Castaways star Robbie Gibbons has revealed his shocking weight loss since he filmed the ABC reality series last fall.
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Robbie treated the Castaways adventure as a chance to lose weight -- although he did some major soul-searching along the way -- and according to the reality TV star, he has lost about 180 pounds since Castaways began filming and currently weighs 223 pounds.
"I wanted to get outside my comfort zone and push it," Robbie told Alabama's AL.com website in an interview.
"One hundred percent, I went on the show to lose weight. But what it offered me was so much more."
During his time on the show, Robbie was open about his battle with late-night binge eating and fear of abandonment given his biological parents had put him up for adoption.
"I put stuff out there, but my stuff is a dime a dozen. So many people experience separation or loss. I felt like I was in a bad way, and I needed a little bit of a release," Robbie explained of his decision to be stranded alone on a chain of islands in the South Pacific with barely any food or resources.
"Mentally, physically and socially, it has brought balance back to me. It's almost as if I've come full circle. When you put yourself through a struggle, you're able to see that survival is possible."
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The only way the castaways can leave the remote islands is by persevering long enough for the rescue team to arrive or by simply quitting the show.
Robbie served as a "guardian angel" to fellow castaway Kenzi Whittington, a 24-year-old from Nashville, TN, on the show.
Every time Kenzi became discouraged or threatened to give up and leave the show, Robbie persuaded her to stay and lifted her spirits with his positive attitude and optimism.
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Despite his hunger and goal to ration food, Robbie also welcomed and shared a meal with Matt Jaskol, who just so happened to stumble upon Robbie and Kenzi at their camp one day.
"Everything I did was basically on instinct... This was supposed to be about weight loss for me, but it turned into, personally, where I really felt like I was helping others," Robbie shared.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
