How joining the "Biggest Loser" changed this Lafayette man's life

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) - Since being on the TV show "The Biggest Loser," this Lafayette man's life changed more than he could ever imagine.

Two years ago, Robert Richardson II joined the cast of the reality show "The Biggest Loser." Since the seasons end, News 10 spoke with Richardson to see how the show impacted his life, physically and mentally. Since his time on the show, Richardson has lost 189 pounds.

When speaking to Richardson, he explained that being on the show jumpstarted his journey to a healthier lifestyle. He explained, "The biggest part of being on the show for me was medical testing. Yes, it was awesome to be a part of a team and be on TV and share my story, but the medical testing really woke me up. I think we did 10 different tests, and I was 32 at the time and the doctor told me 'Man you have the body of a 70- or 80-year-old.' I’m a former college football player, I thought there’s no way. And the doctor just said 'It happens to a lot of men. A lot of men will just grow up, start a family, and forget to take care of their health. They forget to go to the doctor, be active, and most of all focus on nutrition.' So, the main thing that changed me was the medical testing."

LIFE SINCE THE SHOW

Richardson explained how he is currently helping people better themselves mentally and physically. He began training people online when the pandemic began, expressing that just because the gyms were closed, does not mean he could not motivate people to be active. He said, "One of the things on the show they talked about were unhealthy triggers that can cause bad habits such as binge eating or emotional eating. So, I took that part of what I learned from the show and put it into my online coaching and personal training."

When asked about his training methods, Richardson explained that he likes to ask his trainees to dog deep and figure out what caused them to get to this state. He stated, "When I ask them what triggered these bad habits, that’s when most people get emotional. I have never seen a lot of men get that emotional over talking about what caused them to stop caring for themselves. It can be something that they dealt with as a kid or something at work or playing sports; something that made them look to food for comfort and not care about anything else. I understand that because I was that person."

Richardson said that his life changed the day his son was born. His wife helped push him to where his is today when she told him "Hey we need to do something. I love who you are, but I want you to be here," stated Richardson.

HOW RICHARDSON STAYS MOTIVATED

Richardson said he continues to stay motivated by his wife and his family. He expressed, "My wife and my family and I want to be a father that’s active and healthy. I know I can’t control everything that happens to me, but I can control how I treat myself and self-care. So many men do not take the time to go out of their way to do things for themselves. I have asked many men if they have ever gotten a message and pretty much all of them say no. Men also do not like to go to the doctor. Men tend to avoid it because they do not like to hear anything bad, and a lot of times it is not something that’s bad, it’s something to monitor or something that we need to change so we can deal with the issue at the moment. Also, men tend to not want to get their blood work done."

INSPIRING OTHERS

By sharing his story, Richardson hopes he can inspire others to better themselves. "I use my story to emphasize the importance of that. I did not know that I was pre-diabetic, I didn’t know I almost had high cholesterol, I didn’t know I had low testosterone. I’m very transparent on all 3 social media platforms with binge eating, depression, medical issues, and suicidal thoughts. I’m very open with my story because that’s the only way I believe someone can become the best version of themselves, is by releasing what’s holding them back so they can get the necessary help they need. If they keep holding on, the cycle keeps continuing. I’m always looking for the next version of myself."

Being a personal trainer. Richardson's advice to others wanting to start their own weight loss journey is "focus on your why and do it for yourself. Take care of yourself. These last 3 years have been incredibly tough for everyone. For me, I’ve lost siblings due to the pandemic and it’s not easy to tell someone they need to become healthier because everyone is just trying to feel normal again. You just have to remember it’s not about the scale, it’s not about being skinny, it’s about being healthy and enjoying life and being there for your family."

Richardson's overall goal is to open up a gym and coach people online and in person. He would also like to hold seminars on how to become the best version of yourself an dhow to create a healthier lifestyle.

To follow Robert Richardson on social media, visit these accounts:

• Website: http://www.robertrichardsonii.com
• Instagram: @Transformationfitnation & @fitrichinfaith 
• Facebook: @Transformationfitnation
• Twitter: @fitrichinfaith