All of the eliminated contestants on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser: Second Chances” came back for another weigh-in on the Jan. 7 episode.
The one who had the largest percentage of weight lost since coming to the Biggest Loser Ranch got to return to the competition for $250,000 and the title of Season 15’s “Biggest Loser.”
Utahn Hap Holmstead was one of two contestants eliminated in the last episode in December and was eligible to come back. He started the competition at 403 pounds and was down 87 pounds (21.59 percent).
He was third behind Matt Hooper, 38, of Georgetown, Mass., who lost 26.12 percent of his 356-pound starting weight; and Bobby Saleem, 28, an attorney from Chicago who lost 27.09 percent of his 358-pound starting weight.
“It was definitely was shocking,” Holmstead said. “I never thought it would be me leaving the ranch this early.”
Later in Tuesday's episode, the show aired a “where are they now” feature on Holmstead, who now weights 270 pounds.
He travels a lot for work, including a recent trip to Hawaii.
“I bring a portable grill with me and I cook chicken, I cook fish. I can grill some vegetables on there as well,” Holmstead said. “I’ve learned that you can do workouts, especially on the road.”
Traveling and eating out a lot are some of the reasons Holmstead points to for his previous weight gain.
“You can make excuses or you can get the job done,” Holmstead said. “But you can’t do both.”
Holmstead played baseball for American Fork High School and also competed in powerlifting. Holmstead, of the Garden 5th Ward, Pleasant Grove Utah Garden Stake, also served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ohio.
He hopes to lose 150 pounds before the finale in February.
During Tuesday’s weigh-in, the two contestants with the least percentage of weight lost were below a yellow line, and the other two contestants had to vote to eliminate one of them.
It came down to Tanya Winfield, 41, the chief operating officer of a restaurant franchise, Plainfield, Ill.; and Tumi Oguntala, 41, a brand strategist, of Clifton Park, N.Y.
Oguntala was eliminated. Those who voted for her said they looked at who they could beat at the finale.
All eliminated contestants, including Holmstead, are still in the competition for the at-home weight loss prize of $100,000.
“The Biggest Loser: Second Chances” airs Tuesday evenings on NBC. On the next episode, the remaining eight contestants head to the U.S. Olympic training site in Utah.
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