See our exclusive elimination interview with Dan Evans:
Just when you think you’ve seen it all on Biggest Loser, you see something new. Twins Dan Evans and Don Evans stepped on the scale for the week-three weigh-in and both posted nine-pound gains, something he calls “a debacle.” That’s right, gains. The trainers and contestants, as well as fans watching at home, immediately dismissed the action as game play, suggesting the brothers threw the weigh-in in their favor. In what favor would that be? Well, Dan, a 54-year-old police captain from Oklahoma City, had made it clear he missed his wife and young daughter, Maddy, at home and was ready to leave. So when the two obviously fell below the yellow line, gaining a combined 18 pounds for the week, Irene’s one vote sent him home.
We spoke with Dan about walking out on the game. You’ll hear his defensive reaction saying he didn’t “selfishly squander an opportunity to be on the Biggest Loser.” He also talks about what he meant by telling Jillian Michaels “We’ll fix it,” after the weigh in.
“I didn’t prohibit someone from coming on the program,” says Dan. But disappointed fans on Twitter during the show would beg to differ. Hundreds of thousands of individuals apply for the show each season and Dan was fortunate to earn one of those coveted and rare 22 positions. Whether they did or didn’t, only they will know.
What we’re most pleased about is that he didn’t forget what he learned on the ranch. In fact, he’s taken it and run with it, saying he’s lost four times as much weight at home as he did on the ranch, more than 70 pounds.
So what happened to cause the twins to each gain nine pounds in one week? Dan cites a failure to monitor hydration and says that they “made a mistake.” He also left not having any significant regrets.
Motivated by a desire to return home to his family, Dan proudly shares that he works out with Maddy each day, doing a 2-3 mile run in the mornings before she goes to school. During his time on the show, he was very open about the death of his son and calls him “part of what motivated me to go on the Biggest Loser and be successful.” He’s been touched by the outpouring of support from other parents who’ve experienced the same loss, and from the empathy by those moved by his story.
“I never once during any workout said ‘No, I can’t’,” Dan said he wanted that put on the record. “I never once refused to do anything Bob or Jillian asked.” He’s taken their lessons, as well as Biggest Loser nutrition Cheryl Forberg‘s, home with him and says he “follows the Biggest Loser program.”
