The Biggest Loser- season 10- week 9- Stand on your own two feet!!!

Before I start my recap, I wanted to bring to light some thoughts I gathered from my tweet up this past Saturday and from reading the twitter feed about this season's The Biggest Loser.  The overwhelming majority of viewers, myself included, are really sour on the game play.  The older seasons of BL had some game play but the majority of the show was focused on the individuals and their weight loss journey.  Season 10 has become all about alliances and drama and back stabbing and tears of sadness.  If I wanted to watch a soap opera, I would watch a soap opera.  I miss the happy theme song, the team spirit, the camaraderie.  This season is cold and indifferent.  It is all about the money, not the life style.

The reason I bring this up because the bulk of this week's episode had a lot of the elements of the OLD Biggest Loser:  Warm feelings and genuine emotion!  Sure, there was still some crappy game play but if anyone from NBC was reading the twitter feed from this week they will know that the way the show is headed is not the way the viewers want the show to be.

Pay it forward, NBC!  Please bring back the nice Biggest Loser!

*sigh*

After a quick recap of everyone's names (again) and Patrick's betrayal against Jesse, Ali announces that everyone will be competing as singles!  We are nearing the end of the season already:  Only eight contestants remain and next week is already makeover week.  Crazy pants.

Bob and Jillian enter the gym and find that Jesse and Aaron are gone and that Team Lisa and Elizabeth are STILL HERE.  BOB IS PISSED.  He asks Brandon why he voted for Aaron and Brandon states he won't ever vote for Elizabeth.  GRRR.  Bob wishes that the guy alliance would just be honest and say the reason they are eliminating the tougher competitors is because they want the money.  The smaller female contestants will just be easy pickins'.  And then they will take over the world!!!

In the mean time, Bob takes Brendan and punishes him and then moves onto Patrick.  Bob quizzes him about his vote and Patrick whines about putting himself first before friendship.  Bob calls him out, saying he wants these guys to compete against the toughest competitors and win!  Winning against a small dainty female is not the way to win this thing.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING!  This season is so misogynistic it is unreal.  The women are called girls, they are shown as weak pawns for the guys to just dominate and eliminate.  As a woman it is really insulting to watch.  If I have to see another episode where the women get bitched at for being weak I am going to punch a hole in the wall!  Okay, I'm not that angry but I could do it.  Because I am TOUGH.  Just like a dude.  I will mess you up!

*sigh*

After the workout, Bob and Jillian reveal to the Losers that they have videos from home.  Except Ada.  OUCH.  The videos are sweet, and I was most impressed with Mark's cousin who has lost 65 pounds on her own at home because she is inspired by his being on the show.  The best moment was when the Losers got together and made Ada a special video telling her that she was great.  Classic Loser.  Love it.

TRAINER TIP:  Walk to the grocery store and use reusable shopping bags.  Plausible for some if you live close to a grocery store and you haven't purchased lead-filled shopping bags from China.  Try doing at least one if at all possible- be green!  And if you live in Oklahoma, let your family and friends know that you did not lose your driver's license if they catch you walking.

In the next work out, Bob and Jillian focus on Elizabeth being weak (grr) and make her recreate her 500 steps that she passed out on the first episode.  During this clip I was reminded that Jillian was the one who saved Elizabeth and brought her to the ranch.  So now we know who to thank. . .  Elizabeth passes the test, everyone feels good about themselves, and then it is time for the Challenge.

Again, mention of standing on your own two feet-- or one, ha ha-- as Ali explains the Challenge:  Balancing over a pool on moving posts.  Sounds easy, but apparently balance training hasn't been a focus on the ranch.  Frado and Brendan and Patrick are quickly eliminated, yay, but a guy wins anyway.  At least it was Mark.  He's likable enough.  He wins himself a one pound advantage at the weigh in.

After a lengthy Subway plug where the Losers create their own sandwiches, it is already time for the last chance workout where Elizabeth is ONCE AGAIN the focus and I started to notice that Jessica is doing an awful lot of pining over Jesse.  Like she couldn't workout most of the week because she missed him a lot.  Like she mentions it five times during the course of the show.

Is there a love connection being pushed on us here?  I guess we'll find out at the finale.

WEIGH IN!  Guys weigh in first.  Really?  *sigh*

Mark:  From 317 lbs to 309 lbs- 8 lbs lost PLUS 1 pound advantage- 2.84% BW

Patrick:  From 311 lbs to 301 lbs- 10 lbs lost- 3.22% BW

Frado:  From 276 lbs to 267 lbs- 9 lbs lost- 3.26% BW

Brendan:  From 280 lbs to 272 lbs- 8 lbs lost- 2.86% BW

Elizabeth:  From 205 lbs to 201 lbs- 4 lbs lost- 1.95% BW

Jessica:  From 228 lbs to 227 lbs- 1 lb lost- .44% BW

Lisa:  From 234 lbs to 228 lbs- 6 lbs lost- 2.56% BW

Ada:  From 198 lbs to 190 lbs- 8 lbs lost- 4.04% BW

Jessica and Elizabeth are once again below the yellow line, and it got me thinking.  Jessica was so upset- do you think that maybe she threw the weigh in?  I mean, she didn't seem surprised and she seem totally cool when they voted her off.  Jesse, she may be coming over!



Fun Fact:  Jessica's mom is named Taffy.

Next week:  Loser Makeovers (that's what the TV said) and Reunion show!  Just in time for Turkey Day.

Want to know what Shay has to say? Click below! Thanks to Diets in Review!