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Other Great Reality Shows => Other Reality TV Shows & News => Topic started by: marigold on December 02, 2008, 10:29:23 PM
Title: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on December 02, 2008, 10:29:23 PM
From an earlier NBC Press Release:
The Biggest Loser Couples Season 7 Returns January 6, 2009
NBC ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY 2009 WITH PREMIERES OF NEW SERIES, ORIGINAL MOVIE EVENT, RETURN OF SERIES FAVORITES
Lineup Features Premieres of "Superstars of Dance" on January 4, "Howie Do It" (January 9) and "The Biggest Loser: Couples" (January 6); "Friday Night Lights" Returns for NBC Season Premiere (January 16)
NBC announced today the January 2009 schedule that features the series premieres of "Superstars of Dance" (debuting January 4) and "Howie Do It" (January 9), the returns of "The Biggest Loser: Couples" (January 6) and "Friday Night Lights" (January 16).
On Tuesdays -- from January 6 -- NBC will telecast "The Biggest Loser: Couples" (8-10 p.m. ET)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on December 04, 2008, 10:36:19 PM
I didn't watch this past season, but y'all got me curious and I wandered over to NBC...
Wow! These are some very powerful promos:
Yeah it's pretty sad
Thanks for the vid's peach and hope you watch in January and come back to join us on this thread YIPPIE!!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on December 18, 2008, 11:15:13 AM
NBC ANNOUNCES CONTESTANTS FOR EXCITING NEW COUPLES EDITION OF HIT WEIGHT LOSS SERIES "THE BIGGEST LOSER," PREMIERING TUESDAY, JANUARY 6 (8-10 P.M. ET)
NBC Press Release
New Season Full of "Firsts" For Popular Series
NBC announced today the 11 new teams of two who will be competing in "The Biggest Loser: Couples," premiering Tuesday, January 6 (8-10 p.m. ET). Alison Sweeney (NBC's "Days of our Lives") hosts the popular series, and trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels also star.
It's the biggest season ever on "The Biggest Loser" with 11 couples who begin the show with a combined weight of more than 3.5 tons. Season seven also marks several "firsts," with the series' oldest players yet (63-year-old grandparents), youngest male contestant (18), heaviest female contestant (379 lbs.) and heaviest contestant ever in the history of the show (454 lbs.). Teams of two – including mother/daughter, father/son, sisters, best friends, grandparents, cousins, an engaged couple and former models – will all come together hoping to transform their bodies, their health, and ultimately, their lives.
The new teams competing for the $250,000 grand prize are:
BEST FRIENDS: Carla Triplett (Assistant bank manager), 36, and her best friend Joelle Gwynn (Non-profit founder), 41, Southfield, MI.
Daniel Wright (Student), 19, Willow Spring, NC, and his best friend, David Lee (Student), 23, Fuquay-Varina, NC.
COUSINS: Sione Fa (Owner, landscape company), 28, Maricopa, AZ and his cousin, Filipe Fa (Lube technician), 26, Mesa, AZ.
Blaine Cotter (College counselor), 27, Gilbert, AZ and his cousin Dane Patterson (Real estate appraiser), 27, Mesa, AZ.
ENGAGED COUPLE: Damien Gurganious (Industrial designer), 31, and his fiancée Nicole Brewer (Wardrobe stylist), 37, Brooklyn, NY.
FORMER MODELS: Tara Costa (Model/Finance manager), 23, New York, NY, and her friend Laura Denoux (Model/Sales director), 24, Miami, FL.
FATHER/SON: Ron Morelli (Retired food distributor, currently City Councilman), 54, and his son, Mike Morelli (Student), 18, South Lyon, MI.
GRANDPARENTS: Estella Hayes (Retired nurse), 63 and her husband, Gerald "Jerry" Hayes (Retired engineer), 63, Wheaton, IL.
MOTHER/DAUGHTER: Helen Phillips (Retired retail manager), 47, Sterling Heights, MI and her daughter, Shanon Thomas (Massage therapist), 29, Centerline, MI.
Cathy Skell (Title sales closing agent at real estate firm), 48, Shiocton, WI and her daughter, Kristin Steede (Business owner), 28, Greenville, WI.
SISTERS: Amanda Kramer (Cosmetologist), 30, Boise, ID, and her sister, Aubrey Cheney (Information and education specialist), 28, Gooding, ID.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Kiwi Jay on December 18, 2008, 12:08:36 PM
Lots of Diversity!! Love it
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: sprice0611 on December 19, 2008, 08:09:37 AM
Hi...and thanks for the warm welcome! I do know Cathy and Kristin, it happens to be my mother and my sister. The little I know about this season it should be great! I've talked with my mom and she said everyone on the ranch is so nice and totally deserves to be there....although she couldn't go into too much detail. I can't wait to watch though! :xmas49
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: georgiapeach on December 19, 2008, 08:34:11 AM
:welcome2: to RFF, sprice! :waves:
We are glad you are here, and look forward to your insights!
This looks to be an emotional season, so here's wishing them all much success!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on December 19, 2008, 04:52:27 PM
Hi...and thanks for the warm welcome! I do know Cathy and Kristin, it happens to be my mother and my sister. The little I know about this season it should be great! I've talked with my mom and she said everyone on the ranch is so nice and totally deserves to be there....although she couldn't go into too much detail. I can't wait to watch though! :xmas49
:cmas9 Oh my that's wonderful news!!
We will certainly help cheer them on thanks for sharing that will us
:hearts: GO TEAM PURPLE!! :hearts:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Kiwi Jay on December 19, 2008, 04:57:14 PM
WOW A CLOSE LINK !
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on December 19, 2008, 09:09:30 PM
The Biggest Loser Season 7
Premieres Tuesday, January 06, 2009 8:00 PM-10:00 PM EST on NBC
Episode 1
CONTESTANTS FIND OUT ABOUT SHOCKING NEW TWIST IN MUST-SEE SEASON PREMIERE
It's the biggest season ever on "The Biggest Loser" when trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels train 11 couples who begin the show with a combined weight of more than 3.5 tons. It's also a season of firsts for the show, with the series' oldest players yet (63-year-old grandparents), youngest male contestant (18), heaviest female contestant (379 lbs.) and heaviest contestant ever in the history of the show (454 lbs.). Teams of two - including mother/daughter, father/son, sisters, best friends, grandparents, cousins, an engaged couple and former models - all come together hoping to transform their bodies, their health, and ultimately, their lives. In the season premiere, one contestant has a health scare and all the players are in for a shock when host Alison Sweeney surprises them with this season's big twist at the weigh-in.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on December 23, 2008, 10:46:02 AM
An interesting article:
Bob Harper, Jillian Michaels dish about 'The Biggest Loser: Couples'
To many, Bob Harper is seen as The Biggest Loser's level-headed trainer who rarely loses his cool with his contestants.
However, according to Harper himself, that reputation may change after the second edition of The Biggest Loser: Couples, which premieres Tuesday, January 6 at 8PM ET/PT on NBC.
"Let me tell you, I actually just saw this episode and this one girl tested me to - tested me more than I've ever been tested on the show," Harper told Reality TV World in a recent media conference call. "I mean you're going to see me on this show have a nervous breakdown on this girl. I watch and it was like, 'Is that me? Did I do that? Was I yelling that much?' It was definitely a challenge, man, let me tell you."
"You're going to see me at my wits end this season. You're going to see me just... [Jillian Michaels] always likes to joke about me because I always make this comment about, 'It's not about the push-up, it's about changing your life," Harper added later to reporters. "But sometimes, you know what, it's just a push-up. Just do it and quit thinking about it so much. That's the point - I just kind of got to that point."
