Filipe and Sione Fa say it’s the little things that make a big difference when it comes to losing weight.
And the cousins would know. On season seven of TV’s The Biggest Loser, they lost a combined 300 pounds. Now more than three years later they travel around telling their story, letting people know that they can change.
“The small changes are what create the lifestyle,” Sione said Saturday afternoon at the Victoria Inn.
They know what it’s like to pass over a gym for a fast food drive-through visit. Then there’s the judgment people face when they’re trying to change to a healthier lifestyle. The cousins say it’s a matter of hard work and changing for the right reasons.
“How bad do you really want it because if you want it bad enough you’re not going to really care about what other people think,” Filipe said.
Chances are when a person thinks they’re being judged at the gym, the other people feel the same way Sione said. Realizing that everyone is in the same boat when it comes to a healthier lifestyle goes a long way. While their story is inspiring, they also get inspired by meeting people to hear their stories as well.
“We know we can’t inspire every single person we come in contact with but the ones we do that makes it worth it,” Filipe said.
And there were 100 people to get inspired by the cousins Saturday. They were speaking as part of the first ever Thunder Bay’s Biggest Loser. Organizer Sharla Brown said over the next 12 weeks, people will compete to lose the most weight.
“It’s meant to empower people to start making some lifestyle changes,” Brown said.
The winner will receive a trip for two to Las Vegas or $1,000.
