Anna Kournikova on Joining The Biggest Loser as a Trainer

Anna Kournikova said it plainly: "I didn't feel any pressure. I was the one that went after this opportunity to be on the Biggest Loser — to have the oppo…" — and Premier Guide Miami was in the room when it happened.

Anna Kournikova joins Biggest Loser favorite Bob Harper for Season 12, training 15 contestants competing in a "Battle of the Ages" — grouping contestants by age for the first time in the show's history. The season premiere aired Tuesday, September 20 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern / 7:00 Central on NBC. Premier Guide Miami's Daedrian McNaughton spoke with the internationally recognized tennis star and certified trainer ahead of the premiere.

With the absence of Jillian Michaels, do you feel added pressure joining the show?

I didn't feel any pressure. I was the one that went after this opportunity to be on the Biggest Loser — to have the opportunity to train with these contestants and help them become healthier. I've worked with the best nutritionists, the best psychologists, the best coaches and trainers, and I've stored all of that information. I've used my body as a tool my whole life on a tennis court being a professional athlete. So for me it was just literally instead of listening to all the information that was thrown at me, I was repeating it and voicing it to the contestants and sharing it with them. I didn't feel like I was replacing anyone or trying to fill in anybody's shoes — not at all. We all have our own styles. The biggest draw was that I had all this knowledge, that I live and breathe sports, fitness, nutrition, well-being, and helping people. I've been working with kids involving kids into sports since 2003, working with the Boys and Girls Club full-time and promoting sports and healthy active lifestyles. So it was a completely natural role for me.

Does it feel like you're filling a void, and how would you prove yourself this season — and is your husband 100% supportive of your work?

It's not about me. I don't look at the Biggest Loser as a show about the trainers. The show is about the contestants, and we are the support system — part of a big team of professionals that includes a nutritionist, a doctor, and a psychologist helping the cast members. I'm not trying to prove myself at all. I'm just there to do my part of the job, which is to train and educate the contestants about exercise, fitness, and healthy lifestyle. All of my family and friends are extremely supportive because they know that if I do something, I do it a million percent. I'm very committed and dedicated to the things I choose to do. These people who were strangers just a couple of days ago formed and developed relationships on the ranch. Add in the mix that they're physically exhausted from working out six to eight hours a day on a restricted calorie budget, and there's some very interesting stuff going on.

What will you bring to the table as a new trainer on the Biggest Loser?

The fact is that I treated my body as a tool my whole life to be able to perform on the tennis court and to be a professional athlete. I've worked with the best sports psychologists, the best nutritionists, the best trainers, the best coaches. So for me it was literally just using all that information that has been drilled into my brain for the last 23, 25 years and voicing it and sharing it with the contestants. I've also been working with the Boys and Girls Club and charities including the USO, spreading the message of healthy well-being and lifestyle and getting kids into sports. I know I didn't have a lot of experience with obese people, but that's why we have an amazing support system with Dr. H. and nutritionist Cheryl Forberg. It's basic science and math. The most important thing is explaining it to the contestants and motivating them. It's not rocket science, but it requires discipline, dedication, and understanding how it works.

What would you say to people who think you were picked just because you're beautiful?

People always ask me how I can relate to the contestants. And I say: listen, I get criticized and judged all the time — she's just too pretty, she's not good enough, she wasn't a good athlete. But to be a top-ten tennis player in the world, I must have been doing something right. I achieved everything with pure hard work and dedication. I came from the Soviet Union, from really nothing, from a very modest background. And that's how I tell the contestants I can relate to them — I know what it's like to be judged and criticized, whether it's because of your weight, how you look, or people's preconceived notions. The only thing I can control is working hard and being the best human being I can. And that's it.

As a high-level athlete, has the Biggest Loser pushed you physically or otherwise?

It was definitely a very different experience. I was always the one being told what to do and following instructions to the T. This was a total role reversal where I was telling people what to do based on what I've learned from the best nutritionists, sports psychologists, coaches, and trainers. It definitely brought me back to the organized, disciplined ways I had as a professional athlete. The last few years had been more relaxed for me, but it was very easy to jump right back into being super disciplined and dedicated — spending a lot of hours with these contestants, really trying to change their thinking and mentality.

For the Biggest Loser, what was your approach to healthy eating habits and physical activity in relation to the contestants?

I really followed the information and all the guidelines and charts that Dr. H. — Dr. Huizenga — has created for each contestant. I made sure we tried to stick to the calories, the intakes, how much they burned, and everything, while using my own personal knowledge gathered from working with the best nutritionists during my professional athletic career.