Harper was joined on the call by fellow trainer Jillian Michaels and The Biggest Loser: Couples producer Mark Koops, who both also had their own challenges and anecdotes regarding the show's record-setting cast, which includes the show's two oldest players ever, its youngest male contestant ever, its heaviest female contestant ever, and the heaviest contestant in the show's history.
Koops told Reality TV World that the show had gone to such a length to include so many different types of people in the show in an attempt to inspire each of the show audience's different demographics that it was possible to change their lives if they wanted to.
"I think that's what hopefully the show is about: inspiring different communities. Whether that be people who are, like, 'Oh, I'm retired. I can't do it. It's too late,' or, 'I'm too young. I don't need to worry about it now,' or 'My culture says it's okay,'" Koops told Reality TV World. "I think we're looking to try and inspire every aspect of American society that it's not too late to make a change.
Harper said that the inclusion of two teenage contestants -- Mike Morelli, an 18-year-old student from South Lyon, MI who arrived at the ranch weighing 385 pounds, and Daniel Wright, a 19-year-old student from Willow Spring, NC who arrived at 454 pounds -- were also evidence of the increase of teenage obesity in America.
"It just shows you that we are living in an epidemic, and we at [The Biggest Loser] really want to put a light on this situation and try to do our part in helping that community of people," Harper told reporters. "There's a young generation out there that really does need our help and I think that the inspiration that we give to adults we really want to focus on kids in that way, or teenagers in that way, in this season."
Both Harper and Michaels told reporters that the show's diverse cast had also presented a new set of challenges for them as they attempted to get their contestants into a regular workout regimen. While Michaels admitted that she hadn't had much trouble with some of her heavier, but younger contestants, she told reporters that working with her older contestants had been more difficult.
"I think where I have run into some snags are with the contestants who are significantly older, and their body is showing true wear and tear of abuse - you know, 63, 66 years of abuse," Michaels told reporters. "That's really when you're in trouble and that's when you've got oxygen masks on the treadmill and limitations with regard to duration of exercising. It's very, very difficult to train those older contestants."
"You'll see one contestant on Season 7 that is 54-years-old, 430 pounds, and this is a man that had his stomach stapled, had his jaws wired shut, and... he's been living in a war zone and his body really shows it," Harper added.
However, Harper said that despite the challenges that the contestants had faced upon arriving at The Biggest Loser ranch and immediately going from "zero to 100 miles an hour" for their workouts, the results had "inspired" everyone on the show.
"What you really see, and which I love so much about our show, is triumphs of the spirit," Harper told Reality TV World. "These people overcome the obstacle of carrying all this weight. They're going to push themselves to new limits. And I mean, some of the stuff that they weren't even aware that they were able to do - just inspired us all."
Koops added that viewers have to look no further than this fall's The Biggest Loser: Families season to see how contestants could overcome unlikely odds and drop their excess weight.
"I think the results we saw on [The Biggest Loser: Families finale], from people like [Jerry Skeabeck] who is 50-years-old [shows] there is no excuse. You can make a change today if you make the right choices. And I think, Bob and Jillian... are laying out the roadmap for all of America of how to make the right choices on a day-and-day level to really, you know, affect change, and I think the inspiration they provide is something that they should be incredibly proud of."
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on December 23, 2008, 11:14:04 PM
:cmas9 The Biggest Loser Season 7 site finally has the contestant bio's up
Jillian’s Team ( Has 5 Teams )
Black Team Dane and Blaine Cousins
White Team Jerry and Estella Grandparents
Orange Team Daniel and David Best Friends
Green Team Laura and Tara Former Plus Models
Yellow Team Mandy and Aubrey Sisters
Bob’s Team ( Has 6 Teams ) Purple Team Kristin and Cathy Mother and Daughter :hearts:
Blue Team Filipe and Sione Cousins
Grey Team Carla and Joellle Best Friends
Pink Team Helen and Shannon Mother and Daughter
Brown Team Mike and Ron Father and Son
Red Team Nicole and Damien Engaged
Link to the site: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/ (http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on December 29, 2008, 03:26:11 PM
Biggest Loser 7 Contestants New Years Resolutions
Here's a small introduction into half of the teams from the upcoming season of Biggest Loser.
We asked them all what their new years resolutions are and here's what we got...
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on December 29, 2008, 03:30:23 PM
The Biggest Loser Season 7
Episode 2
January 13, 2009
BOB FREAKS OUT WHEN ONE CONTESTANT DOESN'T GIVE IT HER ALL -- This week, the contestants are faced with a temptation that will cause each of them to examine the real reason they've come to the ranch. Then it's off to an outdoor challenge where they'll race by sea kayak and then on foot to the top of a mountain, hoping to win immunity as well as a coveted phone call home. Later, one contestant pushes trainer Bob Harper to the limit, causing him to freak out during last chance workouts before a surprising weigh in leads to a heartbreaking elimination.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on December 30, 2008, 05:37:26 PM
From Variety:
"The Biggest Loser": Chewing the fat
“The Biggest Loser” co-creator/executive producer Mark Koops will answer 20 reader questions here at Season Pass. Get your questions in soon if you want to be included.
Most folks’ New Year’s resolutions will include one or more of the following: Lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier. If you’ve ever watched “Biggest Loser,” you know that adhering to those principles can do wonders for your health and appearance.
We just finished watching the lovely Michelle take the crown last season by losing 110 pounds. The next season, which starts Tuesday, features couples — parents and children, cousins, friends, siblings, marrieds and an engaged couple. It will include the heaviest-ever contestant and the oldest contestant to date.
Your questions for Mark can include anything about past seasons, the upcoming season, casting, challenges, contestants, etc.
Here are the rules: 1) Hit the comment button below and ask your question. We’re aiming to get the questions to Mark by Friday, Jan. 2. 2) You may ask more than one question but we are looking for quality, not quantity. Asking more will not guarantee that you'll get an answer. In the spirit of fairness, we try to give plenty of folks a chance. 3) Read through the other comments to make sure you’re not repeating something that’s already been asked. 4) The person who asks the question Mark likes best will win a prize, to be determined later.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on December 30, 2008, 08:55:33 PM
A preview article from the new TV guide I got in the mail today....
Trainers Bob and Jillian get their biggest challenge, when The Biggest Loser: Couples introduces its heaviest contestants to date, including a 379-pound woman and a 454-pound man. Only 13 of the 22 who arrive at the ranch survive the first week. And one ends up in the hospital. Still, says executive producer Dave Broome, "it's the most inspirational group we've ever had. There's a goodness, a genuineness and a relatability to this cast." There's also a new twist: After 30 days, some of the ousted dieters will have a chance to return to the show "to prove to us, to themselves and to the world that you can do it on your own."
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 02, 2009, 06:34:35 PM
:hearts: Coleen Skeabeck Joins DietsInReview
After competing on Biggest Loser season 6, Coleen Skeabeck joins DietsInReview.com as the newest Biggest Loser correspondent.
You can see her each week in the DietsInReview.com Diet Blog giving episodic recaps of the newest season, Biggest Loser 7.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 04, 2009, 07:27:52 PM
Biggest Loser 7 - Episode 1 - Behind The Scenes
You asked for more and we're giving it to you,
all season long we'll be set up to bring you a behind the scenes look at Season 7 of The Biggest Loser.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 05, 2009, 05:25:44 AM
THE BIGGEST LOSER Season 7
Episode 3
01/20/2009 (08:00PM - 10:00PM)
This week kicks off with a temptation that host Alison Sweeney tells the contestants will allow one player to reunite with their teammate at home and bring their trainer with them. But the reunion doesn't go exactly as planned when fireworks erupt between the two teammates after one player accuses the other of not doing all she can to stay on the ranch. Meanwhile the contestants check in with Dr. Huizenga to see how far they've come – and how many medications they no longer need from the first three weeks of weight loss. Then a wild jump rope-like challenge results in immunity at this week's weigh in for the winner, followed by a surprising elimination that sends another contestant packing.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 05, 2009, 05:31:22 AM
BIGGEST LOSER A WINNING FORMULA FOR JILLIAN
Jillian Michaels is one of the world's most recognizable fitness trainers thanks to her work on the NBC series The Biggest Loser
The name of the reality series, though catchy, might not be fitting however, as the contestants on the program all take a huge
shot at changing their lives Michaels talks about why she continues to be a part of The Biggest Loser.
