Biggest Loser: Damien Woody Praises Fellow Contestants

Damien Woody praised the contestants and crew of "The BIggest Loser."
Damien Woody praised the contestants and crew of “The BIggest Loser.”

Contestant Damien Woody was nothing but positive about his fellow Biggest Loser contestants during his exit interview after he was eliminated from the show. I was able to be part of a conference-call interview last week. He said everyone was “tremendous,” and that “We were each others’ biggest cheerleaders.”

After leaving the Ranch, Damien was taken to Comeback Canyon, where for two weeks he won weigh-ins against other eliminated contestants. But that ended when he came up against Scott Mitchell, another former NFL player. Mitchell lost 9 pounds, to Damien’s two. Scott was voted off the Ranch after he lost zero pounds the week before,  so he might have been due for a big loss.

“I can’t say I was surprised because the two weeks prior I lost 8 and 11 pounds, and those are pretty big numbers. I wish I could have banked a couple of those pounds for the next week,” Damien told reporters. “That’s a tall order to come up with a third big week, especially when you’re approaching your goal weight.”

A Detroit reporter noted that both Damien and Scott played for the Detroit Lions, and asked if the two ever discussed the Lions during the time they worked out together.

“Yes, he and I had conversations about the Lions. We played in different eras, Scott during the ’90s and myself during the 2000s. He was in the era when the Lions were pretty good, and when I played, not so much. We both still care about the Lions and want them to do well during the season.”

He was asked which workouts were harder, the ones at the ranch or Comeback Canyon. He said they were both tough, but for different reasons. He was in bad shape when he first got to the Ranch. “Jesse had me did a great workout for me, he had me doing things I wasn’t accustomed to doing, a lot of cardio and endurance training. When I got to Comeback Canyon I was in much better shape, so Bob took me to another level.”

He said now that he’s home with his wife and seven kids, he has the stress of work and family life with his wife and seven kids. He said planning his meals and workout times is the key to success.

“I plan my day around my workouts. I don’t let other things dictate,” he said.

He wants to collaborate with the NFL to educate athletes about nutrition and healthy living, to prepare them for the day their football career ends.

When you’re in the NFL, “Everything is so regimented, so stuctured, where and when you’ve got to work out. But when you’re out of the game, you lose all that structure and that’s where you struggle,” he said. “Because you train and practice, you’re burning a lot of calories, you’re able to burn it all off, so you don’t care. I want to help the guys make better decisions as far as nutrition. This is a tough game and it takes it toll on your body. You have the ability to live a long and prosperous life well beyond football.”

He said he’s in better shape today than at any point in his playing career. The biggest thing he’s gained is “the nutritional standpoint, the eating habits, because 70 percent of it is about the kitchen, my food intake and what I’m putting into my body.”

He said his big temptation is candy, “I have an enormous sweet tooth.”

He doesn’t believe in denying himself, so he has a few Skittles a week. Before, he would have three or four packs a day.

Damien was asked who he bonded with most. “I feel very fortunate and blessed, because everyone was just great. Woody has a great story and we’ve had a lot of conversations, talking in detail about his wife. JJ was such a young guy and very impressionable. We connected early on, he looked to me as a role model. Again, the whole cast was tremendous and I can’t wait to meet up with them. It was that way the whole time, whether you’re talking about a Superbowl or a middle-school cheerleader, it didn’t matter, everyone was on the same level, we were all there to get better and improve our lives. We were each others’ biggest cheerleaders. That’s what made this season so special.”

For more on Scott Mitchell, here’s my post responding to questions about whether or not he’s a Mormon. Also, surviving Comeback Canyon.

Other posts about past Biggest Loser contestants:

Matt Miller’s exit interview.

Deni Hill’s weight loss tips.

Sarah Nitta’s weight loss tips.

Justin Pope’s weight loss tips.

Jackson Carter’s weight loss tips.

Jackson Carter’s behind-the-scenes info back at “the ranch.”

And lots more! Just click on the “Biggest Loser” tags and you’ll find more interviews and updates of contestants, as well as my musings as I’ve followed each season for the past several years.