The Biggest Loser- #BL11- week 6- "Mafia Prom"

"Dear Arthur, you make really dumb choices.  Sincerely, Alison"

Holy crap.  The Biggest Loser this week ripped the face off of niceness, dipped it in chocolate, and shoved it down it's gullet.  THE H IS O people.  THE H IS O!

The H is O, a short by Adam Mckay from Adam "Ghost Panther" McKay

(This short film explains the phrase "THE H IS O". It is SO NSFW. But it is SF anyone that loves Ben Stiller and Will Ferrell.)

The show starts with Larialmy's (sp?) elimination.  The BJ's are brought into the elimination room with the Unknowns so Ali can break the news:  It is now Red versus Black. "Johnny Cash style," quips Hannah.  "It's war," a sleep deprived looking Justin mumbles.

To celebrate the new coupling, Ali introduces a Valentine's themed Temptation.  If only there had been a chocolate fountain!  The Losers are tempted by chocolates of all shapes and sizes.  They have three minutes to decide if they are going to eat the chocolate or not, and if they do partake, whoever eats the most wins.  What is the prize?  The winner can send two members of their team to the other side in exchange for two members of the other team.  Best part?  The winner remains in a cloak of secrecy, never to be revealed.

OOOOHHHH.  Everyone is on the same page, only eat chocolates so they can keep their teams together. . .right?  Oh, Arthur didn't get that memo.  When Arthur gets to the challenge he opens his mouth wide, engaging in food eating competition style practices, and shoves chocolate into his mouth for the entire three minutes.  The end result:  35 pieces eaten.

Ali announces that someone DID indeed want to change teams, and Jay and Jen from the Black team will now be switching places with Sarah and Deni from the Red team.  Everyone cries like they are never going to see each other again, and as the tears are being dried, Arthur decides to pipe up and admit that he is the master mind behind the diabolical plan.  WHAT?  NO.

Arthur doesn't like to be told what to do, so he chose to decide for everyone else.  And I don't know what happened between him and Jay and Jen, but he got rid of them last time, too.  He just doesn't trust them?  WHAT HAPPENED!?!?  It is like Michael Scott's hatred of Toby on "The Office":  It is never fully explained.



Everyone turns on Arthur because of his strategy.  Did I mention he picked Sarah and Deni because he plans on voting them off to save his dad?  Oh, yeah.  Arthur needs to sleep with the door locked tonight.

The next morning in the gym, Jillian and Bob meet their new team members and try to figure out why Arthur played such a stupid card.  In a surprising turn of events, Arthur bursts into tears and Jillian hugs and comforts him.  Never saw that happening.

The Red team joins the Black team in the gym and there is a lot of snarking and back biting amongst the two.  One is too loud, one is too soft, one is too hard, one is too easy, blah blah blah.  What they fail to realize is that they are ALL right.  Both training methods are effective, it just depends on which style you prefer.

Then it is on to the first Red versus Black challenge, where the Black team smokes the Red team.  What held up the Red team?  Having to guess the calorie counts of various junk foods.  Looks like being at the Resort instead of making your own food is their Achilles heel.  The Black team wins videos from home, gets snugly, and we discover that Deni missed her own daughter's wedding to be on the show.  That is commitment.

How did the teams do pitted against each other in their first versus weigh in?

Jay:  From 331 lbs to 317 lbs- 14 lbs lost

Jen:  From 232 lbs to 218 lbs- 14 lbs lost

Austin:  From 326 lbs to 316 lbs- 10 lb lost

Ken:  From 321 lbs to 307 lbs- 14 lbs lost

Q:  From 385 lbs to 378 lbs- 7 lbs lost

Rulon:  From 394 lbs to 382 lbs- 12 lbs lost

Justin:  From 292 lbs to 282 lbs- 10 lbs lost

Kaylee:  From 195 lbs to 190 lbs- 5 lbs lost

Moses:  From 351 lbs to 340 lbs- 11 lbs lost (and first person to reach 100 lbs of weight loss)
TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS:  97 lbs

Deni:  From 210 lbs to 201 lbs- 9 lbs lost

Sarah:  From 222 lbs to 212 lbs- 10 lbs lost

Arthur:  From 444 lbs to 435 lbs- 9 lbs lost

Jesse:  From 257 lbs to 246 lbs- 11 lbs lost

Courtney:  From 275 lbs to 265 lbs- 10 lbs lost

Marci:  From 200 lbs to 187 lbs- 13 lbs lost

Olivia:  From 224 lbs to 208 lbs- 16 lbs lost

Irene:  From 216 lbs to 204 lbs- 12 lbs lost

Hannah:  From 210 lbs to 201 lbs- 9 lbs lost

TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS: 99 lbs 

The Black team wins again!  "We whooped up on you!" says a happy Hannah.

The Red team heads to the elimination ceremony and it is no surprise that Q is eliminated.  When we see him revealed, he has lost 92 pounds and plans on being shirtless at the beach this summer.

Next week:  Care Bears vs NFL Footballers!

Want to know what Mark has to say?  Check it out, courtesy of Dietsinreview.com!

The Biggest Loser-season 10- FINALE!!!!

Wow, another season of The Biggest Loser has concluded.  Can you believe it?  Well don't get too sad:  The eleventh season of The Biggest Loser starts on January 4th.  Otherwise we may go into withdrawal.  Or the show needs to single handedly get everyone that is overweight in America on the show so they have to get crack-a-lackin' to get as many seasons as possible.

SO!  The finale.  Lots of excitement, lots of confetti, lots of questionable fashion and hair choices.  At the end of the day, I want to focus on the best parts of the show:  The winners!

Winner #1:  Ada Wong!  She beats Elizabeth in the at home vote and secures her spot in the final three.

Winner #2:   At home Winner Mark takes home $100k!

courtesy of yahoo.com

Winner #3:  The nine out of fourteen contestants that beat Elizabeth in weight loss.  She looked good, but there were plenty of others that were more deserving of that final spot! (Also the 4 girls that beat Brendan!)

Mark:  From 421 lbs to 208 lbs- 213 lbs lost- 50.59% BW
Rick:  From 350 lbs to 185 lbs- 165 lbs lost- 47.14% BW
Adam:  From 402 lbs to 220 lbs- 182 lbs lost- 45.27% BW
Jesse:  From 369 lbs to 203 lbs- 166 lbs lost- 44.99% BW
Aaron:  From 468 lbs to 296 lbs- 172 lbs lost- 36.75% BW
Lisa:  From 288 lbs to 191 lbs- 97 lbs lost- 33.68% BW
Anna:  From 330 lbs to 221 lbs- 109 lbs lost- 33.03% BW
Jessica:  From 282 lbs to 190 lbs- 92 lbs lost- 32.62% BW
Brendan:  From 362 lbs to 245 lbs- 117 lbs lost- 32.32% BW
Elizabeth:  From 244 lbs to 173 lbs- 71 lbs lost- 29.10% BW
Burgandy:  From 231 lbs to 167 lbs- 64 lbs lost- 27.71% BW
Tina:  From 263 lbs to 191 lbs- 72 lbs lost- 27.38% BW
Sophia:  From 272 lbs to 207 lbs- 65 lbs lost- 23.90% BW
Allie:  From 322 lbs to 248 lbs- 74 lbs lost- 22.98% BW

Winner #4:  All three finalists- they looked great!