(the show, The Biggest Loser: Couples premieres Tuesday night with a 2-hour episode)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 05, 2009, 05:56:08 AM
When Estella and Jerry Hayes, both 63, retired from their respective careers as nurse and engineer in 2000 and moved back to Wheaton from California to be close to their children and grandchildren, they didn't envision spending their golden years severely overweight and out of breath.
Yet Jerry has had myriad health problems related to his weight of 369 pounds and Estella, who weighs 242, has found herself short of breath just climbing the stairs
Like many who struggle with the scale, both tried diet and exercise with little impact. Jerry even took the drastic step of hiring a dietitian earlier this year, but after two months, had little to show for it.
"I didn't lose one pound," he says.
They both realized they needed to do something drastic. So, when Jerry suggested they audition for "The Biggest Loser" even though the show has never had any contestants in their 60s, she agreed.
"Jerry doesn't ask for very many things, so when he asked me to do this I told him 'Sure, I'm with you,' " she says.
In addition to featuring the oldest couple to ever compete, the reality show's seventh season, which premieres Tuesday at 7 p.m. on WMAQ-Channel 5, features a number of firsts including the heaviest female contestant (379 pounds), the heaviest male contestant (454 pounds), and the youngest male contestant (age 18 and tipping the scales at 388).
"I look at [the Hayeses] and I'm just thinking, 'Oh, man. Do they even know what they've gotten themselves into?' " says Bob Harper, one of the show's two personal trainers, in the premiere episode.
He gets no argument from Estella.
"It's a different experience to watch the show and be on it," she says. "I didn't realize going in how little muscles I had. I had not done that much, sitting there taking care of my grandkids. I really have to work at building muscle."
The time they've spent on the show thus far has been revealing.
"My mind limits me more than my body does," Jerry says. "I didn't realize how strong or capable I was. The trainers will take you where your body can go."
While many children of parents the Hayeses' age might be concerned with their parents competing on such a physically strenuous show, not so with the Hayeses' three daughters.
"Our youngest daughter is the one who told us [about the auditions]," Jerry says.
Estella hopes to lose 70 pounds, and Jerry, 160.
Jillian Michaels, the show's other trainer, says the couple may end up being the most inspirational of all the contestants this season.
"If they can do it, anyone can do it," she says.
Home viewers aren't the only ones the couple will inspire. Estella was shocked at the support they've received from fellow contestants in the competition.
"We didn't sign up to be inspirational, but we got that feedback from other contestants," she says. "Most of them would like their parents and grandparents to get off the couch and be active."
Link to the article: http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/television/1361628,CST-FTR-loser05.article (http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/television/1361628,CST-FTR-loser05.article)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 05, 2009, 12:53:55 PM
NEW SEASON OF NBC'S HIT WEIGHT LOSS SERIES – "THE BIGGEST LOSER: COUPLES" – PREMIERES JANUARY 6 WITH OLDEST, YOUNGEST AND HEAVIEST CONTESTANTS EVER, PLUS A SHOCKING NEW TWIST!
NBC Press Release
And "The Biggest Loser" Partners With General Mills and Feeding America On "Pound For Pound Challenge" Encouraging Viewers To Lose Weight While Helping To Feed Those Less Fortunate In Their Communities!
NBC's hit weight loss series returns with its biggest season yet when "The Biggest Loser: Couples" premieres Tuesday, January 6 (8-10 p.m. ET). Alison Sweeney ("Days of our Lives") hosts and trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels return to train 11 couples who begin the show with a combined weight of more than 3.5 tons.
The premiere kicks off with the contestants arriving at the ranch in teams of two, including mother/daughter, father/son, sisters, best friends, grandparents, cousins, an engaged couple and former models. Included among them are the series' oldest players yet (63-year-old grandparents), youngest male contestant (18), heaviest female contestant (379 lbs.) and heaviest contestant ever in the history of the show (454 lbs.).
First, they head to the gym to try working out on their own – unaware that Bob and Jillian are watching them via hidden camera, ready to surprise them and start picking their teams. After teams are chosen and they get settled in, the couples are off to compete in their first challenge for a prize that will prove to be very valuable. Also in the premiere episode, one contestant has an eye-opening health scare, and all the players are in for a shock when Alison Sweeney surprises them at the weigh-in with this season's big twist, sure to have dramatic consequences for almost everyone.
In conjunction with the new season premiere, "The Biggest Loser" is partnering with General Mills and Feeding America to launch the Pound For Pound challenge, an initiative that encourages Americans to lose weight and feed the hungry. For every pound viewers pledge to lose this new year, a pound of groceries will be delivered to a local food bank. The Pound for Pound Challenge gives Americans the opportunity to fight the hunger crisis and help families in their own communities by simply pledging to lose weight and getting healthy. People can visit www.PFPChallenge.com or www.biggestloser.com and enter their weight loss goals to join in. The challenge will be integrated into the show and viewers will get updates throughout the seventh season.
Americans can also donate directly at www.PFPChallenge.com and look for Pound For Pound lids and seals on specially-marked General Mills products. For each lid or seal mailed in, General Mills will donate 10 cents, enough to provide a pound of groceries, to Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief charity.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on January 05, 2009, 04:20:18 PM
I find this very interesting Only 13 of the 22 who arrive at the ranch survive the first week That means one team goes down to 1 as this is an odd number. I also wonder, do they quit? is that why we have so many not making it after the first week?
And welcome to the board. I hope your mom and sister do well on the show and that it has made a big difference to them and you. I hope you stick around during the season with us.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: gillward on January 05, 2009, 06:25:47 PM
I guarantee no one quits on Season 7. I think it's some weird challenge or one of the never-ending wrinkles they have on the program. The two guys Polynesian guys look like the life of the show this year.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 06, 2009, 10:40:45 AM
From tvguide:
The Biggest Loser: Couples Trainer Weighs in on New Season
The Biggest Loser: Couples is back for Round 2, and this time it's bigger than ever. The seventh season, premiering Tuesday at 8pm EST, features the largest contestant to date, as well as both the youngest and oldest competitors ever to compete. With 18-year-old Mikey at 385 pounds and Dan, who is 454 pounds at 19, trainer Bob Harper said the show will direct some attention at the youth weight problem in this country. "There's a young generation out there that really does need our help and we want to focus on teenagers in that way, in this season," he said.
While competing for a cash prize of $250,000 is a motivator, the 11 teams comprised of pairs with some relation to each other, are really fighting for their lives back. Executive Producer Mark Koops said that "Jerry and Estelle, the oldest couple we've had, [are] just incredible. Grandparents who are looking to get healthy for their grandkids as they've now retired." Both are 63.
And there may already be a fan favorite in the making. "We have a pair of Tongan cousins who everybody's going to fall in love with. In their community to be overweight is almost a badge of pride and they're trying to break a whole cultural myth that being overweight is good," Koops said.
Of course you can expect a little bit of drama, even between the contestants and the trainers. As Harper said, "One girl tested me more than I've ever been tested on the show. You're going to see me have a nervous breakdown on this girl. I watch [the episode] and it was like, 'Is that me? Did I do that? Was I yelling that much?' It was definitely a challenge let me tell you."
