Out there on the sand dunes in the early episodes of Season 3 of The Biggest Loser, both Darryl (pictured above) and Misi (pictured below) describe their feelings as “total and utter devastation” when the Commando said ‘no’. Instead of securing a place in the White House, they became members of 'The Club 11' – the group of 11 men and women who the Commando sent home to lose weight on the 'outside' with the support of The Biggest Loser Club. Surely, it was the end to their Biggest Loser journey...?
Darryl says, “The Commando actually said ‘today is not your day’. But, how wrong he was because, actually, that day our lives began to change.” At the end of their journey, Misi and Darryl can boast better health, a combined weight loss of over 90kg and an almost tangible happiness.
Hearing ‘no’ at the trials to enter the White House, New Zealander Misi was disappointed beyond belief. Then, a fellow try-out in the form of Darryl nudged him on the shoulder and asked him what he was going to do. Give up or make a real go of it? Was he going to show the Commando and trainers Shannan and Michelle what they had lost? Misi remembers that he was somewhat irritated with the forwardness of his potential team mate but, in the end, the duo decided that neither wanted to return home and be dubbed ‘failures’ – at least that’s how they felt at the time. So, what did they do? They went fishing...
Darryl convinced Misi to take a trip up to the New South Wales central coast where Darryl’s family has a holiday home. Here they had a ‘revenge big breakfast’ and later fished for crabs and ‘cleansed’ themselves. What was planned as a three-day trip turned into a life-changing five months.
On a shoestring budget, the two planned their new and healthier life. Misi says, “I was introduced to the trainer Mat Murphy. Darryl and I trained with him for several hours a day, seven days a week; we were so determined to take back our lives. We worked off each other and have become great mates. He adds, “It was also great that Darryl’s wife had ‘allowed’ him to take time away from work and family to focus on his health.”
Darryl explains, “My wife was very supportive, but my father couldn’t understand why I was not at home and with my young family, especially as my wife was carrying our fifth baby. But, four or five months later when I saw my family, my dad saw my progress and he ‘switched on’ to what I was doing and why I was doing it.”
Both Misi and Darryl had been shown how to get the best out of The Biggest Loser Club, the online weight-loss support tool used by Season 3 contestants and thousands of everyday Australians. The duo used The Club to monitor their results and find out about foods and nutrition. Their confidence grew as their weight gradually dropped towards the healthy figure both were working so hard achieve.
But the journey wasn’t always smooth sailing. Misi, whose friends and family live in New Zealand, had to ask for financial help from his sister to continue his journey; both now agree that it was money well spent. Now, the former professional gridiron player is working towards becoming a personal trainer and says that not making the show really made his new life.
In fact, he’s so committed to his healthy new lifestyle and fellow ‘Club 11’ team mates that the day after Finale, he and Craig (winner of The Biggest Loser Club $10,000 prize) had ‘CXI’, which stands for ‘Club 11’, tattooed on their bodies! (Darryl wanted to get one too but his wife put her foot down!)
Misi reflects on his life-changing journey, “I came from New Zealand, went for a three-day fishing trip and have made my home, profession and future on the central coast – there is even a little romance in the air to keep me here!” Misi concludes by saying “I love sport and I love that I am really enjoying it again. Sport is my drug – I don’t drink or smoke.”
Sport is a central part of Darryl’s life, too; he is currently training with Sydney’s West Tigers on their trainers course and has plans to make his passion his profession. “I have a child psychology background and parents come to me all the time asking for help with their overweight children and that is what I plan to do – help overweight children get fit, get healthy and get happy. I love encouraging kids to be more open to good health – and it’s great fun for all of us.”
While Misi is staying put on the central coast, Darryl plans to visit him often and their shared journey has cemented a strong friendship that’s bound to stand the test of time.