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He started off as the show’s heaviest contestant ever. By game’s end, Michael Ventrella had established himself as the biggest winner in the history of the Biggest Loser.
Ventrella and his mother, Maria, both appeared on season nine of the NBC television show. Here are some fast facts on the 31-year-old DJ from Bartlett, Ill.:
– He entered the show with a weight of 526 pounds, which was the largest starting total for any contestant.
– By the end of the 18-week period, he lost 264 pounds, breaking Danny Cahill’s 2009 record of 239 pounds.
– That 264-pound weight loss meant that Ventrella had shed more than 50 percent of his original body weight.
– Ventrella’s starting body mass index was 65.7, while his finishing number was 32.7. The range for normal BMI is 18.5 to 24.9.
– For his efforts, Ventrella walked away with a $250,000 grand prize.
Craving more about how Ventrella cut his cravings? Watch his post-finale interview above with dietsinreview.com.