Second Chances

This week The Biggest Loser made its return to TV for the eighth season. The theme of the new round of episodes geared at life change: second chances.

As the commercials have promoted, this season is all about second chances for the contestants. One contestant lost her husband and both children to a car accident two years ago and wants to live life again.

Another is a youth pastor who wants to live long enough to see his children grow up.

Still another contestant is a grandmother of nine and a former college athlete who has allowed her weight to prevent her from being active with the family she loves.

And then there's the heaviest contestant ever to be cast on the show, a 30-year-old woman who weighs 476 pounds.

Everyone has their own special story and everyone has their own second chance worth fighting for. I found myself watching the premiere—already loving these people, cheering them on, and not wanting any of them to go home.

One of the goals of this season (and all the previous ones too) is to give the participants information so they can live healthier lives. This group of contestants receive shocking news about how life-threatening their excessive weight is.

One learns he has diabetes, and most are told that their biological age is well over their chronological one. The largest contestant I mentioned is informed that she has 55% body fat—so much that it could be overflowing into her lungs. (This was of particular interest to me as I was 60% body fat when I began the show two years ago.)

In keeping with the theme of second chances, television viewers got to see contestants run part of last season's finale marathon; and a previous contestant who hadn't “finished what he started” was even brought back again to continue his journey.

I'm not sharing all these details just to be an armchair TV Guide show critic if you are wondering. The whole concept of “second chances” just resonated so much with me that I thought it was a worthy topic for my blog this week.

God is a god of second chances. He's proven that to me time and time again. And I think it's important to know that and to embrace that concept in our lives. You may feel like you have failed at whatever journey you are on now. But don't be defined and limited by that failure. Believe that there is a second chance out there just waiting for you to grab it and run with it!

I am continually impressed by the courageous spirits of the contestants that are on The Biggest Loser. And I consider myself blessed to be a part of the special “fraternity” that has been a part of that process.

But whether you watch this season or not, just realize that a second chance awaits you. Whatever goals or aspirations you feel you may have missed or failed to realize...let today be the start of your second chance at living the life of your dreams!

I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to e-mail me at AskJulieHadden@Guideposts.com.

-----

Watch Julie in the New Healthy You videos!

• Print This Post
• Email This Post
• Log in to Save this Article