'The Biggest Loser' trainer Erica Lugo reveals why she's rooting for Jim DiBattista to win the show
As we get ready to bid goodbye to our favorite weightloss competition show 'The Biggest Loser', MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) caught up with Erica Lugo, red team's trainer on the show and discussed who she is rooting for to win the show, her experience of training Teri Aguilar and she also shared some helpful suggestions on how to eat healthily and stay fit during this quarantine.
With the season finale almost around the corner, we asked Erica how she felt about it. An excited Erica said: "I can’t wait for viewers to see the transformations of our contestants and the smiles on their faces as they enter the room to show off their new selves. I’m so proud of each of them - the person that came to the ranch gave them the courage and conviction to be who they are today and we all get to celebrate their hard work and happiness."
It would be unfair to ask but we had to know who she was rooting for in the competition. She tells us it is Jim DiBattista. "Going into the finale I was so proud of each and every one of them but, with only one remaining for Team Red, you know I was cheering for Jim! He killed it week after week after week. He truly deserved to make it to the finals," she tells us.
Telling us more about the upcoming episode she shared: "I think people will be blown away by some of our at-home transformations. All of our contestants left with new health and wellness knowledge in tow and I think some were really able to transcend our expectations.
The show has given some amazing transformational stories and Teri is one of them. Erica too had only words of praise about Teri's weight loss journey. "Teri is an absolute inspiration," she said. "With a leg injury like that, it’s often too easy to just throw in the towel. Teri showed us all what hard work looks like and that there are no excuses if you want to take back control of your life," she further added.
Speaking of challenges, what does she think of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic? "It is very overwhelming. I am so thankful for all the people on the frontlines making sure we are safe and have everything we need to come out of this on the other side," she remarked. The pandemic has affected Erica personally as well, she revealed she had to cancel her wedding that was originally planned for this weekend. Her fitness studio is closed for the time being and even her son is now home full time. "So I’ve certainly been thrown for a loop but I’m creating new monthly content for my online community with EricaFitLove and I’m blessed that my family is together and with good health," she said looking at the brighter side of things.
With many people working from home, the temptation to binge on unhealthy foods and neglect exercising is very high. We asked the fitness trainer if she had any advice on how to stay on track during this testing time. "I totally get the instinct to let your diet and exercise fall to the backburner during times like these but healthy bodies are now more important than ever. Using our diets strategically to strengthen our immune system and building our bodies to be resilient is key to getting through this," said Erica.
As for preventing binge eating, Erica recommends keeping track of all the little snacks to not let it get out of control and drinking lots of water to fill your stomach instead of junk food. She says: "I know it may not be an option for some, but try eating something fresh before anything processed. Little by little these choices can lead to you feeling like the best and healthiest version of yourself."
You can catch new episodes of the reboot version of ‘The Biggest Loser’ every Tuesday, at 9/8 c only on USA Network.