by Gina Scarpa

Antone Davis came to The Biggest Loser to get something back that he had lost - his athletic physique. On his first day at the ranch, he collapsed in a heap of exhaustion and emotion but as the weeks went on, he grew stronger and became a leader and a force to be reckoned with in the competition. On finale night, he weighed in at 245 pounds, but was beaten out by John Rhode. Today, we caught up with Antone to talk more about his time on The Biggest Loser and what's next for the former NFL player.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was the turning point in your life that made you say, "I need The Biggest Loser"?
A. Antone: The turning point for me was seeing so many of my friends from college and professional football die. I really knew that if I did not do something about my weight, that I could easily be next. Up until the point that I was blessed enough to be chosen for The Biggest Loser, I had tried to lose weight on my own, but without very much success. I knew that the show could be life altering for me and help save my life.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: That first workout really took a toll on you. How much more difficult are those workouts, compared to how you thought it would be, watching it on tv?
A. Antone: The workouts on the ranch were so much tougher than I ever dreamed that they would be. I thought that I would approach the workouts like I did two-a-days in the NFL. Boy was I wrong! Bob Harper made the toughest coach's workout in the NFL seem like a walk in the park. He was relentless. In the pros, we had practice for about two hours a day. You would run a play, get a little break, and run another. With Bob, there were NO breaks. It was constant work. And I was in such bad shape that they really killed me. I had no idea that it would be so tough.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You seemed to bond really well with your team, with the exception of John. The two of you never quite hit it off. What was your biggest issue with the way he played the game?
A. Antone: I made some life-long friendships on the ranch. I know that several of us will stay in touch for life and that we can always count on each other. We formed a mutual respect and trust for each other. Most of us were there for the same reason and that was to get healthy and in shape. Don't get me wrong - the money did play a part in it. I would be lying if I said that I didn't care about the money and only wanted to get healthy. I am a competitor and I did want to win. However, I made it a point never to compromise my integrity or myself. I said that in the end, I would be able to stand on the scale with my head held high and know that I did it the right way and never once compromised myself or my principles. Unfortunately, I felt that John's main goal from day one was only to win and he would do it at any cost.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: At what point in the season did you start to feel like you were returning to your old, athletic self?
A. Antone: In week four, the week after NFL week, I started to notice a huge difference in my body and in my stamina. I was able to do things that I hadn't previously been able to do and I was able to complete the workouts a lot more easily. I was also able to run faster and longer which was a huge accomplishment for me.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When you went home, what was the biggest challenge that you faced in terms of continuing to lose weight at a rapid pace?
A. Antone: When I went home after the reveal, I was blessed in that I was able to lose 30 pounds before the marathon. I kept to a very strict diet just like on the ranch and was able to workout for the same amount of time each day. My family was very supportive and really helped me. My wife had the house loaded with the same healthy food that we had on the ranch so when I got home, I had no down time and was able to make the transition with no problem. Also, I still had enough fat to lose at that time that my body continued to burn it at a rapid rate, just like on the ranch. After the marathon, I must admit that my body hurt. It took me a good week after I returned to get back to normal and into the same pace. My legs were just sore and I just couldn't run at the same pace as before. After about a week, I was back to normal. I had a great couple of weeks but I did notice that as my body fat got lower, it became a little harder to lose weight and the rate at which I lost it, slowed. When I went to LA for the finale, Dr. H. did a body fat analysis and determined that my body fat is 12.9 percent. I really don't think that it can get much lower and I have such a lot of muscle mass that it became more difficult to lose weight at the end.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Going into the live finale, how confident were you that you could beat John and Ramon on the scale?
A. Antone: I was fairly confident that I could beat Ramon because he had a much slower weight loss than I had at the ranch and my percentage was already higher than his. He was also smaller to begin with and I knew that it would be tougher for him to lose weight the smaller he got. With that being said, he did an awesome job and worked incredibly hard and lost a heck of a lot of weight. I wasn't as confident that I could beat John because he already had a 30 pound lead. I knew that if he hit a plateau that it might be possible to catch him but 30 pounds was a lot to make up and I knew that he wanted nothing more than to win. As I have joked before, John would have amputated his own leg to ensure a win.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You may not have won, but you look incredible and you were great to watch this season! What's been the biggest thing that you're taking away from this?
A. Antone: One of the things that I am taking away from this is the fact that if I put my mind to something, I can achieve it. I can do way more than I ever dreamed possible. I have learned not to put limits on myself. Even if it seems impossible and too far out of reach, if I want it badly enough then I can achieve it. Also, I am taking away the fact that there is more than one way to win. The money in this competition could take your focus away from the real goal and that is losing weight and getting healthy. If I had only focused on the money, then I would feel like I lost. I know that I, in no way, lost! I lost 202 pounds and I did it the right way. I have the knowledge and willpower to maintain this weight and that makes me a true winner. Also, I have had such supportive fans that have been so proud of my accomplishments and me. They are really proud of the way that I handled myself and I really feel like I became a role model for so many. My fans have shown me nothing but kindness and that means so much to my family and me. Now, I can't wait to teach others what I have learned and help others as I was helped.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Are you thinking about going back into sports in any way? What's next for you?
A. Antone: While I would love to play football again, and I feel like I am in better shape than ever, I think that I am too old to get back out on that field. Plus, now, I am too light to be an offensive lineman. Never dreamed that I would say those words but it does feel good. I don't know what God has in store for me. While on The Biggest Loser, the company that I worked for gave me an ultimatum and told me that I had to report back to work or be terminated. As Becky Comet always says, "You have to finish what you start." There is no way that I was not going to finish the show. Unfortunately, I was terminated for that choice. Now, I am not sure what I am going to do. We just got home from the finale so I am waiting to see what opportunities arise.

(Image courtesy of NBC)

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