'Biggest Loser' winner shares remarkable transformation 10 years later
When Sam Rouen signed up for the Australian version of The Biggest Loser, he weighed 340 pounds or 155 kilograms.
Rouen was only 19 years old when he joined the cast of The Biggest Loser in 2008. He might have just been a teenager, but he was determined to change his life.
As reported by Inspire More, Rouen wasn't happy with the direction his life had taken. He wanted to be healthy and lead an active lifestyle, but it seemed out of his reach.
Nevertheless, he was prepared to work hard and shed the weight, even if it meant that he had to do it while the nation watched him on a reality television show.
After three months of following a healthy eating plan and exercising regularly, his hard work started to pay off. Rouen won season three of The Biggest Loser and lost 71 kilograms or 156 pounds.
Once he reached his goal weight, Rouen was determined to remain fit and healthy. While many people have that intention, not everybody is successful and eventually gain weight again.
Rouen was the exception to the rule. He created a Facebook page which he uses to share his journey with the world and to motivate other people who also want to lose weight.
'I’m addicted to working out now; I definitely love running and working out with my brother. I play a bit of sport to stay in shape and also work out in the gym.'
Sam Rouen, Daily Telegraph, May 22, 2015.
Today, ten years later, Rouen still leads an active lifestyle, and he is hardly recognizable from the 19-year-old who weighed in at 155 kilograms.
He works as a firefighter, and one of the milestones in his journey was to appear in the Australian Firefighters Calendar in 2016.
The 29-year-old got engaged to his girlfriend, Daniella Schot, in 2016. Even though his life seems perfect now, Rouen assured his followers it isn't always the case.
He still has insecurities about his appearance and described himself as 'extremely self-conscious.' He even feels uncomfortable to walk shirtless on the beach.
When asked what advice he can give his followers, Rouen said that even a person who is at their lowest point, can turn their life around and make their dreams come true.
All it takes is 'a bit of hard work and persistence.'