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 06, 2009, 01:45:23 PM
The Biggest Loser profile videos are up: :popcorn:
Filipe and Sione: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/filipe-and-sione/904081/
Jerry and Estella: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/jerry-and-estella/904088/
Helen and Shaonnon: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/helen-and-shannon/904101/
Daniel and David: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/daniel-and-david/904102/
Dane and Blaine: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/dane-and-blaine/904105/
Carla and Joelle: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/carla-and-joelle/904123/
Mandi and Aubrey: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/mandi-and-aubrey/904141/
Kristin and Cathy: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/kristin-and-cathy/904142/
Laura and Tara: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/laura-and-tara/904143/
Mike and Ron: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/mike-and-ron/904163/
Nicole and Damien: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/nicole-and-damien/904181/
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: georgiapeach on January 06, 2009, 07:29:41 PM
Who's watching? :jumpy:
I'm behind as usual (thank goodness for TiVO!!) but looking good so far...
Jerry (?) just hit the floor.... they really shouldn't try to kill them off in the first ep! :ascared
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: georgiapeach on January 06, 2009, 08:16:41 PM
OH NO!!! The twist SUCKS! :'(
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 06, 2009, 08:34:04 PM
i think there might be a catch peach
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: georgiapeach on January 06, 2009, 08:50:33 PM
What, are you psychic?? :lol3:
Yep, there is a catch!!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Mandoli on January 06, 2009, 08:51:08 PM
That's a good catch. *nods*
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 06, 2009, 09:02:47 PM
I really hope the 18 and 19 year olds do well, since they're the same age as me.
and peach, yes I am :) :lol:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 06, 2009, 10:35:34 PM
:jumpy: Yay georgiapeach you watched
How sad and scary was it to see Jerry pass out like that :'(
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 06, 2009, 11:25:24 PM
one of the black girls reminded me of oprah lol
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 07, 2009, 12:03:33 AM
Alison Sweeny's Blog:
"A Bridge Too Far"
Was I right or was I right? Seriously – this season is just incredible. Filled with amazing people, incredible stories and true courage. We started shooting in September. Right after my birthday, I shot the visit to the hotel where I told them they were going to be part of the next season. And truly, it was such an emotional day. Meeting Joelle and Carla in person!! They are truly bigger than life personalities. Right from the moment I saw Tara and Laura sitting there waiting to hear the news, I knew Tara was tough. She means business. Nicole couldn’t stop hugging me. Her is so forthright about her love for Damien, and their relationship is so wonderful to see in person. I loved them right from the start. Sione and Filipe did this amazing Tongan dance for us in that tiny hotel room, it totally got everyone ready for their battle – Biggest Loser style!
Jerry’s faint brought reality home to everyone. Contestants, trainers, crew alike. It was a harsh reminder of the seriousness of what they are facing. Especially for the younger contestants. Mike and Dan, still in their teens, have never been thin, and I think for Dan it brought to light exactly what he was heading towards. Estella is truly a remarkable woman. So strong and determined.
The challenge on the bridge was one of the best I’ve ever seen on the show. It was literally a photo finish. Watching Aubrey break into a full out sprint to try and beat Dane had everyone holding their breath. BL can no longer be called unfairly judged towards men. From day 1 you can see the women are going for it, hard core. As are the men. And given the last two winners are female, it is clearly anyone’s game! Who are your favorites to win?
9 teams faced an incredibly difficult decision. And I wasn’t the only one completely caught off guard by some of the decisions. As scary and emotional as it was, they all embraced it as an opportunity to prove to America – to you all watching at home – what they’re capable of. Like I said, they are truly an inspiring group of people. I am so looking forward to you getting to know them.
Just for clarification, I should explain that we began shooting this season in mid-September. Obviously, I was much less pregnant in these first episodes than I was at the finale! So, you’ll see me growing over the next few months. I am actually due in about a week! Ack!!! With production schedules and then the holiday rush, I seriously haven’t even bought diapers yet. My Dr had a firm conversation with me about how second children very frequently come quicker and earlier than first, so I shouldn’t judge by Ben (who was born on his due date! Very prompt child!) and I should have my stuff ready to go to the hospital any day. But even with 9 months to think about it, (she’s kicking me right now as if to say ‘yup! I’m coming, mom!’) it isn’t really real to me yet. Ben seems way better prepared for his baby sister than Dave and I are. Lol. Is that normal??!!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 07, 2009, 12:24:40 AM
An interesting article:
The Biggest Loser's Bob and Jillian: "Give the money to charity!"
It's been a mere three weeks since the last Biggest Loser was crowned, but the show isn't taking a breather. Season 7 debuts tonight on NBC, and when we say it's bigger than ever, we mean it. This season has the biggest contestants the show has ever seen, including teenagers, and it brings back the "Couples" theme, which introduces us to sets of best friends, cousins, and engaged couples.
So what makes this season different from all the rest? Jillian Michaels, Bob Harper, and executive producer Mark Koops spoke to Fancast recently, and didn't hold back their thoughts on America's weight problems. Read on to find out what they think is the biggest weight loss obstacle, why Bob almost had a nervous breakdown, and why money is ruining the game.
Last season focused on families, but now we're back to couples. Was there a different dynamic?
Bob Harper: I think it’s really interesting when we really delve into couples because when you’re working with parents and their children, you really see the guilt that the parents have when it comes to what they’ve done to their child. And I think that it becomes very inspirational because we try to show them that no matter how bad it’s gotten, no matter where their path is, we show them a way that we can get them back on track. And we can kind of get that guilt off the parent. It’s fascinating to me.
Mark Koops: In this upcoming season, there was definitely one set of friends that Bob had a particularly hard time breaking through. And I think it makes for some of the most interesting and compelling challenges he's had.
Bob: Let me tell you, this one girl tested me more than I’ve ever been tested on the show. You’re going to see me on this show have a nervous breakdown on this girl. I watch and it was like, “Is that me? Did I do that? Was I yelling that much?” It was definitely a challenge.
This season has the oldest players ever, the youngest male contestant, the heaviest female contestant, and the heaviest contestant ever. What are some of the obstacles that the contestants will face because of their unique challenges?
Bob: When people come to The Biggest Loser, they go through from zero to 100 miles an hour in your first day. So it’s got to be a real big challenge for these morbidly obese men and women to actually be able to keep up. But what you really see, and which I love so much about our show, is triumphs of the spirit. These people overcome the obstacle of carrying all this weight. They’re going to push themselves to new limits.
Jillian Michaels: Where I have run into some snags are with the contestants who are significantly older and their body is showing true wear and tear of abuse. That’s really when you’re in trouble and that’s when you’ve got oxygen masks on the treadmill and limitations with regard to duration of exercising. It tends to be very, very difficult to train those older contestants.
Bob: Totally. I have one contestant that is 54years old, 430 pounds, and this is a man that had his stomach stapled, had his jaws wired shut, and he’s been living in a war zone and his body really shows it.
What do you think about the problem with overweight kids in America?
Bob: On Season 7 we have two teenagers. Mikey is 18-years-old and he’s 385 pounds. And then we have Dan who is 19-years-old and 454 pounds. And it just shows you that we are living in an epidemic and we at Biggest Loser really want to put a light on this situation and try to do our part in helping that community of people. There’s a young generation out there that really does need our help. We really want to focus on kids in that way, or teenagers in that way, in this season.
What is it like to see some of your contestants, these people you build relationships with, come under really harsh criticism in the media and on the internet like Vicky did this year?
Bob: Well, I go back to responsibility. When it comes to Vicky, she was a competitor and she was a game player. That infamous phrase that I said that she was Shakespearean… I stand behind everything that I said. But with that said, she still worked her butt off every single day and I really believe that she did get something out of it. I think that Vicky was a tough broad. That’s like a simple way to put it.