But it all comes down to numbers at the end.

Ada:  From 258 lbs to 159 lbs- 99 lbs lost- 38.37% BW
Frado:  From 367 lbs to 205 lbs- 162 lbs lost- 44.14% BW
Patrick:  From 400 lbs to 219 lbs- 181 lbs lost- IT DOESN'T MATTER-- HE WON!!!

Here's some of Patrick's thoughts, courtesy of DietsinReview.com.



Want to know what Shay has to say?  Here's her vlog from DietsinReview.com!



So here's to a new season with new trainers and more drama--hopefully the good kind!!!  2011-#BL11!!!

The Biggest Loser-season 10- week 12- VOTE FOR ADA!!!!

A slight spoiler.  If you didn't watch this final episode of The Biggest Loser before the finale, let me make a long story short:  Ada Wong needs your vote to get into the final three. 

How did we get here?  What happened to Ada the Terminada?  Let's start at the very beginning (I've been told it's a very good place to start.).

Ali sends the Losers home with DVDs to watch and an extra bonus to Frado:  Curtis Stone comes to his house to cook a healthy meal for his family.  How this "meal" changes into something completely different is a subject for another paragraph.

Elizabeth heads to Lawrence, MA, Ada heads to Gilroy, CA, Frado heads to Staten Island, NY, and Patrick heads to Vicksburg, MS (via steamboat, obviously) to meet with family and friends and have many tearful montages.  And this is the point where I got really weirded out by the episode.

When they showed Frado's home, I was surprised.  He lives in a lovely, HUGE Staten Island home with an in-ground pool.  Do you know how much a home like that runs?  Those homes can be in the million dollar range!  Then I saw his thin family, his Navajo themed television watching room, his position on many well deserving charities that had a banquet hosted by Frado and cooked by Curtis Stone (paying it forward, they say) with obligatory book signing of Curtis' cook book, and it got me thinking.  And I talked about this episode at my job the next day and my co-workers agreed with me.

Whether I like Frado and his game isn't in question.  I wasn't crazy about how he ran the game, however,  I don't feel someone in his financial position should be given the same opportunities as say a Patrick who is unemployed and desperately needs the money or an Elizabeth that lives in a tiny apartment.  Everyone who suffers from the disease of obesity or diabetes should be able to get the help they need, and for some, The Biggest Loser MAY be their only hope (although we have seen plenty of people getting healthy at home on their own).  Frado is surrounded by many creature comforts and a family who supports him.  He doesn't come from an obese family.  From the looks of it, Frado was the anomaly in his family.  Couldn't he have hired a nutritionist and a personal trainer and left the grand prize to Patrick or inner city school teacher Brendon?  Why does Frado even need to be on the show?  According to NBC's website, Frado is a futures commodities trader.  Looking into what this job pays, I found this quote on about.com: "The excellent salesmen and very good traders tend to make in excess of $100,000 a year. A small percentage of them make well into six figures and sometimes seven figures."

Should NBC allow contestants that have their own means to lose weight compete on this show?  In my opinion, I say no.  And would the other players have chosen differently if they were fully aware of his financial status?  The common ground is that they are all heavy and haven't been able to do what they need to lose the weight.  Frado seems to have all the necessary tools.  The other contestants?  No support at home, no self esteem, no job or money:  Those seem like pretty big obstacles to weight loss.

Maybe it was sour grapes the rest of the episode, but I was not terribly interested in the marathon.  I would love for the show to shake it up and try a new challenge, like a triathlon or mountain climbing or something that would be more fun to watch!  I decided just to touch on my favorite highlights of the episode.  That impassioned Frado speech took a lot out of me!!!

• Ada's confrontation with her parents after they watched her DVD may have been one of my favorite moments on this show EVER.  That s#&t was REAL.
• Patrick cleaning the house with his kids.  Super adorbz.
• Jillian almost hitting Ada with her SUV when she came to visit.
• Elizabeth getting SCHOOLED by Jillian for not working out and moving in with her boyfriend instead of focusing on herself.
• Bob's cue card placement on his trainer tip--what was that cue card guy thinking?
• Elizabeth's Jenny-O turkey bacon plug.  AWFUL.
• Ada's six minute potty break during the marathon.
• Jillian's porno, I mean, commercial for GoDaddy.com.
• Ada beating Tara Costa's marathon time- 4 hours and 38 minutes is amazing!
• Ali's Falcon Crest blouse at the final weigh in.  It was. . .very leopardy.

At the almost final weigh in, the results were a little surprising.  After six weeks at home, how did the Losers fare?

Patrick:  From 279 lbs to 244 lbs- 35 lbs lost- 12.54% BW
Frado:  From 248 lbs to 221 lbs- 27 lbs lost- 10.89% BW
YELLOW LINE
Elizabeth:  From 192 lbs to 177 lbs- 15 lbs lost- 7.81% BW
Ada:  From 179 lbs to 167 lbs- 12 lbs lost- 6.70% BW

Now it is America's turn to choose who will be in the final three!  Please vote for Ada.  PLEASE?

Want to know what Shay has to say?  Check out her vlog, courtesy of Diets in Review!

The Biggest Loser-season 10- week 11- "You've met the Wizard!"

Can you all believe it?  It is already the Losers last week on The Biggest Loser campus!  Why, it seems like only yesterday that Brendon, Frado, and Patrick were forming their first alliance. . . 

This week we get to see how chummy the Blob has become.  After last week's elimination, Frado thanks his posse for saving him instead of Lisa, and then the Blob meets in secret to give back pats, awesome sauce talk, and scoff at the other players who have no idea of their infinite might and power. Mwah ha ha ha ha!!!!

*cough*

OH!  And there is a double elimination this week, complete with the obligatory yellow line red line montage from all the contestants.

But before Frado, Brendon, and Patrick win the entire game, there is plenty of time for a Subway sponsored pop challenge.  This week the Losers will be competing for $10,000 (Ali points out that's enough cash to buy 1 Subway sandwich a week for 40 years) in a race that involves all the gym equipment the players have become so familiar with.  After the race, sandwich party for everyone!

Heat 1:  Street Striders- Brendon, Mark, Patrick, Ada, and Frado advance.  Elizabeth (no surprise) is out.
Heat 2:  1/2 Mile Run- Ada, Brendon, Patrick, and Frado advance.  Mark is out.
Heat 3:  Row Machine- Brendon, Patrick, and Frado advance.  Ada is out.
Heat 4:  Jump Rope- Brendon and Patrick advance.  Frado is out.  And their rope skills are sad.
Heat 5:  Jacobs Ladder- Brendon wins.  Patrick is out.

So Brendon is rewarded the free sandwich and the $10,000, which he promises to donate $1,000 of to Warriors in Pink and the rest?  Hair plugs?  Tattoo removal?  The possibilities are only limited to his mind.

