For 29-year-old Kristin Steede, the heaviest woman ever to compete on NBC's The Biggest Loser, the toughest part of being 5-foot-7 and weighing 360 pounds wasn't the stares or cruel remarks from other people -- it was the inner battle she was waging. She was slowly dying, but not doing anything to stop it. "I was on the brink of high blood pressure and diabetes," she tells Life & Style. "I had fat developing around my heart and my liver. My spine was suffering because I was so heavy."
But it wasn't until she joined the show that the message finally got through: Eating right and exercising make all the difference in the world. "The Biggest Loser gave me the time to focus on losing the weight, but really, anyone can do it," she says. "And the benefits are just amazing." And while she was recently voted off the hit show, Kristin vows to keep off the 140 pounds she's lost so far -- and to keep losing even more! She spoke exclusively to Life & Style about her experience on the show and her plans to finally reach her goal weight.
L&S: Do you think The Biggest Loser saved your life?
Kristin: Without a doubt. For what- ever reason, I just didn't get that losing weight was something I had the power to do all along. Had I known what I was capable of, I would've changed my diet and started to exercise on my own. But it took The Biggest Loser to show me I could actually do it.
L&S: Now that you're done with the show, are you worried about gaining the weight back?
Kristin: I know it's going to be hard, but I've been heavy all my life. I remember every minute of how that felt, and I can't imagine ever feeling that way again. Plus, I have so much support around me from my family and husband. If I started gaining the weight back, they'd start saying, "Hey, Kristin, get back on track!"
L&S: And you want to lose even more weight, right?
Kristin: My goal weight is 180 pounds -- which is half the weight I started at. If I can just get to 180, I will have lost half of myself. Wow!
L&S: What advice would you give to people at home who hope to lose a lot of weight like you did but are struggling with it?
Kristin: If I could have one message, it would be this: Don't wait for your Biggest Loser moment. Losing weight is more mental than anything else. When you start to lose motivation, close your eyes and envision what your life could be if you push forward and keep up the weight loss. I promise, it will be worth it.
For more on Kristin's weight loss, pick up the latest issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now!
