One of Clare Crawley’s Suitors Lost 120 Pounds Before ‘The Bachelorette’

It’s hard to tell by looking at him now, but Jason Foster of The Bachelorette used to tip the scales at over 300 pounds (and we’re not talking about the fake belly he wore in the season premiere). Now the svelte and trimmed down version of the former professional athlete is vying for the heart of Clare Crawley.

Foster is a 31-year-old Virginia native who began a career in IT staffing and solutions following a brief career in the NFL. After playing football at the University of Rhode Island, Foster spent time on the rosters of the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before heading north to play for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.

He turned his attention to his new career path in 2016 and took on the task of shedding his football playing weight. While he was listed by the NFL at 300 pounds, Foster said on his Instagram that the real number climbed all the way to “326 lbs of bacon fat, pork sausage, Ben & Jerrys, [and] athletic flab.”

The difference between Foster then and Foster now is staggering.

It Took Foster Only 2 Months to Lose the First 75 Pounds

Foster says it took him 65 days to drop from 305 pounds to 230 when he retired from football in 2016. While he hasn’t posted his current weight recently, his profile on ABC.com says that he’s lost 120 pounds in the last four years.

It’s almost hard to believe that this is the same Jason who received a rose on the first night.

While all reports indicate Dale Moss stole Crawley’s heart on night one, Foster seemed to make a good impression with a little fake weight gain, ironically enough.

Foster Made a Connection with Crawley by Putting on a Fake Belly

ABCJason Foster introduced himself to Clare Crawley with a fake belly underneath his shirt.

Some Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants overdo it with kooky introductions in order to make a lasting impression. But if anyone can appreciate someone being creative and over-the-top when they step out of the limousine, it’s Crawley. Her first ever Bachelor move was to pretend to be pregnant for her introduction to Juan Pablo Galavis in season 18 of the show.

Foster’s callback to Crawley’s introduction made him a memorable personality on night one and he continued to win her over when they had a personal conversation during the ensuing cocktail party. He bonded with her over their mutual love of the outdoors and Crawley said that she loves his energy.

It doesn’t seem like a relationship between Foster and Crawley is in the cards, but perhaps his infectious energy will make him a contender if he’s still a contestant during the expected Tayshia Adams portion of the show.

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