Tag Archives: biggest loser resort

The Biggest Loser Resort in Utah Cites a “Relationship Breakdown” for Changing Name Back to Fitness Ridge

fitness-ridge-utah

The original Biggest Loser Resort in Ivins, Utah is moving away from the Biggest Loser brand and going back to its roots as Fitness Ridge, as originally founded in 2002. Co-founder Cameron Kelsch said of the change:

“We have always had a great program but we really just want to focus on the qualities that differentiate Fitness Ridge. We want to change the way people feel about health and wellness and we feel we can do that better by moving way from The Biggest Loser brand. As we look forward to [the] change, our staff remains focused on improving the health and well-being of the world, one person at a time.”

We spoke to Phillip Craven, a spokesman for Fitness Ridge, and asked why they felt the rebranding and move away from The Biggest Loser model was needed. Craven said that, although the company did experience additional exposure and growth as a result of the affiliation, they lost control of what made the destination unique to them and what they’d envisioned it to be. He continued by speaking of the relationship breakdown that happened between Fitness Ridge and The Biggest Loser by saying:

“In that way, there was a relationship breakdown. Our focus has been and always will be helping people eat, exercise and think differently. As The Biggest Loser started to stray from our focus, we saw the need to stay true to ourselves, so a rebranding became inevitable.” (more…)

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Mike Beauchamp

Biggest Loser’s Filipe Fa Loses 98 Pounds with Walgreens’ Way to Well

At the Biggest Loser 7 finale, a fit and trim Filipe Fa walked out on stage next to his teammate and cousin Sione Fa and performed a rousing Maori Haka, a traditional war dance from their native Tonga. Filipe made it through 17 grueling weeks on the infamous ranch, ultimately sweating and beating 135 pounds off his frame. But the ranch and home are two very different places, and the years since Loser have put Filipe back where he started.

“In the last few years, Filipe’s put the weight, plus some, back on,” said his cousin Sione Fa, who is now a personal trainer at the Biggest Loser Resort in Ivins, Utah. Since his finale, Filipe has gained 155 pounds, twenty pounds more than he’d originally lost.

sione and filipe

“It’s difficult to admit,” Filipe told us. “But it’s not that you can’t see it!” He’s hung back from alumni events like finales and given up speaking opportunities because he felt “embarrassed, inadequate.” He explained that nothing tragic happened, he gained weight like a lot of people do. First, it was 10 or 15 pounds and you think you’re OK, and then he explained the days turn in to weeks, turn in to months, and you’re back at your starting weight..

“I feel like it’s my time to lose weight again,” Filipe told us, as he talked about his new partnership with Walgreens, the Biggest Loser Resort, and his trainer Sione.

Without the pressure of the cameras, Filipe visited the Resort last October with an attitude that he was ready to start over. Walgreens, an on-going sponsor of the Biggest Loser television show, got word of his efforts and wanted to help. With the cousins they launched a web series, so far with eight episodes, that captures Filipe’s personal journey back to health. (more…)

Posted on May 28, 2023 by Natalie K

Win a Biggest Loser Resort Trip and Meet Hannah Curlee and Colleen Ketchum at the Women’s Health Expo

Join us Saturday, May 4 at the Women’s Health Expo in Lake Katrina, New York! This thirteenth annual event brings together the Upstate New York community to promote health, wellness, and fitness in a fun environment. The theme this year is managing stress for a better life. With that more in control everything else naturally seems to fall in to place.

hannah and colleen

This will be DietsInReview.com’s second appearance at the Women’s Health Expo, and our booth is a can’t-miss part of the event! Stop by to:

  • Meet Colleen Ketchum, creator of BeyondBarre.com, a cardio-ballet-barre workout that will sculpt, burn fat, and increase endurance. Join her demo in the fitness workshops, too.
  • Register to win a one-week stay at your choice of Biggest Loser Resorts*! With locations in Chicago, Niagra, Malibu, and Ivins, Utah you’ll find a resort close to you to help jumpstart your fitness goals. (more…)
Posted on April 24, 2024 by Natalie K

7 Splurge-Worthy Gifts to Buy for Yourself and Your Health This Year

It’s Christmas time, when we think of others and how we can show our love through tokens of appreciation. Before going broke buying presents, however, save a little bit for yourself to spend on something that could do a world of good in your life by providing a bevy of health benefits. From getting off medications to finding a surefire way to cope with stress, these gifts promise more than momentary satisfaction, they may just inspire a completely new lifestyle.

