Biggest Loser 12: There's Something About Hannah & Injury Is Not An Excuse

This week was special for the Biggest Loser contestants...and also for those of us at home.

Three favorites from past seasons came back to the ranch to help the players out. While I adore Marci and Adam and am very motivated by them, the third person in the group inspires me the most.

There's just something about Hannah.

What is it about her? Well, I think so many of us can see ourselves in Hannah. She had once been a fit athlete, but she let an injury force her to the sidelines - not only on the volleyball court, but in life. She let the situation with her back keep her down, long after the healing process had taken place. Her fears kept her from making a comeback...that is, of course, until last season's Biggest Loser.

Little did she know that when she had her breakthrough moment with that backbend, she was causing a breakthrough for others, including me. Just because you've been injured in the past doesn't mean you have to sit out the rest of your life. There may be some recovery time, but after that you can do much more than you think.

It really resonated with me last night when she told the Black team that she felt as if she had unzipped her fat suit and stepped out of it. I've often sensed that the thin person I once was is waiting to come out and play - participate in life. Every couple of weeks feels like I've peeled off another layer...not just a layer of fat, but a layer of insecurity. I get out and do more than I used to, and I feel better about myself while doing it. I'd love to have Hannah's BL Success poster hanging by my treadmill and elliptical as a visual reminder of where I'm headed. But even without that, her influence is burned into my mind.

For years after my car accident, I let aches and pains keep me from getting things done. Over time, especially this past year, I'm discovering just how much my body is capable of. I'm stronger than I realized, and it's an amazing feeling to discover it on a daily basis.

Speaking of injury, have you noticed how current contestant Jennifer is rocking it...even with a major leg injury? She doesn't let it stop her from working out. She works around it and does everything that she IS able to do. The weight is still coming off even though she can't run on the treadmill and is limited in challenge participation. This week she lost 7 pounds!

I think back to all of the times when I used injuries as an excuse. Even headaches held me back at one point. It feels silly now to think I let minor hurts prevent me from exercising, especially when watching Jennifer work around something much worse. Her determination is a lesson to all of us - even when you can't do certain things, you can always do SOMETHING.

I look forward to the day when Jennifer's transformation poster is up on the gym wall beside Hannah's. No excuses - EVER!