BIGGEST WINNERS

Ray Kelly (centre) training with
Adro Sarnelli (left) and Chris Garling (right)

We are all familiar with the saying, you are what you eat, and no one knows it better than Ray Kelly (B. Arts in Human Movement Studies, '03). He is founder of fitness company, Reclaim Your Life, and one of Australia's leading personal trainers, training Adro Sarnelli and Chris Garling to their victories on the reality TV show, The Biggest Loser.

The Biggest Loser challenges overweight contestants, through a regime of diet and exercise, to loose weight and compete for a $200,000 prize. "The show has made it much easier for obese people to seek help, and that's a great thing," Ray says. "Fitness centres are starting to cater more towards overweight people."

Ray helped Adro to lose 27kg in just seven weeks. "Adro was also only able to run for three minutes when he was voted out of The Biggest Loser house, but was able to run 10km non-stop after only five weeks of training with me."

An exercise physiologist with over 15 years' experience in the fitness industry, Ray adapts fitness programs to suit individual client's needs. He understands the physiological and psychological changes that happen to your body when training, and partners a regimented diet with exercise and health programs.

Ray believes education is the key. "You can't obtain long-term success if you have to rely on your personal trainer. I teach people not only how to lose weight, but how to modify their behaviour to keep it off. Anyone can take a client out on an oval and make them run, jump or box until they can hardly move. But a good trainer will provide sessions that develop the client's fitness over time, ensuring they achieve results in the safest possible way."

Admitting The Biggest Loser program doesn't necessarily set realistic expectations of weight loss, Ray says, "You would never normally put clients through such an intense program. The Biggest Loser contestants have a lot of cash on the line, so they're prepared to risk an injury. My job is to balance the training load so that they don't get one.

"You're also dealing with people who have just spent three to four months away from their family, and in that time have undergone amazing physical and emotional transformations. Not only are they still trying to adjust to there new selves, but their families have to get to know them again. The work I do is just as much psychological as it is physical."

Ray believes by being health-conscience we can all achieve a greater enjoyment of life. "I don't feel the need to see everyone fall into a healthy weight range, but it would be great to see the majority of people throughout Australia healthy, no matter what their size. Health is everything. Without it, nothing else really matters."