Dancing With the Stars had both an emotional and physical impact on season 33 winner Joey Graziadei.
Before taking home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy with Jenna Johnson, the former Bachelor, 29, spoke about the weight he lost during his time on the ABC competition series. “I definitely got a little too thin quickly,” he shared during an interview on the “Lightweights Podcast with Joe Vulpis” last month.
Graziadei explained that certain dance styles “transformed” him, particularly the jive. “We lost so much weight during that week because we were just kicking and flicking and doing so much,” he stated. “Same thing in the samba. You have to move so much in those dances that I, like — [my fiancée Kelsey Anderson’s] the one that tells you, she’s like, ‘You’re looking pretty thin.’ I’m definitely getting cut, but I’m losing a lot of weight and my size 32 pants, I need a 30 all of a sudden, it feels like, ‘cause I’m having to buckle it up so tight.”
In the later weeks of the competition, however, dance styles such as the Argentina tango and contemporary helped Graziadei gain some muscle. “We’re doing a lot of lifts. … I’m actually holding up Jenna and having to do a lot of reps,” he shared. “And it feels like, the only thing I can compare it to, is like I just worked out, like an upper body workout, every single time we do those lifts because there’s a lot of legs and upper body you have to do to kind of be strong during that.”
‘Dancing With the Stars’ Winners Through the Years: Photos
Graziadei went on to state that “the transformation of your body through dancing is wild” and it’s something he hopes to continue to explore. “If I could do this every day, I would because I would never be out of shape and it’s amazing,” he said.
Graziadei dominated the competition throughout season 33 of DWTS, often landing at the top of the leaderboard with Johnson, 30, and he made history during the show’s Tuesday, November 26, season finale by becoming the first former Bachelor to win the show.
“I don’t even know how I felt. I honestly blacked out,” Graziadei told Us Weekly after the victory. “I remember this [trophy] was heavier than I thought it was going to be and that was about it. That’s where we’re at now. And now we’re here.”
Every Bachelor Nation Star Who Has Competed on ‘Dancing With the Stars’
Johnson, for her part, told Us she felt “so much sheer love and joy” being presented the trophy by her husband, Val Chmerkovskiy. “He’s been my number one supporter through this,” she gushed. “He’s been mommy and daddy for us right now while I’ve been getting ready for this finale. So, I’m just so grateful for him.” (The couple, who wed in 2019, share 22-month-old son Rome.)
Graziadei celebrated Johnson and his time on DWTS in a heartfelt Instagram tribute on Saturday, November 30, writing, “Jenna, from the bottom of my heart I want to say THANK YOU. Thank you for crafting the experience of a lifetime. Thank you for pushing me to be better than I thought I could ever be. Thank you for believing in me and making me feel like I belonged in a room full of exceptionally talented people. I mean it when I say that you have changed my life for the better.”
In addition to thanking his family, friends and Anderson, 26, Graziadei concluded his post by giving a special shout-out to his fans. “This would have never been possible without the support and love of all of you each week,” he wrote alongside a montage of DWTS rehearsal and performance clips. “Thank you for believing in me, voting for me, and bringing so much joy to my life. I love you all 
.”
