Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Fit For TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser’ revisiting one of the most powerful weight-loss competition shows in history, we get a documentary series unlike any other. It actually comprises not only archival footage but also exclusive interviews with executive producers, journalists, medical professionals, and participants alike to highlight the truth behind the NBC show. Suzanne Mendonca is one such individual to feature on the show. She has since firmly alleged that partaking in ‘The Biggest Loser’ season 2 almost ruined her entire life.
Suzanne Mendonca’s Weight Loss Journey Initially Seemed Successful
If there’s one thing Franklin Square, New York native Suzanne “Suzy” Mendonca has never shied away from admitting, it’s that she has always struggled with weight fluctuations. According to the then-30-year-old’s own account, she is a food lover with a weakness for chocolate, so while she had tried dieting, exercising, and sticking to a strict regimen several times, it never panned out. It turned out she was a typical “Monday dieter” who failed by mid-week before starting the process all over again because she never could turn her efforts into real determination.
As per Suzanne, she desperately wanted to get fit several times over the years, especially after settling down in New York for good as a police officer, yet that internal drive didn’t come. That is, until she got engaged to the love of her life and realized she had no choice but to shed fat if she wanted to fit into her dream wedding gown and then ultimately start a happy, healthy family. Therefore, in 2005, she shared her story with producers of ‘The Biggest Losers’ season 2 in the hopes of impressing them enough to be cast as a contestant, which she absolutely did.
In the period between casting and filming, Suzanne admittedly started a low-calorie diet while also exercising frequently so as to adjust to the show’s process better once it actually began. However, Suzanne alleged that when producers learned of this, they told her to stop and suggested she gain back a few pounds, which she believes was to make for better television. In the end, she started with 229 pounds, losing 38 before she was eliminated during week 5, and then continuing the hard work herself to lose another 49 (87 in total) for the finale.
Suzanne Mendonca Once Threatened to Sue the Show
While Suzanne was finally healthy in terms of her weight by the time ‘The Biggest Loser’ season 2 wrapped, things changed within days because she suddenly couldn’t get out of bed. Her body was so exhausted from the extreme process she had undertaken that she couldn’t move for a few days, resulting in her gaining back 15 pounds in less than a week, which then turned into 20 pounds. As if that’s not enough, adjusting back to real life was also difficult for her due to the sudden limelight she had on her, which even affected how she was treated at work initially.
Hence, Suzanne gained back everything she had lost plus a few more pounds by the early 2010s, following which she also exhibited her intent to sue the show and NBC. According to her account, she “suffered multiple stress fractures in my feet… during filming, and the producers and trainers said, ‘You still need to work out. Do the elliptical, do the bike.’ They made me reshoot a running scene.” Suzanne further claims she was encouraged to take additional extreme measures, which, according to her, manipulated the results and put her health at risk.
Suzanne was admittedly eating baby food so as to shed weight as quickly as possible, and it indeed helped her lose 10 pounds in just the week leading up to the finale in September 2005. Furthermore, she would wrap herself in garbage bags to sweat more and use the sauna for six hours a day with her fellow participants after exercising for almost the same time. “We stopped eating and drinking and would work out for four hours a day,” she claimed, adding, “People were passing out in the doctor’s office,” and in her view, no one questioned anything. She ultimately never filed a lawsuit, but she has been very public about her experiences to make it clear that not everything is as it seems when it comes to reality television.
Suzanne Mendonca Leads a Private Life Today
Despite the fact that Suzanne appears determined to take every opportunity she can to share her story with the world, she is now very cautious about keeping her life well away from the spotlight. She doesn’t want it to impact her career or her personal relationships with anyone any more than it already has, so she has even remained quite mum about her recent fitness journey. It’s evident that the New York Police Department officer has shed significant weight in the past few years and now seemingly leads a comfortable life alongside her family.
Suzanne’s life revolves around her supportive husband and loving children. We should mention that while there was a point she had blood pressure issues and was prediabetic due to the extremes she alleged she was encouraged to take, it’s unclear how her overall health is today. Honestly, we just hope this marathon enthusiast is doing well, and we wish her the best of luck in whatever endeavors she has in her future, personal or professional.
Read More: Tracey Yukich: Where is The Biggest Loser Star Today?
