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Tipping the Scales with Biggest Loser Couples Big Man Blaine Cotter
by Troy Rogers
 This week's episode of The Biggest Loser Couples proved that if you ask, beg, and plead, sometimes it works out in your favor for all of the right reasons, especially when it comes to family. Since Arizona native Blaine Cotter was eager to be with his wife and newborn child, weight loss wasn't the first thing on his mind despite finding a new family at the Biggest Loser Ranch and putting up impressive numbers on the scale.
Although big-man contestant Cotter had some stiff competition in the begging department from his new TV family member Mandi, who was vying to win a visit from husband, it was Blaine who became the unlikely winner by getting sent home to be with his new extended family while his cousin Dane remained in the game.
The morning after this week's Biggest Loser Couples, we caught up with Blaine to find out how his time on The Biggest Loser left a lasting impact on his lifestyle, the logistics of the most recent immunity challenge, and how Jillian helped to change his way of thinking of both the physical and mental aspects of living life as a fit individual.
THE DEADBOLT: What happened to the huge numbers that you and Dane were putting up week after week? Did you guys just plateau or something?
BLAINE COTTER: That’s a good question. I wondered the same thing when I saw the numbers. You know, we kind of knew it was coming. I mean, we had put up such big numbers week after week. And we really had to, because we were huge threats and we knew that the second we were below the line they’d get rid of us. As well as the other reason, was definitely because every week we had to do it, because we were the ones that were both there. So two weeks prior, everybody else that was coming from home, they had a great motivation. That they had to have big numbers so that they brought their partner home.
The week after that we really pushed it really hard to make sure we had a big number because you had people that were coming from home and would have another week one, basically, of weight loss. It kind of put us at a disadvantage and we just tried to keep it up every week. But that week we did get sick a little bit and it just ended up being a bad week. We were hoping that maybe just one of us would have a bad week, but it ended up being both.
THE DEADBOLT: Adding to the plateau theme, some former contestants have told me that it’s actually harder for tall people to lose weight. Did you find that to be true?
BLAINE: I don’t know about that percentage wise. I mean, when you’re dealing with percentages that’s definitely the case. I mean, I’m 6'8, so I’m never going to be 200 pounds. That’s just not possible. I’d be thrilled if I got to 230. So definitely, percentage wise it’s tough. But at the beginning we had the percentage and I think it just ended up being a bad week.
THE DEADBOLT: From sitting on my couch, that immunity challenge didn’t look that hard. So what was going on with the bar above your head that put you out in less than two hours?
 BLAINE: [laughs] It wasn’t that hard and the bar wasn’t really that heavy. It was pretty light. So I don’t know if people wondered that. I wish I could give that excuse, that it was all weighted differently or something. Really, for us, like I said last night, it was just a matter of concentration. I mean, that’s what that was. It wasn’t who could run the fastest, who was the strongest - It comes down to determination and concentration and, you know, my ADD kicked in and really it was a matter of we were holding it up. And yeah, it hurt.
But so did everybody else. And we actually kind of just - looking away - it touched. And we were like, "Did it just touch?" And then the light comes on and we were like, "Oh, okay. I guess it did touch." But it was pretty funny that all three of the guy teams were out and it was just all of the girls. It was kind of funny. That shows what kind of challenge - not necessarily that the girls can’t do as good as the guys - but it definitely came down to concentration and motivation and determination. And, man! Some of those girls there, they’ll beat me in a determination race any day.
THE DEADBOLT: So it wasn’t about strength? Okay.
BLAINE: No. It definitely wasn’t, because once you held it up you had to - I mean, it was kind of like the jumping challenge that way. Yeah, it takes endurance and strength and that’s going to help you. But ultimately what’s going to get you to the very end is just pure grit, determination, and concentration.
THE DEADBOLT: Aside from the birth of your child, what was the most challenging part of the whole process?
 BLAINE: You know, besides the whole family thing - that was definitely the hardest part - I had a few physical aliments while I was there. Nothing that ever stopped me and was that big of a deal, but I have a torn meniscus in my knee and to this day it’s still there. I’ll get surgery after the show. That was painful and they didn’t really show it.
But a day before the challenge of going up and over the cylinder, I was jumping up on a box and got 15 stitches in my leg. So, anyway, being sick every once in awhile, it couldn’t slow you down. But it taught me a valuable lesson that those types of things can’t, you know? I mean, that’s what happened to me. I’d be, "Okay, I’m going to go to the gym." I’d get sick two weeks later and never make it back for four months. So that definitely teaches you to keep going.
THE DEADBOLT: What did you think of Jillian’s style of training? Was it better for you than Bob’s style?
BLAINE: Well, I really don’t know Bob’s. You kind of see what he does and the way he is. I mean, they’re both - Obviously they’re the best trainers in the world if you ask me. But Jillian, I was so glad. I never wanted Jillian. I told Dane, "Dude, we want Bob." All I’ve heard is how horrible and how mean Jillian is. That couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m so glad that I got to be with Jillian and I needed that. I mean, she definitely works both, just not your physical workout.
It’s a mental workout every time you’re with her and she teaches you stuff about yourself. It’s interesting working out and being in pain and pushing yourself to the limit, being away from your family, being in a situation like that, how much that just puts a microscope to your entire life. And I’m so grateful for the lessons I’ve learned from her. From what she taught me, she probably affected me more mentally than she did my physical. More mentally than anything else.
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