‘Biggest Loser’s’ Adrian: Not the least bit apologetic

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You might expect Adrian Dortch to regret his no-holds-barred demeanor after earning his way back onto ‘The Biggest Loser’ with his monster weight loss at home. He and his sister, Daphne, managed to lose a combined total of 50 pounds at home on their own, a feat befitting this season of no excuses. That accomplishment, combined with 14-hour workouts, positioned the two as potential front-runners in the race for the $250,000 grand prize.

But instead of ‘playing nice’ upon their return, the pair immediately ruffled feathers. And Adrian just Would. Not. Shut. Up. Even after his teammates told him to button it. Even after Dolvett told him to shut his pie hole if he wanted to avoid elimination. He even gave Conda a run for her mouth.

So it was no surprise that Adrian was booted this week when he fell below the dreaded yellow line. But you know what is surprising? Adrian says he knew exactly what he was doing at the time, and he’d do it ALL over again.

In a media conference call Wednesday, Adrian said, ‘I wouldn’t change a thing’ about his time on the ranch. He said he felt the vibe in the house and realized that he would probably be eliminated if his teammates had the chance. So he wasn’t going to kowtow to anyone -- he was just going to be himself.

‘One thing I learned early on in life is be who you are,’ the Evanston, Ill., music producer and entrepreneur said. ‘People are going to like you or not. And the one thing that I stuck to my guns is: Adrian is the same person at home that he was on the show.’

He said he was actually insulted by the idea that he should ‘know his place.’ ‘When somebody tells me to be quiet or be back ... when they say pull back, it’s like you’re telling a child to be seen and not heard. I’m 34 years old,’ he said.

Adrian said he went into the elimination room realizing he could be the one to go. Before he did, he wrote a letter to his sister to encourage her to go on strong. It said, in part, ‘Thank you for being my big sister. Thanks for being there for me. I love you. And when that confetti falls, let it fall on your head.’

The most valuable lesson he learned during his time on the ranch? ‘Everything that you need to lose weight is already inside of you. You just need to get off your backside and become dedicated and just lose that weight.’ To anyone debating whether to take on the weight-loss journey, he says this: ‘It’s your life ... nobody’s going to give you extra years if you don’t give them to yourself, and that’s what this weight loss journey is about, is being here for not only yourself but the people that love you.’

Although his time on the ranch was brief, it made a fashion statement. Those ascots, he said, are part of his own personal line, Ascot by Adrian. Sales are used to support his charity, Entrepreneur Endeavors, which teaches kids how to build small businesses.

Adrian is gunning for the at-home, $100,000 prize, but he said that he already feels like he has won. ‘I’ve already lost 100 pound. ...This show is about getting your life back and adding on years.’ Victory, he said, is getting to play ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes’ with his daughter -- and keeping up. ‘That is the stuff that I went on the show to do. To be able to play with my daughter.’

He has a trick for staying on track. He keeps a wedding picture on his mantle showing the ‘old,’ overweight Adrian. (He joked that it also is proof that his wife must have really loved him to marry a man that large.)

‘I look at that picture often on the mantle when I wake up in the morning just to remind myself, ‘Do not go back there. You’re worth it.’ And not only that, your family’s cheering for you and you just want to be here.’

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--Rene Lynch
twitter.com/renelynch