Cassandra Sturos wanted to go on The Biggest Loser and lose weight because she wants to move to New York City and pursue a writing career, but she doesn't feel like she has the confidence and self-esteem to be successful there. She was born in Detroit, the oldest of 10 children, and grew up in Fowlerville, Michigan where she currently lives. Heavy since the second grade, Cassandra remembers hearing at a young age that she was overweight, and she thinks that was the catalyst for her low self-esteem and her need to take comfort in food. She received her bachelor's degree in English/writing from Northern Michigan University. At 25 years old, Cassandra weighs 239 pounds and is tired of sitting on the sidelines of her own life. She wants to have more adventures, like skydiving and whitewater rafting, and wants to feel really good about herself and where she's headed. And most of all, she wants to "take New York by storm" and make her dream of being a columnist a reality.