After the revelry, it is time for the gym and our weekly focus on America's "favorite" underdog, Elizabeth.  Bob is convinced that Elizabeth will be under the red line (if only her shirt was red!), but she promises us that she will not be underestimated.  I cannot imagine her doing anything any differently than she does every single week. 

Bob is also worried that Brendon isn't pulling his weight in the gym, either, and offers the viewers a new drinking game:  "Everybody drink when I say Brendon!"  I would have been WASTED.

The Losers take some time off from the gym to dream about what they would do if they won the grand prize.  Brendon wants to take his inner city youth to the Biggest Loser Ranch at Fitness Ridge (that'll happen) or start a foundation, Mark wants to spend time traveling with his ailing father, Patrick wants to pay off debt from being unemployed, and Ada wants to start a foundation for kids who have jerks for parents.  Everyone is planning on paying it forward. . .but I would probably spend some of that money for some fun stuff.  Like shoes!  And a place to put those shoes.

Speaking of forward, Bob and Jillian want to know how the contestants plan on living their lives moving forward off the ranch.  Will they have the coping mechanisms to integrate real life and their ranch lives?  They mention what I touched on last week-- the contestants Matt, Bill, and Erik gaining weight after the show.  After each contestant shares their concerns, Bob gives a new name for losing weight:  "Meeting the Wizard", ala The Wizard of Oz.  They have taken their long journey on the yellow brick ranch, have pulled back the curtain, and now it's time for them to click their heels together 3 times and head home!

Quick side note:  In my Biggest Loser version of The Wizard of Oz, Ada would be Dorothy, Brendon would be the Cowardly Lion, Frado would be the Tin Man, and Patrick would be the Scarecrow.  Bob and Jillian?  Glenda and the Wicked Witch.  Mark could be Toto and Elizabeth could represent the Lollipop Guild.

After the put your weight on take your weight off challenge (Elizabeth finishes last, again), a mind bullet session with Jillian and Ada, and another focus on Elizabeth facing her fears (LORD), it is time for the weigh in.

Frado:  From 263 lbs to 248 lbs- 15 lbs lost- 5.70% BW

Patrick:  From 263 lbs to 279 lbs- 12 lbs lost- 4.12% BW

Ada:  From 185 lbs to 179 lbs- 6 lbs lost + 1 lb advantage from challenge- 3.78% BW

YELLOW LINE

Mark:  From 299 lbs to 292 lbs- 7 lbs lost- 2.34% BW

Elizabeth:  From 196 lbs to 192 lbs- 4 lbs lost- 2.04% BW

RED LINE

Brendon:  From 265 lbs to 260 lbs- 5 lbs lost- 1.89% BW

The Unsinkable Brendon has been sunk and the alliance is over!  For now. . .

The house vote goes for Mark over Elizabeth, which is total bull, and Patrick stabs another player in the back.  He must be way smoother in person than he appears on television.

So what does a single guy do when he gets thinner and more attractive?  If you answered move in with your cousin, you would be right!  Mark moves to Phoenix with his kissing cousin and goes on perhaps the most awkward hike of all time with last season's contestant, Sunshine.

Brendon heads back to teaching and wearing faux hawks.

Next week:  Heading Home and preparing for the finale! 

Want to know what Shay has to say?  Here's her recap, courtesy of Diets in Review!

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!

The Biggest Loser- season 10- week 7- WARP SPEED

Due to election day, The Biggest Loser was only a one hour show this week.  People said it couldn't be done.  How will we fit the drama, the game play, the plugs into a neat one hour package?

Well, it worked.  They did, and I am JUST SAYING it might not be a bad idea to give us all a break on occasion.  My butt gets awfully numb after tweeting for two hours.  Not to mention I rewatch the episode the next day for this blog--I could be finished in record time!

We are half way through the season (what?) and Ali rolls out the latest twist:  Marine Corps Boot Camp training at Camp Pendleton!  The Marines immediately load the Losers into military vehicles and drive overnight to base camp.  When they get off, they have three minutes to get into their color coded camo gear and hop onto a huge chopper.  All the guys are totally geeking out, especially Frado who was in the Marine Corps, but none of the ladies are sharing their enthusiasm.  SPOILER ALERT:  This is a totally wee woo lady week.  No power stories of redemption here.  Maybe if this was a two hour episode. . .

After the chopper lands, the Losers must put on their heavy packs and head up a steep hill to the barracks.  Anna and Elizabeth are struggling, having trouble breathing, and every interview with Anna shows tears in her eyes and a flagging mental attitude.  Once at the barracks, the Losers make their beds and get some sleep for the week ahead.

Starting at 5 am, the Marines wake up the teams and start them on a montage that involves furious pt, lots of dirt, and limited bathroom breaks.  The Losers are concerned about the mess hall fare- waffles and sausage are NOT on program-- and are hoping that the bad food will be counteracted by all the hard training they are putting out there.



Then it is time to meet Ali, complete in sequin studded military gear, to learn about this week's challenge.  The teams must work together to get through a three mile obstacle course wearing weighted packs.  The first team to make it through will win phone calls home.  At the start of the race, the Black team makes a pivotal mistake-- they take extra weight out of the women's packs (weak girls again) and put it in the guys packs.  The Blue team uses this time to get ahead and stay ahead.  During the race, Elizabeth passes out, losing the race for the Black team.  She is still determined to finish, but I feel all this breathing stuff isn't in her head like Jillian suggested a few weeks ago.  I mean, she has some real problems here. 

The Blue team wins and gets to have tearful phone calls to home.  No one shares their prize like the Black team so generously did two weeks ago.  My fave moment was Aaron talking on the phone to that cutie patootie little boy of his.

Then Bob and Jillian join the teams for a last chance workout where we discover that Brendan shaved his head and beard, revealing his likeness to Uncle Fester.  Or a snow man.  There is plenty of punishment in the gym, but the Losers seem to have built some character after this Marine exercise.  Will that extra character add pounds on the scale?  Onto the quickest weigh in in Biggest Loser history!

Mark:  From 336 lbs to 329 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Jessica:  From 244 lbs to 2450 lbs- 4 lbs lost
Lisa:  From 244 lbs to 242 lbs- 2 lbs lost
Jesse:  From 296 lbs to 297 lbs- 1 lb gained
Aaron:  From 398 lbs to 384 lbs- 14 lbs lost = 26 Total lbs lost - 1.71% BW

"I'm at a loss," says Jesse.  Um.  No.  You are at a gain.  Aaron saves it by losing more weight than the entire team combined.

Ada:  From 211 lbs to 204 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Patrick:  From 337 lbs to 330 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Brendan:  From 302 lbs to 298 lbs- 4 lbs lost
Anna:  From 283 lbs to 281 lbs- 2 lbs lost
Elizabeth:  From 213 lbs to 214 lbs- 1 lb gained
Frado:  From 294 lbs to 298 lbs- 4 lbs gained = 15 Total lbs lost - .91% BW

WHAT?!?  Frado apologized BEFORE he even weighs in that he "thinks" he gained six pounds.  Ali is dumbfounded, and doesn't seem to believe him when he says immediately after that it wasn't game play.  SURE.  Right.  And how could Elizabeth gain weight?  Was it all the air she sucked in?

