Two Chicago-area twins and physical education teachers are losing weight and gaining confidence on “The Biggest Loser.”
Luis, of Chicago, and Roberto Hernandez, of Burbank, started their weight loss journey on the season 17 premiere of the NBC reality weight loss competition Monday night.
The 36-year-old brothers faced their share of temptation along the way.
On the first episode host Bob Harper offered the 16 contestants $25,000 if they left the show before they got a chance to enter the gym. No one took him up on his offer.
The first challenge of the season pitted the trainer Dolvett Quince’s red team against the black team led by Lisle native Jen Widerstrom.
The black team picked the P.E. teachers to climb up a ladder on a building in Los Angeles, but the challenge ended in failure. Roberto slipped off the ladder. Once he was lowered to the ground, he told his teammates he was sorry.
At the first weigh-in, Luis, who started the show weighing 308 lbs., stepped on the scale. He lost 23 pounds clocking in at 285, prompting his team to erupt in applause.
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“Twenty-three pounds! Whoa! That was awesome, man," Luis said. "Now, it’s time to rub it a little on Roberto’s side. See what he can get."
Roberto’s starting weight was 348 pounds. He lost 24 pounds, but it was not enough for him.
“I’ve seen that number before," Roberto said looking at the scale. "I’ve seen it constantly. I’m not going to be satisfied until I see a number I haven’t seen in a long time."
His trainer highlighted this moment of reflection after Roberto felt bad for failing at the first team challenge.
“The road to success is not going to be linear. It’s not this perfect line," Widerstrom said. "You will fail your way to success. I think that this may be one of the first times in a while you didn’t let a failure get in the way of your success."
Luis told his brother, “You the man, bro.”
Roberto smiled.
