The Biggest Loser television show that inspired millions of Americans to lose weight and get healthy, premiered its new season on Tuesday, January 28 at 9 p.m. on USA Network. Riverview resident Kristi McCart is among the 12 contestants hoping to become the next Biggest Loser.
Hosted by trainer Bob Harper, The Biggest Loser will document the journeys of these courageous men and women as they transform their lives. In addition to losing weight and achieving better overall health, the contestants also reveal compelling personal stories about the obstacles in their lives that made them unhealthy.
McCart, 32, is a wife, mother and family law and estate planning attorney with her own practice in Riverview—McCart & Tesmer, P.A. McCart’s unhealthy relationship with food started in childhood and the stress of being a new mom with her own busy law practice added to her unhealthy habits.
Her law firm helps local Tampa Bay families through difficult life transitions and restructuring. McCart explains that it can be very difficult seeing the best people going through their worst times.
“It carries an intangible emotional burden sometimes that, for me, became tangible in a weight gain because I started stress snacking while sitting behind my desk and computer.”
In addition, as a new mom she found that she was so busy she was not giving attention to her own health. McCart found herself weighing more a year after her son was born than she weighed when she was pregnant.
At 264 pounds, McCart knew she needed to get motivated to get healthy for herself and for her family.
“I found myself wanting to do more activities like going to the beach, riding amusement park rides and running in charity races, but I let my weight dictate my activities and life,” said McCart. “I wanted to do more with my family— specifically my son.”
As she watched television with her husband one evening, she saw the casting audition ad for The Biggest Loser.
“As I read the casting information, I thought, ‘I am fed up feeling this way about myself and I am ready for a change,’” said McCart. “I felt like I wasn’t living my best life and I knew I could do more.”
McCart had been athletic growing up and always enjoyed watching the previous seasons of The Biggest Loser. She knew that if she was chosen to be on the show, it would be a big sacrifice physically, mentally, emotionally and financially for her as well as her husband of nine years, Tom, and their 20-month-old son. Her husband told her he was 100 percent on board with her decision.
“So with hope, excitement, fear and utter disbelief, I filled out the application, made my video and woke up the next morning with a missed phone call from the casting director,” said McCart.
When people ask McCart why she decided to go on a national television show to lose weight, her response is always the same, “There are people who know how to lose weight and there are people who don’t. I did not know how to lose weight with all the distractions and responsibilities at home, rather I knew how to gain weight really well.”
Her journey on The Biggest Loser is a rollercoaster with numerous highs and lows. “There was no way to fully grasp what the journey would entail, but I knew it was going to change me forever—and it did,” she said.
For more information, visit www.usanetwork.com or follow updates on Facebook @biggestloser.
