Biggest Loser: Jackson Carter Raising Money For Surgery
As a contestant on Season 14 of “The Biggest Loser,” Jackson Carter lost 138 pounds in less than six months.
But one thing he was left with — saggy, stretched-out skin. This doesn’t go away with diet and exercise, and Jackson is raising funds to pay for surgery to remove this excess skin. He’ll be hosting a 5K fun run on Oct. 25.
“No matter how hard I work or how clean my diet is, I can’t get rid of the skin without the surgery,” he posted on his blog, Jacksoncarterspeaks.com. “This skin causes many problems with my health. Bacteria can grow in the folds of my skin often causing rashes and boils to form on my belly and groin.”
He added, “Running has become problematic because, as I run, the skin pulls and tugs causing horrible side aches. Sometimes it gets so painful that I can no longer run. This is terrifying because I feel like, if I can’t run, the weight is going to come back on.”
Jackson is working as a trainer for Planet Fitness in Ogden, UT. Because the skin hangs in folds around his middle, it gives him a “flabby” appearance. He sometimes gets flak from people who say he should be a better example to his clients. They don’t understand that what they’re seeing isn’t fat, it’s just hanging skin.
“I want to make this point very clear: This is not a cosmetic surgery. This is not a weight loss surgery. I have already lost the weight. This is a surgery to improve my health, confidence, and ability to do my job,” he wrote.
I have interviewed Jackson twice for stories that ran in the Standard-Examiner newspaper, and I can vouch that he has kept off most of the weight that he lost during “The Biggest Loser.” (To read those interviews, here’s the April 2014 update on what he’s been doing, his candid look behind-the-scenes on The Biggest Loser Ranch, and his tips for keeping off the weight.)
But, I digress. In order to raise funds to help pay for the surgery, he’s hosting a FLABulous 5K in his hometown of Ogden on Saturday, October 25 at 8 a.m., at 1750 Monroe Blvd. The advance registration is $30 per adult, $15 child, $10 for a dog. You can sign up on his Jackson Carter Facebook page or at jacksoncarterspeaks@gmail.com. If nothing else, it’s a fun opportunity to run alongside a reality TV star.
He also has a GoFundMe page where those who kick in some $$$s can get some sweet gifts such as a trainer package, a Skype call, a personal fitness plan, motivational speaking to a group of your choice, and more.