The Deadbolt Interview - A New Lease on Weight-Loss Life with Filipe Fa of The Biggest Loser

A New Lease on Weight-Loss Life with Filipe Fa of The Biggest Loser
by Troy Rogers

After watching his cousin, Sione, leave The Biggest Loser ranch in week ten, Filipe Fa of Arizona was left to fend for himself in this season of The Biggest Loser Couples. Outgoing and fun, Filipe entered The Biggest Loser at 360 pounds with a goal to be an inspiration to his family, all of Tongan heritage, who have an organic cultural predisposition to being heavy. When Sione left the ranch, Filipe gave it his all to become the final "Biggest Loser" but soon found himself on the other side of the weight-loss scales, at a disadvantage to the still remaining father and son team Ron and Mike, without the votes to continue his Biggest Loser journey.

When the votes were counted, Filipe gave a heartfelt and appreciative final speech before the remaining team members, surprised and confident after losing 140 pounds to set himself on a new path to a happier and healthy life without all of the extra weight.

The morning after Filipe left The Biggest Loser ranch, we stepped on our weekly conference call scales to learn more about Filipe's time on The Biggest Loser Couples, his run-in with Jillian, how he's dealing with the extra flab left by so much weight-loss, and why his health routine stalled somewhat when he returned home from The Biggest Loser.

THE DEADBOLT: What was your time on the ranch like after Sione left?

FILIPE FA: You know, it was kind of rough. In fact, the next day I don't think I said a word to anybody. I was so devastated. I went on a hike. I ran for a little and everybody gave me my space and respect\. But it was kind of hard because we had a routine together. We would wake up every morning, eat the same thing, and workout together. So when he left, it's like back to that square one where I was when he left the first time, except this time I wasn't able to bring him back. So it was kind of hard.

THE DEADBOLT: How often do you talk to Bob?

FILIPE: I talk to Bob once a month on a rare occasion. He's very busy and we're busy. But the great thing about him is that he'll check in once in a while on everybody, and when he does call he gives us the words of encouragement and advice. And then he needs to do what he does best, and that's help people lose weight [laughs].

THE DEADBOLT: I thought it was funny when he kept telling you to shut-up during the workout. What was it like to be Bob's trainer?

FILIPE: Oh, my God, I had so much fun with that. You know, they showed probably one percent [of that]. I talked so much trash that day. There was a part where he was on the Stairmaster and he was breathing so hard he was whistling. He was like, [wheezing sounds]. He was gasping for air and I was like, "Oh, do you need air?" And he goes, "Shut up, Filipe!" I loved it. I loved the fact that we had "train a trainer" day and that he admitted that I killed him. So that was good.

THE DEADBOLT: What's your relationship with Jillian like now?

FILIPE: You know, I had that little blow up with Jillian, I think it was week ten. I haven't spoken to her but I have no ill feeling towards her. You know, we just had a miscommunication that week. In fact, we talked about it over and over while I was on the ranch and my relationship right now is - I love Jillian. I think she's a wonderful trainer, actually, an amazing trainer and I wish the best for her.

THE DEADBOLT: I was wondering about something that no one has mentioned yet. After losing these massive amounts of weight, what happens to the stretched skin?

FILIPE: You know, that's something. In fact, that's been a struggle with me being home, is dealing with this extra skin. So the advice I got from Bob was just a lot of cardio, and so it's just going to take a lot more intense cardio to take it off. I'm dealing with it pretty well. I've gotten a little more off since I've been off of the show, and so hopefully by the finale I'll look as good as I hope I do.

THE DEADBOLT: So they are just toning up exercises, I guess, to tighten up everything?

FILIPE: Yeah. A lot of it's less weight, more reps. So we have more intense workouts where we go high intense cardio for a half hour, hit the weights for a good hour, then go back cardio and just bring the heart rate down.

THE DEADBOLT: What do you currently weigh, and what do you ultimately want to get to?

FILIPE: Well, I've only lost 13 pounds since the show, so currently now I'm in the 220-219 range. So I'm hoping to drop another good 10 or 15 before the finale and I'm working hard on that and things are looking good for me. So we'll see how things go.

THE DEADBOLT: You also mentioned that when you got home your routine kind of stalled. What happened?

FILIPE: Yeah. When I first got home, I think my routine kind of stalled a little bit because I think I had a hard time trying to adjust back to normal life. You know, going from having a regiment and routine on the ranch, where we knew every day I'm gonna wake up and do this and then turn a corporate family life into that.

So I was still working out every day, I just found myself plateauing from here to there. And my father having a stroke and me having to attend to that while my mom worked, you know, long hours. So I had to be there for my dad, and so it was just hard. I still worked out every day but there was a lot of family drama at home that I had to deal with before I could get my schedule back.

-- Troy Rogers