Happy Memorial Day!

Casual Friday

The only time it is okay to be slothful.


Meet the sloths from Lucy Cooke on Vimeo.

The Biggest Loser- #BL11- FINALE!!!

It was all ladies all the time on the season finale of The Biggest Loser!!!

Winners:

1.)  Irene beat Jay in America's vote to be apart of the top 3.

2.)  Deni (Baby Muscles mom?  The one who didn't go to her daughter's wedding?) won the at home prize of $100,000 by losing 125 pounds and 48% of her body weight.

3.)  Hannah for looking HOT in her finale dress.

4.)  The Oklahoma Twins for shocking everyone and making Bob and Jillian eat a little crow.

5.)  Olivia winning the damn thing- we knew she would!

Losers:

1.)  Irene's not orange dress.

2.)  Cara's baby bump.  Or was it?

3.)  No montage of Jillian training after 11 seasons of being awesome.

4.)  Kaylee gaining 14 pounds and not being eliminated.

5.)  Anna Kournikova replacing Jillian on the show.  WHAT?  I mean, really.  Yes, she is pretty.  Yes, she is thin.  But what does she know about weight loss?  Wrong move NBC.  Hire a real trainer!!!

It was a long season of The Biggest Loser.  I wrote 20 posts!  I even skipped last week's episode because it wasn't anything new or anything you and I haven't seen before.

I had a good time watching the finale with some Biggest Loser Twitterphiles (these girls made me look like an amateur BL fan) and some specially placed Wholly Guacamole.  Let's make this summer memorable!  I will be blogging about the Food Revolution and ABC's new weight loss show, as well as all the goings on in the city.  Biggest Loser break until September!

Here's a recap from DietsinReview.com- including an interview with winner Olivia!

Letter to McDonald's: STOP MARKETING JUNK FOOD TO KIDS

 In the MetroNY paper today, I saw a huge one page ad:  An open letter to the CEO of McDonald's from Corporate Accountability International.  Apparently, McDonald's has it's annual shareholders meeting tomorrow where they make big announcements and changes.  Over 550 health professionals and institutions in all 50 states have signed the letter, begging McDonald's to be more responsible in it's marketing fast food items to children.

I don't want Ronald McDonald to lose his job, but I am all for this initiative.

Want to sign the letter?  Follow this link: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2215/t/8952/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=618

The Biggest Loser- #BL11- week 19- "Like someone putting gold in your lap!"

Remaining 5.  Biggest Loser.  Montage.  Jay.  Irene.  Austin.  Hannah.  Olivia.

It is Final Exams Week (another week I've never heard of!) on the Biggest Loser ranch, and the final 5 need to fight for the right to call themselves the final 4.

How to pass your exams:
1.)  Be a spin instructor for Bob.
2.)  Answer Brett's health and fitness questions correctly.
3.)  Punch Cara in the face.
4.)  Turn Jillian's mind bullet gun on Jillian and aim for the heart strings.
5.)  Beat your avatar in the XBox 360 Kinnect  Biggest Loser game.

Olivia is aces in all her exams, sweeping them all (except for sis Hannah beating her in the Kinnect game) to win $10,000.  That's a lot of money to a New York artist.

Then it's enough with the games and time for a work out!  It is Jay's third chance, and Jillian unleashes the full torrent of all she can give to finally light the fire under Jay's ass and make him fight for his place in the house.  He even falls down a flight of stairs for her.  Okay, they were stairmaster stairs, but still.  It felt dramatic.

After a milk plug with Austin, The Pluggin' Kid, it is time for the weekly challenge!  The prize is a one pound advantage at the weigh in.  Gold in the lap, according to Olivia.

The contestants must stack sand bags up progressively higher stairs and be the first to reach the top.  Austin barely beats Olivia (who has become quite the champion).  And the nail in the coffin begins to hammer itself in.  Austin goes a little on cruise control with his new insurance policy while the rest of the Losers work twice as hard to claim their piece of that deep dish finale pie.

Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki!  It is time for the weigh in!

First, Ali informs Olivia she can trade her $10,000 for one pound, too.  She turns it down with a twinkle in her eye.  It is SO on.

