Facing life after reality TV

The television show The Biggest Loser has lapsed into history but contestant Artie Rocke is embracing his future with a positive mindset.

He now prowls Oxford Street with a slimmer body, a new tan and big sunglasses.

I have lost my diabetes and I’ve stopped taking my medication, Rocke told Sydney Star Observer.

Rocke started his reality television stint at 156kg. Once I left the house I found myself a trainer. Channel Ten would give us $200 a week to do whatever you wanted to do. I was giving my trainer $200 a week total for three or four hours a day. He really went out of his way for me.

Although the show has come to an end he continues to lose more weight working out for at least two hours a day. At the finale of The Biggest Loser I had lost 40kg. At the moment I weigh 108kg. I want to get to 92kg. I’m just 18kg from my goal weight.

Rocke was raised in Sydney but has spent the past eight years in Hervey Bay. He admits he has always been overweight. As a kid he was more into acting and debating and forgot about his weight.

As years go on you fit into that comfort zone. If I didn’t get on the show I know I would slowly work my way up to 200kg, Rocke says.

At the moment my trainer has put me up to 2,000 calories. In the house I started on 1,000, then worked up to 1,500. I eat everything but I work on calories. I used to eat a whole packet of Tim Tams and that was 1,500 calories.

His success hasn’t been easy. He had to get his gall bladder removed, which has been a big concern. He welcomes the surgery as the doctor told him he would probably lose 5kg during the operation.

The hard thing will be getting to my goal weight and maintaining it, Rocke says, and he is ready to take on the challenge.

Since he reached celebrity status he admitted that a myriad of guys have tried to hook up with him. Sometimes you go out and you think, do these people just want to hold on to your 15 minutes of fame?

I was back in Hervey Bay and met this German guy who had no idea about the show. He was absolutely beautiful and we hung out for two days. It was so nice he loved me for who I was.

I’m quite happy to play the field at the moment, Rocke happily said.

Artie has other goals to achieve.

I want to preach the message about diet and exercise. Motivational speaking is something I would really love to get across. I would like to become a personal trainer one day as well.