By Ali Vincent, Special to BiggestLoserClub.com

I just want to start out by saying um.... NICOLE, where oh where did you go? I couldn't believe how amazing Nicole looked when I first set eyes on her back at campus in week 13. And it was so great for me to be there with everyone; it truly is a special place.

Every time I go back, I always want to take every single contestant in my arms and tell them how good they are doing and that everything will be ok. I want to share with them that it will all be ok whether they stay on ranch or go home because eventually everyone goes home. Being on The Biggest Loser is definitely a special time in our lives as contestants, but it just is a moment in time in all respect to our entire lives. It is especially inspiring to see contestants come back to campus or the finale after only a short stint on The Biggest Loser campus and see the amazing results created at home.

Too Much Stress?
All too often at home we feel pulled in millions of different directions. Sometimes it becomes overwhelming, and our bodies can physically panic. When our bodies are that stressed out, be it emotionally or physically, our systems go into protective mode and produce a hormone called Cortisol.

Now I am no doctor by any means, I can only talk from my experience and the knowledge given to me by my trainers, Bob and Jillian. But what happens when Cortisol is released is that it prevents you from losing weight. I don't know why Nicole gained 5 lbs. during her week back on campus, but I do know that she was experiencing a lot of stress from so many people pulling her in so many different directions. I know. I've been there!

Control What You Can
As a contestant returning to campus after being gone for weeks and weeks, you do not come back to the same situation. There is gameplay in The Biggest Loser, and the longer you stay on campus the more sucked into it you get.

When I returned to campus during my season after a 5-week hiatus, I could not personally handle that kind of stress. I just decided to control what I could and that was my intake of calories and the amount of calories I burned. For whatever reason, I was able to detach enough from the drama of the game that I did not have any experiences (that I was aware of) with Cortisol.

I am not trying to make excuses for anyone, just thinking things over. I have been lucky enough to personally get to know Nicole, and she is one of the most vibrant and strong women I have had the privilege to cross paths with. I think Nicole is AMAZING, and I know in my heart of hearts that everything happens for a reason. I know Nicole believes that too. So America, brace yourself for a woman who has used her at-home resources to their fullest. And know this, you can do the very same thing to regain control of your life!