TBL Contestants left, Marge Malear, Craig Stoykoff and Josh Koppert strike a warrior yoga pose with Super Fitness Instructor Connie.
 / WNWO
TOLEDO, OHIO -- "Honestly, I don't think they stand a chance. I really don't," that from Toledo's Biggest Loser Contestant Josh Koppert who has just taken the lead in the nine month weight loss competition. "I'm younger, I'm stronger and I don't think anyone is putting in as much hard work as I am."
That's the attitude that has rocketed Josh Koppert from the middle of the Wild Card Team, to the top of the entire competition. Last month, he moved into the open spot in the Featured nine vacated by Dayvon Tevis. And Koppert's six day a week exercise routine and healthy diet has taken all the way to the top of the competition at this point. In just three months, he has lost over 50 pounds. That is over 18 percent of his body weight.
When he weighed in back in October, he tipped the scale at his heaviest point of 295 pounds. He lost over 85 pounds a few years ago, only to gain it all back again. Koppert says, "I don't ever want to do that again because it is hard losing it!"
Josh's wife Shannon is losing weight too. She has dropped over 20 lbs since october and their kids are slimming down too.
She says her husband is totally focused on losing this weight. Instead of quick pizza rolls and chicken nuggets, Shannon is preparing healthier meals with boneless chicken and turkey loin. She says the kids were resistant at first.
"We've compromised. Tacos are no longer ground turkey. I'll let them use the ground beef. We eliminated red meat and that was our staple," she said.
Josh said he has made lots of strong friendships in this Biggest Loser competition, bonds that he says will last a lifetime. "I think we're all in it for the same reasons, to get healthy, to live a long time and to be there for our families. We just bond that way."
Well, there is just one more thing that Josh really wants. According to Shannon, "He says all he wants is a cutout of himself and to see it every time he goes to the gym."