Andrea Baptiste: Biggest Loser Winner

This is the tale of 2 contestants on the season one show of the Biggest Loser. Contestant number 1, Andrea Baptiste, started off the season one show weighing in at 215 lbs and lost a remarkable 56 lbs. While she was not the “winner”, she has lost an additional 8 lbs since the show. Contestant number 2 and season one winner, Ryan Benson , “won” by losing 122 lbs. However, 3 years later Ryan has gained back most of the weight and weighs close to 300 lbs. How did Andrea Baptiste become the biggest winner?

Andrea Baptiste: Weight Gain
Andrea reveals to Black Women’s Health that she started to gain weight when she took a job as a pharmaceutical sales rep which required a lot of traveling and eating out.

“Being in a job where so much of [my time] was spent on the road traveling, having lunches, hosting dinner events and always eating out, I fell into this pattern. I also stopped taking the time to pay attention to my [diet] and to workout. I started making excuses as to why I couldn’t go to the gym. My eating became very poor. Before I knew it, I was 215 pounds!”

Instead of eating out so often, she has learned to control her calorie intake and now packs herself lunches like grilled chicken with veggies.

About her experience on the Biggest Loser

“The Biggest Loser” really helped me. I was in California for three months taping the show. From day one, my trainer, Bob, presented [my team] with challenges. He told us it wasn’t going to be easy; we were not there for a walk in the park. For me, the show was about overcoming challenges and really taking the time to see what I needed to do to take control of my life. I’m in my early 30s and this show came in a pivotal point in my life. I needed something to challenge me to take direction in my life. I’m a big control freak. [Laugh] So, being able to give my life up and turn it over to a complete stranger, trusting that he had my best interest in mind was hard for me to do at first.”

Andrea Baptiste: Diet
Andrea has learned to lose weight by eating small meals every 3 hours, ditching processed foods liked refined sugars, incorporating more fruits and veggies, and going easy on the fat.

“I think the biggest key to that is how you eat…so long as you’re eating properly and the right foods. I mean I haven’t had [processed] sugar in over a year! I’m doing a low-fat, low-carb diet. For instance, I may have four eggs…one whole egg and three egg whites…to make an omelet with low-fat cheese, turkey bacon on the side and a piece of fruit like berries or a grapefruit. This [breakfast is well-rounded and balanced. I try to eat every three hours. So, I may have a handful of almonds for a snack. For lunch [or dinner], it would be a salad topped with chicken or a low-carb wrap stuffed with tuna and lettuce. Basically, I’m not eating anything that’s processed. It’s all healthy. I try to eat fresh fruit and vegetables. If I must, I prefer frozen to canned vegetables. So, I really try to balance out my eating so that it’s clean.”

Andrea Baptiste: Exercise and Fitness
Andrea maintains her weight by walking and running in addition to working out with her trainer 3 times a week.

“I try to make it fun. I may take a hike and stop at a tree and do some squats. I don’t necessarily have to go to the gym. I spend more time outdoors now that the weather is nice. So, I put on my headphones and go for a nice brisk walk. Walking is great exercise, particularly if you use hand weights and walk at a quick pace to get your heart rate up. The biggest asset in my [fitness] regime is my heart rate monitor. With it, I know where my target heart rate zones are and I know when my heart rate is up there and I’m burning and I’m working it out. So long as my heart rate is at the right beats per minute, whether I’m walking or running, I know that I’m getting a good workout.”

Her response to criticism that eating healthy is too expensive

“As far as eating, I talk to women so often who say it’s too expensive to eat healthy. I ask them how many times a week do they go out with their girlfriends to eat and sip on martinis. If you want it, you make the time to prepare, plan ahead and make it happen. [Eating right] is no more expensive than a new outfit or going out to dinner with friends. It’s about prioritizing what means more to you: your health, longevity or just living for the moment.”

Celebrity Diet Doctor Weigh in…
Andrea Baptiste has proved that she is the true Biggest Loser and the Biggest winner in life. She has committed herself to lifestyle changes that will be with her for life and has continued to lose weight after the show. No quick fixes, no gimmicks, or extreme diets.

Season one winner Ryan Benson lost an amazing 122 lbs but now 3 years later he weighs close to 300 lbs. He “won” the show by using the detox diet the Master Cleanse, but “lost” because crash diets absolutely wreak your metabolism making you more prone to weight gain later. The dark side of shows like the “Biggest Loser” is that they promote dramatic weight loss and contestants will resort to drastic measures to win the prize money.

Andrea tells it like it is when she says, “People want the magic pill so they’ll spend $250 for a 30-day supply of sugar-coated pills. Or, they see Extreme Makeover and they’re writing in [to the show] because that’s what they want to look like, too. We all know what the answer to the weight-loss problem is…good ol’ fashioned diet and exercise. We just don’t want to do it. [Laugh]”

Check out Andrea Baptiste’s Myspace Page:
Andrea Baptiste Myspace

P.S. Be sure to checkout the Biggest Loser Reunion show coming Sept 4th on NBC.

Update: Andrea just confirmed with me, that she will be on the Biggest Loser Reunion show on Sept 4th. She certainly has been busy since her time on the Biggest Loser. She also told me that she is now a National Spokesperson for the American Heart Association. In addition she has started a non-profit that will help organize health training seminars for underserved families and kids to implement health and wellness in the home and school. Way to go Andrea!

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