For them, the quickest way was the easiest way, so it was all about takeaways and frying everything by throwing it in oil."
Using the food search and the menu plans were the keys to Doug's success. "I now know what calories and kilojoules are and I've learned to cook things without using too much fat or oil. The recipes really helped because they showed me ways to cook the ingredients so they were tasty. My favourites where the chilli con carne – how good is that? And the pizzas were really, really nice too. The whole family eats the same foods. I have two daughters and my new eating habits have introduced them to a lot of new food experiences. It's gotten to the point where they really don’t like fast food anymore... yes it's true; I beat McDonald's!"
Apart from revolutionising his diet, Doug also discovered that exercise was just as crucial as healthy eating. "Fairly quickly I was running twice a day. It started as punishment to burn off the extra food but now I love the exercise. I have a lot more energy; I walk around the golf course rather than jump in a buggy. At lunchtime in the office, instead of sitting there and eating Hungry Jacks I go for a walk. I also go to the markets and buy a whole heap of fresh fruit and vegies which last for a week. It’s not just healthy eating – it’s a complete lifestyle change."
For Doug, feeling and looking great and seeing a big change in his family are the best rewards his weight loss has delivered. "The results that I got were sensational. People that I've worked with don't recognise me! My Body Mass Index has gone from borderline obese to excellent and I've lost 21kg! What more can I say?"