Mark: One thing I’ll say about Vicky is she backed up the talk with action. It’s one of the best physical transformations we’ve seen of a woman. She sort of felt she was playing the game to stay there as long as she could, to learn as much as she could, and she had a hard exterior.
Why do you think some people turn nasty? Because of the money?
Jillian: Bob had a great idea the other night. He was like, “You know what, I would love to see them take the cash prize and donate it to charity of the winner’s choice.”
Bob: I love that idea. Because of course, you have to remember we are shooting the show. We’re living in this bubble. They start to think about really wanting to win that money. And it’s up to us to really keep them grounded and realize that life goes on after that. Great, you’re going to win the money but what next? What’s going to be the next part of your life? Don’t let it all be about money.
Jillian: Why is your health not enough? I have people that would pay a gazillion dollars to be able to work with us or to be on that campus for one day. They get all of this for free and, “Oh, so sorry, you didn’t win a quarter of a million dollars too.” Shut up. It is infuriating to me.
Mark: But I think most of the contestants do come to compete to get their health back as their first priority. The money can be a motivating factor, but I think most of them do come there first and foremost to make a change. Because the odds of winning aren’t that great. It’s a game with many twists and turns and The Biggest Loser, as pointed out, is not necessarily the person who wins at the end of the day.
Link to the article: http://thebiz.fancast.com/2009/01/the_biggest_losers_bob_and_jil.html (http://thebiz.fancast.com/2009/01/the_biggest_losers_bob_and_jil.html)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Kiwi Jay on January 07, 2009, 12:36:10 AM
I knew there would be a twist. I still dont like it though!! (:;)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 07, 2009, 01:15:40 AM
so, 30 days = 4 weeks right? So the people should come back end of episode 5.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 07, 2009, 01:43:05 AM
OH, and i read a rumor a couple of days ago that Kim is back this season...so maybe she trains the 9 evicted players?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 07, 2009, 02:58:47 AM
First Episode Results
Won Immunity
Black Team, Blaine/Dane
Alison announces that 9 are going home, besides the black team, only one other team will be safe, whoever has the highest percentage weight loss and the remaining nine teams has to decide which team member will go home
First Week Weigh-In Results (in order of being weighed)
STARTING WGT CURRENT WEIGHT LBS LOST TEAM %
Black Team Blaine 365 351 14 Dane 412 392 20 was not indicated
Pink Team Helen 257 245 12 Shannon 283 270 13 4.63%
Green Team Laura 285 272 13 Tara 294 273 21 5.87%
Brown Team Mike 388 366 22 Ron 430 398 32 6.66%
Black and Brown teams are safe
Now the teammates' decisions were:
Silver, Carla went home Orange, Dave went home Red, Nicole went home White, Estella went home Blue, Sione went home Yellow, Aubrey went home Purple, Cathy went home Pink, Shannon went home Green, Laura went home
They have a chance of coming back if their surviving teammate is still at the ranch in 30 days.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: pledge on January 07, 2009, 09:19:45 AM
OH, and i read a rumor a couple of days ago that Kim is back this season...so maybe she trains the 9 evicted players?
I really hope that the 9 players that were sent home really did not go home but are somewhere being trained. If not, I don't like the twist.......get the players all excited and give them a little "taste" and then send them home doesn't seem right. (:;)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: georgiapeach on January 07, 2009, 10:54:25 AM
Well, I think we can assume the home teams will have a lot of support to continue on their own. Seems like BL is promoting this as a way to show that it can be done at home? Maybe ties in with the "lose a pound, and a pound of food is donated".
But I think in some of the teams, the wrong person went home. I would have thought that the team member with the very best chance of losing the most weight on a week to week basis should have stayed. That way the team has the best chance of bringing back the other member. Of course, you need to factor in likeable as well so you aren't voted out.
I would have thought it made more sense for Carla to stay, and maybe the Mom ?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 07, 2009, 11:54:33 AM
yeah peach I agree, I figured that the bigger black woman would stay because the one that stayed didn't seem as motivated to work out, and isn't she the one that Bob is screaming at in the previews?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 07, 2009, 12:04:49 PM
Edited....updated
I have to agree that some of the wrong team members went home. It will be interesting to see who remains at the ranch after 30 days and then see who comes back. The way I calculate, five of them will come back. When it gets down to 9, then 5 will come back and it'll be 14 people and then it'll be teams again.
Do you realize now that it's down to 13, 8 of them are guys and only 5 girls
GUYS GIRLS Blaine Joelle Dane Mandi Daniel Kristin Damien Helen Jerry Tara Filipe Mike Ron
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 07, 2009, 12:24:05 PM
An interesting article:
Boisean, sister vie for $250,000 on 'The Biggest Loser'
Former Meridian High athlete Mandi Kramer never thought she'd be battling obesity - especially on national television
A decade ago, Mandi Kramer was a three-sport varsity athlete at Meridian High School. She was lean, strong and active.
"I ate everything and anything I wanted to," said the 31-year-old Boise cosmetologist, who teamed up with sister Aubrey Cheney, 29, who also gained weight, to try to win $250,000 on the TV show "The Biggest Loser."
The contestants, 11 teams of two, compete at losing weight. The team that loses the largest percentage of its total starting body weight will take home the money.
During Tuesday's season premiere, Kramer and Cheney weighed in 25 pounds lighter, or 4.88 percent, than their total original weight after the first week of training. A format change meant Cheney was sent home to Gooding, while Kramer will continue training and work to reunite the team.
Contestants are not allowed to talk about the details of what happens on the show. But they can talk about how they got there.
The 5-foot-9 Kramer said Tuesday that she found herself battling obesity within a few years of her 1997 graduation from Meridian High, going from 145 pounds to 285 .
"I stopped playing sports and kept eating the same," said Kramer.
The birth of her first son in 2000 gave her a wake-up call. She worked out, joined weight loss and exercise programs and watched her weight fluctuate.
Then her sister suggested they battle their weight on "Biggest Loser." Kramer had some fears but didn't panic until they made the final cut in September.
"I did not want to stand up on that scale in my sports bra and shorts," she said of the weekly weigh-ins contestants endure each week.
"It's definitely been a life-changing, positive experience," she said, noting that she hopes her dad, who suffers from obesity, can benefit from what she's learned.
