Ali VIncent-related stories
Ali Vincent Says Believe It, Be It
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment
Photo: Courtesy of Designer Whey
Ali Vincent, the first female winner of "The Biggest Loser" has been baring her sleek arms everywhere since sweeping Season 5. Now she's baring her soul in a new book, Believe It, Be It, which hits bookshelves tomorrow. This is not a step-by-step diet book. Rather, it's a revealing memoir of her life leading up to that 234-pound initial weigh-in, followed by intimate insights on how she lost 112 pounds during her on-off-back-on-again time at the ranch. Whether you're a fan of the show, looking to lose major weight or a combination of both, Vincent's warm heart and smarts will motivate you.
That's Fit recently had a chance to speak with Ali about weight loss maintenance, Biggest Loser profanity and her future plans.
That's Fit: Some Biggest Loser contestants gain significant weight back, others don't. Does Biggest Loser provide any post-show support or are you primarily on your own?
That's Fit recently had a chance to speak with Ali about weight loss maintenance, Biggest Loser profanity and her future plans.
That's Fit: Some Biggest Loser contestants gain significant weight back, others don't. Does Biggest Loser provide any post-show support or are you primarily on your own?
Ali Vincent: Honestly, your season is over and they have to go onto the next season. I had to figure it out on my own. I got a counselor, I had to wean myself out of working out all the time. I didn't want to trade one addiction for another. I communicated that I would have appreciated [more support at home], so they've listened and now they definitely do have more support. Yes, people do gain weight after the show, but if you look at the statistics and compare it to the numbers of any other program out there, our numbers are significantly lower for the people that relapse.
TF: What's the hardest part of weight loss maintenance at home?
AV: I think the hardest part ... is really communication with your friends and family. Every Friday I might go to my mom's house and have a big 'ole dinner. Anytime I was sad we went and ate Mexican food. It wasn't conscious, it was a habit. So really just being clear with your relationships, people at work, communicating to everyone you interact with that "Hey, this is what I'm going for and I would really appreciate it if you could support me in this way." If they can't, then you need to change your circumstance, change your environment.
AV: It is TV, so obviously you're not supposed to cuss. You have to be conscious of the audience. I think Bob and Jillian are pushed to that point where contestants aren't listening. It is what it is, but I don't think you necessarily need to put it on TV.
Bob hardly ever [curses]. Jillian, she's got a little potty mouth. That's not their only way, they go wherever they need to go with each type of contestant. They're genius at what they do, and they're willing to go anywhere it takes to get that contestant past that line, past that moment, through that experience.
This time, Biggest Loser is a woman
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
A woman had never been crowned The Biggest Loser before last night when Ali Vincent won the $250,000 grand prize for shedding a whopping 112 pounds, the most ever for a female contestant in Biggest Loser history.Vincent, a 32-year-old hair stylist from Mesa, Arizona who nows weighs 122 pounds, first arrived on the Biggest Loser: Couples ranch with her mom Bette-Sue Burkland -- mom was voted off the show a while back but still lost 86 pounds -- and impressed both her competitors and TV viewers with her dramatic transformation.
Why did she take a leave of absence from her every-day life to work her butt off in front of a national audience? "I want to be strong and healthy and I want to look good and I want to set a good example," she says.
Vincent's inspiring story will be featured in PEOPLE magazine, available on Friday.
