Today I interviewed Dance Your Ass Off winner Ruben and the show’s executive producer and creator Lisa Ann Walter. Here is a recap of this conversation, just one day following the season finale of this weight loss competition series.
DIR: How has the show changed your life?
Ruben: It sounds corny, but it changed my life and everyone else’s on the show. I was the oldest contestant by at least 11 years and I fully committed to what would happen. I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I committed to it. I took advantage of all the nutritionists, doctors and motivation and it paid off. I am still taking dance classes and I do it for myself because it’s fun, not for the competition aspect of it.
An exercise video is going to come out where people can learn the dances, have fun, sweat and lose the pounds all from their living room.
DIR: What is your current weight?
Ruben: I lost over 70 pounds since the show ended, but all of the weight loss success stories from the 12 contestants will be revealed on next week’s reunion show.
DIR: Will there be another Dance Your Ass Off?
Ruben: We don’t know yet, but it looks good and we really hope so. We hope that the show has another opportunity to change more people’s lives.
DIR: How did you feel your body changed throughout the show?
Ruben: After the first week, I was ready to quit the series with no soda, no sugar, no junk food. I lost 14 pounds my first seven days of the show. We worked really closely with the medical doctors and dietitians on the show and we listened to them and trusted what they were trying to teach us.
Food used to be such a reward for me after a long day of work, I would stop at fast food drive-thru and order my dinner from the dollar-menu. But in this controlled environment, I no longer had that reward system so I had to look beyond food to unwind.
What are you going to do with the $100,000 prize money?
I’m going to sit on most of the money given today’s economy, but my partner John and I will take a vacation to some remote and beautiful island and I’ll be able to finally take my shirt off on the beach and show off my 25-year-old body even though I’m 44-years old.
What was the single-most important thing you learned from the show?
To put myself first.
Stay tuned as DietsInReview.com recaps next week’s reunion show, which will reveal the weight loss success stories of all 12 Dance Your Ass Off contestants.