The Unseen Battle: What Happened To Tara Costa From 'The Biggest Loser' Today?

Few contestants in the history of NBC’s The Biggest Loser left a more indelible mark than Tara Costa, the fierce competitor from Season 7: Couples. Her journey was a record-breaking spectacle of dedication, losing 155 pounds and becoming one of the show's most successful finalists. As of late 2024 and heading into 2025, the public’s curiosity remains high: what is the dynamic athlete doing now, and how has she maintained her transformation over a decade later?

The answer is a story of resilience that goes far beyond the scale, involving an intense personal commitment to fitness, a transition into a new career, and a shocking public legal battle that spotlighted the immense pressure faced by reality TV weight loss stars. Today, Tara Costa’s life is a testament to long-term health, even as she navigates the complexities of post-show life and a public controversy that defined her narrative for years.

Tara Costa: The Biggest Loser Season 7 Finalist—A Complete Profile

Tara Costa’s time on the ranch was marked by an almost unparalleled competitive spirit, earning her the nickname "The Beast." While she did not win the main prize, her performance was legendary, making her one of the most recognizable and successful alums.

• Shania Twains Bold Statement Why The Star Chose Nude Photoshoots At 57 Qf9cg

• Full Name: Tara Costa
• Hometown (During Show): Bethpage, New York
• Season: Season 7: Couples (2009)
• Starting Weight: 294 pounds
• Final Weight: 139 pounds
• Total Weight Loss: 155 pounds (52.72% of body weight)
• Official Placement: Second Runner-Up (3rd Place)
• Major Achievement: Winner of the $100,000 "At-Home" Prize (for contestants eliminated before the finale who continued their journey at home).
• Education: Graduated with Honors from New York University (NYU).
• Post-Show Career: Motivational Speaker, Triathlete, Fitness Coach, Author, Former Plus-Size Model.
• Key Entities: Bob Harper, Jillian Michaels, Helen Phillips (Season Winner), Mike Morelli, FC Online Marketing (Lawsuit).

Tara's initial transformation was so profound that she set a record on the show for winning the most challenges in a single season, proving her dedication was absolute.

The Shocking 'Too-Fat' Lawsuit and Public Scrutiny

One of the most significant and controversial chapters of Tara Costa’s post-show life was a high-profile legal battle that brought the harsh realities of weight maintenance and public contracts into the spotlight. This event is crucial to understanding her career today.

In 2013, a fitness company called FC Online Marketing, which had hired Costa as a spokesperson to promote its kickboxing program, filed a lawsuit against her. The company alleged that Costa had gained too much weight and, therefore, violated a "fitness clause" in her contract, which required her to maintain a certain level of fitness. They claimed her alleged weight gain—disputed to be between 40 and 50 pounds—rendered her unfit to serve as an effective role model for their brand.

• The Chilling True Story 5 Key Facts About Richard Evonitz The Serial Killer Who Kidnapped Kara Robinson Chamberlain Xpjje

The Countersuit and Tara's Defense

Tara Costa immediately countersued the company, alleging a breach of contract on their part, specifically concerning canceled speaking engagements. Her attorney argued that the company’s claims were baseless and that her client was a victim of a public smear campaign designed to avoid paying her contractually obligated fees.

This lawsuit became a national conversation, highlighting the unrealistic and often cruel expectations placed on reality TV weight loss participants. For Tara, who had dedicated her life to fitness and become a successful triathlete, the public accusation of being "too fat" was a devastating experience. While the exact outcome of the lawsuit is not widely publicized, the event cemented Tara's role as a figure who faced the long-term, psychological, and public relations challenges of weight maintenance head-on.

Her resilience in the face of this scrutiny became a powerful, albeit unintended, part of her motivational speaking platform, shifting the narrative from a simple weight loss story to a complex journey of self-acceptance and long-term health.

• The Untouchable Privacy 7 Secrets Of Rachel Mcadams And Jamie Lindens Life Beyond The Red Carpet E820e

Tara Costa Today: Triathlons, Motivational Speaking, and Personal Life

In the years following the public controversy, Tara Costa has quietly cemented a life dedicated to endurance sports, inspirational leadership, and a commitment to a balanced, sustainable lifestyle.

A Life as a Competitive Triathlete

Tara’s passion for fitness did not end with the show; it evolved into a love for endurance sports. She became a competitive triathlete, completing numerous races including the grueling Ironman 70.3 events. This shift from simply losing weight to achieving athletic prowess is a core part of her current identity. The triathlons—a combination of swimming, biking, and running—require a different kind of fitness than the extreme dieting and exercise seen on The Biggest Loser, emphasizing long-term health over rapid weight loss.

Her involvement in triathlons serves as a powerful message that the goal of a weight loss journey should be performance and health, not just a number on the scale. This pursuit of athletic goals is a key LSI for her current brand, demonstrating a genuine, lasting commitment to fitness.

Motivational Speaker and Fitness Entrepreneur

Tara Costa is an active motivational speaker, traveling to share her story of transformation, resilience, and the power of mindset. She often speaks about her experiences on the show, the challenges of maintaining weight loss, and how she used her competitive drive to pivot into the world of endurance sports. Her speaking engagements focus on:

• Sustainable Health: Moving beyond crash diets to lifestyle changes.
• Mindset and Resilience: Overcoming public and personal setbacks, including the lawsuit.
• Goal Setting: Using the principles of endurance training for life goals.

She has also worked with various fitness brands, including Anytime Fitness, as a spokesperson and advocate, leveraging her celebrity to inspire others to start their own health journeys. Her current work is centered on authentic, long-term wellness, a direct response to the unsustainable methods often criticized in reality weight loss programs.

Personal Life and Family Update (2025)

While Tara Costa maintains a relatively private personal life compared to her time in the spotlight, it is known that she is married and has built a family life outside of the constant media glare. Her focus appears to be on balancing her professional career as a speaker and athlete with her role as a wife. This quiet stability is a significant achievement for someone who spent years under the intense, often invasive, scrutiny of reality television.

In 2025, Tara Costa’s story is a compelling case study in life after reality TV. It is a narrative that acknowledges the initial success of rapid weight loss while emphasizing the much harder, more important work of long-term maintenance, self-acceptance, and finding a passion—like triathlons—that makes fitness a joy, not a punishment. Her journey, complete with its public trials, makes her one of the most relatable and enduring figures from The Biggest Loser franchise.