'Biggest Loser' weighs in on what's next

The time he spent in Hollywood hasn't gone to Michael Ventrella's head.

“I'm not a celebrity,” the Bartlett native said on Tuesday. “I don't get paid like one.”

The 31-year-old Ventrella has toured the country as motivational speaker, but on Tuesday night took time to address the members of the Bartlett Woman's Club. One of his health tips? Make sure kids drink a lot of water.

“We wouldn't be as hungry if we drank enough,” he said.

Ventrella consented that winning Season 9 of NBC's “The Biggest Loser” last year did, at the very least, make him a public figure.

Ventrella and his mother, Maria Ventrella, competed last year on the reality show.

While his mother lasted three weeks, Michael Ventrella lost 264 pounds off his 526-pound frame. He won the reality show, tipping the scales at 262 pounds.

While he's not fearful of the scale, being back home in Bartlett and away from the cameras (they were stationed everywhere except the bathroom) has liberated him from merely weight watching. He's still counting calories and avoiding a high-sodium intake, but it's how his clothes fit that's more important than how much he weighs.

“Look at my legs, (I've built) so much muscle doing squats,” Ventrella said, then he gets up to show off his new Levi's. “Who loses 260 pounds and has a butt like that? That's squats!”

For the record, Ventrella paused and says “he thinks” he weighs 292 pounds now.

But he stressed that some of the gain involves developing new muscle. While on the TV show, there was a focus on burning calories and fat. He recalls multiple times where he burned 8,000 calories in a single day.

Ventrella also sported a new haircut, and fresh Ferrari-branded Puma sneakers and a jacket. Both had an Italian flag.

The Ventrellas actually blamed their Italian food favorites for some of their obesity problems. They hope to rectify that as mother and son are compiling healthy recipes as part of an Italian cookbook.

Just in time for New Year's resolutions, bookstores have stocked weight loss books by authors such as Ventrella's friend and “The Biggest Loser” trainer Jillian Michaels (“She's has more money than God,” Ventrella said.)

But you'll have to wait until after May for a book by Ventrella. Being on the television show means Ventrella had to wait until releasing his own book. The show's producers don't want any products competing with their own “The Biggest Loser”-branded items. Ventrella is also writing his own book by himself.

Ventrella is thankful for the opportunity the show gave him, but he says it's not as easy as other reality shows to cash in on being the big winner.

Mount Prospect's Lee DeWyze and his fellow “American Idol” winners have touring and album opportunities, but there aren't as many for Ventrella.

However, he's tried to effect change on others. He's very passionate about childhood obesity and told the crowd that he always was husky as a boy. He's toured schools all over the country talking to children.

“A lot of kids just want to spend time with their parents,” Ventrella said. “But a lot of parents are too busy working. Everybody should start doing things together, and it doesn't have to be in a gym.”

Any activity is positive. For example, Ventrella said on the show he actually burned calories by being in charge of preparing meals for his fellow contestants.

“I can't believe I'm burning massive calories, and I'm busting a sweat in the kitchen, and I'm not on an elliptical,” he said.

Meanwhile, winning the show has women flirting with him. Even in front of his mother. “This happens all the time,” Maria Ventrella said. “I'm happy for him.”