Gresham man lost 161 pounds in 8 months for television show

LEBANON — When Ken Coleman tells people to watch what they eat, he really means it.

Coleman, a former contestant on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” spoke at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital Monday.

One of his tips to people trying to lose weight: keep a journal of everything you eat.

“Journaling your food intake gives you a 20 percent higher success rate,” Coleman told an audience of about 50 people. “Do I still journal everything I eat? Yes, I do.”

Coleman, 45, now works as a personal trainer in Gresham. He’s studying to become a nutritionist.

In 2006, he competed on the popular television show and lost 161 pounds in eight months.

Since then, he’s dropped another 40 pounds by paying close attention to the nutritional value of his diet and maintaining a rigorous workout routine as a spinning class instructor.

“I’m not going to lie,” he said. “It’s still a struggle to this day to keep the weight off.”

Coleman spoke for more than two hours on a variety of weight-related issues.

Another one of his messages to people struggling with their weight is to cut out the soda and replace it with water.

“I used to have a two-liter soda habit per day,” he said. “Believe me, you won’t miss it.”

Coleman fielded questions from the audience about snacks, exercise, dietary supplements and where to find correct nutritional information.

He cautioned the audience to talk with a doctor or a nutritionist before making any major changes to their eating and exercise habits.

“You can’t always trust a diet formula posted on the internet,” he said.

For snacks, he recommended dry-roasted, unsalted nuts or seeds, popcorn, raw celery, broccoli or cauliflower.

“Most people are surprised to learn that corn, peas and green beans are high in carbohydrates,” he said.

Coleman recommended walking after meals and doing cardio and weight-resistance training on a daily basis.

He warned the audience that vitamins and minerals are the only dietary supplements he feels a person needs.

Coleman was born in Tacoma but grew up on an Army base in Germany. He served 15 years in the Army and a tour in the Persian Gulf War. He moved to Oregon in 1995.