It’s been over two decades since “The Biggest Loser” first premiered.
A new Netflix docuseries titled “Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser” takes a look back at the show, which ended in 2020, and features many prior contestants. But one familiar face is noticeably absent from the three-part special.
Rachel Frederickson, who won her season of โThe Biggest Loserโ in 2014, made headlines for her jaw-dropping and controversial weight loss. Frederickson lost 60% of her body weight over the course of the seven-month season.
Below, we’re taking a look back at her journey on “The Biggest Loser.”
When Was Rachel Frederickson on โThe Biggest Loser?โ
Frederickson appeared on Season 15 of “The Biggest Loser” in 2014. At the time, Frederickson was 24 years old.
How Much Weight Did Rachel Frederickson Lose?
During her journey on “The Biggest Loser,” Frederickson lost almost 60% of her body weight. At the onset of the competition, she weighed 260 pounds. By the end, seven months later, she weighed 105 pounds.
Standing 5 foot 4, this weight loss put Frederickson’s body mass index (BMI) at 18, which is considered underweight.
Frederickson made history for losing the highest percentage of weight by any prior contestant.
What Was the Response at the Time?
After witnessing Frederickson’s shocking transformation, some viewers expressed concern that she might have lost too much weight.
Some former contestants also weighed in, including Nicole Michalik, who called Frederickson “shockingly skinny.”
NBC, the network that ran “The Biggest Loser,” declined to comment at the time. (NBC is owned by NBCUniversal, TODAY’s parent company).
Executive producer David Broome issued a statement at the time: โRachel passed all the required medical tests ensuring she was healthy.”
Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, who worked as personal trainers on the show, shared a joint comment on X, saying, “We’re not comfortable commenting on Rachel’s journey because we weren’t her trainers and weren’t given an opportunity to work with her at any point.”
Dolvett Quince, the personal trainer who worked with Frederickson on the show, also addressed the controversy in a since-deleted Facebook post, per People.
“Biggest Loser is a journey which has its ups and downs. Please try not to look at one slice of Rachelโs journey and come to broad conclusions. Rachelโs health is and always has been my main concern and her journey to good health has not yet ended!โ he wrote at the time.
TODAY.com has reached out to Quince for comment.
What Did Rachel Frederickson Say at the Time of Her Win?
Following her big win, Frederickson spoke with TODAY and gave an update on her health journey.
โIโm at the maintenance point now so I need to find some balance and make sure I work out and I eat healthy and make good choices 90 percent of the time,โ she said. โIโm not sure (Iโll maintain this weight), but I plan to try new exercises and just continue on this path and see where that takes me.โ
During a conference call with reporters at the time, Frederickson revealed that she followed the advice of the show’s medical team and ate five times a day for a total of around 1,600 calories.
โI am extremely proud of the way I lost the weight on the show,โ she said. โI did everything so naturally.โ
Shortly after winning the show, Frederickson spoke with People about the controversy surrounding her transformation.
โMaybe I was a little too enthusiastic in my training to get to the finale,โ she said.
However, Frederickson was clear that she prioritized staying healthy during her time on the show.
โI am very, very healthy,โ she said.
In December 2014, nearly a year after the February finale, Frederickson penned an essay for TODAY.com and opened up about the backlash she received after her weight loss.
“Comments during the controversial storm following my weight loss were hurtful. My self-esteem once again was affected by other peopleโs voices โ this time, the kind that live forever in Facebook posts or written in the pages of magazines. People tried to bring me down and (privately) succeeded,” she wrote.
Frederickson also described her weight loss journey and the steps she took to set herself up for success.
“I worked on building myself up both mentally and physically while staying focused on the positive. It was hard listening to the voices that tried to bring me down, but I was determined to never give up,” she wrote.
Where Is Rachel Frederickson Now?
Fredrickson has stayed out of the spotlight the past 11 years following her appearance on “The Biggest Loser.”
Today, her Instagram profile is private and features the following bio: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live life to the fullest!”