Link to the article: http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/624542.html (http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/624542.html)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 07, 2009, 12:33:49 PM
OMG....Shannon was arrested for domestic violence
macombdaily.com
One of two women from Macomb County competing on the weight-loss television show "The Biggest Loser" was charged Tuesday with domestic violence, accused of throwing flour in the face of her tenant. Shanon Thomas, 30, of Center Line MI, appeared surprised by the accusation during her arraignment. "I'm really a good upstanding person. I can't believe this is even happening to me," Thomas told 37th District Visiting Judge Sherman Faunce. According to court records, a man who resided in the basement of Thomas' ranch-style house on Helen Avenue told police Dec. 16 that Thomas yelled at him to lower the volume of his television, broke some Christmas tree bulbs, grabbed an open bag of flour and threw some of it in his face, including his eyes. The tenant, Michael Nolden, said Thomas asked him what he planned to do before she left about a minute later. Nolden, 32, then contacted police. When police went to the house, they noticed flour on the floor and couch, but that someone had attempted to clean the mess, records show. Center Line Public Safety officers ar rested Thomas on Tuesday after Nolden cleared out the rest of his belongings in the house. "He threw a pan in my direction," she told Judge Faunce about the alleged incident. "He told me to get a pizza" because she was on the show. The judge informed Thomas that her side of the story wasn't part of the arraignment proceeding, and entered a plea of "not guilty" on her behalf. When Faunce asked her about previous arrests, he wasn't convinced she was truthful. "You're just telling me what you want me to hear," he said in setting bond at $2,000 cash or surety and ordering Thomas to have no contract with Nolden. According to court records, Thomas was arrested in Royal Oak in 2004 on suspicion of drunken driving. She later pleaded guilty to operating while intoxicated and sentenced to 12 months probation and fined $1,345. In 1996, she was charged with forgery in Troy but punishment was deferred after being sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, court records show. Thomas could face up to 93 days in jail if she is convicted of domestic violence. A trial date was not immediately set. Thomas and her mother, Helen Phillips of Sterling Heights, are one of 11 "couples" teams on the NBC weight-loss show. The seventh season premiered Tuesday night. Thomas, who works as a massage therapist, is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, and weighed approximately 280 pounds when filming for the current season of "Biggest Loser" started in September. Court records show she currently weighs 185 pounds. It was not immediately known why she was currently not in California as taping continued, but she implied in court that she was expected to return. An e-mail sent by The Macomb Daily seeking comment from the network about Thomas was unsuccessful. On the show's Web site, the Center Line woman is described as "a very outgoing, animated and friendly person" and that her "caring actions come through every day in her job as a massage therapist, but she feels she could make an even bigger impact on her clients once her weight is under control. She has been heavy her entire life and is ready to get on the right course," the Web site states. The network's bio of Thomas also states she and Phillips are a "down-to-earth mother and daughter team who could pass as sisters." "They are extremely competitive and love to laugh. Shannon(sic) and Helen are both gorgeous women who have a zest for life. They leave everyone they meet with a smile on their face." Phillips, 48, of Sterling Heights, remains in California for taping. Her husband, Russell Phillips, recently told The Macomb Daily that his wife is making good diet choices and exercising up to 14 hours a day. He refused to specify how many pounds she has dropped — she entered the competition at 257 pounds — but claimed she has lost at least 10 pants sizes. On the show, the contestant who loses the greatest percentage of body weight is crowned The Biggest Loser and wins a grand prize of $250,000. Thomas posted bail and was released from Macomb County Jail prior to Tuesday evening. Dinner at the county jail Tuesday was a meat patty with gravy, mashed potatoes, gelatin and milk. "A lot of times if people know they are going to bond out, they will refuse the meal," Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 07, 2009, 12:40:28 PM
Follow up on Shannon
according to another post, her weight at the time of arrest was 185. Her starting weight at the ranch was 280. Lost 95lbs apparently?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 07, 2009, 12:54:27 PM
according to another post, her weight at the time of arrest was 185. Her starting weight at the ranch was 280. Lost 95lbs apparently?
and she still has 3 months to lose more before the finale
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 07, 2009, 12:55:05 PM
TBL Ratings:
Primetime Ratings: 'Biggest Loser' Tops Tuesday Night NBC says it was the reality shoe's best debut performance yet
NBC's premiere of Biggest Loser Couples was the night's top-rated show, according to Nielsen overnight ratings in the 18-49 demo.
The 8-10 p.m. show built strongly over its two hours, from a 3.7 rating/10 share in its first half hour to a 5/12 in its last, winning each of those half hours and powering NBC to a 4.3/11 on the night.
NBC said it was the best debut performance yet fot the show.
Biggest Loser topped the premieres of ABC's Homeland Security USA and the debut of Scrubs on the network (it moved there from NBC).
CBS was second on the night in the 18-49 demo with a 3.4/9, led by a solid showing from The Mentalist (3.9/10) at 9-10.
ABC was third with a 2.7/7 average. The premiere of reality show Homeland Security USA tied a repeat of Fox's House for third in the 8-9 time period with a 2.2/6, behind both Biggest Loser and NCIS on CBS. But given that the overnight ratings don't record (pun intended) time-shifted viewing from an audience with a 29% DVR penetration, that tie will likely be broken when such viewing is added in.
Back-to-back episodes of Scrubs at 9-10 did better, averaging a 3.1/7, 3.2/8, respectively, but still only good enough for third place in their respective time periods.
Fox was fourth with an all-repeat lineup of House and Fringe. The CW was fifth, with a 1.1/3 for 90210 (1.4/4) and Privileged (.8/2).
according to another post, her weight at the time of arrest was 185. Her starting weight at the ranch was 280. Lost 95lbs apparently?
and she still has 3 months to lose more before the finale
Yeah, she does....I bet she'll be a skinny thing at the finale!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 07, 2009, 01:45:27 PM
THE PREMIERE OF 'THE BIGGEST LOSER 7' IS THE #1 SHOW TUESDAY IN 18-49, PACING NBC TO A NIGHTLY WIN IN PRIMETIME'S KEY DEMO
NBC Press Release
'THE BIGGEST LOSER 7' ATTRACTS THE HEFTIEST VIEWERSHIP EVER FOR A DEBUT EPISODE OF THE SERIES
NBC WINS EVERY HALF-HOUR OF PRIMETIME IN ADULTS 18-49, AS 'LAW & ORDER: SVU' LOCKS UP A NEW SEASON HIGH IN THE KEY DEMOGRAPHIC
Last night, the premiere of "The Biggest Loser 7" won its highly competitive two-hour time period in adults 18-49 and other key measures and attracted the biggest overall viewership ever for a debut episode of the series, according to "fast affiliate-based" "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research. Pending updates, NBC won the night and all six half-hours of primetime in the key demographic of adults 18-49.
Last night from 8-10 p.m. ET, the debut of "The Biggest Loser 7" (4.4 rating, 11 share in adults 18-49, 11.8 million viewers overall) won its time period in adults, men and women 18-49 and adults, men and women 18-34, against tough competition that included first-run episodes of CBS's "NCIS" and "The Mentalist," the ABC debuts of "Homeland Security USA" and "Scrubs" and Fox's encore telecasts of "House" and "Fringe."
"The Biggest Loser" was the top-rated show of the night on any network last night in adults 18-49.
This performance matches the top rating ever for a "Loser" debut in adults 18-49 and represents a new high for a "Loser" premiere in total viewers. In fact, excluding finales, this is the biggest "Biggest Loser" ever in total viewers and is the top-rated "Loser" non-finale telecast in adults 18-49 since the penultimate episode of the first "Biggest Loser" cycle on January 4, 2005.
Versus the series' most recent debut ("The Biggest Loser 6" on September 16, 2008), last night's telecast was up 38 percent in 18-49 rating (4.4/11 vs. 3.2/9) and 49 percent in total viewers (11.8 million vs. 7.9 million). Last night's telecast matched the year-ago debut of "The Biggest Loser 5" in adults 18-49 (a 4.4/10 on January 1, 2008) and was up 13 percent in total viewers versus that year-ago debut (11.8 million vs. 10.5 million).
From its first half-hour to its fourth, "Biggest Loser" increased by 35 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 5.0/12 from a 3.7/10) and its overall viewership increased by 24 percent or 2.5 million persons (to 12.8 million from 10.3 million).
At 10 p.m. ET, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.9/10 in 18-49, 10.6 million viewers overall) locked up a new season high in adults 18-49 and attracted its second-highest overall viewership of the season to date. "SVU" won its hour in adults 18-49 and all other key demographics opposite a first-run "Without a Trace" on CBS and the debut of "Primetime: What Would You Do" on ABC.
Preliminary 18-49 averages for Tuesday night are: NBC, 4.3/11; CBS, 3.4/9; ABC, 2.7/7; Fox, 1.8/5; CW, 1.1/3. In overall total viewers, January 6 preliminary results are: CBS, 17.3 million; NBC, 11.4 million; ABC, 7.2 million; Fox, 4.6 million; CW, 2.3 million
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 07, 2009, 06:29:40 PM
An interesting article:
‘Loser’ is back with its biggest cast yet
Like the infamous Beck song goes, I’m a loser baby, so why don’t cha kill me?
