Erik Chopin - Life After The Biggest Loser

Remember Erik Chopin? He was "The Biggest Loser" champ from Season 3 after trimming his 407-pound body down to a slim 193. That's Fit had a chance to speak with Erik for the inside scoop on real life at the ranch, his secret weight-loss weapon and one new passion -- helping people with Type 2 diabetes.

He's currently the national spokesperson for Health Across America, a national diabetes awareness and screening bus tour to support people with Type 2 diabetes. The 21-city tour rolled into the Bay Area today and is headed to Oregon and Washington next week.

We admired Erik's honesty on Oprah, after she acknowledged her own weight gain and inspired him to do the same, so we asked how the public has received his story. Erik shared the public has been extremely supportive. He is ashamed and embarrassed about gaining back half the weight, but going public was cleansing. He's now moving in the right direction.

Erik explains the show gave contestants a caloric range to follow and stressed quality low carbohydrates and lean high proteins, but that was it. He acknowledges there are people out there who can eat plenty and stay thin. But his body requires both diet and fitness to keep the weight off. Even if he's eating right, when he feels too busy to workout, he'll slowly re-gain the weight. Erik weighs around 315 pounds right now, down 10 pounds since mid-April and focusing on fit and healthy, not the scale.

Erik also confirms what we suspected, the ranch is extreme. A typical day looked like this -- an hour of cardio at 7:00 a.m., followed by breakfast, then an intense session with trainers from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. sprinkled with challenges, followed by a little rest, lots of production interviews, a team dinner, two more hours of homework cardio, then bed. The ranch is not a spa, no massages, no cooks, if you're sore the medic gives you a bag of ice. That's it.

His favorite moment was when Dr. Huizenga told him his blood sugar was reduced -- Erik's Type 2 diabetes was discovered upon a required physical for "The Biggest Loser" -- and his high cholesterol and high blood pressure were normal.

As far as how the show could improve, Erik said it lacks ongoing support. Not that post-season contestants need to be babied, but once the show is over, there's not much communication or even on-line support available. But he has absolutely no criticism for his trainer, Bob -- they've stayed in touch.

Interestingly, Erik found a new weight loss weapon in his local pharmacist, Joe. Beyond filling prescriptions, Erik explained Joe is a wealth of support in the diet and fitness arena. Unlike doctors, Joe is easily accessible and available to privately talk about nutrition and cardio. Your local pharmacist considers customers their 'patients.' Erik encourages everyone to add their local pharmacist to their support team.

As for losing weight, Erik has stopped thinking it's got to be five hours of cardio or nothing. He's following Joe's advice of 30 minutes per day, and is keeping his cardio spark alive with a new love, boxing.

Erik has been all over the scale, from morbidly obese to celebrity thin. He explains he's sensed different attitudes from people when he was at 407 and now at his current weight. He describes it as a distaste of someone who takes up more room than you, and for Erik, it's a reminder that he prefers being an average size and fitting in. He was never the big guy and OK with it. The celebrity part has been positive, allowing Erik to go from deli owner to spokesperson for Health Across America. For others that struggle with obesity, he tells people to lean on family, friends, a gym partner and the local community pharmacist.