The Biggest Loser
Sophia Franklin, 29, lost 65 pounds while on Season 10 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser last fall. Although the Germantown resident faced automatic elimination the third week on the ranch after losing the lowest percentage of weight that week, the former guidance counselor and cheerleading coach at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda continues to be admired by fans.
“I get recognized when I go out and stuff, more so at the gym,” she says, “because I think it’s how people are used to seeing me because of the reality TV show I was on. Because it was a weight-loss show, it definitely held me accountable for my weight loss and my fitness goals.”
Franklin, who currently coaches cheerleading at Clarksburg High School, says her “funniest encounter with a fan” occurred when she ran in the Marine Corps 10K recently. A Marine handing out water at the end of the race “freaked out” and excitedly yelled to her that she was an inspiration because of her accomplishments on the show.
Franklin urges anyone looking to participate in a reality show to “think about what they want to gain.” Or in her case, lose. As for the fame aspect, “it’s not a big, huge deal,” she says, “and I still get to live my life.”
