Back in 2008, Sam Rouen was on The Biggest Loser where he lost a whopping 157 pounds.
He was only 19 at the time, weighed almost 340 pounds, and ended up setting a record by becoming the youngest winner of the Australian version of The Biggest Loser. In this video that was filmed in 2019, he talks about life after the win, how he is doing 11 years after being on the show, and his future goals.
Today, Sam continues to live a healthy lifestyle and has managed to keep the weight off. He was called in for an interview on the Australian talk show Studio 10, where the hosts delve deeper into his experiences and his current life.
In the video below, when asked about how he feels about himself when he looks back on his 19-year-old self, and if he remembers struggling at the time, Sam answers, “I don’t think I really do…it seems like a lifetime ago. I haven’t even really looked at photos like that for a long time. I feel phenomenally different.” He describes himself as a very happy kid, one that had a lot of friends, but also added that when one goes through life overweight, it can get you down a little.
In addition, Sam talks about how it was to lose all that weight on the show.
Many people may have daunting experiences with losing weight and sticking to a regimen that can finally show results. On a show like The Biggest Loser, the added pressure of exercises and diets as a competition against other contestants can be a challenging experience for many. When he was asked if he thought about giving up along the way, he replied with a resounding “no.”
Sam says to the hosts in the interview that for him, it was a day by day challenge, which turned into weeks, which turned into months until he found himself standing up on the stage and being weighed, eventually winning the season.
According to Sam, he would like to be optimistic and believes that he could have lost as much weight even if he hadn’t taken part in The Biggest Loser, but realistically, it would have taken him much longer than it did on the show.
Adding to this conversation in the video, he talks about his days in university when junk food and beers were a large part of his diet.
Even though he was a big child growing up, he was still fit and healthy and took part in sports such as cross country running. His drastic weight gain started only after he got older and stopped sports, he says.
Currently, Sam is a firefighter, which was always his dream job. On top of this, he is commended by the hosts for his “raunchy” calendar shoot that highlights his toned body and incredible abs. He responds that he is very happy to be involved with the Australian Firefighter’s Calendar, a foundation that raises money for the Children’s Hospital Foundation. He has come a long way from being a chubby 19-year-old to living as a healthy and fit man today.
Sam’s life story is worth listening to, as he lives the motto, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” More information about Sam, his experiences on the show, and his future aspirations can be found in the video below.
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