Now, 75 lbs. lighter, Birk is in the running for a magazine cover in a male model contest.

“All I knew was being big. Now I’m not so big and I’m loving it,” Birk said. “I think I’ve really developed a lifestyle that I can sustain now. I feel great physically, and I’ve got tons of energy. It really has changed my life that I used to know.”

Fans can vote for Birk as the next VI model here. If he wins, he will be on the cover of The Challenge Magazine 2014.