Jay: From 255 lbs to 246 lbs- 9 lbs lost- 3.53% BW
Irene:  From 152 lbs to 147 lbs- 5 lbs lost- 3.29% BW
Olivia:  From 158 lbs to 153 lbs- 5 lbs lost- 3.16% BW
YELLOW LINE
Hannah:  From 154 lbs to 150 lbs- 4 lbs lost- 2.60% BW
Austin:  From 236 lbs to 235 lbs- 1 lb lost- .85% BW

Obviously, Austin is heading home. 

He is revealed to be 230 lbs, looking like a lean, mean, MMA fighting machine.  He beats up his brother and serenades 5th graders.  Watch out, ladies.

The final four are heading home next episode- any marathons in our future?  And stay tuned for the big finale wrap up happening live in NEW YORK CITY!!!

Shame Shame SHAME!

If you live in NYC you may be familiar with Arnold Diaz, undercover reporter for Fox 5 News who shame shame shames people and businesses who are doing others wrong. 

This particular segment caught my eye.  Ever wonder if the wonder "ice cream" you are eating is REALLY as low in fat and calories as the store you bought it from promises?  Yeah, me too.  Watch on, my fro-yo loving friends.

Healthy Ice Cream Nutritional Controversy: MyFoxNY.com

Casual Friday

TGIF!  It is slowly but surely becoming spring in NYC.  If you are looking for something free and awesome to do this weekend, come out to Central Park Saturday mornings for some Central Park Intensati!

Lindsay Davis says YES!

Amazing Lindsay leads class out in the cheap showiness of nature- and you know that Central Park is beautiful this year.  The class meets at 10:15 am at the corner of 59th and CPW at the gold topped statue and goes into the park at 10:30 am.


I would love to see you all there!  Please come join me all throughout the spring and summer for some awesome and enlightening exercise.

The Biggest Loser- #BL11- week 18- MAKEOVER WEEK!!!

THIS WAS THE BEST MAKEOVER WEEK EPISODE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER EVER!!!

1.)  Tim Gunn.  I don't think I can adequately express how I love Tim Gunn wielding a Fairy Godfather wand and transforming the contestants into real life Cinderellas.

2.)  Pumpkin coach.   Yes.  Drawn by a team of milk white horses.

3.)  Tim Gunn saying things like "I'm witness to the epiphany!".

4.)  The not so subtle Extra sugar free gum plug by Austin at the Ken Paves Salon.

5.)  The Biggest Loser Fairy Castle complete with moat.  Note this is also the castle the season one cast of Last Comic Standing stayed in.  Also on NBC.

6.)  Hannah's blond hair.  AH-MAZE-ING.  I thought she looked a lot like Teri Polo.

Right?

7.)  Austin's little prince getup.  I wish he had had a bolo tie.  Sigh.  Best curly hair transformation yet!

8.)  Irene being super girly girly, complete with "glass" slippers.

9.)  Jay looking like a dapper little man.  Really, so much littler.

10.)  FAVE TRANSFORMATION:  Olivia and that wicked new haircut.  She grew so mature and womanly in one day.  And her husband!  I keep thinking how much fun they will get to have in their new bodies.  Did that sound dirty?  It sounded dirty, didn't it. . .

11.)  Olivia and her beautiful singing voice.  It blew me away.  No jokes, folks. 

At the weigh in, we think that Hannah or Jay will have to be sent home, but Tim Gunn waves his fairy wand and *poof!* the yellow line is gone and no one is eliminated.

All is well in the magical land of The Biggest Loser!  No ogres, no Tweedle Dees or Tweedle Dums, no Kaylee.  Sleep well, my Losers.  Until next episode.  The final four is revealed- who will it be?  My guess?

1.)  Austin
2.)  Irene
3.)  Hannah
4.) Jay

I want it to be Olivia, but she has gotten SO SMALL.  How can she turn out another massive weight loss?

Want to know what Mark has to say?  Here is his take, courtesy of DietsinReview.com!

Don't be fooled by the "Market Fresh"!

It is Spring (finally!) and many advertisers know that we want to tone up and look great before we ditch our dowdy duds for more warm weather fare.  You'll notice an abundance of commercials for weight loss drugs, flavored waters, cereal diets, etc. with lovely women traipsing about in sarongs and over sized sun hats.

While you are out and about looking for delicious lighter food items, don't be fooled by items that seem healthy.  My beef with this one is the Arby's Market Fresh Sandwich.

