The Deadbolt Interview - Losing a Grip on Immunity with Nicole Brewer on The Biggest Loser Couples

Losing a Grip on Immunity with Nicole Brewer on The Biggest Loser Couples
by Troy Rogers

Although some of the competitors on The Biggest Loser Couples form lasting bonds with each other, even after they leave the ranch, others don't stay long enough to form any relationship. This week's episode of The Biggest Loser Couples saw the return of three competitors that were sent home - Nicole, Estelle, and David - to vie for a spot to stay in the game from losing the most weight at home. When the three stepped on the scales, it was Brooklyn native Nicole Brewer who won Biggest Loser immunity after losing a whopping 87 pounds at home.

However, when the regular gameplay resumed, with a grip challenging rope contest to balance their weight over a swimming pool, Nicole quickly lost the immunity when she stepped on the scales and it was revealed that she gained 5 pounds upon her return. After making it back to The Biggest Loser ranch, Nicole was sent packing almost as quickly as she came through the door.

The next morning we hopped on the phone with Nicole Brewer, the now former competitor of The Biggest Loser Couples, to find out how she lost her grip on both the scales and immunity.

THE DEADBOLT: How did it feel when you first walked back in the gym? It seemed like you scared the crap out of everyone?

NICOLE BREWER: [laughs] You think so? You know, it’s so funny, because when I first walked in the gym I was just overwhelmed by how good they looked. You have to remember the last time I saw them was thirteen weeks before and they were heavy just like me. I mean, it was amazing. So my jaw dropped when I saw them. But when I saw their reaction to me, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m feeling good. I think I might have this in the bag right now.’ It felt really good, it was definitely a confidence boost.

THE DEADBOLT: It was pretty funny. You could see their faces lighting up and getting excited, then their expressions changed once it sunk in that they might be in trouble.

NICOLE: I know, especially when you watch them watching the videos of all three of us in that first week. And then when we walked in, that was pretty powerful.

THE DEADBOLT: You must have felt really proud when Bob saw you and he was speechless.

NICOLE: ‘What?’ - I think he thought when I did my little cat walk. I felt amazing, you know? It really felt good because I felt he was genuinely shocked that I was able to do what I did at home.

THE DEADBOLT: What was your main exercise at home that you feel helped you the most?

NICOLE: Well, when I first got home I gotta say, as cold as it was I - I live in Brooklyn, but workout in Manhattan - I can’t tell you how many miles it is, but I would ride from Brooklyn over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan and back everyday, about six days out of every week. So that burned. That got my calories burning first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I have to say the thing I hate most about New York City, and the thing that, when I was heavier, I would avoid is stairs.

So the very first thing I had to do at the ranch was the stair climber. And once I realized that I could do it, I realized everyday I went to the gym that was the first thing I was going to do, because it was my biggest fear and it was one of the things that I needed to tackle. So I know it got my heart-rate up and I sweat, and I felt like I accomplished something every time I did the stair climber. I’m going to say the stair climber is the number one way I burned the calories.

THE DEADBOLT: Since you only spent a little bit of time at the ranch, do you feel a little ripped off in a way? You didn’t get that experience, really.

NICOLE: You know, I sure didn’t. It’s funny, because a lot of people were saying, ‘The red team got robbed.’ I laugh when people say that, and I think about - again, the reason why I wanted to be on The Biggest Loser was not just to change my life, I wanted to compete and enjoy the game and benefit from the trainers and enjoy the ranch. So I don’t know. Having done so well at home and ending up not doing so well on the ranch, I realized I didn’t really miss anything. If my true success came at home, then everything happened the way it was supposed to happen.

THE DEADBOLT: With your wedding coming up, are you and Damien seriously gunning for the $100,000?

NICOLE: [laughs] Well, I have to say there are so many people in this competition. I think what me and Damien are gunning for is to go out on that stage knowing that we did absolutely everything that we could with this opportunity of a lifetime, and know that we played the game with a certain amount of personal respect and personal integrity and dignity. So I know that there’s a lot of drama that goes on, a lot of gameplay, and I can safely say that we didn’t have anything to do with that. So we can go out there knowing that we did a really good job and the scale is going to prove it.

THE DEADBOLT: What was that rope challenge like?

NICOLE: That rope challenge was crazy. I loved how it was a metaphor for how to balance things in my life, which was kind of interesting, because that’s how I lost the weight at home. I balanced my life with my exercise and my diet and it was really about doing that balancing act. And I really tried to hold on to the very end.

But what was so crazy about it was, my hands were freezing cold. So I couldn’t look from side to side to see who was left in the game with me. But all I knew was that I was going to hang on as long as I possibly could. And it was exciting because that’s what I felt like I missed most, competing in those challenges. So at least I got to have that one challenge and at least make it to the final three. I showed that I was a competitor and had I stayed it was definitely going to be on.

-- Troy Rogers