LAUREN LEE IS ON A LOSING STREAK

Marshall University alumna, Lauren Lee, is finding her inner athlete as a contestant on season 13 of NBC's "The Biggest Loser," which began airing earlier this month.

Lee, 26, graduated with her master's degree in exercise science in May 2011 and weighed 246 pounds. Lee said this was because her focus in academics outweighed that of focusing on her health.

Growing up, Lee was athletic. Her involvement in sports led her to Marshall to pursue a bachelor's degree in adult fitness and then a master's degree in exercise science.

Even though Lee was interested in fitness and exercise, she said, "I wanted to focus on my education and that meant putting going to the gym on the backburner. I grew up dyslexic and having attention deficit disorder so I had to study three times longer than the average student."

Lee said she allocated little time to her health and noticed her weight was on the rise. After graduation, Lee was living at home with her parents in Poolesville, Md., and decided to tackle her weight issue by applying and receiving the opportunity of being a contestant on "The Biggest Loser."

Lee traveled to Los Angeles, Calif., with her mother, Gail Lee, and together the two were one of 10 teams to compete for the $250,000 prize. They began their journey together as the yellow team.

"I had been at school for so long and was away from my family," Lee said. "Being with my mother on the show has definitely brought us closer together."

After arriving on "The Biggest Loser" ranch, Lee and her mother met trainer  Dolvett Quince, an individual known for his competitive nature and weight-loss transformations. Throughout her time at the ranch, Quince trained Lee by having her complete high-intensity workouts and allowing her to gain adequate knowledge regarding nutrition. Lee was now part of a much larger red team, all of which were trained by Quince.

"Dolvett had us doing a wide range of workouts," Lee said. "We did everything from yoga and hiking the mountain to workouts that left me barely moving the next morning."

Lee said, on average, she and her fellow contestants worked out more than six hours a day, with breaks to eat meals.

Each week, Lee had to strip down to her Spandex bra and shorts for the weekly weigh-ins. Lee said she had to deal with the publicity of something as personal as her weight issues.

"I just had to deal with it," Lee said. "My family and friends saw how out-of-control my weight had become, and the first step in tackling this problem was to stand in front of America to show where life had gotten me."

However, after three weeks, Lee sat in the elimination room and was sent home by her teammates. They sent her home because they thought she had what it would take to continue her weight-loss journey at home.

Lee is still eligible to win the at-home prize of $100,000. This prize is awarded to the contestant who loses the most percentage of weight while at home.

Lee said she still considers herself a winner although she won't receive the title.

"I have gotten my life back, my personality," Lee said. "The show was everything I expected and more."

After being eliminated, Lee signed up for a half marathon because she wanted a challenge. She ended up completing the half marathon and learned a valuable lesson.

"It has taught me to believe in myself," Lee said. "I have the willpower to do anything I put my mind to."

Back at home, Lee follows a new regime in order to get the weight off before the live finale in a few months.

"I am going to the gym daily, eating healthy and trying to lose enough weight in order to win the at-home prize," Lee said.

Lee wants to weigh 130 pounds by the May 1 finale, which will be aired live.

As a young person herself, Lee said it's important for young people to take the weight off now.

"Getting it off now will reassure living a long, healthy life," Lee said. "Keeping active, such as walking around campus and eating healthy, are starting points for young adults that are currently struggling with their weight. There is no day like today."

Lee's number one piece of advice is to write everything down.

"Everyone needs to be accountable for what they eat," Lee said. "Write everything down, good or bad, that goes in your body."

To date, Lee has lost 56 pounds and hopes to run a full marathon and hang glide once she's in shape.

"The Biggest Loser" is on NBC at 8 p.m. Tuesdays.

John Gibb can be contacted at gibb@marshall.edu.