It's on whole wheat bread.  It looks fresh and tasty.  But choosing this sandwich is like taking mayonnaise and smearing it on your butt and thighs.  According to the Calorie King Calorie Counter, the Chicken Salad with Pecans is a whopping 770 calories with 39 grams of fat.  My favorite sandwich, the Beef n' Cheddar, is 445 calories and 21 grams of fat:  Even with the electric orange cheese sauce!

A better choice may be Subway's 6-inch Orchard Chicken Salad at only 360 calories and 8 grams of fat, even though Arby's released this taste taste video saying their sandwich is better.



If you can make it through his TERRIBLE acting, you'll see their "fresh" ingredients (celery!) are blended with mayonnaise, and then they make you feel bad by throwing in hungry children.

I have an idea!  Save your money and donate the $5 to the charity instead.  You'll feel good inside and out- and your waist line will thank you too!

The Biggest Loser- #BL11- week 17- Back to the Ranch, One Hour Loser, and Top Chef Masters: Biggest Loser Edition

www.toothpastefordinner.com

Personal Note:  First of all, I want to apologize to my loyal readers who have become my friends for not being around more since I started my new job as a personal trainer.  Starting your own business is hard, y'all!  The hours are wackadoodle and I am pulling energy out of thin air that I didn't know was possible.  I miss being able to have more days off in a row, or a day off at all, and I really miss the connection I get with people I've never even met by reading their blogs and tweets. 

I have been told that it won't always be like this.  Fingers crossed!

I also think it is terribly unfair of NBC to adjust The Biggest Loser time slot to accommodate their new baby, The Voice.  It feels like a summer show, right?  There's only a few more episodes left of The Biggest Loser- can't we wait?  Now because of my work schedule I am going to miss the MAKEOVER EPISODE, which this year is only one hour long.  What?  ONE HOUR?!? AND TIM GUNN IS BACK!

Tim Gunn smash.

It's like when NBC canceled Conan for Jay Leno.  Or dropped Perfect Couples for The Paul Reiser Show.  Cluck cluck cluck.

If anyone of power is reading this, please bring back this show.  PLEASE.

Sigh.  So, back to the Ranch.  This one hour episode of The Biggest Loser starts with Austin needing to cut the cord, Irene stressing about losing 2 pounds and being THE biggest loser, and Ali introducing a new thing called "Favorites Week."  Does anyone remember there being a Favorites Week in the past?

Favorites Week includes the following:

1.)  Visits from favorite past contestants:  Ali, Sam, and Tara show up looking amazing and inspiring.

2.)  Favorite Challenges:  Tara drags a race car again and beats all the contestants.  Fair?  No (I think someone from this season should have gotten the prize), but she does get her face on a box of Wheaties and $5,000 for her charity.

Tara beating Rulon by a nose leads to yet another upset in a season full of upsets:  Rulon decides to leave the show.  No questions asked.  Seriously, nobody asks any questions and he leaves before he even weighs in.

My theory?  There are a lot of them out there, but I think he was pissed he got beaten by a woman and didn't want to lose any more.  He is an Olympic Athlete, after all.  He seemed really slated to win the entire show and everyone seemed really surprised.  Bob says it's a Biggest Loser first, but this season we had Dan, Don, and Kaylee all throw weigh ins to leave.  What are we not seeing behind the scenes?  That's juicy TV, folks.  We've got questions we need answers to!!!!

Oh, and Cara thinks it's fine because Rulon "is just tired of competing".  News Flash:  The Biggest Loser is a competition game show.  A GAME SHOW. 

They still have a weigh in, and Kaylee, after gaining weight AGAIN, is sent home and goes on a date with her new boyfriend, white team's Vance.  You know, the guy we met that one time.  With his mom?  No?  Hmmm.

Want to know what's in Mark's Melon?  Here is your chance!  Better not be any Brandon in this one, Mark.





****************************************************************************

James Oseland stinks.

I also wanted to add my two cents about Top Chef Masters.  This past week they aired an episode featuring Biggest Loser contestants (Rulon was there, and Courtney).  The chefs were in charge of following the shows strict calorie guidelines while adjusting the Loser's fave dishes into low calorie treats.

That part of the show I loved.  What I didn't like is that the judges and chefs talked to and about the contestants like they were mentally retarded or that being overweight is something you can catch.  It was really disturbing.  Maybe in their world it's not something they understand.  Curtis Stone has been hanging around a while and he is much more game, but that horrible judge with the glasses had a palpable disdain for the contestants and the challenge.  Not everyone is as nice as The Biggest Loser team, I guess.  I was looking forward to that episode and was disappointed and offended.  That is all.

