'Biggest Loser' Rachel Frederickson dodges eating disorder question
Rachel Frederickson, who shed 59.62 percent of her body weight to win season 15 of "The Biggest Loser" this week, dodged questions about eating disorders in a media conference call.
"Oh, gosh, I didn't even see that!" she said of the wide-scale comments on social media following her sudden appearance at 105 pounds, down from 260, on the season finale Tuesday night. "I followed the advice and support of . . . the medical team at The Biggest Loser the entire journey so it's been natural and I've just enjoyed every part of it."
The 5-foot-5 Los Angeles voice-over artist, 24, also avoided a direct answer when asked if she felt she had gone too far with the weight loss, which took 7 1/2 months. "I have had support systems in place the entire time I was on 'The Biggest Loser,' " she said. "We are given a calorie budget" -- of 1,600 per day -- "and I stuck to that."
Trainer Jillian Michaels, who had appeared shocked on-camera at Frederickson's appearance, said on Facebook of herself and trainer Bob Harper: "We're not comfortable commenting on Rachel's journey because [we] weren't her trainers and weren't given an opportunity to work with her at any point. Any questions about the contestants on 'The Biggest Loser' should be directed to the show's producers."
Fellow trainer Dolvett Quince, acknowledging the "huge reaction" sparked by Frederickson's appearance on the finale, said on his own Facebook page: "Please try not to look at one slice of Rachel's journey and come to broad conclusions. Rachel's health is and always has been my main concern and her journey to good health has not yet ended!"