The Biggest Loser Update Special: Remembrance of Things Fat

Over the course of what is now eight seasons, over 200 obese Americans have descended upon Malibu to lose weight, change their lives, and walk away with a ton of cash. Now it’s time to check in on some of our favorites, and some that we really didn’t like. Just like a VH1 retro special, it’s time to take a look back, and a look forward, as we revisit more than 40 previous contestants of The Biggest Loser and ask the age old question (and one of the most frequent requests I get from my readers): Where are they now?

Bob and Jillian host this holiday special, which begins with a visit to Dr. Robert Huizenga, the resident medical expert for the show. It’s appropriate, as every season begins at his clinic, where the contestants undergo a plethora of tests to determine just how unhealthy these people are. Dr. H. tells us that when the show first started, everyone was very nervous. It wasn’t just about a weight loss contest, it was a question of whether obese people could be safely put through the paces of professional athletes in a radical program to turn their bodies around in a natural way, without surgery or medication.

Dr. H. contends that America as a whole is in denial about how bad the obesity problem is. It certainly doesn’t help that you can go to almost any street corner in this country and find a fast food restaurant. The beauty of this show, in his eyes, is the fact that forcing these people to take off their shirts and really look at themselves, and force the audience to look at them, takes away that denial and removes some of the stigma about being fat and working out. I have to say, I agree. Seeing these folks has certainly made me feel a whole lot less self-conscious about going to the gym.

The biggest example of how bad things can get, in the good doctor’s opinion, was Jerry Skeabeck from Season 6, who was one of the sickest contestants in the show’s history. He was at risk for almost every major disease, and according to their analysis was 25 years older in biological terms than his actual chronological age at the time. Dr. H. truly thought that Jerry would not survive without this program.

A year after his season, Jerry is off to revisit Dr. H. He’s dropped from his original weight of 380 pounds to 262. He tells the doctor that everyone gets a rude awakening in their lives. For him, it came very late, the moment he first met with the doctor. We learn that almost all of the medical issues Jerry had are gone, which comes as a shocker even to Dr. H.

In a Home Video segment, we reunite with Mallory Bray from Season 5. She started at the ranch weighing 217 pounds. She doesn’t reveal her current weight, but she does tell us that she now works as a fitness trainer at her local gym, and shows us that her “mini skirt” has dropped several sizes. She emphasizes that this show does work. I expect we’ll be seeing a lot of these testimonials throughout the next two hours.

Next, we meet with Pete Thomas from Season 2. In the four years since his time on the ranch, he’s dropped from 401 pounds to 238. He says he feels “sexy, strong, and great.” Thankful for the change he made at the ranch, he has developed his own fitness program, a 10-week class called “Lose it Fast, Lose it Forever.” He feels a great deal of pride in leading group workouts. To him, the program is all about transformation and tuning in to what we have in common. Because of his past, he uses his life as an example for the others in the class. Quite simply, he’s living proof.

He’s not the only one to pay it forward, as we check in with Andrea “Drea” Baptiste from Season 1. Not only has she maintained a healthy weight of 160 pounds, she also works as a trainer for HealthWorks, a non-profit organization designed to help women and children work out.

As a surprise to her students, Drea takes the class to a special cooking session with chef Curtis Stone. The ladies make a healthy alternative to clam chowder, a steamed clam soup without the cream and fat of chowder.

Our second Home Video segment checks in on Season 5’s Mark Kruger. In his time since starting at the ranch, he’s dropped 100 pounds, going from 285 to 185. Teammate Jay has gone from 293 to 207. In keeping with their healthy lifestyles, the boys have since run a road race, along with several supporters from their Season 5 castmates.

The next segment is devoted to that sacred mental institution known as marriage. More weddings have resulted from The Biggest Loser than any other reality show, including those moronic dating shows allegedly created for that express purpose.

We start with Matt and Suzy, who finished first and third respectively in Season 2. They are now married with two children, and both are maintaining decent numbers. Matt is more than 100 pounds down from his starting weight, while Suzy is more than 50 down. Initially, they didn’t like each other. Matt thought Suzy was annoying because of her chipper attitude, and Suzy found Matt to be overly surly. Feelings started to develop when Suzy gave him a haircut. Six months later, Matt proposed live on The Today Show.

After a fairy tale wedding, Matt admits that they’ve both gained some weight back. Still, they’re committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle for their sons. In the shots where they’re outdoors, you can see that Matt is sweating around his stomach area.

We next move on to last season’s Red Team, Damien and Nicole. They’re a unique case in point, as they were already engaged when they came to the ranch. The point of their participation was to get in shape for their wedding. After starting out with a combined weight of 650 pounds, Nicole is down to 155 and Damien clocks in at 253. Their wedding took place after the Season 7 finale, with Nicole fitting into a wedding dress that once was fitted for a mannequin. Damien’s tuxedo was also particularly trim. The couple’s wedding photos were even featured in a magazine. As Damien puts it, Nicole went “from ‘Damn!’ to ‘Woo!’” I don’t think you can say it any better than that.

Like many of the others we’ve seen, Nicole is now a group fitness trainer at the show’s sponsored gym. Damien also teaches classes, and the couple is now training for a half marathon. They came to the ranch to lose weight for their wedding. Now, they’re planning to start a family. All that’s left now, as far as Nicole is concerned, is to learn how to cook.