Get motivated with our insider exercise tips

You don't have to run a marathon or be addicted to the gym for exercise to transform your life. Our members prove that you can do it! We speak to some of our most successful members and discover how they got started, how much weight they've lost and how exercise has transformed their lives.

Use the online diary and you'll find that every type of activity burns calories, while weight-bearing exercises, such as brisk walking and running, strengthen your bones too.

There's no doubt that exercise will help you get in shape quicker, but many people into exercise for the benefits it can bring to wellbeing and happiness.

Working out releases of mood-lifting chemicals called endorphins, which studies have shown can even help beat depression. Regular exercise boosts energy levels, cuts stress, increases the efficiency of your heart and lungs and lowers blood pressure. It can even help you sleep more soundly.

Whether you hit the forums or get on Facebook, meet other members you'll soon realise that getting fit is well within your reach, even if you've never exercised before. Just take it slowly and build your fitness gradually.

Take a tip from King David

The sports-loving salesman from Indonesia, David Gurnani, lost 74kg to take home The Biggest Loser Asia crown this year. That's equivalent to 53 per cent of his starting body weight of 159.6kg.

Eating fewer calories combined with lots of exercise was a real shock for David when he entered The House. Things improved two or three weeks into his stay and David began to enjoy his healthier routines. 

“There is no doubt that I felt frustrated a couple of times,” David said. “I didn’t think anyone could work out as much as we were doing and eat as little as we were eating. But our wonderful trainer, Dave Nuku, said something to me that I will always remember: ‘There is no way under, around or over it – just push through it’. And that’s just what I did.”

Fitness returns

Devoted father Aaron Mokhtar was a committed sportsman during his school years. He regularly played hockey and rugby and swam at a high level. All sports stopped once Aaron left school and began to pursue his career in copywriting.

As a contestant on The Biggest Loser Asia, Aaron had trouble adapting to the volume and the range of exercise that became a regular part of his life in The House. But Aaron drew upon his inner determination and, with the constant support and help of trainer Dave, Aaron’s love of exercise soon returned.

Some months after his journey on The Biggest Loser Asia, Aaron said: “It’s not unusual for me to run or jog for an hour nowadays and I feel so much better in every way; even my blood pressure has returned to normal.”

Aaron continues to combine healthy eating and daily exercise and is as determined as ever to reach his healthy weight by dropping the last 20kg. We know he will do it!

Spin it to win it

Although he left The House earlier than either he or his fellow contestants were expecting, Thailand-based English ex-pat Garry Holden didn’t let it stop him from continuing to lose the excess kilos that were holding him down. He has lost over 30kg from his starting weight of 115kg and his newfound love of exercise and healthier eating is set to see him through to his goal of 71kg.

From zero exercise, Garry is now a committed fitness fan. “I now exercise at least five or six days a week and take spin classes once or twice a week too,” he said. “I even find that if I’ve missed the gym for a couple of days, I’m itching to get back into it.”

Garry has seen great results by varying his workouts and tries to mix things up often. “I love to sweat now and it’s such a great feeling when I’ve completed a really good gym session.”

Ditch the bus

Starting at 102kg, The Biggest Loser Club Asia member Charles Davis, from the Philippines, has lost nearly 20kg and is well on his way to reaching his goal weight. Once a committed exercise avoider, Charles now shares his positive exercise experiences by urging others to get started.

“Work exercise into your daily routine,” he said. “Before, I used to take public transport to work but now I take it about half the way there and walk the rest of the way. Because of the route the bus takes and because I used to have to change buses, it actually takes me the same amount of time to get to work.”

It is important to go to the gym even if it is just once a week to use the treadmill, exercise bike or stepping machine, he said.

“Set the counter to show how many calories you’re burning and work out what you need to do to work off 100 calories as fast as you can. Burn that exercise/100 calories combo into your mind and think of it every time you want to grab an extra snack or a soft drink.”