Ada is safe from elimination, and the Black team wastes no time eliminating Anna from the team even though she lost weight and didn't lose the challenge for them.  I knew that Elizabeth was in with Frado and Brendan, but what kind of creepy weirdness is going on here?  And why doesn't anyone use this opportunity to get rid of Frado?  This show is getting on my nerves.

Anna reveals that she has gone from 330 pounds to 250 pounds, and is paying it forward to the people she works with by encouraging them to be more active.

Next week looks like more game play and thrown weigh ins.  Remember when it used to happen like once a season?  Now it is every week.  BORING.

Here is Shay's two cents on this week's episode, courtesy of Diets in Review!

The Biggest Loser- season 10- week 6- EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!

This week's episode starts the same way it ends.  The Black team and the Blue team in the elimination room, letting go of someone that the audience did not see coming.  Lord.  This season of The Biggest Loser is so full of twists and turns I feel like I need a guide book.

Luckily, Ali tells us what is going to be happening. . .if I could only focus long enough to get the information.  With every episode being so different, it's hard to keep up!  Lucky for you, dear reader, I take copious notes in my rewatching of the episode.  LONG STORY SHORT:  Only one player's weight will count on each team, and they will not know who that person will be until the actual weigh in.  Then for further clarification, each player reiterates what Ali said in a montage.

BS Quote of the week:  "We're only going to chose the person who worked out the least and ate the worst."- Brendan  Oh, how this comes back to haunt us in the end!

The players quickly choose Elizabeth and Jessica as the supposed targets because they are both women and they say they have low weights week after week.  I went back to my past five blogs, and Jessica has never lost less than six pounds and Elizabeth usually loses about five pounds.  How does that put them on the chopping block?  Also, why don't the women stand up to the guys and put them in the cross fire?  I don't understand this season of wimpy chicks.  I feel like the guys on each team are such game players they have manipulated the whole situation in more ways than the camera could ever catch.

But enough about game play.  This week's episode was all about the melt downs.  Jillian's team is a bunch of cry babies!  She looks like she is about to pull the car over for Elizabeth and Frado who can't seem to keep up with the treadmill.  My favorite moment of the show is when Frado storms out after he falls off the treadmill, ripping his shirt, and Jillian is talking to the camera as Frado wanders around in the fields behind her.  Classic.  The Blue team, on the other hand, is all team work and smiles.  Nothing will ever tear them apart, right team?

After Jillian blows Frado away with some mind bullets, the teams head to the Four Seasons Hotel for a cooking challenge with everyone's cutest chef, Curtis Stone, and new contributor, Chef Lorena Garcia.  They take a hands off approach to cooking:  Each chef must merely instruct each team on how to cook a healthy appetizer, entree, and desert (find the recipes here!).  Then the other half of the team must guess who cooked what dish.  Whoever wins gets ten seconds to help them in a future challenge.

The Black team begins to fray at the edges while the Blue team works together in perfect harmony.  After a tie breaker where the contestants must figure out the calorie content in the desserts, the Blue team takes the win and the prize.  Then the Blue team meets in the "Zen Garden" to discuss their strategy- picking Elizabeth (Adam's idea)- while the Black team again say that Jessica has pulled some "lame numbers".  Again, where are the ladies in the decision making?

Onto the team challenge, which involves the 2,500 year old sport of dragon boat racing.  The teams must successfully paddle 1,000 meters and the winners get to chose who they want to weigh in from the other team and block the other team's choice.  The Blue team, even with their ten second advantage, is off to a shaky start, but manage to pull out yet another victory over the Black team.  Brendan loses his cool in a sour grapes moment while Frado tries to comfort him.



Then it is time for the LAST CHANCE WORKOUT, where Jillian threatens Elizabeth: "I'm going to beat your ass today," and Bob offers simple advice to his team:  "Don't.  Stop.  Peddling."  Jillian gets to the crux of the Elizabeth issue with some tasty mind bullet action.  Elizabeth has always been weak and protected by her family and now she is being protected by Frado and Brendan.  Jillian gets her to realize that she is ultimately responsible for whatever happens to her and she needs to be a bad ass.  Elizabeth gets it, saying, "I don't want to be weak anymore."

When the weigh in rolls around, the Blue team thinks they have it ALL WRAPPED UP, but they make two very crucial mistakes.
FAIL #1:  Adam declines to use his weight advantage which has grown to three pounds.  His eyes get shiny and Gollum like as he describes the weight growing and growing in power each week.  His Preciousssssss.
FAIL #2:  When the Black team picks Jessica as their person to weigh in, the Blue team declines to block their choice.  The Black team's second choice was Jesse.  Hmm.

Anna:  From 286 lbs to 283 lbs- 3 lbs lost
Ada:  From 215 lbs to 211 lbs- 4 lbs lost
Brendan:  From 313 lbs to 302 lbs- 11 lbs lost
Patrick:  From 346 lbs to 337 lbs- 9 lbs lost
Frado:  From 308 lbs to 294 lbs- 14 lbs lost
Elizabeth:  From 218 lbs to 213 lbs- 5 lbs lost

"We're going to have a battle here," Adam says.  Oh yes, Adam.  You have played all your cards!

Jesse:  From 305 lbs to 296 lbs- 9 lbs lost
Mark:  From 352 lbs to 336 lbs- 16 lbs lost
Adam:  From 335 lbs to 322 lbs- 13 lbs lost
Lisa:  From 252 lbs to 244 lbs- 8 lbs lost
Aaron:  From 407 lbs to 398 lbs- 9 lbs lost
Jessica:  From 248 lbs to 244 lbs- 4 lbs lost

"I'm sorry guys," Jessica says tearfully.  If the Blue team had let the Black team picked Jesse, they would have won the weigh in.  Now they realize the only person who is safe is Mark and Adam quickly realizes if he had used his advantage that HE would have been immune.  Oh no.

In the elimination room, the Blue team shows the underbelly of their really great team:  Mark, Jessica, and Jesse ALL vote for Adam (GAME PLAY) and Adam, Lisa, and Aaron all vote for Jessica.  It is a tie, and the Black team comes in and quickly eliminates Adam.  BAM.  And Brendan's quote from the beginning?  I guess it is what it is.

Adam ends up going from 402 pounds to 264 pounds, paying it forward to his local YMCA and helping his community lead healthier lives. 

Next week:  Marine training and an unacceptable weigh in?  Should be a good 'un.

Wanna know what an ex contestant has to say about the episode?  Tune in below to hear what Season 8 contestant Shay has to say, courtesy of Diets in Review!

The Biggest Loser- season 10- week 5- Rick Rolled!!!

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  The five eliminated people come back blah blah blah, have to weigh in, one will stay.  The Biggest Loser is throwing more monkey wrenches at us.  But it wasn't the game changes by the show's producers that caused the most dramer.  OH NO.  Upon rewatching, this week's Biggest Loser was like an episode of Murder, She Wrote.  The victim:  The unsuspecting Rick.  He was eliminated in a super surprise elimination ceremony. . .or was it?  Check out my clues throughout the post to see why I think this decision was no last minute choice.

