Floor8.com Logo

'The Biggest Loser' Trainer Steve Cook on Reboot's Approach to Wellness and Taking it One Step at a Time

By Natalie Zamora

'The Biggest Loser' trainer Steve Cook, USA Network series airing every Tuesday
'The Biggest Loser' trainer Steve Cook, USA Network series airing every Tuesday /
  • The Biggest Loser has been rebooted on USA Network with a stress on the importance of wellness and mental health.
  • Trainers Steve Cook and Erica Lugo use their personal experiences with weight loss and fitness to help contestants get in the best shape they can.
  • Steve Cook has dealt with binge-eating and the pressure to look perfect in the past.

The reboot of The Biggest Loser is now in full swing, and if viewers have learned anything about this new version so far, it's that mental health comes first. Although this is a competition show and contestants do have to weigh in before determining who's going home each episode, it's way more than just about the numbers. Both the blue and red teams come together, despite being rivals, to share this journey together, which has proved to be both extremely challenging and rewarding. With the help of trainers Steve Cook and Erica Lugo, along with host Bob Harper, these fortunate participants are in amazing hands.

For Steve's part, he comes from the world of fitness and bodybuilding, having been featured on magazine covers such as Men's Health and starting his own app called Fitness Culture. You can also catch him on Instagram, where he boasts an impressive 2.5 million followers, as well as YouTube with 1.2 million subscribers. But beyond his muscular exterior, the Idaho native truly knows what it's like to struggle with mental health and the pressure to look perfect.

"I am able to relate to my clients and the contestants on the show by having those moments of weakness," Steve tells Floor8 exclusively. "You know, I’ve been there. I’ve hid in the back all alone and stuffed my face with ice cream. I’ve obsessed over that number on the scale and the way I looked to an unhealthy extreme."

Needless to say, a concentration on emotional healing was very important for Steve when deciding to join The Biggest Loser. "When I heard they were rebooting it with the new 360 degree approach to wellness, I was all in," he says. "I know first hand that mental health is just as important as physical health and self love is the top priority for wellness."

Between all the strenuous moments this season so far—both physical and mental—the contestants have been able to bond with one another, as well as with Steve and Erica, making for a really awesome experience. But what about viewers at home who don't know how to get themselves on a weight loss journey that's both healthy and successful? "Take it one step a day. They don’t have to be huge changes to make a difference," Steve advises, also noting that taking a walk once a day or trying out the workouts and nutrition tips from The Biggest Loser's Instagram page would be a great way to start.

To keep following Steve and the cast of The Biggest Loser this season, tune into USA Network every Tuesday night at 9/8c.