Biggest Loser Gone A-Weigh

Sick of watchin' those stick-thin mannequins on America's Next Top Model? Maybe NBC's The Biggest Loser (Tuesdays at 8 pm/ET) is your cup of reali-tea. In the pilot episode, 12 overweight contestants split into two teams. Their task: Give up indulgent snacking and carry out a strict plan of diet and exercise with trainers. The Red team lost more weight, so they kept all their players. Meanwhile, the Blues were required to trim the fat — namely, littlest loser Dana DeSilvio, 21. Even so, the bubbly blond from Nashville tells TV Guide Online she's proud of shedding five pounds during her week on the show. So there!

TV Guide Online: Lost any more weight since leaving Loser?
Dana: I have. I've lost almost 15 pounds.

TVGO: What possessed you to do this show?
Dana: I wasn't eating healthily. I really just wanted a healthier lifestyle and I needed some motivation.

TVGO: Money is a good motivation.
Dana: Well, we didn't know about the money, so I didn't go for the money. We didn't find out until we got there.

TVGO: Your sister is a model. What's her take on this?
Dana: She was really happy for me. We are really supportive of each other. She models for Elite and she's been doing some things, and she was happy that this came along for me. I think [the contestants] were all really happy to be losing weight. It is good to have a whole bunch of people who are there for the same reason that you are.

TVGO: Were you disappointed to be voted off for losing the least amount of weight?
Dana: I wasn't pleased with their decision. I respected them, but I think I needed to be there. I'd be skinny if I could do it on my own. But somebody had to go, and it was sad, but I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.

TVGO: Was it fair to be faulted for losing only five pounds? You were smaller than the others to begin with.
Dana: I think I lost a really good amount for my size, so I was really happy about that. I wasn't expecting to lose a whole lot at first, so that was great for me.

TVGO: How hard was it to step up on that huge scale?
Dana: I knew it was going to happen. I'm not a shy person at all. I'm pretty outgoing, but that was embarrassing. I knew it was going to come, so I mentally prepared myself for it. It still sucks, but I knew I had to do it. Watching it on TV was harder than getting up there.

TVGO: All we saw was everyone eating and exercising. Did you do anything else?
Dana: Well, that was the main reason we were there, so that was everybody's focus. We did have some time to get to know one another, and we had fun. But exercising and sleeping and getting rest were our main focus.

TVGO: It looked so demanding. People were getting sick. Did you suffer?
Dana: I never got sick once. I didn't throw up and I didn't cry. I didn't get sick at all.

TVGO: Was the big diet switch difficult for you?
Dana: I was used to eating those [healthy] foods. For me, it was more about my timing. I didn't eat when I was supposed to. So this taught me better habits.

TVGO: What are you doing now?
Dana: I am working for the YMCA outside of Nashville — and exercising and working my butt off!