Matt and Suzy, NBC Biggest Loser Season 2 winners, shared advice for eating through the holidays and making healthy choices with the Auburn City Church’s Biggest Loser group today.

 

Six weeks ago, Auburn City started a weekly support and exercise group for church members and the community in Auburn, Wash. Auburn City’s Biggest Loser team meets one morning a week for group exercise, encouragement and accountability.

 

In their candid presentation, Matt and Suzy talked about their experience before, during, and after the Biggest Loser and offered suggestions for making daily, positive choices. During Season 2, Matt lost 157 pounds and Suzy lost 95 pounds.

 

“The struggles come after the lights and cameras go off,” Matt says. “Most people don’t have a plan. A week in reality TV is not a week in real life.”

 

“We have to make the right choices to help us succeed,” Suzy adds.

 

Matt and Suzy married soon after the show concluded and now have two sons. Realizing the impact they have on their young sons, they are making healthy choices today so their sons have good role models and will not have to experience weight challenges like their parents.

 

“We decided we’re going to change our family legacy,” Matt says.

 

Matt and Suzy offered three basic steps for making lifestyle changes: 1) Stop talking and take action, 2) Find a support system, and 3) Do some housecleaning in your life and find new friends to support you in your new lifestyle choices.

 

With the pending holidays, it’s easy to slip back into old eating habits and then set a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight. Matt and Suzy, who live in Des Moines, Wash., shared how they invite family and friends to their home now for holiday parties because they know they can better control healthy food choices.

 

If they do attend a holiday party, Matt and Suzy bring a healthy food item so they don’t consume tasty, but not good-for-them holiday treats.

 

“Counting calories is more important than portion control,” Matt says.

 

“Start your meals with a salad and find a salad dressing you like,” Suzy advises. “Over-portion your vegetables. Drink lots of water. Eat the most tempting item last (when you are nearly full so you won’t eat as much). Have a plan for your meals, and only make what you need. If you make more, freeze that portion.”

 

“The most important lesson we learned is to finish,” Matt says, who just competed in an Ironman Challenge. “We’ll be on this journey for the rest of our lives. It’s not about the medal or title, it’s about finishing what you start. There’s always going to be a reason to stop, but you have to choose to keep going.”