Back to the five people that came back.  Don't you remember Blond Dreadlocks Guy or Beyonce Back Up Singer or Cancer Survivor?  Sure you do.  They have been invited back to campus AGAIN to weigh in and only one will be chosen to stay.  At least they are getting some frequent flyer miles.

Montina:  From 287 lbs to 270 lbs- 17 lbs lost- 5.92% BW
Shanna:  From 242 lbs to 221 lbs- 21 lbs lost- 8.68% BW
Corey:  From 391 lbs to 354 lbs- 37 lbs lost- 8.68% BW
Sandy:  From 259 lbs to 234 lbs- 25 lbs lost- 9.65% BW
Anna:  From 330 lbs to 291 lbs- 39 lbs lost- 11.82% BW

CLUE: Anna is the big winner!  The green team is reunited. . .for now.  Hugs!  We now have a lady replacement in the game.

CLUE:  Ali points out that if the competition ended today, Rick would be in FIRST PLACE, leading Mark to say that "this guy could be a threat."  So the house is already thinking about Rick.

Ali then tells the newly elated Anna that she will be choosing the teams when the show goes to Blue vs. Black mode.  "No pressure," says Frado.  Anna will have to put six people on each team and give one person immunity.

During the selection interview process, Anna asks the important questions like "Who do you work well with?", "Do you like the color blue or the color black?" and "What is your t-shirt size, I need to order it in blue."  Everyone tells her to take immunity and she would be a moron not to take it.

So, who is on what team?

BLUE:  Jessica, Aaron, Lisa, Mark, Jesse, and Adam

BLACK:  Rick (CLUE:  "I asked to be with Bob!"), Ada, Frado, Elizabeth, and Anna

Immunity goes to Patrick, who now has become more important than that cow that Jack traded for magic beans.  I thought Anna chose wisely:  She wanted to be on Jillian's team and she put three girls and three boys on each team.  Even Steven.

At the first Black team/Blue team workout, Jillian is surprised and flattered that Anna chose her over immunity, and Anna has won brownie points for the rest of the season.  She has a rude awakening, however, when the workout actually starts and she struggles to keep up.

CLUE:  There is plenty of buzz on campus about who is going to get Patrick and we hear the first mention BY BRENDAN of a weigh in being thrown that Patrick can be on the same team with the rest of his buddies.  But Brendan did not mention Anna.  The editors just want you to think that. . .

Then it is time for the FIRST Blue vs. Black challenge.  The winners get letters from home and 40 weeks of prepared meals.    The losers get nothing!  The contestants must race to five different food stations around downtown LA, answer trivia questions about food items, and either perform a penalty for getting the question wrong or get directions directly to the next clue for getting the question correct.

CLUE:  Black team takes an early lead, but Rick is worried that Anna won't be able to keep up.

CLUE:  Rick is ahead of all his other teammates (except Ada) when they race for the finish-- ahead of Frado, Brendan, and Elizabeth.

CLUE:  When Black wins, they get letters from home and many of the Black team members give their letters to Blue team members.  Brendan, Frado, Ada, and Anna give their letters away.  RICK reads his letters, though he did comment that he "thought it was special" that others gave their privilege away.

CLUE:  At what used to be known as the "Last Chance Workout", Rick tells Jillian, "I think Bob's cooking something up with the Blue team!".  This leads Jillian to put the Black team in her mind bullets, calling out Frado and Brendan in particular for thinking about throwing the weigh in.  So this whole conversation wouldn't have happened if Rick hadn't brought it up.

CLUE:  When Jillian talks to Frado and Brendan one on one, Frado says, "You can be number one and they'll vote your ass out."  Guess who is number one as of now?

Anywho, they promise not to throw the weigh in.  *fingers crossed*

Patrick:  From 356 lbs to 346 lbs- 10 lbs lost- IMMUNE

Jessica:  From 254 lbs to 248 lbs- 6 lbs lost- .31% Team BW
Mark:  From 361 lbs to 352 lbs- 9 lbs lost- .76% Team BW
Lisa:  From 260 lbs to 252 lbs- 8 lbs lost- 1.17% Team BW
Adam:  From 346 lbs to 335 lbs- 11 lbs lost- 1.73% Team BW
Aaron:  From 419 lbs to 407 lbs- 12 lbs lost- 2.35% Team BW
Jesse:  From 321 lbs to 305 lbs- 16 lbs lost- 3.16% Team BW:  Total Team Loss- 62 lbs

Anna:  From 291 lbs to286 lbs- 5 lbs lost- .30% Team BW
Elizabeth:  From 223 lbs to 218 lbs- 5 lbs lost- .60% Team BW
Frado:  From 317 lbs to 308 lbs- 9 lbs lost- 1.14% Team BW
Ada:  From 224 lbs to 215 lbs- 9 lbs lost- 1.68% Team BW
Rick:  From 297 lbs to 287 lbs- 10 lbs lost- 2.28% Team BW (CLUE: Says he wants to be the Biggest Loser of the week so he can be immune. . .is he aware of the team change?)
Brendan:  From 315 lbs to 313 lbs- 2 lbs lost- 2.40% Team BW:  Total Team Loss- 40 lbs

So . . .did Brendan throw the weigh in or not?  It is a highly debated topic.  Most of the live tweeters and bloggers thought that he did.  But someone posing as Brandon has written this blog post  exposing the dirty secrets of editing.  You know how everyone always blames editing!  In the blog he writes that no one suspected Sophia or Burgandy of throwing the weigh in when they got low numbers but this argument is flawed.  They are women and the weigh in challenge was to lose the MOST weight for themselves as individuals.  You know who did fake it?  Frado when he had immunity (3 pounds and then 20 the next week?) or Melissa Morgan from season 9 who lost a pound or gained a pound every time she had immunity.  At least she finally admitted it.

Game Play is an important part of the show and makes it fun to watch.  I don't know Brandon, but I do know reality television.  To quote my least fave quote, "it is what it is."

Blue team wins, Ada gets immunity from the elimination vote, and Rick gets played in the final vote by Elizabeth, Ada, Frado, and Brendan.  I guess they weren't never going to give him up.  Now Rick is out, Patrick is in, and next week's episode promises that the players are going to get played.  Rick looks great at the reveal, having lost 120 pounds since the show started and paying it forward to his family.  Maybe it is better to be at home?  But then I wouldn't have anything to write about.  :)

The Biggest Loser- season 10- week 4- Meet the Blob

The Blob- Biggest Loser Mob.  Consisting of Frado, Patrick, and Brendan with their gal Friday, Ada.  They are gettin' down to business, see?  Yeah!  Gonna make things real difficult around these parts, see?



It all started when that dame Ali walked in.  Told these Losers they were going to have to face a Temptation challenge, the first of the season.  What was in store?  Cupcakes.  About 400 of 'em, all dolled up, looking real sweet like.  If they participate they win a 1 pound advantage that grows a pound every week they don't use it.  Sounds easy enough.  Oh, and there is a double elimination this week too.  The old yellow line/ red line business.

