Book Review: Believe it, Be it

Like many Americans, I enjoy watching NBC’s reality show, The Biggest Loser. I started watching with season 4, but caught the first three seasons on Fine Living. I was amazed by the transformation of all these obese people. I couldn’t understand how people could go through their lives and not know how to use some basic workout equipment.

By the time Season 5 started, I was hooked on the reality show. I watched as the contestants battled it out with Jillian and Bob on the ranch and trembled in fear on weigh in days. After four seasons of The Biggest Loser, I was ready to have a woman capture the coveted title. I watched as Ali Vincent and her hilariously outspoken mother, Bette Sue, were eliminated in week 4. I watched in week 11 as the first fourteen eliminated contestants returned for a second chance at the title of the Biggest Loser. The man and woman with the highest percentage of weight lost would rejoin the game and have a chance at the title of The Biggest Loser. Ali Vincent won the opportunity to return to the ranch with a 67 pound weight loss, or 28.63%.

In week 15, Ali lost 11 pounds, or 7.53%. Ali, along with yellow team contestant, Kelly, would be two of the final three contestants participating in the finale and vying for the $250,000 grand prize. America voted and put Roger in the finale as the third contestant. At the finale, Ali weighed in with a 112 pound weight loss and won the competition to become the first American female to win the title of The Biggest Loser. In the end, Ali also became someone I connected with, a woman with passion and fire, who was not afraid to do it on her own, but just needed that little jump start to get her going. So it was no surprise at all, that I wanted to read her book “Believe it, Be it” as soon as it was released.

The book tells of Ali’s personal struggle with weight throughout her life, which was triggered by years of poor eating habits, family problems and low self-esteem. Raised by her grandparents, she watched as her mother struggled with her own personal demons. Once Ali decided to try out for the reality show, she was already visualizing herself as the first female winner.

“Believe it, Be it” was Ali’s personal mantra at the ranch. She kept a bell by her bedside which she rang every night before she went to bed and every morning as she awoke repeating to herself “Believe it, Be it”. In the book, Ali does give some insight to all of the stuff that happens behind the scenes at the ranch. She talks candidly about her personal issues with food and love and how she used her weight as a way to hold herself back from all of the success that she deserved.

In the end, I enjoyed the book because I am a huge fan of The Biggest Loser. I enjoyed reading about the real Ali Vincent, her struggles and her path to the reality show. I did not, however, find the book to be a huge motivator in my own journey toward fitness or weight loss. The book is written as if the words are pouring from Ali’s mouth and at times I needed to re-read passages in order to follow the thought process, but it was an easy, enjoyable read for anyone who is a fan of Ali Vincent and The Biggest Loser.