1. Hire a Personal Trainer

Sometimes, the choice to workout comes down to accountability. When exercising with a friend isn’t cutting it, hiring a trainer can be a great choice. They know what moves to do, how many need to be done to be effective, and how to do them so you don’t get hurt. They also take care of formulating a fitness plan with your goals in mind. Missing a 6 a.m. workout is a lot less likely if you know there’s someone waiting for you at the gym ready to charge your credit card whether you show up or not. Just be sure to make sure they’re accredited and look into what kind – not all certifications are created equal. Can’t make it to the gym? Sites like Wello will do video-chat training sessions to serve clients anywhere, anytime.

2. Get a Nutritionist

Do you have fitness down, but need help with the food part of being healthy? A consult with a nutritionist may be your answer. A diet book has no concern for what foods you like and dislike, certain allergies, and current fitness levels. A dietitian will. They’ll give you a proper eating plan to follow and do all the math and science stuff, like calorie counting, for you. Before picking one, make sure you have a certain rapport with them so that you’ll feel at ease, know they give clear directions that you can easily understand, and explain why certain foods are and aren’t necessary. They don’t even have to be local. Dietitians like Mary Hartley, RD do Skype consults. (more…)

Posted on December 12, 2023 by SarahS

Sisters Cara and Brianne Lost More Than 200 Pounds by Committing to Change Together

For sisters Brianne Canepa –  a 32-year-old paramedic and quality manager for Kaiser Permanente – and Cara Garcia – a 31-year-old communications specialist at Stanford Life Flight – weight loss has been a joint effort. In the last year the pair has managed to drop more than 200 pounds together, and it all started with a life-changing visit to the Biggest Loser Resort in Malibu, California.

At their heaviest, Brianne weighed 361 pounds and Cara, 308 pounds. However, it’s a totally different story now ever since the sisters embarked on a weight loss journey that transformed their health and their lives for the better. Today, Brianne weighs 258 pounds and Cara, 197, which is a combined weight loss of an amazing 214 pounds.

In the process of shrinking down together, these sisters have not only kept each other motivated but also bonded and became even closer friends than they were before. To tell this inspiring story, we’ve asked Cara and Brianne to share about their journeys in their own words starting with where it all began: The gain.

left to right: Cara and Brianne, respectively.

When did your individual struggles with weight begin?

Cara: I was a skinny mini most of my childhood and through high school. Wearing size 12 was the biggest size I wore. I was very active and could pretty much eat anything I wanted to. In 2000, I left home and lived in the dorm at San Jose State University. It was my first experience making my own schedule, my own food choices and none of it was good. I was eating crappy food and taking naps between classes. I think I went to the gym once that whole first year. The freshman 30 turned into 10 years and more than 100 pounds. (more…)

Posted on October 17, 2023 by Dana

Biggest Loser Resort Niagara to Open in May

Those that want to lose weight like the contestants on the hit TV show Biggest Loser will soon have another location to consider for a weight loss getaway. The Biggest Loser Resort will be opening a Niagara location in Java Center, New York which is only 30 minutes from Niagara Falls. The newest location joins the current resorts in Ivins, Utah and Malibu, California and will open on May 6. The Biggest Loser Resorts are award winning fitness and wellness destinations that offer an affordable, results-oriented, calorie-controlled program. The new Niagara location is set on a pristine and scenic 300-acre retreat and will offer the same results oriented program that is available at the other locations.

Through the Biggest Loser Resorts, you can gain a memorable and life-changing experience that includes fitness, nutrition, education, relaxation and camaraderie. Visiting the resort is a great way to enjoy the same elements of fitness and diet plans that Biggest Loser contestants use on the show, without the cameras or pressure of being eliminated. The Niagara location will offer guests an outlined itinerary that includes seven hours of exercise and 1,200 calories spread out over three meals and a dessert each day. Similar to the other resort locations, Niagara will have former contestants at the site. The contestants slated for this location will be Jessica Limpert and Ramon Medeiros from season 12 of Biggest Loser. Jessica and Ramon will serve as full time trainers at the resort so the guests will truly get a Biggest Loser experience. They will be available to share their weight loss journey and experiences they had while on the show. Guests at the Niagara location may even get to share a meal with Jessica and Ramon on occasion.

(more…)

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Descygna

Shake Up Your Saturdays with a Last Chance Workout

By Sarah Nitta for Biggest Loser Resort

Most of us find ourselves following the same routine throughout the weekdays. A lot of us typically follow a similar schedule Monday through Friday, making it easier (not easy, just easier) to plan in time to workout and prepare healthy meals.

The weekend, on the other hand, is a whole different story. For lots of people Saturday is their one day off for the entire week, and it is tempting to stay inside all day, relax, and maybe be rewarded for their hard work week with unhealthy foods.

