Valentina was the second woman ever to win “Life made easy – Biggest Loser”. In the GALA interview, she reveals how she did it and which television show she would like to take part in next.
She was allowed to put on the crown in the final: Valentina, 35, from Darmstadt not only successfully lost 65 kilos, almost halved her body weight from 135 kilos to 70 kilos, she also has an incredible will, which she is now after the show-off should continue. In an interview with GALA, she revealed what her current diet and exercise routine looks like and why she really wants to go to “Let’s Dance”.
Valentina: Interview with the “Life Made Easy – Biggest Loser” winner
GALA: You lost almost 65 kilos in 20 weeks. How did you prepare for Biggest Loser?
Valentina: I went to my family doctor beforehand and told him about my planned participation. However, he gave me little hope and said that I would never weigh less than 100 kilograms without a gastric band operation.
And yet you have halved in time. What motivated you the most?
I always had one goal in mind, I wanted to go back to how I looked before my unhappy relationship with my ex-partner. At the time I weighed 55 kilograms – and that’s where I wanted to go again.
Valentina used to weigh 55 kilograms and liked to wear figure-hugging clothes.
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“My own body motivated me”
Some of you got up at night during the show to train. Where did this irrepressible ambition to win come from?
I finally wanted to fit into my clothes again, finally live out my elegant and figure-hugging clothing style again. It wasn’t some women or body ideals on Instagram that motivated me, it was my own body. I took a picture of me back then and stuck it in my room.
Valentina motivated “Biggest Loser” to use old photos of herself in which she had her old body.
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With success: In the end you were the second woman to win a total of 14 seasons.
To be able to put on this crown at the end of the show was a very touching moment for me, in which I realized: I’ve managed to make the queen out of myself again. Now I’m finally not only radiant from the outside, but also from the inside again. And that’s also the message I want to pass on to anyone who wants to make a difference: we are all kings and queens and we can achieve anything we want. We must never lose faith in ourselves.
“If the show wasn’t about weight loss, I wouldn’t have dared to go on TV”
Were you afraid of discriminatory statements?
I’ll be honest, if the show wasn’t about losing weight, I wouldn’t have dared to go on TV. But I was there to reclaim my old body. I knew I was going to lose weight. The spectators saw me as fat at the moment and maybe smiled at me, but afterwards I was able to present myself the way I always wanted to look.
Valentina: That’s how she’s been living since the show
How does your Nourishment currently off?
I completely avoid carbohydrates, soft drinks, alcohol and sugar. Ever since I eliminated sugar from my daily routine, cinnamon is enough for me as a sweetener. But an apple or a banana also tastes a lot sweeter since doing without. Once the body has adjusted, foods that are naturally sweet taste much better. Otherwise I eat salad or soups, but I also like chicken breast or prawns. But I still eat what I feel like.
So is there a burger?
There is that too. We learned on the show that we shouldn’t put bans on ourselves. So if I feel like a burger, then I eat it. But then I also do a round more sport.
How often are you currently training?
I do a mix of cardio and strength training three to four times a week. I either run, do a home workout, or go to the gym.
You were in a toxic relationship at the time, and your partner made you overweight. Are you afraid that something like this could happen to you again?
No, I would never allow something like that again. My partner at the time only ever paid attention to his needs, never to mine. Today I know that I am – literally – the queen and have to take care of my needs. My partner should conquer me in the future and not the other way around. I also want a partner who treats me as an equal and gives as much as I do.
Valentina’s new dream: Win “Let’s Dance” alongside Massimo Sinató
Summer is just around the corner: what are your plans for 2023?
I’ve already bought a few new bikinis, some even twice, because I forgot I already bought them (laughs). But I haven’t really taken a vacation since the show. I would like to further expand my Instagram and TikTok channel “Valentina_lebenleichtmachen23” and help women and men lose weight there, with tips and motivation. I also have a new goal: I would like to go to “Let’s Dance”. The idea of dancing tango with Massimo Sinató and winning there as well spurs me on. My goal is to become the queen of the dance floor as well.
This article originally appeared on GALA.