by Gina Scarpa

It seemed to clear to almost everyone that this season, the finale of The Biggest Loser was going to come down to Rudy Pauls and Danny Cahill.  When he stepped on the scale at the finale, Rudy had lost an astounding 234 pounds, which was 52.94% of his original body weight.  Minutes later, his friend and competitor Danny weighed in at 191 pounds, which was enough to give him the win.  Today, Rudy spoke to RealityWanted in an exclusive interview about his experiences on The Biggest Loser and why he wasn’t there for the fame or the money.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What brought you to The Biggest Loser this season?
A. Rudy: I had been a long time fan of the show, inspired by several seasons. I had recently been placed on high blood pressure medication and diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. I decided it was time for a change.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: We didn't get to see too much of your partnership with Dina this season. How did you work together?  Did the two of you become close?
A. Rudy: I thought the show did a great job of showing our friendship, in fact, that was one of the things talked about on the boards early on.  I think our friendship was one of support.  We relied on each other when the pressures of being away from home got tough. We still talk on a weekly basis about our struggles at home, work, whatever. Dina and I will be friends for years to come.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You were trained by both Bob and Jillian.  Did you bond more with one over the other?
A. Rudy: I was definitely a lot closer with Bob.  He is a very supportive caring person. He and I have become good friends.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Jillian was upset when you didn't tell her initially that you lost your sister at a young age.  Was there a reason that you kept that in?
A. Rudy: I was kind of surprised she didn't know about it.  It wasn't kept a secret.  It had been mentioned in previous episodes.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How important is it to work through the emotional baggage in order to lose the weight, keep it off, and stay healthy?
A. Rudy: I think that knowing why you put the weight on is key to getting it off as well as keeping it off. Knowing what your emotional triggers are allows you to catch yourself, and regain focus.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You became very athletic as the season went on.  Did you surprise yourself with how physical you were able to become in such a short time?
A. Rudy: Not really a surprise.  I was a college athlete, and had been involved with sports my whole life.  I figured that as I became more active, that side of me would start to come through.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Going into the finale, how worried were you about Danny?
A. Rudy: The competition between Danny and myself was always a friendly one.  I didn't set out to win the show.  I was not in this thing for the money or the notoriety. I just wanted to get healthy, and that is what I did. 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Did you reach the personal goal that you set for yourself?
A. Rudy: I think, for me, that is what this season was about - setting personal goals. I was able to break all kinds of records on at the ranch, the first being the fastest contestant to ever lose 100 lbs. My remaining goals for the finale were to get under 210, and to beat the previous record of the most weight ever lost. So I did everything I set out to do, and in the process never had to play a game to do it. I never set out to win the show.  I just wanted to do my best by making goals, working hard every week, and being only the second person in the history of the show to never fall below the yellow line.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What will you do now in order to maintain your weight?
A. Rudy: I have enjoyed being an athlete and competing again.  I will be getting involved it triathlons… always be training will be my new motto.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Anything you'd like to say to your fans?
A. Rudy: Thank you so much for all of your support.  Your stories of weight loss, and triumph have been an inspiration to me.  I look forward to pushing the message of a healthier you, and helping to teach a new generation about the importance of health and fitness. Remember: "Keep Moving".

(Image courtesy of NBC)

SEE ALSO
The Biggest Loser 8: Exclusive Interview with Amanda Arlauskas
The Biggest Loser 8: Finale Recap


Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa

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