Sapulpa Police Officer David Jones may have been voted off "The Biggest Loser" ranch, but his dream is still alive.
Jones, who was voted out by his teammates on Monday's show, lost 50 pounds during the first six episodes of the hit NBC reality series and another 50 since he has been home in Kiefer. His weight loss is approaching 100 pounds, said the 51-year-old, who started the show at 307 pounds.
He is also competing among those sent home early for the at-home title of "Biggest Loser" and a prize of $100,000, said Jones, who will be a guest on the "Today" show Monday on NBC. The on-air winner earns a $250,000 grand prize to be awarded on the show's season finale March 18.
"If I could hit 180 pounds (before the finale), I would be delirious happy," said Jones in a phone interview with the Tulsa World on Tuesday.
Whether that happens doesn't matter. Being on the show has already changed his life, he said in an earlier teleconference.
He continues to work out, eats healthier, exercises more and has experienced a major attitude adjustment, he said.
"You should have seen the guy that was walking around in that uniform and my home before the show," said the Kiefer resident. "I got called Eeyore on more than a few occasions because I didn't want anybody to get inside and ask me those questions I didn't want to answer. And today, everything gets approached with a pretty positive attitude."
"One of the biggest affirmations" he's received has been about his changed attitude, not appearance, said the Cherry Point, N.C. native, who is working with a counselor.
"I found out a ton of things about myself that I did not know existed. I found out there were negative influences in my life that I didn't realize. I had to change that. ...
"I feel like for every five or 10 pounds I lose, I have lost five to 10 pounds of emotional baggage," said Jones, who is off all blood pressure medication and only uses a daily inhaler for asthma.
Jones returned to the police force after the show but found his job getting in the way of his new healthy lifestyle. He went to work as an overnight supervisor, which meant cutting back on exercise during the work week.
To stay on track, he's taking off the next three weeks to beef up his workouts, which include cardio and weight training. He is also sticking to a diet of 1,400 to 1,500 calories a day made up of mostly complex carbohydrates, fruits and green vegetables. On doctor's orders, he is not allowed to run because cracks in the bone in his right knee are still healing.
And, something else he hadn't anticipated has also happened.
Over the past 10 days, he has received numerous requests from organizations to speak out about his weight-loss journey. It's an opportunity that may shorten his time on the police force.
"I really had anticipated putting a few more years in, and I have not made a decision on that yet," said the married father of seven and grandfather of two with two more on the way in April. "... Right now, on my pension, we could do it.
"But I really like my job."
Copyright 2013 - Tulsa World, Okla.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
