Earlier this week, The Biggest Loser crowned a winner, Danni, in the season 14 finale of the NBC show. But the newly-size 4 Danni isn't the only contestant who slimmed down and got healthy in the process. Below, you'll find runner-up Jeff's weight loss success story, in his own words.
Name: Jeff Nichols
Age: 25
Height: 5'10"
Before Weight: 388 pounds
How I Gained It: My weight gain started from a young age when I was put on steroids to help fight off the asthma that I had as a child. My father passed away in 2005, when I was a senior in high school, which quickly took me from a chubby teen to becoming very overweight. I headed off to college soon after my dad's passing. Three a.m. meals, little to no exercise and living a very sedentary lifestyle were some of the biggest contributors to my weight gain.
Breaking Point: There were several moments that signaled I needed to lose the weight, but I think I was just finally sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was feeling very depressed because I couldn't keep up with my friends socially or athletically. No clothing ever fit, I was always the biggest one in the group, I didn't want to have to always sit in the front seat. After enough time feeling sad, you realize you have to do something about it.
How I Lost It: As many know, I was fortunate enough to be on "The Biggest Loser", but just being on the television show doesn't mean you're going to lose the weight. I lost the weight by primarily doing cardio -- lots and lots of cardio. Another large part of losing the weight is nutrition, and learning about your calories in versus your calories out. My BodyMedia armband helped me know the balance between what I was eating and how much of it I was burning. I am a fan of hiking and cycling, but also spent much time on the treadmill and stairmaster. Going forward I plan to continue my cardio, but also mix in some weight training, specifically CrossFit.
My life is so very different now! Not only do people look to me for advice and inspiration when it comes to weight loss (something I could have never imagined), I am also happy and proud for the first time in a very long time. I wake up excited to see what the day brings, and how I'm going to tackle any challenges that come my way. I have found someone very special to me throughout this experience, and I look forward to what the future holds for me and fellow contestant Francelina. Life just simply couldn't be better right now.
After Weight: 207 pounds
Check out Jeff's before and after photos in the slideshow below:
The Biggest Loser: Jeff
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