While I’m not referring to the latest season of The Biggest Loser: Couples in the same nihilistic way as the folk-rock musician, trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels may disagree.
With Jan. 1 over and done with, is your resolution to lose weight still intact? The last season of Loser may have just wrapped up mere weeks ago but NBC has already been pumping out promos for its latest Couples edition, which features a lot of firsts in the show’s history: the youngest player, the heaviest woman, the heaviest contestant ever, the team with the most weight, and the oldest couple are all competing.
How did executive producer Mark Koops pick the record-setting cast? And how is it working for Michaels and Harper? Read on and find out.
Bob, the previews where the guys needed the EMT and they had to be taken in the ambulance to the hospital and so forth — you always think that that would happen a lot in the gym. I was wondering — has that happened very much to you? Have you seen that often in the gym, where people have collapsed and had to be taken away? Bob Harper: No, really I haven’t. America tends to really get the most physically fit overweight people that are out there. But I think that when it comes to someone getting sick or passing out in the gym, we’re going to take every precautionary detail that we need to. And we took Jerry to the hospital although he was totally fine. He was just a little exhausted.
Do you keep a doctor there, a paramedic, or who do you keep at the gym, just in case? BH: We have a paramedic and medics there on site whenever we are training them. So we keep all of our bases covered when it comes to the health and welfare of the contestants.
What’s your own observation as far as the problem we have with overweight kids? Do you see Daniel as being an important illustration of that? BH: I really do believe that it is the state of affairs of America right now because in Season 7, we have two teenagers. We have our youngest competitor, Mikey, who is 18 years old and he’s 385 pounds. And then we have Dan, who is 19 years old and 454 pounds.
It just shows you that we are living in an epidemic and we at Biggest Loser really want to put a light on this situation and try to do our part in helping that community of people. There’s a young generation out there that really does need our help and I think that the inspiration that we give to adults – we really want to focus on kids in that way, or teenagers in that way, in this season.
How is training somebody who is 454 pounds different? Jillian Michaels: It’s interesting. I think that because he is a very young contestant, I’ve been able to get away with a lot more. I haven’t really modified very much. I push him in the same way. I think where I have run into some snags are with the contestants who are significantly older and their body is showing true wear and tear – you know, 63, 66 years of abuse.
That’s really when you’re in trouble and that’s when you’ve got oxygen masks on the treadmill and limitations with regard to duration of exercising. It’s very, very difficult to train those older contestants, in my opinion.
BH: Totally. You’ll see one contestant on Season 7 who is 54 years old, 430 pounds, and this is a man who had his stomach stapled, had his jaws wired shut — he’s been living in a war zone and his body really shows it.
Talk about some of the differences between working with couples and families. Was there anything that couples brought to the table that families didn’t? Mark Koops: I think the couples explore all different sorts of dynamics. Obviously we have family relationships but also friendships. I think it places different sets of challenges on every relationship. And I think it opens up a wider subject to explore.
But the whole game becomes about creating relationships there and the relationships they create with Bob and Jillian. I think that becomes the key relationship in the game once they actually get to the show, the relationship they create with the trainers who are there every day working their butts off to make a change.
BH: I think it’s really interesting when we delve into couples because when you’re working with parents and their children, you really see the guilt that the parents have when it comes to what they’ve done to their child. And I think that it becomes very inspirational too because we try to show them that no matter how bad it’s gotten, no matter where their path is, we show them a way that we can get them back on track. And we can kind of get that guilt off the parent. So working with couples, and especially parents and their kids, is fascinating to me.
MK: In this upcoming Season 7, there was definitely one set of friends that Bob had a particularly hard time breaking through. And I think it makes for some of the most interesting and compelling work that he’s faced; certainly one of the biggest challenges you’ve had was with one of your best-friend teams this year.
BH: Let me tell you, I actually just saw this episode and this one girl tested me more than I’ve ever been tested on the show. I mean, you’re going to see me on this show have a nervous breakdown on this girl. I watch and it was like, ‘Is that me? Did I do that? Was I yelling that much?’ It was definitely a challenge, man, let me tell you.
This season it’s been mentioned it has the oldest players ever, the youngest male contestant, the heaviest female contestant, and the heaviest contestant ever. Bob, could you tell us about some of the obstacles that the contestants will face because of their unique challenges? BH: Well, when you come to The Biggest Loser, you’ve got to remember, you go from zero to 100 miles an hour in your first day. So it’s got to be a real big challenge for these morbidly obese men and women to actually be able to keep up. But what you really see, and what I love so much about our show, are triumphs of the spirit. These people overcome the obstacle of carrying all this weight. They’re going to push themselves to new limits. And I mean, some of the stuff that they weren’t even aware that they were able to do just inspired us all.
Mark, why did the show decide to have so many record-breaking contestants in one single season? MK: We look at the feedback and everyone is looking for people they relate with. It’s sad to say that I think weight and obesity is becoming, despite our best efforts, an ever-increasing issue, and it wasn’t a conscious decision going in. But the stories and the characters we found, whether it be Jerry and Estelle, the oldest couple we’ve had, just incredible grandparents who are looking to get healthy for their grandkids as they’ve now retired.
And the 19-year-old who’s 450 pounds when he starts. It’s almost unbelievable that somebody could be that weight at that age. He realizes now he’s beginning his adult life and he has no future unless he makes the commitment now, and that was just an overwhelming story.
We have a pair of Tongan cousins whom I think everybody’s going to fall in love with who, in their community, to be overweight is almost a badge of pride. And they’re trying to break a whole cultural myth that being overweight is good.
So now that January’s here. For people at home, can you give five tips on how people can actually start to lose weight on their own? BH: I think the first thing I try to tell them is, ‘Don’t try to change everything all at once.’ That’s my first and most important tip. People get so wrapped up in thinking, ‘OK, it’s Jan. 1, here we come to that infamous day that everyone is going to eat chicken and broccoli and go to the gym every single day and go to bed at 10.’
And by the middle of January, all those people who got gym memberships aren’t going to go. Everyone needs to just, like, chill out and start off small. Realize that if you’re going to make a lifestyle change, this is going to be forever.
JM: I think another thing is that people don’t have the right information. So it’s very difficult to make a food choice or figure out what type of exercise that you should be doing when you don’t know. You don’t have the answers.
So my best piece of information is, ‘Educate yourself.’ Read a book, for goodness sake. Buy a calorie counter. Buy one session with a trainer. Join an online community and then when you have the knowledge, that is 50 per cent of the battle. Then you just need to be inspired to utilize that knowledge. But with the right knowledge you can make the right choices and control the outcome of your life for the most part.
Is there something that you can do mentally, like when you know you want to binge, is there some trick, like drinking water or taking a walk …? BH: Gosh. All those work. There’s one thing that I tell people, too. Chewing a piece of sugar-free gum. It may sound silly, but it works. You’ve got to get yourself out of your old routine.
People come home from work and they’re tired, they’re exhausted. They want to sit in front of the television and medicate themselves with food. And the next thing they know they’ve gone through a bag of chips. So you’ve got to change your routine because what you’re doing is not working.
In terms of long-term success, what are the key things that people have to do to maintain their healthy weight? JM: One of the things that we work a lot on with the contestants is looking at their baggage, their issues, what brought them to the show. And when they begin to explore those inner demons, then they’re going to be better equipped to wrestle with their outer ones — which is the stupid tip that I gave on the finale. But I realized when I said it, I was like, ‘That’s genius.’