The players that stepped up were Rick, Adam, Elizabeth, and Jesse.  The contest starts tight, but Adam and Rick prove their gag reflex is not as strong and quickly take the lead.  The big winner is ADAM, who professed not to be a cupcake man.  That's what they all say, Adam.  Until you've got a sweet cupcake staring you in the eye.

Ali announces that Adam has ingested 1,350 calories, to which he coolly replies, "Not a problem.  I'm gonna burn an extra 1,350 tonight.  Simple."

Brandon fumes to big boss Frado, "Wow, he is so cocky, dude.  He really is!"  Ali notices him talking a big talk, which leads Frado to get a little Moe on him.



"If you win this you have a target on your back," Brandon says, rubbing his head. 

Then Elizabeth gets all weak kneed and sobby, because she is scared of going home.  HELLO!  They are all scared!  But if you have lady parts, there is a real fear here.  The yellow line has not been a friend to the ladies.

You know what makes ladies feel better?  A visit from Chef Curtis Stone!  He teaches everyone to make 100 calorie cupcakes- find the recipe here!

Then it's more talking about targets and people feeling threatened and the yellow line and the red line and blah blah blah.  22 minutes into the show, Bob and Jillian FINALLY show up and everyone who participated in the cupcake challenge are waiting for their ear boxing session.  "You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes, I guess," says Bob.  "You're trying to stay here.  Who can fault you for that?" says Jillian.

This season really is crazy!

Time for the yellow line/red line workout, where Bob and Jillian ask repeatedly who is going to be below the red line this week.  Jillian heals Elizabeth from her exercise induced asthma, and Bob puts Frado in his cross hairs, bringing him to the brink of INSANITY.  Positive side note:  Frado is off all of his medications!  Score one for exercise!   Mark injures his back on the rowing machine and Aaron gets his second wind after thinking about his son.  Time for a broccoli plug and ten the weigh in.

All 40 minutes into the show!  Whew.

At the weigh in, Adam decides not to use his cupcake advantage.  Bob and Jillian talk about the game play that is going on (Hello, Blob!) and Bob keeps it koombahyah by reminding us that we are all winners if we lead healthy lives.  YAY!

Frado:  From 337 lbs to 317 lbs- 20 lbs lost- 5.93% BW

Ada:  From 234 lbs to 22lbs- 10 lbs lost- 4.27% BW

Brendan:  From 326 lbs to 315 lbs- 11 lbs lost- 3.37% BW

Rick:  From 306 lbs to 297 lbs- 9 lbs lost- 2.94% BW

Adam:  From 356 lbs to 346 lbs- 10 lbs lost- 2.81% BW

Aaron:  From 431 lbs to 419 lbs- 12 lbs lost- 2.78% BW

Patrick:  From 366 lbs to 356 lbs- 10 lbs lost- 2.73% BW

YELLOW LINE

Jessica:  From 261 lbs to 254 lbs- 7 lbs lost- 2.68% BW

Lisa:  From 267 lbs to 260 lbs- 7 lbs lost- 2.63% BW

Elizabeth:  From 229 lbs to 223 lbs- 6 lbs lost- 2.62% BW

Jesse:  From 329 lbs to 321 lbs- 8 lbs lost- 2.43% BW

Burgandy:  From 218 lbs to 213 lbs- 5 lbs lost- 2.29% BW

Mark:  From 369 lbs to 361 lbs- 8 lbs lost- 2.17% BW

RED LINE

Sophia:  From 252 lbs to 250 lbs- 2 lbs lost- .79% BW

Sophia has fallen below the dreaded red line and is automatically eliminated.  Another lady down!  It was a bleak weigh in, full of complaining and oh wells and it is what it is.  No one pointed out that Frado only lost 3 pounds last week when he had immunity.  *Cough cough*

Ada made the mistake of telling JILLIAN of all people that she was upset she hadn't had a break through yet.  At the next day's workout, Jillian cocks her fully loaded mind bullet gun and blows her away, forcing her to reveal how her parents make her feel about her brother dieing when she was three years old.  Her story is super wee woo.  Ada realizes that she is having to relearn to be happy.  Mission accomplished.

Bob focuses on those below the yellow line, and decides the only thing he can do is throw a dinner party- holler!  Bob takes them to the Hollywood Hills for a fab vegan lunch and conversation about their previous dining experiences that got them to this point.  Most troubling was Lisa, who buys a $5 pizza for her family three times a week because it is cheap.  But Bob points out that a bag of beans is cheap too, and that these parents have a responsibility to their children to teach them how to eat properly and healthfully.  Score one for the food revolution!!!

Back at the ranch, Burgandy receives bad news from Dr. H:  She has tendinitis in her foot and won't be able to participate in the elimination challenge, automatically putting her in the bottom two.  Yikes.  But maybe Frado will save her?

No.  Frado saves Jessica because she was the closest to the yellow line (and they are buddies!) and Ali introduces the challenge.  The players must unroll a football field's length of carpet weighing over 900 pounds.  Then they must run back the length of the carpet to avoid the bottom two.

The guys push through easily, leaving the ladies in the dust.  Elizabeth struggles and is last, but she did finish the race and is proud of herself.  Her new spark in herself is enough to win favor in the hearts of the voters, causing Burgandy to be eliminated.

Two ladies gone.  But not so fast-- Ali announces that the OTHER eliminated players from the first episode will be coming back to fill one position on the ranch.  This may be the longest season ever.

Sophia has gone from 272 pounds to 225 lbs and Burgandy has gone from 231 pounds to 180 pounds.  Each are paying it forward to their families and communities and are eagerly anticipating the at home prize of $100,000!

The Biggest Loser- season 10- week 3- The Real World: Ranch!

COME ON.  They have taken away the happy theme song.  They have replaced it with screams of pain and a pulse.  Then there is a recap of last week's episode underscored with Terminator 2 music.  Then there are shaky hand held camera interviews of the contestants saying things like "Everything has become more real."  Then there is a tearful group meeting filled with arguments and the threats of sending someone home.

I keep expecting them to have a house vote and then kick Puck out because they don't feel safe in the house with him.  I miss the happy Biggest Loser!  The inspirational reality program I have come to know and love!  This season feels a lot colder and harder.  I am just saying- I wouldn't be at all surprised if next season there was a Biggest Loser all seasons challenge called The Gauntlet.

The big drama this week is between Tina Grandma Glasses and Lisa.  After Allie's elimination, Tina says she wants to go home because she forgot she had planned a vacation with her family but got on The Biggest Loser instead, and Lisa wants to leave to go take care of Allie.  Of course everyone accuses them of being selfish and pathetic.  Bob walks in to take them all to the gym and has to play babysitter and judge to a bunch of cry babies.  "All it takes is one elimination," he says.

TO THE GYM!  Since Jillian is gone (filming Losing It, I presume), Bob leads the Losers through a major circuit workout through 15 stations.  "It was organized mayhem," says Rick.  Bob is weeding out all the other Tina's in an effort to see who really wants to be here.  In the Cross Hairs:  Southern Gentleman Patrick, Fog horn Frado, and Funny Man Jesse.  I don't see why he got called funny man.  I would have named him Big Fat Baby for being so sassy to Bob until he ground him into the dirt.