At The Biggest Loser Resort we have a different idea of what Saturdays should entail. Each person that chooses to take part in our Saturday last chance workout receives not only a buff to wear with pride, but the bragging rights for completing a very real last chance workout. Trust me, I know, I have experienced a last chance workout on the ranch with Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, and I have to say that our last chance workout the Biggest Loser Resort leaves me just as sweaty and satisfied!

See for yourself (with a cameo from Biggest Loser alumni and current Resort trainer Sione Fa):

The Biggest Loser Newsletter is sponsored by the Biggest Loser Resort.

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Health Buzz

Biggest Loser Resort Helps Karen Eaton Earn the 100 Pound Award at Weight Watchers

By Sarah Nitta for Biggest Loser Resort.

This week I received an email including an experience of a guest that spent three weeks at Biggest Loser Resort at Malibu and it brought tears to my eyes. I am grateful she shared her story and I believe that there are so many out there who can relate. With her permission I am sharing this with you today.

My name is Karen Eaton, I’m a first grade teacher in Northern California. I joined my first weight loss group when I was 10-years old and in the 5th grade. Over the years I let my horrible choices destroy my self-esteem and my weight ballooned to 311.4 pounds. I was in my 20s and miserable. My mom convinced me to join Weight Watchers and I was motivated at first and about 90 pounds. This was about 8 years ago. I was so excited to have made that accomplishment. For some reason it didn’t stick and slowly I started going back to old habits and poor choices, the weight started creeping back on. Last year I was back to being miserable. I hated getting dressed in the morning and wasn’t motivated to do anything and really just cried a lot feeling like a failure. I was watching the Biggest Loser one day and saw an ad for Fitness Ridge. I thought “Wow, that sounds like something I could do!” (more…)

Posted on November 15, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Dig Deeper to Find Untapped Fitness Energy

By Sarah Nitta for Biggest Loser Resort.

I had an eye-opening experience this week during my weekly visit to Fitness Ridge. I got a chance to jump in on Sharon’s kickboxing class and was having a great workout! Toward the end of class we were instructed to hit our bag with all our might for a straight 90 seconds. I was ready! I started in on my bag, giving it everything I had until my energy was drained. Around 30 seconds into it I started getting tired and could feel my starting to slow down. Out of the blue, a guest came and joined me on my bag. She started punching on the opposite side and was yelling out “come on, Sarah! Pick it up! You can do this. Punch harder! I can’t feel you!” The most incredible thing happened. A surge of energy rushed through me and my punches started coming out faster and faster. (more…)

Posted on October 26, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Biggest Loser Resort Inspires Sarah Nitta’s Weight Loss Journey

Hi everyone! This is Sarah Nitta from The Biggest Loser season 11’s pink team. Just about a year ago I stepped foot onto the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge in Malibu for the first time to train with the unknown trainers (Brett Hoebel and Cara Castronuova) and to change my life. I always thought that if I could make it on the Biggest Loser then I would finally be able to lose weight, and all of my dreams would come true.

What I didn’t realize was that while the the show provided me an opportunity to lose weight, I still had to do it! It was ME that still had to work, hurt, fight, and CHOOSE to do it every day.

I looked around at the guests at Fitness Ridge and saw that they were no different than I was. They may not have had a camera in their face or someone yelling at them as much, but they were doing it just like me. That’s when I realized that my belief about needing to make the show in order to lose weight was false. The show doesn’t lose weight for anyone, it is still up to that person. (more…)

Posted on October 11, 2023 by GuestBlogger

New Added Sugar Recommendations are Finally Created

By Emily Fonnesbeck RD, CD, nutritionist for the Biggest Loser Resort.

The American Heart Association has released new recommendations for added sugar consumption. This is actually the first time a recommendation has been given, and just in time. Sugar intake in this country is at an all time high and the over consumption is being linked with increased risk for obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia (high cholesterol, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and/or high LDL cholesterol).

This is interesting since in the past, fat has been the macronutrient that has been villainized. But looking at the data over the past few decades, intakes of protein and fat have either stayed the same or gone down. So all these extra calories are coming from carbohydrates; not whole grains unfortunately, but refined sugary foods.

The average American consumes about 300-350 extra calories per day in added sugars. This is equivalent to 79 grams or 22 tsp of sugar (1 tsp is equivalent to 4 grams of sugar). The new recommendations are 100 calories, 24 grams or 6 tsp for women and 150 calories, 36 grams or 9 tsp for men. To give you some perspective, one 12-oz can of soda has 33 grams of sugar.

(more…)

Posted on May 18, 2023 by GuestBlogger