by Gina Scarpa

On Tuesday night's live finale of The Biggest Loser, America had to vote to decide whether Daris George or Koli Palu would make it into the final three and compete for the grand prize of $250,000. The fans voted Daris in, who dropped 168 pounds, but ultimately lost to Michael Ventrella. Still, the Oklahoma native considers it a win and his book and today, Daris spoke to RealityWanted in an exclusive interview about his experiences on the show and what's next for him.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was the turning point for you, when you realized that you needed to go on The Biggest Loser?
A. Daris: I realized I need to go on The Biggest Loser when I was checking out the show's website. I realized that I had gained 30 lbs since my mom had asked me to try out for a previous season and I didn't even realize that it happened.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When we first saw you at the public weigh in, you had tears in your ears as you vowed to change your life. Did you have any initial expectations of yourself, going into the show?
A. Daris: I know how strong I am when I put my mind to something so I knew I was going to be dedicated to losing the weight and trying to get to the end. But I didn't see the ending point in my mind. It was just a goal I was going after.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Your mom was a beast at workouts! What was it like to see her transform on the ranch?
A. Daris: It was amazing to see my mom in a different light than what I was used to. That woman amazed me every single day. She is so strong and so happy. My mom is healthier than I have ever seen her. She walks around with a constant smile now and so do I. I am so happy that I got to share this process with my mom. We will be healthy forever now.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You came onto the ranch, having never had a girlfriend and now all that has changed. What does your relationship with your girlfriend mean to you?
A. Daris: My relationship with my girlfriend has given me something that I was always looking for. I am truly happy. I really love being able to have someone by my side through it all.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How did it feel to have America vote for you to compete for the grand prize?
A. Daris: To have America vote for me is "the win" in my book. I feel like I carried myself on the show just like I do in my everyday life and I think America saw that. I am thankful for every vote that was cast. I wanted to touch America's heart by being real and telling my story, the proud and the not so proud moments, because that's life. If I can win America's heart, I'm walking away from this one happy guy!

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was your reaction when you saw Ashley and Michael?
A. Daris: Ash and Mike looked amazing. I knew they would. We have kept in contact through this whole process, supporting each other and making sure we all stay on track. The smiles say it all. We all are truly very happy.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Did you reach the goal that you set for yourself at the finale?
A. Daris: I did reach the goal I set for myself. Dr. Huizenga told me that he wanted me at 180 lbs and I got there. I wasn't going to go to an unhealthy weight just to win some money. This was about changing my life and getting healthy. I feel like I got to right where I want to be.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What will you do now to maintain your weight and what challenges do you think you'll face?
A. Daris: I planned some races for my future so I will be training for those. That is how I plan to keep myself motivated to stay on track. I want to be prepared for the races, so I know I will train hard to be where I need to be on race day. There are some triathlons and maybe a marathon or two in my future. The challenges that I will face will be managing my time and not forgetting to plan ahead. If I know what I am going to eat before I start my day, I will be a lot more successful at eating the right things. I will always have to keep track of what I am eating, because if I don't I will be right back to where I was.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What's next for you?
A. Daris: Now, I plan on finishing school. I may change my major to something more nutrition and health related. I would love to do some speaking engagements to share my story and my experiences. I look forward to getting out and living a normal healthy life, and trying to help others do the same.

(Image courtesy of NBC)

Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa

For more Biggest Loser links, visit SirLinksALot.net