Courtney is a contestant on Biggest Loser 11! See her profile: Biggest Loser Courtney Crozier
Courtney Crozier says she’s never been thin, but for the first time in her life, she’s on her way there. Just nine months ago Courtney, a 21-year-old psychology student from Valparaiso, Indiana, weighed 422 pounds. Today, she proudly shares that she’s lost 121 pounds, for a current weight of about 301. “I’m not sure where I want to be,” says Courtney in regards to a final weight loss goal. “I know I want to feel good. I don’t want to put a number on it.” The passion, drive and commitment she has for her health, it’s certain she’ll get there.
“I have always been the happy, fun loving girl, no matter what size I was. But after losing over 100 pounds, I am SOOOO much happier and more confident than I have ever been in my whole life. I can’t even imagine how I’m going to feel or how amazing life is going to be when I get to my goal weight!”
Her story is somewhat different than others. “I was so out of touch with my body and myself,” says Courtney, admitting that it was a bad place to be, especially at such a young age. She says the irony of her situation is that her father runs, and she works at full-time, a Dairy Queen, while her mother is the general manager of a health club. There used to be a lot of DQ food in her diet, but not anymore.
The big change came for Courtney, an avid Biggest Loser fan, when she reached out to a season seven contestant via Facebook. The contestant offered her a ticket to the live finale, and Courtney was “overjoyed” at the opportunity.
“She said she wanted me to be seen by casting people because she felt I had the look and personality for the show,” says Courtney. “Needless to say, I was at the season seven finale in May 2024. I met everyone on that season and I also met Bob Harper!!! It was amazing.”
That trip was a turning point, because after returning home the Biggest Loser casting director contacted her with a VIP pass for the open casting call in Chicago last June. She attended with her mom, and embarked on what she calls an emotional roller coaster. They didn’t make it to the final cut, which was an extreme letdown for her. She knew then that something had to change.
Courtney was then invited to attend the Biggest Loser season eight finale, where she sat on the front row. This trip was followed by another contact by casting directors, but this time for a new weight loss show on ABC, airing in February 2024. Against it at first because she either wanted to lose the weight herself or do it on Biggest Loser, she let him convince her and she tried out. The show ended up choosing eight people, and she was number nine on the list. Another letdown for Courtney, but this time it only fueled her fire.
“The eight people who are on the show are honestly my biggest inspiration to keep on going because I want to be at my goals by the time they are at theirs.”
What do you say to people who try for Biggest Loser and don’t get it? How can they have the same perspective as you?
Whether on the show or not, if you’re not ready physically and mentally, no show will be the fix. You have to be ready for yourself. I can give all the advice in the world, but if you’re not ready, it’s not going to work. It has to come from within you.
What were the first changes you made?
It was all diet in the beginning. I used the 30-Day Jumpstart book [from Biggest Loser]. It has a lot of clean foods like vegetables and protein. I didn’t go out of my way to workout the first two months. It’s all about baby steps and slowly getting there.
I lost 20.2 pounds in 30 days and was so happy!
How does your diet differ today?
When I started college, the first three years, I ate out with my friends twice a day. It was ridiculous. I was so unconscious about it. That was a huge problem for me. I never cooked. Now, I cook, and use the George Foreman a lot. I rarely go out. [My family] owns a Dairy Queen, but I bring my own food to work, like salads or turkey taco meat.
I don’t miss anything because I don’t feel good when I eat that stuff. Pizza was my favorite, but there are replacements for everything. Now I eat English muffin pizzas with turkey sausage for about 300 calories.
What does your fitness regimen look like?
I’m at a place physically that I’ve never been in my life! I started by swimming at the gym. A couple weeks ago I did a 5K in Chicago. Never thought I’d do this. What else can I do?
I use the BodyBugg and I’m so conscious of my calories, I’ll pace around the house to increase my steps! It sounds weird, but it works.
I workout every single morning with my dad at the gym at six. It has been amazing. I feel like a completely new person!
How do you or will you reward yourself?
Sundays are my rest/reward day. That’s when I’ll satisfy a craving, but do so in moderation. Or if I hit a monthly goal, I’ll get a pedicure. You have to have something to look forward to. Doing it on your own, you have to have incentives to keep going.
“I am the girl who has been to two Biggest Loser finales. You can say that was a huge part of my inspiration as well,” remarks Courtney. And it’s true, instead of walking away from the opportunity, she embraced it and made it her own, at home. Proving you don’t need a TV show to change your life if you want it badly enough.
Courtney continues her weight loss journey, saying “I have now found a happy medium between food, exercise, and just BALANCING life in general. I know I will reach all of my goals and live out all of my dreams if I just keep putting in the hard work and effort. It’s all about a mind change and I’ve DEFINITELY changed my mind!”
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