Los Angeles – January 19, 2011 – Cara Castronuova, a New York native and female fighter joins “The Biggest Loser: Couples” as a new trainer revealed during the third week of NBC’s top- rated show. “The Biggest Loser” challenges and encourages overweight contestants to shed pounds in a safe and recommended manner through comprehensive diet and exercise as they compete for a grand prize of $250,000.
Cara will be one of their trainers. She is a certified personal trainer and former two-time New York Golden Gloves champion, having won the titles in 2005 and 2006. She is also licensed as a boxing trainer with the New York State Athletic Commission and has been previously certified as a boxing coach with USA Boxing. Cara feels her own trials and tribulations in the gym and in life have helped prepare her to motivate contestants to find their “warrior within” and reach their fitness goals.
Cara grew up being taught how to box by her father who was a former Marine Corp. boxer. Her father, who suffered from obesity, passed away when she was 14. This was a tragic blow for Cara. “I wish I could help him now, knowing what I know,” Cara says.
After losing her father, Cara and her family banded together to become stronger through the loss, only to be struck by tragedy again when Cara’s mother was killed in a car accident in 2006.
“I feel like my experience as a fighter inside the ring and out is what makes me an outstanding trainer as I am able to understand the hardships the contestants have experienced and push them to get back up again,” Cara says. “A fighter gets back up, no matter what.”
Cara was working in various boxing gyms in New York and boxing competitively when she was selected to train contestants on the show. Trainers from around the world sent in tapes and auditioned for the opportunity to join top fitness experts Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper on the show.
“It was a whirlwind process. My background as a fighter has played an important role in landing this job and in ultimately getting the weight off the contestants,” says Cara.
Cara is using her boxing experience to highlight the sport this season on the show as a fantastic full-body workout to help lose weight. She is creating sparring and boxing workouts to help the contestants condition, tone and strengthen their physiques.
“I am here to teach the contestants to have the heart, and mindset, of a fighter. They have been getting knocked down their whole lives. I am here to help them realize that their lives are worth fighting for,” says Cara. “It’s time to get back up off ‘the canvas’ and start fighting again.”
Cara can be seen on “The Biggest Loser: Couples,” on Tuesdays at 8/7 central on NBC.
For more information on “The Biggest Loser” visit www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser.