From a size 22 to a 2: 'The Biggest Loser's' Helen Phillips

"The Biggest Loser's" Helen Phillips said she knew what her more youthful competitors were thinking: "They never considered me a threat... They just looked at me and said, 'You know what? She's 48, she's never going to make it.' "

And that's just the way she wanted it.

Mike, 19, and Tara, 24, were considered by many to be the front-runners going into the Season 7 finale. But instead, victory was snatched by Helen, the retired retail manager who showed up at the ranch at 257 pounds and went on to lose 140 pounds — or 54.47% of her body weight. She went from a size 22 to a size 2, and in the process won the $250,000 prize and the title of  the Biggest Loser, becoming the oldest person to ever do so.

"Lucky for me, huh? I kept my mouth shut and flew low under the radar," said Helen, sounding jubilant despite just three hours of sleep — she was whisked off to New York after Tuesday night's finale so she could be interviewed on TV bright and early this morning.

She said she struggled at times during the season when she lost challenges to younger, stronger players. (You can take a look back at the season here.) Now, though, it all makes sense:

"There's a reason I didn't win anything else — I was meant to win the big one."

Helen said her decision to lay low was her only foray into game play — the rest was old-fashioned hard work and, cliched as it might sound, starting to believe in herself.

She said that when she got to "The Biggest Loser" ranch, she couldn't blame anyone for dismissing her. "I never believed in myself in the beginning, either." But when she made that decision, when she said, "I'm tired of doubting myself," something clicked. "The minute I started doing that, things changed for me."

While many of this season's contestants — Aubrey, David and Joelle — struggled to continue losing weight after they were sent home from the ranch, Helen excelled. She began working with the football coach at her son's high school and worked out a jaw-dropping six hours a day doing old-school workouts like flipping tractor tires end over end for a full-body workout and running bleachers over and over and over.

"I really stayed focused when I got home," said Helen, describing the grueling regimen.

 She'd wake up at 4:30 in the morning, hit the gym for two hours, go back for two hours midday and then back again at the end of the day for two more hours. In between? "Plenty of good food and rest. It paid off. I was concentrating on finishing my journey."

She said the prize must be shared with her husband, who "held down the home front" for eight months and allowed her to focus on herself. She said No. 1 on her list of things to do is to take hubby to the Bellagio in Vegas and "give him a break."

Next up for Helen? A whole new life. Helen, who just shot a "Got milk?" ad, said she wants to open a spinning and wellness center and become a motivational speaker, focusing on men and women of a certain age or those who fear they are too busy with family obligations. "They don't need to settle because they're middle age. Get on a diet and exercise and nutritional plan ... make it a family affair."

One downside to the 140-pound weight loss is lose skin, particularly in the chest. She said she would not rule out surgery, but first she is going to apply the same tried-and-true tactics that got her this far. To date, she had focused on losing weight. Now she will focus on toning and building muscle strength and see where that leaves her before she makes any other decisions.

She's not worried that this new workout regimen may put on a few extra pounds -- "It will all be lean muscle."

— Rene Lynch

(Photos courtesy NBC, Milk Processor Education Program)

Comments

[Peggy]

I think it is deplorable that she has not mentioned her daughter. I couldn't believe how selfish a mother could be to send her daughter home so that she could stay on the ranch and not give her daughter the opportunity to learn and live a healthier life. She hasn't mentioned her daughter once.

She should be ashamed to call herself a mother.

[Mary]

I was disappointed Helen won. I never liked her after she let her daughter go home so she could stay. Selfish from the start. She was always saying, "I did it." Anyway, she looked horrible and Tara and Mike looked much better. She strikes me as someone who will spend all the money she won on herself and forget about her daughter who made that big sacrifice for her. I figured the daughter did that to "buy" her mother's love. Too bad she wasted her chance because you can't buy love.

[Linda]

What's this "flying under the radar" line she's using? She never laid low and came across the entire second half of the season as terribly selfish and a slave to attention---beginning with taking the stay at the ranch without consideration of her daughter's needs. She's always made poor decisions when the spotlight was on her----she's unable to contain herself. Consider, for example, the eating of the cookie while at home, to hurt Tara. She thrives on attention like a little puppy dog.

So, knowing that ... it's really no surprise that she thrived on the thought of the cameras on her for the big win. Is this an ego thing? Not sure.

On another note ... according to her height and weight, her BMI is 18.9. "Underweight" begins at 18.5. That's a mere .4 above! At what point does Biggest Loser NOT reward a player for unhealthy behavior or results? What might have happened if her BMI was below 18.5 and she was classified as "underweight"? Would she still win if she appeared at the finale so emaciated, she required assistance to walk (or roll out) on the stage?

Additionally, six hours of exercise (and I'm guessing strict calories restriction) daily is not safe and a very poor example for those wishing to lose weight realistically.

They're getting into dangerous territory here and I do hope they have or set up rules to discourage those that take the game play into unhealthy practice.

[Kathryn]

I was married to an elite runner. 6 hours is a lot, but it is within the realm of reality for those who really train. Most people do not have a shot at 250k. I'd work that hard. I am within my BMI, but want to go lower (within the BMI range). Most athletes I know workout twice a day 6 to 7 days a week, its the norm. These people get results and are able to finish long distance ski and running races. I'd rather see this emulated than the soda and fast food couch potato scene. Training 2 to 3 hours a day is not to hard, if you split it between AM and PM. I've done it and I am a single mom, grad student,etc, etc. I would train that hard with prize money like that.

[eelizabeth]

"Flying under the radar"?!?! Helen played the game more than anyone else this season and the sad thing is, I don't think she even knows it! Everyone watching saw it, and I only wish her teammates would've seen it in time to send her home! She sent her own daughter home without even blinking, sold out Bob after he'd given her everything he had, was the only one to eat a cookie during the half-marathon to add miles to Tara's time, played the sympathy Mom-card with Laura so she wouldn't get kicked off... She disgusts me - she is loyal only to herself. And she looks awful - skeletal and unhealthy. It is a shame that the winner of such an awesome show and one of the major weight-loss roles models in our country looks SO unhealthy. Mike, Tara, and even Kirsten at almost 200 pounds (she is awesome too!!!) are healthier examples and role models than Helen - in so many ways! The goal isn't to get as skinny as possible; it's to get to a healthy, manageable weight! And to become a more self-aware healthy person inside.

I think everyone was disappointed with last night's results! Mike and Tara are awesome, genuine people who worked so hard, and I'm broken-hearted for them. This is a case of cosmic injustice!!!

[Bridget]

Helen looked anorexic and almost sick, like she had taken diuretics and starved herself for a week. Hopefully, people, especially girls, will not consider her a role model. To have starved yourself for money seems ridiculous. I hope TBL puts limits on what future contestants can do before the final weigh in. I think Helen went overboard, and did it for the $$ and not for her health, because she looked awesome and healthy the day she left the ranch. That's the real shame. Her extreme weight loss is not something to be admired. The fact that Alison Sweeney commented on the crazy lengths Helen was going to prior to the final weigh in shows an unhealthy obsession with losing weight. Hopefully Helen is paying her trainers to keep her from becoming anorexic.

[PaGal]

WAY TO GO HELEN! To everyone who thinks kids always have to come first needs to realize that there comes a day when parents are not so young and healthy any more and have to take care of themselves. I learned this the hard way; I have autoimmune disease from a lifetime of prioritizing everyone else and I must put my needs first now to remain healthy. Any child who is selfish enough to NOT cut mom a break after all the years mom invested raising them is a poorly raised child. Helen and her daughter made the right choice, and Helen, you are the woman. Don't ever forget it! I would be honored to work out with you.

[Treatpplnicely]

I watched every episode this season, and Helen did NOT "send" her daughter home. Shannon chose - wanted - to be the one to go home. Shannon is an adult, and it was her decision. Helen tried to persuade her to stay. The flying under the radar comment - Jillian was the first person to say that. Why shouldn't Helen be proud and happy with what she's accomplished? It's amazing. She's a small, middle-aged woman who worked hard and did everything her trainers told her. In eight months she lost 140 pounds - that's something to be happy about. She has said she will probably put some weight on when she works with weights again to tone. What I'm wondering is, why do people have to say mean, spitefull, petty comments? Why can't people just be happy for someone else when they accomplish something they've wanted for so long?

[Alicia]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Me personally, I think Helen looks amazing. Its about time you did something for yourself! As a mother, time and time again you nurture, sacrifice and continually give your time and energy to your children because you love them and want whats best for them. Even if that means putting what you want aside. Im sure she wouldn't trade her experience as a mother for nothing in the world. Helen, you're 48 and its about damn time you did something selfish. Oh well, hopefully down the line her daughter can forgive her mother for thinking of herself and they can continue to have a beautiful and healthy relationship as mother and daughter. Can't anyone just be happy for somebody when they win? Geeze! But I'm 21, what do I know?!?

Yes her bmi is a little underweight and Biggest Loser should address going too far and have rules set up for being underweight to promote a healthy body image for all the viewers who watch and aspire to lose weight as well. I hope I can look as good as Helen does. My Jillian Micheals DVDs just came in from amazon.com and I can't wait to transform my body!

[Julie]

I think Helen looked great. I think that she and her daughter made the right choice by sending Shannon home. Helen was focused. She never faltered. I would hope that she shares her prize with her daughter because they were a team. Helen did what she had to do to win and I think she is an inspiration to us older gals. People can think she is selfish and sneaky but bottom line is she worked hard and won fair and square.
I won't lie, I wanted
Tara to win. But Helen you surprised us all. Bravo to you!

[Lynne]

A comment to..... "Treatpplnicely"'

YES, Helen DID SEND her daughter home. I can't believe you can't see that. You could tell in Shannon's face that she didn't want to go home. Go watch the elimination again. She had no choice cuz Helen wanted to stay, and Shannon wasn't gonna go against her mother! Helen is a bully and I hope she enjoys her money, cuz she walked all over her daughter to get it!!

Ron NEVER would have let Mike go home, so he could stay. Kathy WENT home, so Kristen could STAY! Doesn't say much for SELFISH, GREEDY Helen, does it? Ron and Kathy would do anything to HELP their child remain at the ranch. Helen was just the opposite! She was in it for herself, and she didn't care if she had to trample on Shannon, SHE was staying at the ranch! So Helen...keep trying to convince us that it was SHANNON'S idea to go home, and maybe you'll convince YOURSELF! Hope the guilt trip eats away at you, until you finally fess up to the truth!!!

[Andrew Liu]

Like most people, I am disappointed with the outcome of this season of the Biggest Loser. Some of you are saying that Shannon didn't want to be on the show. Actually, if you watch the elimination again, Shannon said that she wanted to make her mother happy rather than go home. So all along, it was Helen's decision. Ron always insured that his son Mike would make it all the way to the final three. Kathy sacrificed for her 29 year old daughter Kristin. Helen just wanted it for herself, and never mentioned her daughter after Shannon got eliminated in week 7. Not only did Helen sacrificed her daughter, she played the game more than any other contestant. She ate a cookie, costing Tara's chance of winning the half a marathon challenge, and she played the sympathy-mom card game to avoid being elimated. It's too bad that Mike, Ron, and Tara had not seen it soon enough to eliminate Helen.

I also agree with most people that Helen looked too thin. She probably overtrained and underate in order to beat Mike and Tara. Helen's method of weight loss is sending the wrong message to America. Sure she lost the highest percentage, but didn't look healthy at all. The show is supposed to be about getting down to a realistic and manageable weight, not to become as skinniest as possible in order to win. It's not. I think there should be a minimum BMI of 20.0 and after that, it should go by highest percentage lost. Although Mike and Tara did not win the title, they looked healthy, muscular, and lean. They are the real examples of a healthy weight loss. Hopefully, people especially girls will not consider Helen a role model.

Andrew