" "I hadn't been seeing a doctor. I was getting zero exercise, and my diet was terrible," Chopin says. "When I got on the show, I had all the health problems you expect at 407 pounds -- high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and high blood sugar." "

" "The first thing they told us when we started was that most of us needed to get our blood sugar under control, and if you can't do it with diet and exercise, you take medicine, otherwise you are in for diabetes, heart disease and death, and it doesn't need to be that way," Chopin said recently. "

" No one knows exactly how excess fat increases insulin resistance and raises blood glucose levels, but scientists agree that the twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes have combined to create the biggest health threat of the 21st century. "

" There's nothing easy about controlling blood sugar with diet and exercise, and Chopin says losing more than 200 pounds was the hardest thing he has ever done. "

" "You can't fake that kind of weight loss. It's grueling and intense," Chopin says. "I lost the first 50 to 60 pounds and got some momentum and it was extremely inspiring." "

" Exercise: To jump-start his weight loss, Chopin
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