‘Amazing Race Canada’ couple returning to television tonight
Taylors’ new show ‘Mind Set Go’ premieres on AMI-tv
Local fitness and wellness coaches Lowell and Julie Taylor are back on the small screen with a new show aiming to help people struggling with weight issues with help from Canadian Paralympic athletes.
The first season of “Mind Set Go” premiers tonight on AMI-tv. Full episodes will also be available to stream online at AMI.ca following the initial broadcast.
The first season of “Mind Set Go” follows eight Canadians, in 30minute episodes, through the first three months of their journey towards a healthier life.
Along the way, the show digs into their personal histories and seeks out the reasons they continue to struggle with their health.
“This isn’t a traditional weight-loss show,” said Lowell. “It’s not like ‘The Biggest Loser’ where we just want people to lose weight. Your body will find its set point weight when you find your health.”
“The goals at the beginning of each episode aren’t even about weight,” said Julie. “The participants set a physical objective, such as climbing a mountain or running or biking a certain distance. Something very specific and meaningful to work towards.”
They have also been paired up with famous Canadian Paralympians who faced similar struggles, and who used a positive mindset to overcome their own barriers. These athletes are able to provide insights for the participants along the way.
“If the participant is feeling overwhelmed with trying to balance family and work, (the Paralympian they have been paired with) had the same struggle,” said Julie. “And if they had pain or anxiety, different things like that. They are matched up pretty well.”
Millions of Canadians struggle with obesity, but less than five per cent will find a way to lose their weight and keep it off. While the stories are unique, Lowell said each participant shared common threads in terms of struggling with their health.
“They’ve all done the yo-yo dieting,” he said. “They’ve (mostly) all struggled with their weight for a long period of time. My idea as a psychologist was to try and get behind the scenes and figure out their mental block.”
“We talked about mindful eating and being kind to yourself,” said Julie.
Lowell suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited genetic disorder which causes a breakdown and loss of cells in the retina — the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. Symptoms of the disorder include loss of night vision and peripheral vision.
He was the first visually impaired contestant on “The Amazing Race Canada”; he and Julie completed seven of 11 legs on season four. Lowell is currently working toward securing a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games as a cyclist.
“Doors have continued to open since we were on ‘The Amazing Race Canada’ in 2016,” said Lowell.
The husband-and-wife team has been busy with motivational speaking events where they tell their story, talk about overcoming obstacles, and discuss the importance of teammates and communication.
“AMI-tv came to one of our talks and were kind of moved by our story — and us — and wanted to do a project with us,” said Lowell.
One area of interest for Lowell and Julie are stories of how Paralympians overcame their barriers to achieve success in sports.
“It’s really compelling and I think those stories connect us,” Lowell said.
AMI-tv is the world's first television network to broadcast all programs with open-format described video for individuals who are blind or partially sighted, and is broadcast daily into more than eight million Canadian homes.
“Mind Set Go” airs Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on AMI-tv, starting tonight.
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