The Biggest Loser- #BL11- week 16- The Biggest Loser XTREME

It's mostly water weight.

This episode of The Biggest Loser must have been created just for Earth Day because it was made of all recycled materials.  New Zealand?  Check.  Jumping off of tall structures?  Check.  Brett?  Check.  Kaylee speeches about believing in herself?  Check.  Hannah living in fear. . .again? Check.

I love The Biggest Loser, but this episode was really boring.  Maybe I'm old fashioned, but what happened to working out and overcoming fear via mind bullets?  How come we have to overcome our fears by being in a harness?  And why does the show think we want to hear more about Kaylee when she should have been sent home weeks ago?

My questions may never be answered.  Sigh.

The contestants are now playing as singles, which means that make over week is right around the corner- that's good!  I did love that Olivia won the challenge and immunity, and I loved the breathtaking scenery of New Zealand.  That place is awesome looking!  What I would like is a little more balance between the trainers story and the contestants story.  Last time I checked the show isn't called "Top Trainer".  Someone tell Cara and Brett!

Plus, what about the Rulon drama?  I hear the contestants saying they don't want him to win- but why and what is going on behind the scenes!?  That sounds like a more exciting story arc than whether or not Cara can be just as good a trainer as Bob and Jillian.

I know, I know.  I am rambling.  Recycle my own quote: "My questions may never be answered. Sigh."

After a tag team, four trainer Last Chance Workout, it is time for the weigh in.

Olivia:  From 172 lbs to 168 lbs- 4 lbs lost, 2.33% BW  (immunity)

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

Kaylee: From 168 lbs to 163 lbs- 5 lbs lost, 2.98% BW

Irene:  From 161 lbs to 157 lbs- 4 lbs lost, 2.48% BW

Austin:  From 255 lbs to 250 lbs- 5 lbs lost, 1.96% BW

Jay:  From 270 lbs to 265 lbs- 5 lbs lost, 1.85% BW

YELLOW LINE

Hannah:  From 164 lbs to 161 lbs- 3 lbs lost, 1.83% BW

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

Hannah's worrying came true, putting her below the yellow line with Ken, but her strong bonds with the remaining players keeps her in the game.  Be thankful Hannah!  Chin up, stiff upper lip, all that jazz.

Ken heads home, revealing more weight loss at 238 pounds.  He takes his two younger children on a paragliding adventure.  Apparently the contestants can't get enough xtreme sporting.  Looking forward to The Biggest Loser: Snowboarding and Balloon Race Adventure Inside a Live Volcano next season.

Next episode:  ONE HOUR LOSER!  See where some fave past contestants are now, and see one contestant walk off the show.  My guess?  Cara.  Okay.  Kaylee.

Want to know what Mark has to say?  Here's his take, courtesy of DietsinReview.com!

The Biggest Loser- #BL11- week 15- Lord of the Ringdings

SKY TOWER!!!

No Winter Olympics, no Hop tie ins, no Subway sandwich commercials on The Biggest Loser this week.  We are taking a trip down under. . .to New Zealand!  Land of the Hobbits and Flight of the Conchords.



I always love Loser on the Go, and this week's episode proved not to be a disappointment.  After a quick recap of Courtney and Brett saying bye-bye and Cara realizing her ass may be on the line, Ali surprises the remaining 9 players with the news of a 2 week trip to this most exotic of locales.  Austin's ears perk up:  You have to know he is a Tolkien fan.  Has to be!

"I've heard of it!" says Kaylee, as the teams check in at the airport.  A very polished and well spoken flight attendant offers a quick pop quiz for the teams to see if one person can upgrade to premium economy seating.  The winner must guess the correct height of the Sky Tower, the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere.  Austin guesses closest to the actual retail price (the Sky Tower is 1,076 feet tall) and gets to relax in comfort while everyone else flies in coach.  For a hot second I thought he might have offered the seat to his dad. . .but heck.  I probably wouldn't have either.

The players arrive in Auckland, and Ali promises them they are "in for an adventure of a lifetime".  They head to the Sky Tower, where Cara greets them at the base of the structure, welcoming them to "Awkland".  The players must then run up 1,027 stairs to the top of the Sky Tower where Bob is waiting for them.  He offers the players two ways to leave the tower:  The hard way or the easy way.  The hard way is turning around and walking back down all the stairs that they just climbed up.  The easy way?  Bob directs them to look out the window where a terrified Jillian hangs suspended midair. The Sky Tower has a guided bungee jump that lands you safely on the ground.  The trick is you have to climb onto a ledge and jump off.

