Biggest Loser: Families
Tom Desrochers, Sr. and Tom "L.T." Desrochers Jr.
Eliminated September 23

What adjustments did you have to make to maintain a healthy lifestyle?
L.T.: It was tough when we came back home. You don't have any temptations on the ranch, but as soon as you get back, you have all the temptations come back. For me, all of my friends drink and go out to eat every night. So it was tough to go out with them and say, "No, I'm not going to eat this" and make a healthier choice. At the ranch, all you had to do was eat right and work out, so incorporating that back into the lifestyle was a tough transition. But after the first couple of weeks, it kind of fell into place. I used to go out with my friends every night, so I sat down and said, "Guys, don't think I'm ignoring you, but I have to get healthy." I just stay clear of the temptations. I cut it out.

I work at night, and there were no healthy alternatives. So for me, the biggest change is that I bring my own food. I break it up into four or five different snacks a night. I just had to learn how to make that change and realize what was healthy.

Tom: Now, I've learned what is good and not so good. I go out and do the shopping with my wife, so I buy the stuff that I'm supposed to be buying now and everybody's eating healthier. My wife has lost 27 pounds also, so it has affected the family.

In week one, you used the extra vote to save Heba and Ed from the orange team and then Heba and Ed voted against you. How did that feel?
L.T.: We would have liked to have the favor returned, but it was nothing personal. They did what they had to do to stick around. As much as it sucked that they voted us off and didn't keep their word, it's part of the game.

Tom: Pretty bluntly, it sucks to be gone so early. I feel that L.T. and myself worked extremely hard, but the numbers didn't fall in our favor. I did as much as I could and L.T. was at the gym most nights until one o'clock in the morning. So I don't know what happened. It just didn't work.

L.T., have you quit smoking?
L.T.: I stopped the day Jillian came to Boston. And after the third day at the ranch, something in my head just clicked. I realized how bad it screwed up my system. It's not something I plan on doing ever again.

L.T., was it a surprise to be the only contestant to gain weight the second week?
L.T.: I'll tell you what, it was tough to gain three pounds in the second week! I worked harder than probably most of the people on the show, the second week. I was in that gym until one, sometimes two o'clock, because I knew it was the toughest week. Jillian upped my workouts and my calories so I could do a harder workout. At the end of the week, I was confident. When the plus-three [pounds] came up, I was shocked, angry ... a mixture of everything. I couldn't believe it. But it happened. The scales don't lie.

What was the most difficult thing to see about yourself, watching the show?
L.T.: There were actually two things: when Dr. Huizenger showed us our chronological age, as opposed to the age of our body. It was tough to see that I have the body of almost a 50-year-old when I'm 23. And then, the reality about the smoking kicked in when Jillian was putting me through things that I should have been able to do, that I used to be able to do with no problem.

What did you really think about Jillian?
L.T.: There were two different Jillians: in the gym, where she's kicking your ass, and in the house, where she just talked to you. Not many people liked her inside the gym, but I was used to that. In football, that's how our coaches worked. We were always getting yelled at. It worked for me. She did a lot to help us.

Tom: You can pretty much keep Jillian. I didn't care too much for her. I understand she has a job to do, but she really doesn't treat people like adults. She treated most of us like children, which I didn't take too kindly to. It's kind of like a stinky pig: They pretty it up for the camera, but the mouth is incredible. I have to thank her because she probably saved my life, but I didn't care too much for the method in which she did it.

How much weight have you lost so far?
L.T.: I'm down 92 pounds.
Tom: I'm down 77 pounds.

Are you worried about keeping the weight off?
Tom: I'm not worried about it at all. For me, it's really simple: Before I went on the show, I was taking nine pills a day. Now, I get up and look at those bottles that are still on the shelf in front of me and I don't take any medication at all. If I want it to stay that way, I have to keep the weight off. That's it. I keep those bottles in front of me. Every morning when I wake up, that's my motivation to do the right thing.

L.T.: I'm younger, so after I hit my goal I don't think I'm going to go back. I see all of my uncles and cousins who are overweight and have big health issues. We're going to try to help them after we help ourselves. We have our work cut out for us, so I don't think you'll see either one of us going back to those unhealthy styles of living.