Is the show what you expected it to be?

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It's definitely different. One thing is watching it; another thing is actually being there. You literally become family with these people. You care and you become so involved and attached — but you also have to keep a little bit of distance and a fresh perspective. I love the working out and spending time with the contestants. What I really don't like is the camera stuff — the actual TV part of it. I've never been on a TV show, and waiting for cameras to set up drives me crazy because I'd rather just be exercising and burning calories. But that's what I wanted. I was ready. I knew my heart was in the right place, I had all the knowledge, and I was treating it like a professional athlete — this is my life.

What have you learned from this experience?

I think the only reason I was ready now — at 30 — to go on this journey is because it's a huge responsibility. You're their best friend, their trainer, their person trying to work on the mental things they're going through. I don't think I could've handled it five years ago or even three years ago — I wasn't mature enough or hadn't gone through my own discovery journey. But I definitely learned that I've done all of this my whole life. It was about being very disciplined, showing up, spending a lot of time in the gym, and working physically and mentally hard. When you're a professional athlete at a certain level, everybody plays good tennis — it's then who's mentally tougher. For me it was pretty comfortable falling back into a routine of working hard and being disciplined. What I understood again here is how committed and dedicated I can be to something I believe in so much.

What is your favorite moment while working on the Biggest Loser?

Where do I begin? It's everything — the great moments and the tough moments. It's a roller coaster, an emotional journey. I had amazing times seeing the contestants succeed. I saw Bonnie, who's 63 years old with a knee replacement, get off the floor. But then there were also sad moments — seeing the disappointment on a contestant's face on days when she gained weight. It's life. We spent four months with these contestants. The most important thing from the beginning was giving these people as many tools and as much information as I could so they can take it all home and apply it in their lives after the ranch. Because sooner or later, everybody goes home. The overall objective was that these people not only lose weight while sequestered on the ranch, but that they can sustain and maintain a healthy lifestyle off the ranch.

Were you allowed a lot of time to work with the contestants?

I had plenty of time. I was there every day with the contestants. From the beginning it was never about a quick fix. I really focused on making sure they got the tools, the information, and the education to take home. Even when I was designing exercises, the key was that they would remember them and be able to execute them in their own living room when they got off the ranch. I was like a parent repeating things all the time — but hopefully they absorbed it. A few weeks in, they really do get a great sense that this is not rocket science. It's basic simple math. It is science. But with hard work, willingness to change, and the commitment and sacrifices they and their families are making, they were making things happen.

How did you deal with the emotions of the contestants?

I'm a woman and I obviously have my ups and downs emotionally. Being a professional athlete, certain days you don't feel like going on the court or being in front of 20,000 people — but you trick your brain and your mind to go out there and perform. What really helped from my past is that I did work with a sports psychologist. I also went personally through therapy since I was 20 years old for a few years because I had issues with my family. So I worked a lot in that area — with a therapist, with a psychologist. I feel like I've gained a lot of knowledge and tools to be able to listen, understand, and give good advice to the contestants on how to start believing in themselves. The accomplishments they make during physical activity make a huge difference and build their confidence.

Were the cameras a distraction for you?

I actually don't like to be on the spot. On camera I get a little tongue-tied and uncomfortable. As you'll probably see in the show, I mess up my English all the time — not that I speak perfect English anyway, as you know I'm Russian. But the best part is when I'm just with the contestants exercising in the gym — I'm totally able to lose myself with them and be in the moment. I didn't want to be on the Biggest Loser to be famous or to be on TV or to be on another magazine cover. I've done all of that in my teenage years. The whole appeal and the only reason I wanted to be on the Biggest Loser was to live and breathe exercise, help people, and have a positive experience with these contestants and change their lives.

What do you think works best for these contestants?

What works is balance and moderation — but also indulging. Because if you deprive yourself completely all the time, you're going to fall off the wagon and overdo it. I eat anything — everything from pizza to burgers to healthy oatmeal. What really works is moderation. As I've gotten older I'm more conscious and focused on the nutritional benefits of food. I really try to stick to whole foods and natural foods, not so much the packaged stuff. And I work out five or six days a week as much as I can. That's my therapy, my me time. I've been used to sweating since I was 5 years old when I started playing tennis. I really never go more than two days without sweating it out in the gym or doing some kind of sport. My body just needs it — I actually get anxiety if I don't work out.

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