In an minor upset, Helen Phillips beat out favorite Tara Costa to be crowned the winner of Biggest Loser for 2009.
Phillips lost 54.47% of her initial 257 pounds (117kg) to weigh in at 117 pounds (53kg). Costa lost more weight, going from 294 pounds (133kg) to weigh in at 139 pounds (63kg), a bigger raw drop, but only at 52.72% of her starting weight. Second placed Mike Morelli managed to drop 53.35%, going from a staggering 388 pounds (176kg) to a far more respectable 181 pounds (82kg.)
“When I started, learning how to exercise and work out, and incorporate good nutrition into my diet was hard,” Phillips said in an interview. “Once I learned and got on-board, and realized how important it was, the easier it became.”
The $250,000 first prize check will help Phillips at a time of need, with her husband’s job at Chrysler currently on the line following Chrysler entering bankruptcy.
