Contestant: Teri Aguiar
Age: 47
Hometown: Columbia, Illinois
Occupation: Flight nurse
Starting weight: 250 pounds
I never pictured myself going on The Biggest Loser, but I’m so glad I’m here. I auditioned for the show when an old friend from my pageant days—yep, I’m a former beauty queen—reached out about an opportunity to be a contestant. She was Miss Missouri a few years after me and now lives in LA, where she has connections to some of the people who organize casting for The Biggest Loser. “Would you be willing to share your story?” she asked me. “I think it’s really powerful and relatable.”
Teri Aguiar
I had to think a lot about whether I wanted to put myself out there like that—first through the audition process and then, if I was chosen, on national television. It’s a really vulnerable position to be in, and I’ve spent the last several years hiding myself from the world because I was ashamed about my weight. I’m a flight nurse, which means I travel the country transporting critically ill patients by helicopter and airplane.
The heavier I’ve gotten, the more I’ve had to worry about how my weight could affect our helicopter missions, where added pounds are a major safety factor. I’m still in touch with lots of friends from before I gained weight, but none of them have really seen me in years. I’m the queen of hiding my body in photos—placing my two kids in front of me, only posting photos from certain angles, or opting for family selfies instead of wider shots. As I was looking through photos to potentially send in for The Biggest Loser audition process, I realized I didn’t have a single full-body photo at my current weight. It was a huge wake-up call.
“I’m a newly single mom, and I feel like I’m ready for the next chapter of my life—one where I put myself first.”
As a kid and into young adulthood, I was an athlete. I loved swimming and later got into triathlons. Being involved in pageants meant I took very good care of myself. Then I got married and had children and suddenly, I was putting everyone else’s needs before mine. I found myself driving my kids to baseball and track and music practice, rolling through the drive-through on a regular basis, and skipping workouts. My career means I work crazy hours and have bizarre eating habits and sleep patterns. All those factors added up over the years, and I now weigh more than I did when I delivered my youngest child.
Watch Teri’s audition video:
Ultimately, as hard as I knew it would be to show the world how much weight I’d gained, I decided to bite the bullet and audition for the show. I’m a newly single mom, and I feel like I’m ready for the next chapter of my life—one where I put myself first. I don’t want to be on the sidelines anymore. I want to be there for my kids and my boyfriend—not just cheering them on, but pushing them and running 5Ks with them. I’m a mirror for my kids. I feel like I have this great life ahead of me and the only puzzle pieces that are missing are my fitness and my health. I’ll still face the challenges of being a busy mom when the show ends, but The Biggest Loser is going to be my fresh start, where I don’t have to hide.
Teri Aguiar
The Biggest Loser will air on USA Network for its 18th season in January 2020.
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