If you watched The Biggest Loser Season 5, you probably remember Bernie Salazar—not just for his incredible weight loss journey, but for his energy, heart, and determination. Since winning the At-Home prize, Bernie has been on a mission to help families embrace healthier lifestyles in a way that’s sustainable and enjoyable. Bernie is committed to helping families create sustainable, healthy habits and one way he’s hoping to accomplish that is with his new book, Monster Size. Bernie opens up about life after The Biggest Loser, his personal relationship with food, and his mission to empower parents and children to make healthier choices—and still enjoy the foods they love.
So let’s talk about your book. What is it about?
The title of the book is Monster Size. It’s all about getting kids up, active, and healthy. I was invited to give many talks around the country, often to adult audiences. But since I have a master’s degree in elementary education, I was also asked to read at schools. I’m a huge fan of children’s literature—my wife even teases me about how many children’s books are in my collection!
When I was looking for books to bring to schools, I couldn’t find one that talked about health in a way I felt comfortable sharing. So I decided to write one myself. It’s been an amazing experience—challenging in the sense that I wanted to ensure I wasn’t condescending or implying that children lack control over themselves. Instead, I wanted to provide them with enough knowledge to make informed decisions and, hopefully, become little educators and advocates for themselves.
Monster Size isn’t about “Do this, don’t do that.” It’s about using imagination and creating an environment where kids can play. I also hope parents will find it interactive and recognize that the key to children’s health is fostering an active environment.
So, it’s a good book for parents to read with their kids?
Oh, absolutely! As an educator, I always conducted read-alouds, but I want to change that to “move-alouds.” I want families to pick up Monster Size and move together—it’s about engaging with the book in an active way!
What do you want people to take away from the book—both parents and kids?
For parents, I want them to realize that any environment can be one where kids get active and healthy. Parents should see health as a family effort rather than a chore. If they have children categorized as overweight, I don’t want them to “battle childhood obesity.” That phrase feels so harsh—like, are we fighting our kids? Instead, we need to examine how we, as adults, contribute to the issue and make realistic changes in our own lives. That way, we’re not restricting or policing children; we’re making better choices as a family.
Dieting is a flawed concept for kids. If you tell a child, “You can’t have this,” it becomes forbidden fruit, and they’ll want it even more. I want parents to empower their kids, give them credit as young individuals, and tap into their own inner child. This book is about family bonding—jumping around, imagining with the little monster named Frank, and creating memories that last.
People don’t always enjoy exercise. How do you make it fun, especially for kids?
I’ll let you in on a secret—I don’t love working out either! But I love how I feel when I lead an active lifestyle and can do the things I want to do. That’s the message I want parents and kids to embrace.
For children, every part of Monster Size is intentional. I want kids to see that health comes in different shapes and sizes. Our bodies are little machines, and we should fuel and challenge them to reach their full potential. That’s why my main character is a monster—monsters don’t have an “ideal” shape. If one has three eyes and another has six, who’s to say which is “right”? I wanted to create an inclusive, imaginative space for children.
That’s so important, especially in today’s world where there’s so much focus on image.
Absolutely. Kids shouldn’t feel pressure to look a certain way. Society bombards them with unrealistic images of health. Even adults struggle with this—I mean, look at conversations about celebrities and body image. Monster Size challenges these narratives.
You mentioned growing up overweight. What were your eating habits as a kid?
Food was my crutch. Whether I was happy, sad, bored, or tired, I turned to food. As an adult, I’ve had to recognize those tendencies and make realistic changes.
On The Biggest Loser, I lost 130 pounds in five and a half months. That experience showed me how strong I am—mentally and physically. But it also made me reflect on why I was overweight in the first place. My amazing single mother worked hard to provide for us, but our meals were often quick and easy. I took on a leadership role for my younger brother, and food was a comfort.
Sometimes parents don’t realize that they’re passing on unhealthy habits just because they weren’t taught differently.
Exactly. I remember my 13th birthday—my mom, a neonatal care nurse, told me that if I kept doing well in school, she’d put me on a weight loss plan. At the time, I was thrilled because I knew I was overweight. It never happened, but looking back, I see that she meant well.
I don’t think kids should be put on diets. Adults should provide an environment where they can grow into themselves naturally.
Do you think that there’s a cultural aspect to food and weight?
Oh, definitely. My mom is Puerto Rican, and my dad is Mexican. Food is a huge part of our culture. Every event—birthdays, anniversaries—revolves around food. And in Latino culture, weight is always a topic of discussion. Relatives will greet you with, “Oh, you’ve gained weight!” or “You’ve lost weight!”
I want Monster Size to be more than a book—I want it to be a movement. I want families, especially in communities where food is a huge part of identity, to find ways to make traditional meals healthier while keeping cultural roots intact. Food isn’t just sustenance—it’s who we are.
I hope Monster Size helps families embrace movement and joy while fostering a healthier approach to food and activity.
So, what’s next for you with Monster Size?
