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Healthy Recovery with Jerry Hayes The Biggest Loser: Couples
by Troy Rogers
When it comes to your health, there's no time to slow down and twiddle your thumbs if you truly want to give your lifestyle an extreme makeover. That's exactly the approach NBC has taken with The Biggest Loser, as the gap between the Families season and the new couples season was only a few short weeks. Although the most recent episode of The Biggest Loser Couples saw a few of the new competitors get used to life without their partners for at least 30 days, some of the later focus was on the Gray team's Joelle, who became the target of questions surrounding her desire to go the distance.
But early into the episode, a more immediate focus was placed on the White team's 63 year old Jerry from Illinois who collapsed and had to be taken to the hospital, which scared everyone, including trainer Bob Harper. When the night came to a close and young competitor Dan found himself up against Jerry below the yellow line, the group decided to vote the elder player due to his health scare.
A day after the second episode of The Biggest Loser Couples, we found Jerry on the line for a conference call where he filled us in on life post-ranch, post-hospital, and post-passing out.
THE DEADBOLT: What was the hardest part of the whole experience for you?
 JERRY HAYES: Getting my mind around it, to tell you the truth, that I could do it. I thought my body couldn’t do it. But most of it was I didn’t think my body could do it. My body was in much better shape than I thought it was and I haven’t really hurt it other than I got some blisters on my feet. But after that, I’m fine. I’m very careful with my joints and everything. But the joints are all holding up and everything is fine. This 63 year old body isn’t as old as I thought it was.
THE DEADBOLT: How much do you think your age factored into your physical fitness?
JERRY: Well, I think it’s not so much my age as the fact that I was on a couch for five years and not doing anything. As far as being old, no, I think I’m okay. I haven’t seen that problem, actually. I’m not going to be as fast as the 27 year old, or as strong, I know that. I’m not going to burn the calories they burn. I’m not going to lose as fast, but that’s okay. I’m getting my metabolism, everything is working.
THE DEADBOLT: What’s the main difference in your life after being on the show?
 JERRY: I’ll tell you, I’m much more focused on where I’m going. I want to be around with my grandkids. But it’s not just one TV show to another, it’s doing stuff together and really focusing on changing our lives. So it’s changed a lot. I was a diabetic, I’m not a diabetic anymore. It’s just gone. Gone! There’s no evidence of diabetes in my [body]. You know, my blood pressure is well under control and my cholesterol is [too]. I think I’m lower than an 18 year old. It’s unbelievable.
THE DEADBOLT: Even though it’s disappointing that you were voted off, how do you feel about the rest of them keeping Daniel instead of you?
JERRY: I love Daniel, I wanted him there. I actually talked to them, they had to choose. They had to take me because they couldn’t let Daniel [go]. I had my wife at home, I had my kids, all very supportive. You know, Daniel is very young, he has his whole life ahead of him, and they came to the right conclusion. They had to. I didn’t want to leave, though, don’t get me wrong. But Daniel is a very special person. He’s going to be a Baptist minister and he’s just a kind and nice man. By the way, we’re friends, we talk all of the time.
 THE DEADBOLT: A lot of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the food. So what is your favorite healthy thing to eat and what is your biggest temptation on the unhealthy side?
JERRY: I like yogurt with fruit in it and a little bit of - there’s a going cereal. But you know what? My favorite foods are almost the same, we just modified them, besides the yogurt. I have an omelette for breakfast. I had it before but the omelette I make now is made out of egg whites and the calories are about a third of what it was. But it tastes the same to me. And I love spaghetti, and I still have spaghetti, but it’s wheat spaghetti and it’s turkey meatballs and it’s much more healthy. So the food choices are a different kind. But more quantity, we measure and weigh everything and record everything. Temptation? It’s there but I haven’t fallen off of the wagon. I’m staying with the diet.
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