Hell, no.  I wouldn't ever do it.  Never.  I hate heights.  I don't like glass elevators, cliffs, high diving boards, cliff jumps.  I would never jump out of a plane or bungee jump.  EVER. 

All of the contestants (minus Moses, Rulon and Jay, who are still past the weight requirements) energetically volunteer to jump except for Ken, who feels very much the same way I do about heights.  Somehow Bob convinces him to try it even though Bob is also extremely afraid of heights ("The only thing Bob fears more than aging is heights, Jillian shares), and we get to see Bob freaking out as he prepares for jump and his actual descent.  Hilarious.

Everyone is excited that they broke past their fears, expressing how the jump felt like a metaphor for jumping into their new lives as healthy people.  Moses' journey is slightly different:  His father had been sent to Auckland by his grandparents to get a proper education, which led his Tongan family to end up in America.  It is an emotional trip and he wishes he could share it with his father.  Bob breaks the rules, giving Moses his cell phone so he can call his father, who sounds an awful lot like the Cookie Monster. 

Then it is time for the workout, Kiwi style.  The Losers get to sail on a racing boat, controlling the wenches to race against another boat.  It looks like hard work!  I also can't help but notice all the penny whistle music in the back ground.  Just because we are on a boat doesn't mean that we have to play Titanic music the entire time, NBC.  I mean, really.  The Losers win the race, and reflect on their journey outside the ranch and into the future with the rest of their lives ahead of them.

Knowing that weigh ins on traveling episodes are historically catastrophic, Bob, Jillian, and Cara get together to work the teams out.  But something is going on with the green team this week, mostly with Ken.  Cara takes him to the side to talk and he totally calls her out on not being as qualified as Bob and Jillian.  OUCHIE.  I know in the twittersphere many don't believe that Cara has the goods, but she has kept her team safe and she is still here and Brett is not.  After a pretty terse exchange, Cara promises she'll be up in Ken's grill as much as possible.  "This is my chance to prove I'm just as good as Bob and Jillian," she says.

Enough of the drama!  Ali meets the Losers out in the sweeping New Zealand countryside for a 5k "New Zealand style".  The teams must run together and finish together to win.  This is not an ordinary 5k:  This 5k is over rolling hills, across beaches, and up steep sand dunes that look nearly impossible to climb.  The Blue team of Moses, Olivia, and Irene win the race, but the girls step back and give their half of the prize to Kaylee so that the father/daughter team can ride in a helicopter and drink wine in the land where their family came from.

The Last Chance Workout began with old school calisthenics lead by Jillian, rounded out by a tough Yoga Bob workout, finished for Ken with Cara yelling in his face while they jogged awkwardly in place.  I wondered if Ken regretted his decision to bring up that yelling thing to Cara.

Then it is time for the weigh in, New Zealand style.  "All eyes are on me!" Cara falsely thinks.

Kaylee:  From 168 lbs to 172 lbs- 4 lbs gained
Austin:  From 263 lbs to 255 lbs- 8 lbs lost
Ken:  From 253 lbs to 247 lbs- 6 lbs lost  Total:  10 lbs lost, 1.46% BW

Jay:  From 270 lbs to 272 lbs- 2 lbs gained
Rulon:  From 318 lbs to 311 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Hannah:  From 168 lbs to 164 lbs- 4 lbs lost  Total:  9 lbs lost, 1.19% BW

Olivia:  From 174 lbs to 172 lbs- 2 lbs lost
Irene:  From 164 lbs to 161 lbs- 3 lbs lost
Moses:  From 286 lbs to 286 lbs- 0 lbs lost  Total:  5 lbs lost, .80% BW

"We did it!  I DID IT!" says Cara, taking responsibility for her team's win.

The Blue team realizes someone is going home, and with Irene being safe from elimination, the decision lies between Olivia and Moses.  The choice is hard between two crowd faves, but after Olivia pleads to stay so she can be healthy to have children, Moses asks to be sent home.

Moses has lost a total of 167 pounds when we see him next, and he travels back to New Zealand with his father to visit his roots and he gets to bungee jump off the Auckland Bridge.  What's wrong with these crazy people?