After the workout, Bob hangs out with Tina in an effort to figure out why she wants to leave, and manages to convince her she needs to be a little selfish.  Especially since she got on the show and her daughter (who's idea this was) did not get on the show.  "I won't give up.  I promise," Tina says.

Giving Bob a much needed break, Jillian returns to get the girls in a "warrior head space" because they are "all a little too koombaya".  Makes you miss old school female game players like Tracy and Melissa, doesn't it?

Time for a challenge!  Ali meets the contestants at a tennis center where they are joined by tennis hottie Anna Kournikova to run some skills and drills.  Brendan earns the nick name of "The Stalker" because he stands just a little too close to the star and holds on just a little too long.  "She smells good, too."  Creepy.




And no surprise to anyone, it is a POP CHALLENGE!  The Losers must collect tennis balls and put them in tubes.  Whoever has the most balls in their tube is eliminated.  The boys quickly gang up on the girls, eliminated all of them first (except that Jessica Rabbit), leaving only Frado, Brendan, and Patrick left to duke it out.  Adam perks up his ears, wondering could they possibly be an alliance?  Hmmm?  Frado wins immunity, and Ali announces that there is another weigh in tomorrow night. Surprise!

Adam should win an award, because as soon as they are all home from the tennis center, we see Brendan, Patrick, and Frado meeting together to form an alliance.  Such a dirty word.  "We can't let anyone find out!" says Brendan.  They then change into their boy band names:  Intensity (Frado), Endurance (Brendan), and Fire (Patrick).  Frado also states, "I don't want to be a game player. . .but. . .it is what it is."  Uh oh.




THE WEIGH IN!  Will it be the second week curse? 

Frado:  From 340 lbs to 337 lbs- 3 lbs lost
He is immune, which accounts for the low number.  Jillian says that "Frado doesn't strike me as a game player" but after the rest of the weigh in it is evident that something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Adam:  From 368 lbs to 356 lbs- 12 lbs lost- 3.26% BW

Patrick:  From 378 lbs to 366 lbs- 12 lbs lost- 3.17% BW

Jesse:  From 339 lbs to 329 lbs- 10 lbs lost- 2.95% BW

Mark:  From 380 lbs to 369 lbs- 11 lbs lost- 2.89% BW

Jessica:  From 268 lbs to 261 lbs- 7 lbs lost- 2.61% BW

Rick:  From 314 lbs to 306 lbs- 8 lbs lost- 2.55% BW

Ada:  From 240 lbs to 234 lbs- 6 lbs lost- 2.50% BW

YELLOW LINE

Sophia:  From 258 lbs to 252 lbs- 6 lbs lost- 2.33% BW

Lisa:  From 272 lbs to 267 lbs- 5 lbs lost- 1.84% BW

Tina:  From 247 lbs to 243 lbs- 4 lbs lost- 1.62% BW

Aaron:  From 438 lbs to 431 lbs- 7 lbs lost- 1.60% BW

Brendan:  From 331 lbs to 326 lbs- 5 lbs lost- 1.51% BW

Elizabeth:  From 232 lbs to 229 lbs- 3 lbs lost- 1.29% BW

Burgandy:  From 219 lbs to 218 lbs- 1 lb lost- .46% BW

Angel Adam wins the weigh in and gets to choose one player to save from the elimination challenge.  Invisible Ada and Jessica Rabbit are the only two women above the yellow line, and Blind Side Aaron and Stalker Brandon are the only two guys below the yellow line.  Better odds this week.

At the gym for the not last chance workout, Jillian schools the guys and proves she is "still the man around here", and Bob talks to Lisa about being more selfish and to stop selling herself short.

Then it is time for the second elimination challenge!  Adam reveals he will save Aaron, and Brendan has a sour grapes moment.  Then Ali tells the players about the challenge:  Dig though huge piles of sand for a brass ring.  It is truly a Wild Kingdom moment, watching the players claw and kick desperately through the sand for their very salvation.  Sophia even grabs a ring right out of Brendan's hands- COLD!  But the final two happen to be Tina Grandma Glasses and Loser Lisa:  The very two who started this whole episode.

It is no surprise that Tina is the eliminated player, and she goes home to Pay It Forward to  her daughter who didn't get on the show.  Tina has gone from 263 pounds to 205 pounds, and she hopes that she and her daughter will be able to lose a combined 200 pounds by the finale.

Next week:  Two lines to rule them all, and a double elimination.  Knives out!

The Biggest Loser- season 10- week 2- TWIST!

First of all, I want to apologize for the fact that I have no pictures in my blogs today.  Blogger makes me angry.  *deep breath*  Secondly, I want to apologize for NBC for getting rid of The Biggest Loser theme song and replacing it with something more serious.  Like heart beats and Jillian yelling.

It is the first day on the ranch for the newly chosen Losers, and no sooner have they put on their shiny new shirts and stood in a double rainbow formation, Ali lays some wisdom on them:  They are not alone.

TWIST #1:  Bob and Jillian got to chose one contestant each from the eliminated contestants last week.  I had my fingers crossed for dread locks, but no.  Jillian chose Elizabeth (the girl who passed out after doing step ups) and Bob chose Aaron (the guy who had the cutest little boy ever).

TWIST #2:  Ali announces that although they are wearing matching shirts, they will be competeing individually.  WHAT?  I am loving this season more and more.

Armed with new knowledge the contestants cheerfully stampede to the sounds of cattle drive music to the gym.  Eagerly awaiting them is Bob, Jillian, and a 7 inch incline on the treadmill.  Don't hold on, it's going to be a bumpy ride.  Bob gets totally Debbie Allen in the beginning of Fame on these guys.



"They're still smiling!" Jillian says.  Five puke shots, passing out, our first face plant by Tina Grandma Glasses, and Elizabeth heavy breathing later, Jillian says, "Now, was that so bad?"

Dr. H, newly shorn, takes a cue from Ali and lays more knowledge on the contestants:  They are seriously unhealthy.  Diabetic, high cholesterol, 50% body fat, gastric bypass at 14 unhealthy.  Then the contestants meet with Bob and Jillian to discuss what calories are (one contestant says "what makes you fat") and why people shouldn't eat sandwiches with names called "The Terminator" and "The Grave Digger".  SIDE NOTE:  Alton Brown takes offense to the show Man Vs. Food in this fascinating article.  It couldn't come at a better time!

The second day of working out is not any better.  Bob's response to Jillian's MIND BULLETS is his CROSS HAIRS.  In them:  Brandon, who foolishly asked if they were almost done working out.  Bob makes him spit, blow snot out of his nose, and sweat until he is broken.  Then while we still have our appetities, Bob and Jillian bring in those gross sandwiches we were just talking about so that they can shove it down everyone's throats.  Not the sandwiches, but the knowledge that they are NASTY and full of bad for you things.

TWIST #3:  Ali tells the contestants that they will be weighing in tonight- surprise!  "I wouldn't have had that last apple," complains Fredo.  I don't think apples are the problem, big guy.

