It’s been just over a week since Rachel Frederickson was crowned the Season 15 Biggest Loser winner after losing a staggering 155 lbs. She weighed in at 105 lbs. at the finale, and caused a wave of controversy after fans and critics called her too thin.

Rachel is finally speaking out about the issue. In a new cover story with People magazine, she admits she may have went too far losing weight for the finale.

The Ashley actually has a lot of inside scoop on this whole controversy. First of all, she was at the finale last Tuesday and actually interviewed Rachel. The Ashley also participated in a conference call the next day in which Rachel did some pretty…interesting things.  The Ashley has yet to discuss this situation at length, but has been peppered with questions about it.

Did Rachel look shockingly thin at the finale? Yes. She looked gaunt and frankly unhealthy, especially compared to some of the other ‘Biggest Loser’ contestants on stage that night. (Can we just talk about how amazing and healthy contestant Fernanda looked?!)  Anyway, Rachel (and the rest of us at the finale) had no clue of the storm that was erupting via social media at that time regarding Rachel’s appearance.

The next day, Rachel participated in a conference call with several journalists. The Ashley was in on this call and, of course, wanted to get straight to the point and asked Rachel if she thought she was too thin. She danced around the question, and continued to dance every time another journalist asked her the question, only giving the same rehearsed answer about being a “confident girl” again. It was very strange.

She did, however, reveal to us that she basically walked on the treadmill all day, attended three to four fitness classes a day and ate only 1,600 calories in the time between her leaving the ranch and the finale. Yikes.

In the interview with People, Rachel is finally discussing the issue.

“Maybe I was a little too enthusiastic in my training to get to the finale,” she said. She later squashed the rumor that she has an eating disorder.

“I am very, very healthy,” she said.

Although the show’s producer told the magazine that Rachel passed all of the required medical tests before the finale, The Ashley hears that the show’s producers are considering making changes to how the show works due to the controversy with Rachel.

Rachel’s trainer, Dolvett Quince, has finally addressed Rachel’s weight in a statement he posted on his Facebook page:

“Biggest Loser is a journey which has its ups and downs. Please try not to look at one slice of Rachel’s journey and come to broad conclusions. Rachel’s health is, and always has been, my main concern and her journey to good health has not yet ended!!”

When she interviewed all of the contestants at the Ranch back in June, The Ashley actually chose Rachel as the one to beat, based on her drive and positive attitude. The Ashley feels this is the reason she was able to lose so much weight, and that she does not have an eating disorder.

What do you think?

(Photos: People, The Ashley’s Reality Roundup)