Next episode:  Time to compete as singles and Brett returns on a parachute all the way from America!

Want to know what Mark has to say? Here's his two cents, courtesy of DietsinReview.com!

The Biggest Loser- #BL11- week 14- NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I avoided the tweets, the Facebook posts, the INTERNET so that I would not have the end of this week's Biggest Loser spoiled for me.  I would never, EVER have imagined that it ended like it did.  EVER!!!

Sigh.  What a disappointment.

Don't know how it ended or want to recreate it for yourself?  Read on, friends.

We know that the H is O for Courtney, whose last remaining teammate, Jen, was sent home last week after a failed attempt at not using their trainer Brett.  Everyone is concerned for her well being and for Brett's- if they lose this week, there will be no more Red Team.  Courtney digs her feet in, asks for the help from her "girls", and tries to break through the plateau that has been plaguing her for weeks.

With the story line in place, Ali meets the Losers for a challenge.  Each team must carry a flag, walk down a path, and try to figure out without any rulers or GPS what a mile is.  When they reach what they feel is a mile, they will mark it with their team colored flag.  The winners will receive a Hollywood night out on the town and the losers will have to clean the entire ranch from head to toe.  Sounds like a good reason to win!

Everyone chooses different methods:  Counting their paces, estimating how long it feels when they normally walk a mile, dividing their steps multiplying the sun rays by the shadows in the blades of grass by the angle of their knees. . .and then Ali calls time after 15 minutes.  Who was the closest?  The Black team of Rulon, Hannah, and Ken have won a night out in Hollywood!

What does that mean?

The lucky threesome gets new clothes, a limo ride, and their very own montage in front of the Mann's Chinese Theatre.  Hannah feels like a woman, and even gets her own Jude Law look-a-like to hit on her at local eatery Geisha House.  Question:  Was he a real dude or a plant?  Hannah deserves the real deal.  Not someone who asks, "So, how much weight have you lost?" 

The best part was seeing them glow from the inside out because of the strides they had made as a team and as individuals.  No amount of new clothing could hide that.

The rest of the teams scrubbed the kitchen, which looked really dirty.  I mean, gross.

The Blue Team gets roped into a Wholly Guacamole plug, and then it is already time for the Last Chance Workout.  WHAT?  That was quick.

Fireman drills, scorpion flips, sweat, sweat, and more sweat.  Who will be safe?  Who will go home?  Is it already obvious?  I thought so. . .but I have been known to be wrong.

WEIGH IN.  Lay it on me.

Olivia:  From 176 lbs to 174 lbs- 2 lbs lost
Moses:  From 293 lbs to 286 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Irene:  From 170 lbs to 164 lbs- 6 lbs lost  TOTAL:  15 lbs, 2.35% BW

Hannah:  From 172 lbs to 168 lbs- 4 lbs lost
Jay:  From 276 lbs to 270 lbs- 6 lbs lost
Rulon:  From 325 lbs to 318 lbs- 7 lbs lost  TOTAL:  17 lbs, 2.20% BW

Ken:  From 257 lbs to 253 lbs- 4 lbs lost
Kaylee:  From 169 lbs to 168 lbs- 1 lb lost
Austin:  From 265 lbs to 263 lbs- 2 lbs lost TOTAL:  7 lbs, 1.01% BW

All Courtney needs to lose is over 2 pounds.  I thought, "This is great!  Courtney will be safe, Green will be up for elimination, and Kaylee will obviously be sent home."

Courtney:  From 232 lbs to 231 lbs- 1 lb lost

Wee woo.

Courtney tells everyone to be strong, and Brett says his goodbyes.  Everyone seems so surprised, spluttering how this isn't supposed to be the way that it happens.  But every week someone has to leave, and unfortunately, it is Courtney.  I really thought she was going to take the whole damn thing!  Brett has no one left to train and hopefully will get to come back next season, unlike Kim Lyons.  Remember her?  No? 

"I was hot!  And incredibly unpopular."

Courtney returns home to her welcoming party at the DQ (not appropriate), and reveals she has lost even more weight since returning home.  She speaks to the DQ regional manager about getting healthier menu items (like frozen yogurt?  Like 1989?).



I hope she wins the at home prize because her quote is my favorite and the one I believe the most in: "You do NOT have to be on The Biggest Loser to lose weight!"  Truth.

