Ruben Studdard Will Compete on The Biggest Loser
Ruben Studdard has already won the title of
American Idol. Now he may become The
Biggest Loser.
The "Velvet Teddy Bear," who won season 2
of the Fox singing competition in 2003, will
compete on the NBC weight loss show as he
attempts to battle his obesity – a task he has
attempted previously with limited success.
"I was losing weight, but I was exhausted. It
was making me sick," the 35-year-old told
PEOPLE in 2006 after attempting an intense
workout regimen on about 1,200 calories a
day with trainer Gunnar Peterson. "I'm a big
man. There was no way to do those workouts
on that amount of food, so everything was
contradicting itself."
Studdard quit that weight-loss plan after
losing just 12 lbs., but eventually found
vegetarianism which – along with exercise –
resulted in his losing more than 70 of his 455
lbs. in 2006.
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"Every week we would start by writing out a
meal plan and calories," Studdard said about
his then-new diet. "The people at the
vegetarian store in Birmingham are like,
'What's he doing in here?' "
In 2008, the "Sorry 2004" singer fell in love
and married Surata Zuri McCants and
remained healthy throughout his marriage,
but began putting weight back on after the
couple divorced in 2012.
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For Not Working Out
Now, Studdard will take another shot at
weight loss on the 15th installment of The
Biggest Loser.
"I've never had an issue with my weight,"
Studdard has said. "[But] my family has a
history of high blood pressure, diabetes,
heart-related issues – things I didn't have to
deal with yet because I'm young. But I don't
want to be worried at 40, and if I don't fix
things now, I will be."
The Biggest Loser returns to NBC on
Tuesdays this fall.
