Those of you who watched Season 9 would know that SunShine and I were actually kicked off the ranch not once, but twice. To read the story of how we got to come back, check out SunShine’s post: Getting on The Biggest Loser Ranch.
Being kicked off the ranch was heartbreaking. I felt that I had let SunShine down, but with hard work we had the opportunity to come back, and we fought hard for the entire season! When the show came to an end (again), this time it was for good. We had both changed our bodies completely.
I lost nearly 170 pounds and SunShine lost 100 pounds, but now we were back at home and the reality of the challenge we faced to keep the weight off in the ‘real’ world hit us hard.
I returned home to Minnesota and SunShine moved to Arizona, which meant we didn’t have each other to rely on either. No longer working out 6-8 hours per day, we knew gaining some weight after leaving the ranch was normal, but I knew I would have to work very hard to keep my weight under control and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
We overhauled our lives. I had to put things in the right perspective, trying to make choices every day that were best for both my health and my family.
My wife purged the cupboards and replaced the bad foods with healthy options. No more of my favorite potato chips. We learned how to read nutrition labels and choose veggies and natural foods over the processed junk. It doesn’t mean I didn’t fall off the wagon on my eating or workouts though.
I gained some weight, but I’m still healthier than the day I went to that audition with SunShine.
My biggest opportunity has been being able to share and spread the word on my new life and the happiness I have found as a result. Working with NuStep, I have had the opportunity to help and encourage others at events and through this blog.
It has given SunShine a new lease on life. She has built so much confidence and is really living life to the fullest. She even ran the NYC Marathon in 2011 and recently completed a triathlon!
Changing our lives and maintaining our weight loss after the show hasn’t been easy, or perfect, but it has absolutely been worth it.