TWIST #4:  The yellow line is moving on up!  Eight spots to be precise.  Half of the contestants will be above it and half will be below it and in danger of elimination.  The weigh in winners will be based on the total percentage of fat loss.  How does everyone stack up?

Rick:  From 350 lbs to 314 lbs- 36 lbs lost- 10.29% BW
Mark:  From 421 lbs to 380 lbs- 41 lbs lost- 9.74% BW
Brendan:  From 362 lbs to 331 lbs- 31 lbs lost- 8.56% BW
Adam:  From 402 lbs to 368 lbs- 34 lbs lost- 8.46% BW
Jesse:  From 369 lbs to 339 lbs- 30 lbs lost- 8.10% BW
Frado:  From 367 lbs to 340 lbs- 27 lbs lost- 7.36% BW
Ada:  From 258 lbs to 240 lbs- 18 lbs lost- 6.98% BW
Aaron:  From 468 lbs to 438 lbs- 30 lbs lost- 6.41% BW
YELLOW LINE
Tina:  From 263 lbs to 247 lbs- 16 lbs lost- 6.08% BW
Lisa:  From 288 lbs to 272 lbs- 16 lbs lost- 5.56% BW
Patrick:  From 400 lbs to 378 lbs- 22 lbs lost- 5.50% BW
Allie:  From 322 lbs to 305 lbs- 17 lbs lost- 5.28% BW
Burgandy:  From 231 lbs to 219 lbs- 12 lbs lost- 5.19% BW
Sophia:  From 272 lbs to 258 lbs- 14 lbs lost- 5.15% BW
Jessica:  From 282 lbs to 268 lbs- 14 lbs lost- 4.96% BW
Elizabeth:  From 244 lbs to 232 lbs- 12 lbs lost- 4.92% BW

TWIST #5:  The person with the highest percentage of weight loss (Rick) can save one person under the yellow line.

TWIST #6:  The challenge for this week is only for the people under the yellow line.  They have to save themselves.  The bottom two will be voted on for elimination.

Rick choses to save the one guy under the yellow line: Patrick.  Now it is all ladies in the race of their lives at the elimination challenge.  There will be five races where a flag will be grabbed and the grabber will be safe.  The last two without a flag will be up for elimination.  Things get catty between the wierdly named BURGANDY and Jessica when former sprinter Burgandy accuses Jessica of not staying in her lane.  Note to Burgandy: no lanes.  So. . .yeah.

TWIST #7:  Allie and Tina Grandma Glasses are in the bottom two and will be voted on by the eight above the yellow line.

Strategically, they choose the younger more mobile contestant to be sent home, and Allie says good bye to the ranch.

TWIST #8:  No vending machines this year.  What is this season turning into?  SO MANY CHANGES.

The at home reveal finds an Allie who has lost 60 pounds and has moved out of her home and into season eight winner Danny's home.  Nothing weird about that.  Nope.  Danny says he is paying it forward-- just like this season's theme!

Next week:  shock and jocks with Jillian who claims to still be the only man in charge.

The Biggest Loser- season 10- week 1- Meet The Losers

This is my third season to blog about The Biggest Loser and by now I know the drill.  And if you are reading this, you know the drill too.  Find Fat Americans with a great back story, put them on the ranch, shake well, results may vary.  Biggest Loser season 10 doesn't disappoint--and I feel season 10 is the season of DRAMA.  During the live tweeting (join us on Tuesdays 8 pm EST and use the hash tag #BL10) I made a joke that this season is a little more like The Real World.  And it certainly got real this episode.

I don't want to bore you with ALL the deets-- these are just some of the deets.  Join me, won't you?

Season Theme:  Pay it forward.
How contestants chosen:  7 cities- 3 Losers- 2 chosen to go to the ranch- 1 chosen for alternate secret mission.  Please let it be motorcycle Jillian at an abandoned bus depot in the desert! *fingers crossed*
How many shots of contestants shoving food in their mouth: 9
Best part of episode:  People that had tried out for the show and didn't make it- but went home and lost a TON of weight on their own.  It can be done at home people!!!

So let's take a look at the people under the shirts and sports bras this season.

DETROIT
Chosen:
Jesse: 27 year old male from Minnesota; starting weight- 369 lbs; DRAMA- raised by overweight mom
Sophie: 28 year old female from Maryland; starting weight- 272 lbs; DRAMA- brother died in car accident
Not Chosen:
Aaron: 29 year old male from Ohio; starting weight- 468 lbs; DRAMA- raised by alcoholic father- now he is a food addict

LOS ANGELES
Chosen:
Adam: 26 year old male from California; starting weight- 402 lbs; DRAMA- mom died of a weight related heart attack
Montina: 35 year old female from California; starting weight- 287 lbs; DRAMA- back up singer for Beyonce who wants to be in the spotlight
Not Chosen:
Ada: 27 year old female from California; starting weight- 258 lbs; DRAMA- accused by father of killing her brother when a kid and again when she was a teen in her car (!)

PORTLAND
Chosen:
Burgandy (what?): 35 year old female from Utah; starting weight- 231 lbs; DRAMA- has 5 kids, one of them is autistic, no relationship with husband
Tina: 58 year old female from Oregon; starting weight- 263 lbs; DRAMA- was cheated on by her ex husband
Not Chosen:
Corey: 26 year old male from Alaska; starting weight- 391 lbs; DRAMA- an overweight life coach with blond dreadlocks

ATLANTA
Chosen:
Patrick: 27 year old male from Mississippi; starting weight- 400 lbs; DRAMA- wants to be around for his wife and kids
Rick: 54 year old male from Arkansas; starting weight- 350 lbs; DRAMA- overweight physical therapist that wants to be around for his grand kids
Not Chosen:
Anna: 39 year old female from Georgia; starting weight- 330 lbs; DRAMA- son died of cancer

PHOENIX
Chosen:
Jessica: 26 year old female from Arizona; starting weight- 282 lbs; DRAMA- had bad relationship with her mom
Mark: 30 year old male from New Jersey; starting weight- 421 lbs; DRAMA- Jewish guilt
Not Chosen:
Shanna: 38 year old female from Arizona; starting weight- 242 lbs; DRAMA- breast cancer survivor

OKLAHOMA CITY
Chosen:
Allie: 22 year old female from Oklahoma; starting weight- 322 lbs; DRAMA- gastric band surgery that failed
Lisa: 31 year old female from Oklahoma; starting weight- 288 lbs; DRAMA- daughter is anorexic in response to her obesity
Not Chosen:
Sandy: no age given from Oklahoma; starting weight- 259 lbs; DRAMA- brother died 5 days after BL audition from heart attack

BOSTON
Chosen:
Frado: 43 year old male from New York; starting weight- 367 lbs; DRAMA- type 2 diabetic who has been given 5 years to live
Brendan: 32 year old male from Boston; starting weight- 362 lbs; DRAMA- yo yo dieter
Not Chosen:
Elizabeth: 30 year old female from Boston; starting weight- 244 lbs; DRAMA- had an abusive husband

It sounds like it is going to be a crazy season filled with drama, treadmill face plants, marine training, and wacky nick names- I like Tina Grandma Glasses.  Stay tuned and watch with me!