Cast member of ‘Revenge Body’ Dexter Holman talks lifestyle change, and how a Kardashian

For many, the start of the New Year signifies a new change, putting to use your vision board creation and for many Americans—hitting the gym.

Dexter Holman, cast member of new E! network television show Revenge Body  is planning to show viewers on January 12th how to start and lead an active lifestyle without falling off.

Holman gave Purposely Awakened an exclusive inside look of how the show changed him and what his plans are now that he has transformed into an all new body and lifestyle.

Purposely Awakened: Thank you so much for taking time out to be interviewed for Purposely Awakened! We are so excited to hear from you! Let’s talk about your past. You grew up with a very athletic father. How was your experience growing up? Did you ever feel the pressure to stay in shape especially after experiencing how your life and physique was while you played college football?

Dexter: As a kid, I watched my dad play in year-round basketball leagues and his team always managed to win so many championships, with him as usually the star of the team. He would come in after games bragging and boasting about the spectacular plays that he made. My dad is so competitive and even with me, at an early age. He never let me win at anything. He made me constantly focus on making myself better. While a lot of the other dads were in the house, during my high school years, my dad was competitively playing against me and all my friends. I didn’t beat my dad in one-on-one until my later years of high school, and my friends always wanted him on their team, as opposed to me. He really relished in the fact that he was almost always the best player on the court, even beating many collegiate basketball players.

After graduating college, I began working for my dad’s company. I could tell he was not as proud of me, because we both had big dreams of me making it to the NFL. He never said it specifically, but he would address me like I made bad decisions on how I spent my college years. Seeing him every day at work, my dad constantly pushed his competitive nature on me, talking about how he looks and feels better than his 21-year-old son. He always chastised me about how I don’t do anything but sit on the couch, while he has been in the gym lifting weights. The constant nagging was a big reason I needed to move away, because I felt like it more demotivated me than anything else.

Purposely Awakened: Many people who have experienced weight gain have oftentimes factored it into past experiences such as stress, the loss of a loved one, job stability and other factors. What would you say contributed to your change in body stature?

Dexter: People had an expectation of who I was supposed to be. My last semester of high school, I signed to Coastal Carolina University to play defensive end. At the time, I was 205 pounds and then I began hearing from everyone how I was too small to play defensive line in college. I began to make the worst decision of my life, I decided to put on weight by taking protein shakes, eating as much as I could possibly stuff in, and the worst part, not working out at all. This mass consumption of calories became a habit for me and I was on a pace for gaining 25 pounds per year up until I graduated.

Purposely Awakened: Revenge Body! Everyone is very excited to see the show. What made you become interested in the show to help turn your life around?

Dexter: I was as interested in being on the show, about as much as anyone else is interested in winning the lotto! When I applied for the show, I did feel like I could be an asset to the show, but I honestly never expected to hear back. I had just hit a plateau with my weight loss and gained 15 pounds. I was really desperate to find out the right way to naturally lose weight.

Purposely Awakened: On the show, you have lost almost 50 pounds! That is great. What was your typical routine like that helped to shed the weight and get back into such great shape?

Dexter: Khloe [Kardashian] set me up with celebrity trainer, Corey Calliet, and Hollywood chef and nutritionist, Ariane Resnick. My fitness day typically consisted of 2-3 hours of training 7 days a week. Corey was very busy training some of the top celebrities/athletes in the world, Michael B. Jordan and Tyreke Evans to name a few. Weekdays, I worked an hour in the morning with Corey and about 1 or 2 more hours of exercise on my own. Weekends, I typically did 2 hours of exercise on my own. My own workouts included swimming, jogging, hiking, basketball, YouTube videos, and working out in my local gym.

Purposely Awakened: Describe your experience on the show. What was it like working with the other cast and Khloe’s team?

Dexter: Khloe was phenomenally supportive; to get that phone call from her after she heard I had such a horrible first day of throwing up and wanting to give up on the journey was great. Before I began the show, I didn’t realize what was in store for me. The workouts themselves made me throw up every single day for 3 weeks. Most people don’t realize that your body needs 4 weeks to adjust to the new set of circumstances that it is facing, and that is why so many people give up before their body even adjusts to the workouts. I think Khloe gave me a great opportunity, but when she paired me with Corey, this is what I felt was the difference maker. Corey made me set a new standard for my life. He is a very “no-nonsense, no excuses” type of guy. I learned that the reason I was not healthy was because my excuses were bigger than my reasons. Corey really changed my life and he is still a great friend, post-production.

Purposely Awakened: I’m sure you have gained some wonderful experiences from the show. What are some things that you took away that have positively impacted your life?

Dexter: I learned that being healthy is a daily process that has no finish line. My life is designed by the habits I keep. You can look at a person and tell what they are in the habit of doing. This is because habits don’t tell lies.

Purposely Awakened: Because of the weight loss, and nutrition that has helped you get into such great shape, what is next for you? Do you plan to help mentor others who are looking to get into shape?

Dexter: I never thought that I could look in the mirror and see the person that stares back at me today. I didn’t think this person existed under the layers of fat. I didn’t know that I had so much confidence that was hidden inside of me just waiting for me to discover it. I want someone to see my journey and realize the possibilities for their life. I never felt like it was possible, so I feel like it’s my duty to help other people see the light that shines within them that they just can’t see yet.

Purposely Awakened: When you are not working out, what do you enjoy doing?

Dexter: I enjoy getting better in all facets of my life. I feel like leisure time is overrated. Living in LA is so expensive, I like to stay in my apartment and find ways to create value for my life.

Purposely Awakened: What advice would you give to someone who wants to lead a more active and healthy lifestyle, but doesn’t have the push to do so?

Dexter: I believe if you don’t have the push, get around people that do. A big part of being able to maintain my healthy habits was joining a group fitness class. This group will give you the accountability you need to get started.

Purposely Awakened: Lastly, what is motivating you to continue leading an active and healthy lifestyle?

Dexter: I am motivated by how far I have come in my fitness journey. I realize that if I stop today, five years from now I will be right where I started at my heaviest weight of 328. I am driven by getting better on a consistent basis, because that is where true happiness is found.

Revenge Body debuts on E! January 12 at 8 p.m. EST. Stay up to date with Dexter Holman on social media @dexterholman.