by Troy Rogers
After leaving The Biggest Loser ranch even before
the competition started, Biggest Loser Couples
contestant Victoria Andrews received a second
chance at Biggest Loser life when she was voted
back into the game. Although Victoria had to get
over the mental obstacles of The Biggest Loser
and what it takes to transform, Andrews soon found
her groove in The Biggest Loser gym to push past
the challenges she was facing.
Although Victoria hit her stride late in The Biggest Loser game, Andrews fell victim to Biggest Loser strategy when Koli won sole control of the elimination vote and chose to keep Sunshine. With Koli and Sam in control of The Biggest Loser Couples, Victoria saw her journey on The Biggest Loser come to an end.
The morning after Victoria Andrews became the latest competitor to leave The Biggest Loser ranch, we caught up with Victoria to find out what Dr. H told her about her Health Score, why she had trouble losing weight at the end, and whether Victoria is still mad at Koli for his words at the Biggest Loser elimination table.
THE DEADBOLT: What did Dr. H reveal to you about "Know Your Number"? We didn't see that on the episode.
VICTORIA ANDREWS: Oh right, we didn't. He told me, I think I started out at age 45, which is crazy because I'm actually 22, so that's more than double what I actually am as far as age. He told me that my risk of getting breast cancer, because my mother had breast cancer, was double the average woman's chance. So I was definitely headed towards breast cancer. I was headed towards heart attack and stroke because it does run in my family. Diabetes, I was borderline diabetic. So I was definitely on the verge of being ill because of my weight.
When
I talked to Dr. H, he told me that all of those
things I had struggled with, as far as my health
issues went, they were definitely better, practically
gone. I went from age 45 to I think age 28.
So I'm still a couple of years off, but I'm
still a couple of pounds off of my goal. So
I know when I'm done I'll be exactly in he tip
top of health and shape.
THE DEADBOLT: Although you worked out really hard, why do you think you only lost one pound?
VICTORIA: Honestly, because at the time I was eating 1,200 calories, which sounds like "oh my God" normal. But for my body and how much muscle mass I had, because I had the highest amount of muscle of any woman on the show, I'm very muscular, and to feed muscle you need more food. With the stress of everything that was going on, and just everything in general that was happening at the ranch, my body just went into, I guess, survival mode.
I definitely knew when I stepped on the scale it was like, "I'm going to see eight." And then when I saw one, I was definitely taken aback. I didn't expect that at all. I think with the stress factor and the running around factor, and also me not eating as many calories as I probably should have, played a major part.
THE DEADBOLT: What was you're biggest temptation during the first challenge with all of that food?
VICTORIA:
[laughs] Hot wings. That's easy. When I walked
in there, I was like, "Mmmm! The bread. The
carbs. The cookies." But when I got to the hot
wings, I was like, "Oh no, this is not happening."
So I said, "Okay, I've been on the ranch for
three weeks. I'm going to eat a hot wing." [laughs]
So I ate one hot wing and I let that be it.
But it showed me how far I've come, because I used to want to eat ten and I used to feel like I couldn't help myself. So to be able to eat one, even though I did eat one, it was like control. It was like, "Okay, you've come so far." You know, because I didn't crave it afterwards. I didn't have to have another one. It was like I was satisfied with that one. So definitely hot wings without a doubt. [laughs]
THE DEADBOLT: But you kept returning to the room. Were you testing yourself?
VICTORIA: No. I was hungry. [laughs] I was trying to eat throughout the day, but as little calories as I could. I think I did pretty good. I ate celery sticks, vegetables. I don't think I ate any carbs. I ate a little piece of salmon at the end because it was dinner time. But other than that, I really kept it light. So I guess it didn't matter how many times I went in because I was just trying to not starve. [laughs]
THE DEADBOLT: So when you're working out at home now, do you avoid the treadmill?
VICTORIA:
No, no, bring it. That's another thing I learned
on the ranch, you have to face the beast. You
have to go for it and you have to hit it head-on,
and it's not fun. But you know what? The thing
is that if you keep going and you hit it head-on,
that first encounter is the hardest and after
that it gets easier and it gets better and eventually
you will defeat it. So I think now I don't like
the treadmill, but I'm after it, definitely.
THE DEADBOLT: Does it remind you of Jillian?
VICTORIA: No. [laughs] The little, little ninjas remind me of Jillian.
THE DEADBOLT: Are you still upset by Koli's comments about the intensity of your workout?
VICTORIA: You know, no. Like I said, it's my story and to stay there means I wouldn't be progressing. So, no. I mean, it is what it is. It's his opinion and I don't agree with it, so I don't have to stay there. So, no.
