Last night, the premiere of Naked and Afraid XLaired on Discovery Channel. Twelve of the smartest, most dynamic survivalists have been assembled to take on what could possibly be an almost un-survivable situation: XL is a 40-day challenge, making it more difficult and longer than Naked and Afraid's usual 21-day challenges.
These 12 extreme survivalist men and women are stranded in a very remote, equatorial jungle of Colombia. With no food, water, or clothes, they have to survive off of the land and try to make it to the end of the challenge by either working together or going alone.
Luke McLaughlin, one of Naked and Afraid XL's contestants that has spent a lot of his life in nature, made his debut in Naked and Afraid's season in Namibia. After being chosen to come back to try and survive this new challenge in the middle of the Colombian jungle, McLaughlin prepared for this next challenge by doing "a lot of cleansing" and eating.
"I'm almost embarrassed after the first episode to see myself with a little bit of a gut," McLaughlin says, with a laugh. "But I had to enjoy my last few meals before I was left with nothing."
Outside of the show, McLaughlin puts the majority of his time and energy into helping at-risk youth back in Michigan where he founded the Holistic Survival School. Many of the teens he works with are struggling with gender identity, drug abuse, or sexual abuse and McLaughlin will bring them into the woods for several weeks in order to get them to connect more with nature and "accept things as they are."
With the pressures of society today, McLaughlin feels that nature is much quieter place to learn more about yourself.
"Nature is a great, amazing teacher," McLaughlin explains. "Nature can put a pause on life, and you can spend time getting to know yourself."
Some advice that McLaughlin kept telling himself to get through the challenge is a philosophy that he shares with his students as well.
"If you ever let the option of quitting stay with you, then you're going to quit," McLaughlin says. "You just have to continue telling yourself you're going to get through this and then you will."
Naked and Afraid XL airs on Discovery Channel Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET.
Luke McLaughlin (left) with contestant Chris Fischer.
