TC Pool (left) and Nathan Montgomery (right) were the first two eliminated from Season 12 of The Biggest Loser – Photo: NBC
The Biggest Loser contestants T.C. Pool and Nathan Montgomery recently shared their thoughts on leaving the NBC reality series and their time at the ranch.
This week The Biggest Loser returned for Season 14 with trainer Jillian Michaels back in the gym with fellow fitness experts Bob Harper and Dolvett Quince. Under the theme of Challenge America, The Biggest Loser also took on childhood obesity by allowing kid participants Noah “Biingo” Gray (13), Sanjana “Sunny” Chandrasekar (16), and Lindsay Bravo (13) to individually compete for each team in an effort to serve as ambassadors for other children and teens.
For White Team members T.C. Pool and Nathan Montgomery, being trained by Jillian Michaels was much, much more than they had anticipated prior to joining The Biggest Loser. As it turned out in the first two episodes of Season 14, T.C. and Nathan both fell below the red line to leave Jillian’s team down two members early in the season.
Following their elimination, The Deadbolt caught up with T.C. and Nathan to learn more about their short stay on the ranch and how their lives have changed because of The Biggest Loser.
T.C., how has The Biggest Loser experience changed the way you live your life?
T.C. POOL: Before going on the ranch, I had this idea in my mind of wanting to be healthy, and I tried. I lost actually 40 pounds before getting on the ranch. But I still was struggling, because I gave up on myself often and I felt like I needed somebody to do it for me, to push me, because I just couldn’t do it myself.
On the ranch, one of the things that Jillian did was make it so I had to make that decision for myself – how bad do I want it? Am I going to push through and work hard, even though I would usually quit?
So, coming home I’ve just had to focus on that every day because it’s hard at home. It’s hard to do it and be in your daily life and work out. But I know from how bad I had to push through wanting to quit on the show and not work out, that I just know how bad I want it now. So I just focus on that every day when it gets tough.
What did you learn on The Biggest Loser that you’ll carry with you forever?
NATHAN MONTGOMERY: I learned a lot while I was on the show. The biggest thing that I think I learned on the show, it was from Jillian, that fitness and my life of health is not about how I look to people and what they think of me. Helping me should be what I’m there for.
So to focus on that and just better myself every single day and not worry about what other people think or, “Can I fit into this size of clothing?” It’s, “Can I climb that mountain? Can I beat my time running a mile?” Things like that.
So bettering myself has been really important to me.
How tough was Jillian? Did you get to see the softer side of her?
NATHAN: What you’re seeing on TV is the real deal. There are two sides of her. There’s in the gym, and she can tell when you’re not motivated. She can tell when you’re not in it. So when that’s the case, you get the really mean Jillian – the one that’s in your face pushing you. That’s all absolutely, 100 perfcent real.
But you can see in episode two, when you really commit yourself to her and commit yourself to the process, she knows that you’re pushing yourself and she doesn’t have to push you like that. So she lightens up and she’s there as your teammate, and to push you in different ways. She’s a very multifaceted trainer and those are just two of her types, both of which are very effective and 100 percent real.
T.C.: I agree with what Nathan said. I only got to have that one week with her, so I got to see the really intense Jillian. I got to see it when you’re not doing as well as you should and how intense she can get, and also when you do everything she asks and how pleased with you she is at the end. She’s very intense and she definitely cares.
But I’m sure if I was there longer I would have seen even more of a less intense Jillian as it went on. But she does what she needs to do to get you to find the motivation in yourself.
How did you feel about T.C. and Nathan falling below the red lines on The Biggest Loser?