Last night’s episode of The Biggest Loser got me thinking about opportunities. It seemed to be a theme for several contestants, particularly Michael and Melissa. Both seemed to be struggling with embracing the opportunity in front of them and were in denial that they were letting the opportunity slide by.

Michael, the heaviest contestant in the show’s history, spent much of his time this week working out lightly and complaining. It was noticed by the rest of the house and by the scale, where he and his mother were up for elimination and the house voted to send Maria home.

Melissa, meanwhile, is sucked into a game-playing mentality. Last week, she threw the weigh-in and gained a pound. This week she apparently threw the weigh-in again, losing just one pound.

It takes a while, often, for the proverbial light bulb to actually click on. They might intellectually understand that obesity threatens their lives. They may think they’re ready for a change.

But the change is not just in losing in weight. The change is in embracing new opportunities. It is in developing your own sense of accountability and taking responsibility when you don’t put forth your best effort.

The change is in recognizing that opportunities don’t always come neatly packaged. Sometimes they are messy and challenging and a struggle. But if you take a minute to slow your own thoughts down and see what’s in front of you, the gift of that opportunity emerges.

Then it simply becomes your choice — take advantage and discover where the opportunity may lead you or do nothing and get the same results. Again.

Perhaps it’s just a matter of shifting your view, changing your thoughts. There are opportunities that have passed me by, not because I didn’t take it and run with it, but because I barely acknowledged it was an opportunity in the first place.

What opportunities might present themselves today in my workouts? In my work? With my friends?

I might not know if I don’t take the time to look for them, appreciate them and then take advantage of that gift.

With that, today’s endurance bike ride and hour swim session might be more interesting than originally planned.