Inside the Truth Behind The Biggest Loser’s Most Controversial Trainer and Its Former Winners
Hello, I’m Jaden Patel, your guide through the surreal world of celebrity wellness, where motivation sometimes looks suspiciously like yelling and a cup of coffee can be classified as performance-enhancing.
Let’s talk about The Biggest Loser, that beloved, brutal, and occasionally terrifying weight-loss competition show that made us all feel guilty for finishing a sandwich. It was the kind of TV that made you want to run five miles—or at least change the channel. And at the center of it all? Jillian Michaels, the human alarm clock with abs harder than most people’s willpower.
Fast-forward to today, and Michaels is not just doing yoga poses in Lululemon ads—she’s defending her legacy. Specifically, she’s pushing back against Netflix’s docuseries Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser, which raised some serious questions about the methods used on the show. In true Jillian fashion, she didn’t just post a vague statement. No, she posted receipts—email receipts—to prove she wasn’t restricting contestants’ calories. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned from reality TV, it’s that screenshots settle everything.
In one such screenshot, sent to season 11 winner Olivia Ward during filming, Michaels explicitly told her to eat 1,600 calories per day. That may not sound like much, but compared to what some contestants were reportedly consuming pre-show, it might as well have been a feast. She also addressed the caffeine pill controversy by pointing out that they weren’t banned—and that fellow trainer Bob Harper actually suggested them. Her only objection? Brand loyalty. “I wanted to use my brand instead because they were cleaner and had no more than 200mg of caffeine,” she wrote. Because when you’re accused of psychological warfare, nothing says “trust me” like a branded supplement line.
Of course, not everyone remembers Michaels as a villain. Season six winner Michelle Aguilar took to Instagram to defend her former trainer, calling her “my motivator, my guide, and sometimes the tough love I didn’t know I needed.” High praise, especially considering how many contestants have spoken out over the years about long-term health consequences, including metabolic damage and rebound weight gain.
Take Ryan Benson, the very first winner of The Biggest Loser. He lost over 120 pounds in 2005, then gained it all back within days. Not metaphorically—literally. “Within three days after the show, I had gained 25 to 30 pounds back just in water weight alone,” he told People in 2024. He later joined a spin-off called The Big Fat Truth, which offered contestants a second chance to lose weight. A second chance. Like a participation trophy, but with treadmills.
Benson admitted he still feels guilt decades later. “You feel guilty for going through this and not living up to what you did on the show even 20 years later,” he said. Which raises an uncomfortable question: Was the show setting people up for failure? Or just for ratings?
Still, not every story ends in regret. Matt Hoover, who dropped 157 pounds during his time on the show, found something unexpected—love. He met Suzy Preston, the season’s runner-up, and the two married in 2006. They now have two sons, Rex and Jax, who are into wrestling and lacrosse respectively. So while the scale may have bounced back, the romance stuck around. That’s got to count for something.
As for Michaels, she remains unapologetic. “Wild how some folks still lie like it’s 1985 before texts and email were a thing,” she quipped on Instagram. A classic move: accuse others of lying while simultaneously proving your own point with digital evidence. If nothing else, she’s consistent.
Meanwhile, the debate continues: Was The Biggest Loser a life-changing opportunity or a cautionary tale wrapped in spandex? Either way, it left a mark—on contestants, trainers, and anyone who ever looked at their reflection and thought, “Maybe I should try running uphill for four hours.”
So what’s next? More tell-alls? Lawsuits? A reboot hosted by someone less controversial? Probably not. But hey, stranger things have happened. Just ask Ryan Benson.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, People Magazine
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