If you’ve been reading my articles for any period of time, you may know how much I like the NBC show, “The Biggest Loser.” As a fitness coach myself, I like watching three of the country’s best trainers work with people who desperately need it and I am inspired by their results. Plus I am a sucker for a good human-interest story and almost all of the contestants have one.

But most of all I watch this show hoping that those who need the help and look similar to the contestants on the show are watching as well. I hope they are seeing that all it takes to lose weight and begin to live a healthier lifestyle is hard work and dedication. I hope that they realize that if you just put away the excuses — as well as the candy and chips — then all you need is a little bit of time, a little bit of determination and a little bit of confidence.

That said, if you are not only a fan but in need of a show like this, I have some bad news for you. You are not going to be on “The Biggest Loser.” Sorry, I hope that wasn’t too blunt, but it’s the truth and I just need you to know that. I need you to stop sitting around and waiting for someone to pluck you off the couch, take the food from your plate and take you away to a “magical” ranch with lights, cameras, free healthy food and access to a 24-hour fitness center. It’s not going to happen, so snap out of it.

Since the show began years ago, I often said to my wife that I hope people aren’t waiting for the show to pick them to finally do something about their unhealthy lifestyle. And even though I was sure there had to be people doing that, it was actually proven on this year’s season opener.

A gentleman who is morbidly obese literally held out on getting healthy for two years in hopes that he would become a contestant on the show. This man needed to begin living a healthy lifestyle a long time ago, but it wasn’t until a car accident that he even started to think about it. While driving in his car with his son seated behind him, they were hit by another car from behind. This man’s weight caused his seat to come of its “track” and slam into and pin his son, inflicting a serious head injury to the boy. Just so you know, the boy is now fine.

But at that time of the accident, feeling horrible for what had happened and guilty for his part in the boy’s injuries, the father tearfully recalled that he was going to get healthy for his son and the rest of the family. What he didn’t say, but what was apparently clear, was that meant that for the next two years he would try to become a contestant on the show. Instead of really wanting to get healthy for his family and doing the hard work that’s required, he left all of it up to chance.

Now obviously he was selected, but in perhaps a bit of poetic justice, he was eliminated from the show the very first week. Sent home to do what he should have done two years ago. Can you imagine how much healthier he would have been if he just started exercising and eating well the day after the accident? Sure it would have been hard at first, and he would have stumbled along the way, but he would be so much closer to his goal than he is now, and he would have taken responsibility for himself and kept a promise he made his family.

So if you find yourself in a situation like this, where you know that you need to start living a healthier lifestyle, you have two choices. You can be an active participant in your own life. You can decide to move more. You can decide to eat healthy. You can set goals and accomplish them, no matter how small they may be. You can start now. Or you can sit around year after year and wait for someone to come knocking on your door and agree to help you in ever way possible and fulfill all of your dreams.

Think about this way. Instead of talking about your health, le’ts talk about it as your income. And instead of “The Biggest Loser” as the prize, let’s imagine winning the lottery. Sure, you can sit around, do nothing and keep gambling in hopes that you might win and never have another care in the world. Or you can wake up tomorrow morning and go to work to make sure you earn a day’s pay to buy food, clothing and shelter for your family. What are you going to do?

Mike DeCinti can be reached at mike.decinti@lumbertondrug.com or 910-827-2439.