When The Biggest Loser first premiered in 2004, audiences were stunned by the dramatic transformations, as contestants shed massive amounts of weight in pursuit of their dream physiques.
The show ran for 18 seasons until 2016, with contestants competing over 30 intense weeks to lose the most weight. The ultimate prize? The title of The Biggest Loser.
The show was unlike anything viewers had seen before. But behind the scenes, the reality was far more complex – marked by grueling workouts, extreme dieting, and a hidden effect on contestants’ mental health.
A brand-new three-part Netflix docuseries, Fit for TV: The Reality Behind The Biggest Loser, pulls back the curtain on the show – revealing untold stories from the very contestants who once took center stage.
More than a decade later, many still wonder where the show's alumni are now – and whether they've managed to keep the weight off. HELLO! takes a closer look at the very first winner of The Biggest Loser and where he is today.
Ryan Benson
Ryan made a remarkable debut on the show, shedding an impressive 122lbs .Down from a 330lb starting weight, he took home $250,000 in prize money. But the transformation didn’t last – he later revealed to Time that he regained 32lbs in just five days, simply by rehydrating after the show ended.
In 2017, Ryan admitted in an interview with TooFab that he was at the time two pounds heavier than his heaviest back in 2004. However, the TV star decided to not give up on his goals and, as per his Instagram bio, is "doing my best to live a healthy life".
Ryan opened up to People about the mental and physical toll of appearing on the show. "It hurt to do anything when you’d wake up in the morning. It was definitely tough for me. I was lucky I never got hurt or injured myself," he shared.
The 2004 winner said contestants were "set up to fail" and "exploited" for entertainment purposes. "Doctors tested our urine the day of our last weigh-in, and they told me there was blood in mine because I was so dehydrated. My wife was so mad at me, she said 'Nothing is worth this,'" he explained.
He continued: "It was appealing to think, '‘I get to take two or three months off work and just focus on losing weight.'"
"I think since I was in the first season the producers and the trainers and everyone involved with the show were kind of learning as they went," he shared. "[Trainers] Bob [Harper] and Jillian [Michaels] weren't big celebrities, they weren't household names. They were there every day working out with us."