Next week:  New Zealand!  The Biggest Loser gets all Lord of the Rings.

Want to know what Mark has to say?  Here's his two cents, courtesy of DietsinReview.com!

Really? C'mon, Kim Kardashian!

Please tell me that none of you think this is a real way to work out. I keep seeing this on TV more and more and I want it to STOP. NOW!

The Biggest Loser- #BL11- week 13- Sponsored by the Incredible, Edible Egg Sponsored by the movie HOP, now in theatres. . .

Shameless Promotion.

This episode of The Biggest Loser is a cautionary tale.  Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

Kaylee kicks it off by apologizing for her weak attempt at throwing the weigh in and sending Justin home by mistake.  Oops!  "I learned a really good lesson," she says. Moses than proceeds to scold the group for game playing. 

Call Alanis Morisette.  I found some irony.

The next day, the Losers meet up at the gym to see Ali with a scale.  There was a top secret team number twelve, mother and son combo Leann and Vance.  They ALMOST made it onto campus, had to do the weight loss journey on their own, and now they are on the ranch to try to win ANOTHER spot.  This time will be different!  They have to lose more than 25.35% of their body weight to make it:  Vance must lose over 95 pounds and Leann has to lose over 79 pounds.

Vance:  From 379 lbs to 349 lbs- 30 lbs lost
Leann:  From 315 lbs to 270 lbs- 45 lbs lost

They traveled all that way just to weigh in on national television and not be offered a place on the ranch.  WEE WOO!  How sad!  How about just weigh them in at home?  Or at least give them a work out with the trainers on campus!  Some sort of consolation prize other than a white sleeveless tank top.

After team 12 is carted away, Ali announces a pop challenge:  Don't drop the ball.  They must balance balls on a board and bounce them into baskets.  Boss.  The winner gets a one minute advantage at the challenge and the loser gets sent off campus for a week.  Kaylee and Austin win for the green team and Courtney and Jen lose for the red team.

Jen takes charge of their team, pretty much making all the decisions for Courtney when Ali presents them with a menu for their week away from campus.  The girls must make all decisions from food to training in 15 minutes.  What did the girls choose to spend their $1,000 on?  A basic gym membership, groceries, talking to their family and friends, massages and dinner on the town.  Not included:  Training with Brett.  Jen is super confident that they will succeed on their own because they have been doing it for 13 whole weeks now.  Even a caveman could be a weight loss champ by then.

Brett, of course, disagrees.  "I think that's a bad decision," he says, and tries to give the girls all the pointers he can before they are shipped off.  "We'll make you proud!  Don't worry!" they say, and head off to the beautiful California bungalow where they will be getting pampered all week.

Cut to the other teams sweating, straining, huffing, and puffing, while Jen and Courtney enjoy pedicures and swordfish salads.  Any idea how this is all going to end up?

The rest of the show is sponsored by Hop, the Easter Bunny movie.  There is an Easter Egg hunt, they get to meet James Marsden (fellow Oklahoman!), and they get to watch a screening of Hop AND the green team won tickets to the red carpet of Hop.  So they get to see the movie two times!  What a prize.

Cut to the weigh in:

Ken:  From 263 lbs to 257 lbs- 6 lbs lost
Austin:  From 272 lbs to 265 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Kaylee:  From 174 lbs to 169 lbs- 5 lbs lost TOTAL: 18 lbs lost, 2.54% BW

Olivia:  From 180 lbs to 176 lbs- 4 lbs lost
Irene:  From 173 lbs to 170 lbs- 3 lbs lost
Moses:  From 300 lbs to 293 lbs- 7 lbs lost  TOTAL: 14 lbs lost, 2.14% BW

Jay:  From 282 lbs to 276 lbs- 6 lbs lost
Rulon:  From 330 lbs to 325 lbs- 5 lbs lost
Hannah:  From 172 lbs to 172 lbs- 0 lost  TOTAL: 11 lbs lost, 1.4% BW

Courtney:  From 234 lbs to 232 lbs- 2 lbs lost
Jen:  From 187 lbs to 187 lbs- 0 lost  TOTAL: 2 lbs lost, .48% BW

Jen is immediately eliminated from the show. 

MORAL:  You need a personal trainer.  Everyone does!

Jen now can work out with her brother and go shopping with her girlfriends for regular sized clothes.

Next episode:  What is the deal with Rulon and off campus chips?