I want to continue expanding Monster Size and hopefully create a website that allows for some adjustments while empowering parents and children to experiment. I want them to feel okay with making healthier choices, not like they’re losing something. A lot of it comes down to portion size—you can still have rice, beans, or chuleta, but in smaller portions. It doesn’t have to fill up the whole plate, and you don’t have to eat it all. That’s something I’m teaching my kids—you don’t have to clean your plate every time. You can have what you want, just in moderation.
You can still have everything you love, just in smaller doses.
Exactly. My experience has really taught me mindfulness—what I choose to put in my body, how much, and whether I’m eating because I’m actually hungry. It’s been a huge reflective process, one I love sharing and one that I think more people need to explore for themselves.
Apart from the book, how has life changed for you since The Biggest Loser?
One fantastic change is that I got married! About a year and a half ago, I met my wife through the show—kind of indirectly. I was on the show with Brittany Aberle, and I ended up marrying her cousin. So now, my wife and I live in Chicago, and we’re really enjoying life.
Another big change is that I get to speak to audiences for a living about health and wellness. I want people to explore what health means for them. A lot of people question the show’s realism—how can you lose that much weight so fast? Who can work out for six hours a day? And they’re right; that’s not a sustainable reality. But The Biggest Loser showed me just how incredible the human body is. I don’t tell people to work out for six hours a day, but I do encourage them to get up, get active, and find what works for them.
I think it’s also a testament to the human spirit. Losing weight isn’t just physical—it’s mental, and that’s often the hardest part.
Absolutely. The mental shift is the hardest part. You have to understand why you’re overweight, accept it, and then choose to do something about it. That’s tougher than any exercise.
For me, it was also about moderation. Sometimes, you might need to eliminate something from your diet temporarily, and it can feel like losing a best friend. I used to joke that chips were one of my homeboys—how could I cut them out? As a Latino male, it was tough to dig deep and reflect on why I was in that situation. What was stopping me from being as successful as I knew I could be?
A real breakthrough for me came around week ten—the week I was eliminated. That morning, I woke up completely done. I had lost nearly 80 pounds and thought, “I could leave right now and be fine.” I even rationalized the consequences—my family might be disappointed, but they’d get over it. My friends? I could make new ones. The trainers? They’d move on to a new group next season. But then I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, No. You need to do this for yourself. You’re worth it. That realization changed everything. I started absorbing all the information being given to me, not just for short-term weight loss but for a lifetime of health.
That’s an amazing moment. How is your relationship with food now?
It’s better, but I still have my ups and downs. I share that openly because I want people to understand that this is a lifelong battle. That doesn’t mean we’re going to lose—it just means we have to be aware of it.
Some days, my wife will catch me searching for the best cookie in Chicago, and I’ll go get it. Other times, I might step on the scale too often. My career depends on how I present myself, and the moment I walk into a room, people judge whether I “look” like an inspiration. But I remind myself that there’s more to my story than a number on the scale. There’s a balance, and we need to talk about those struggles, too.
I still identify as a food addict, and I have to be mindful of that. But I’m not as hard on myself as I used to be. I encourage others to be kinder to themselves, too. I think everyone has some relationship with food that goes beyond just nourishment.
I think most people use food to fill some kind of emotional gap.
I agree. We all have to eat, and we won’t always eat perfectly. That’s the reality. It’s not like I lost the weight and now I’m home free forever. I still battle daily choices—what’s healthy, what’s not, and how my choices affect my overall well-being. Some days, having that cookie makes me feel better than looking great in my jeans. It’s all about balance.
I do my best to stay active. It’s been almost four years since The Biggest Loser, and I still feel great. I love running, doing push-ups, and even swinging from things like a kid. I didn’t get to do those things much growing up, so it’s fun to discover them now. No matter what, I remind myself: I’m still a good person, even if I eat a cookie.
It doesn’t have to be everything all at once.
Yes. Don’t beat yourself up. There are simple, tangible ways to integrate health, nutrition, and wellness into your family’s life without drastic changes. No one likes drastic changes! I know a lot of moms, including my own, hear something and suddenly want to overhaul everything. But kids are smart. If they sense you’re forcing a change you don’t even enjoy, they won’t buy into it.
Involve your kids in meal prep. When I was growing up, my mom would say, Go sit down, I’ll call you when dinner’s ready. Instead, bring your kids into the kitchen. Get them a little apron, have them grab veggies, measure ingredients, and learn portion sizes along the way. Studies show that kids who cook with their parents are more likely to eat healthier. Plus, it fosters independence and a lifelong appreciation for good food.
Speaking of food, tell me about your partnership with Orville Redenbacher’s.
Snacking is a big thing for me—I’m a boredom snacker. So I surround myself with healthy options. I want my snacks to fuel me the way my meals do. That’s why I genuinely love Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop! Popcorn. It’s an easy, portion-controlled snack loaded with fiber and whole grains. And kids love it—it’s fun, quick, and something they can make themselves.
After The Biggest Loser, I became very intentional about aligning with brands I actually use and believe in. When I was 300 pounds, I took health advice at face value, and I was misled a few times. I never want to do that to anyone. So whether it’s popcorn or anything else, I want people to be mindful about what they put in their bodies—but not obsessive. It’s about making realistic, sustainable choices.