Biggest Loser's Aaron Ousted

• Nov 12, 2004 03:00 AM ET
• by Angel Cohn

The Biggest Loser's Aaron Semmel could be fairly dubbed the incredible shrinking man. The 29-year-old writer lost 36 lbs. — that's more than anyone else on the Blue Team. Still, although Aaron was shedding the pounds, Kelly Mac and Andrea decided he was dead weight. Here, Aaron tells TV Guide Online about his weighty woes on Loser (Tuesdays, 8 pm/ET on NBC) and his ongoing battle of the bulge.

TV Guide Online: Have you lost more weight since exiting Loser?
Aaron Semmel: I've lost just over 60 lbs. now.

TVGO: Do you stick to the guidelines set by Bob, the Blue Team trainer?
Aaron: Bob snapped me back into shape, and now it is up to me to maintain.

TVGO: Some Red Team players lost around the same weight. Your weight loss seemed the most noticeably dramatic, though.
Aaron: I was worried about that. I thought America might become prejudiced against me; they might think I was too skinny already. I've lost a lot of weight before and I know how to do it, but I really wanted to go out there and show people in America that it can be done.

TVGO: Doesn't it stink that you were voted off instead of someone who shed less weight?
Aaron: I'm not really upset. Of course, I wish I could have stayed longer. I would have loved to see where I'd be at right now if I had Bobby with me every day. I don't hold it against [my teammates], because they are trying to lose weight. I want all of them to be as skinny as I am.

TVGO: Your biggest teammate, Maurice, hasn't lost that much. Was he slacking or cheating?
Aaron: I wouldn't say he was slacking. When we were in the gym, he was working out. I always told everyone in the house he was working out harder than any of us because he had over 400 lbs. to lift with every step he took. I know everybody's body is different. I wasn't afraid of Maurice, because I really know my body and I know how to make my body work really well. My body's metabolism burns a little faster and a little hotter.

TVGO: But why keep Mo if he wasn't losing weight?
Aaron: I have to admit that every week, as a team, we were a little worried when Mo wouldn't lose much. But we were all counting on him to start losing some big numbers. That's the main reason why every elimination we had, I would want to keep Mo around because I was expecting him to come out one week with a big 15- or 20-lb. loss.

TVGO: You're writing your first book. What's it about?
Aaron: It is basically my life experience with weight loss. It has been a constant battle since I was 5 years old. It is [about] what I used to lose weight and keep myself fit, and incorporates what I learned on the show as well.

TVGO: Have dating offers improved since you got skinnier on TV?
Aaron: (Laughs) No. I was a pretty popular guy before the show, and I'm doing OK right now.

TVGO: Think you'll keep up this healthy new lifestyle?
Aaron: Yeah. I'm about a two-pack away from a six-pack — so if I can get down to that, I'll do my best to keep that for the rest of my life.