Because it’s true and I think that when they continue to go home and explore what is psychologically motivating them to be self-destructive, to overeat, to practice unhealthy habits, they will have a much better chance to fix that. It’s about self-awareness. And then once you’re aware of your issues and your bad habits, you can begin to change them.
BH: What I really try to tell people, and I know Jillian does too, is, ‘Everything that you’ve learned from us on the ranch, when it’s time for you to go back home, you’ve got to realize that you can’t be that same person going back into your life. You have new tools now. You have new tools to work with when life pushes you over the edge and you want to reach for the comfort food and you want to over-medicate yourself with food.’
So we try to give them the foundation while they’re on the ranch, so it’s like they are a new and improved version of themselves when it’s time for them to go home. And realize that this is another way of living and a whole new way of living.
MK: I think both the trainers are being incredibly modest. I think they provide every single person they come in contact with all the tools of how to make the right choices, when normally they would reach for the bad choice. And you listen to past seasons’ contestants talk about it, how they still listen to the lessons they learned from Bob and Jillian.
I know you both like to challenge yourself but how do you deal with someone who doesn’t listen or is extremely lazy? BH: Well for me, then they’re not ready. That’s why I tell people all the time, ‘I can’t want it for you.’ Jillian and I are in there and we will bust you up and get you back and put you back together again. But if you don’t want it, there’s nothing I can do for you until you’re ready.
JM: I couldn’t agree more. That’s what’s Bob’s entire book is about. That’s the title of his entire book. The foundation of your question is like, ‘Do you really want to make this change?’ Because if you do, here’s everything you need. If you don’t, well then, put this back on the shelf and pick me up at a later date if you ever find that you’re ready. Because otherwise it’s pointless.
MK: [But] I think the trainers find a way to make them ready. We saw it last season where in Week 3, Michelle wasn’t ready. She was ready to go home. She was ready not to commit to the process and go home. And Jillian got her to commit to the process, got her to commit to changing her life, got her to taking those small steps. And through that, the result so obviously was shown [when she won].
Do you think it’s harder for people to stick to an exercise regimen or an eating regimen? BH: Jillian hates to exercise. I’ve had to make her throughout the years. I love to exercise.
JM: Very true. Personally speaking, I find it easier to adhere to a food regimen. And exercise — I don’t love it. I’m one of those people who really struggle with it. With that said, I appreciate all of the necessary benefits and I feel much better when it’s done. But I can think of a million other ways I’d rather spend a day than in the gym.
I’m sure you live really healthy and you eat really well and everything. But there’s got to be some stuff that – you have your guilty pleasures. Everybody does. What are yours? JM: I decided that wine is now a health food because of the antioxidants. So it’s no longer a guilty pleasure. It’s a necessity, especially for my mental health on the show. So I’m going to say chocolate is my guilty pleasure.
BH: Yes, chocolate and peanut butter. The two together. It’s like, that’s what I want. When Mark Koops stresses us out to no end, that’s what I reach for.
Since you both enjoy working out and you know how to shed the pounds, do you let yourself off the hook over the holidays ...? BH: Never.
Never? BH: No, I’m kidding.
JM: Bob never does. We had to get up at three in the morning the other day to do a satellite feed to New York. I went home and went straight to bed, saw him on set later, and I’m like, ‘I am so rested.’ He’s like, ‘I’m exhausted.’ I’m like, ‘What did you do?’ ‘Well, I went to the gym and then ...” You know, I was like, ‘You what?’ Like, he’s just – he’s extremely dedicated. He motivates me in that way and he always has. To push.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Snooky on January 07, 2009, 07:04:18 PM
To me The Biggest Loser is geting old. The producers should bring back the single teams, and it should have more twists. I guess watching a lot of seasons may just get a little boring. :ascared
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 08, 2009, 11:00:29 AM
Coleen Skeabeck - Biggest Loser Recap
she's such a cutie she looks awesome
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: sprice0611 on January 12, 2009, 02:28:38 PM
To me The Biggest Loser is geting old. The producers should bring back the single teams, and it should have more twists. I guess watching a lot of seasons may just get a little boring. :ascared
You sort of have a point there...I think that if it is going to be couples it should be all family members. Sometimes the "Best Friends" don't seem to have that special bond like family or married/engaged couples do. They could be two people that hook up to audition for the show. Just a little something I picked up on. I like all the contestants, but you can tell the people that are really there to support each other versus a superficial relationship. I just re-watched the episode last night and that is what I noticed. Just my opnion! :duno:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 12, 2009, 03:06:36 PM
Bob and Jillian are on Larry King Live tonight at 9 to talk about the latest season...
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 12, 2009, 11:08:13 PM
Was watching Larry King -- they are STILL filming biggest loser 7 right now, they say it's going to be 5 months since they started filming in 1 week.
Usually a season takes 3 months to film.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 12, 2009, 11:49:46 PM
Was watching Larry King -- they are STILL filming biggest loser 7 right now, they say it's going to be 5 months since they started filming in 1 week.
Usually a season takes 3 months to film.
:jumpy: Oh nice job Michael thanks for sharing
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 12, 2009, 11:52:20 PM
Biggest Loser 7 - Episode 2 - Behind The Scenes
.... hmmm what is in that refrigerator
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 13, 2009, 01:09:54 PM
An interesting article:
It's a Girl for Alison Sweeney!
The Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney just gained a daughter.
At 12 minutes to midnight on Monday, Sweeney gave birth to a 6 lb.- 7 oz. baby girl named Megan Hope Sanov, PEOPLE confirms exclusively.
"Both mommy and baby – and daddy, too – are doing well," says her rep, Carrie Simons.
Sweeney continued working as host of The Biggest Loser until the very end. "She's still in hair and makeup from her day on the set!" her rep reports. "It was a very easy delivery, and everybody is great."
Sweeney, 31, who also has a 3-year-old son, Ben, with her husband, Dave Sanov, confirmed the pregnancy last June. Shortly after that, she told PEOPLE: "The whole experience of having a little girl, I'd love that."
A new episode of The Biggest Loser airs Tuesday night on NBC.
Link to the article: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20249864,00.html (http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20249864,00.html)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 13, 2009, 06:54:17 PM
From Variety:
'Biggest Loser': 'They can all change their lives'
"The Biggest Loser" co-creator Mark Koops has answered your weighty questions.
Mark is also managing director of television production company Reveille, which produces "The Office," "The Tudors," "Ugly Betty" and many other series.
He's rightfully very proud of "The Biggest Loser," a series that has changed many lives over its six seasons.
Season seven, "Biggest Loser: Couples," began last Tuesday. Jerry, the oldest contestant ever, collapsed and was taken to the hospital. He returned to the ranch and is still in the game. And the season features the biggest contestant ever (Daniel) and the biggest female contestant ever (Carla). Producers also unveiled a rather ingenious twist. Of the 22 folks we were introduced to, nine were sent home to continue the program there. Those whose partners are still in the game in a month, will be invited back to the ranch.
Here are you questions and the answers. We'll have a couple of prize winners this time. I'll notify them via email. (I apologize if your question was left off; we had some technical issues with our software affecting comments during the week we were compiling questions.)
Q. Why is it that your show has less of the gamesmanship and nastiness than other reality shows? (With the obvious exception of last season’s Vicky, of course.) — Betty A. I think it is genuinely because they all want to change their lives. that may sound trite but it is true. the contestants become their own self-help group and one person’s success becomes the group’s success. They recognize that only one person can win the game, but they can all change their lives, change the lives of the ones they love and inspire you, the viewer.
Q. Who is your favorite contestant ever and why? — KJ A. I think "The Biggest Loser" family will always have a soft spot in our heart for season 2 winner Matt Hoover, especially because he married a fellow contestant who we loved too. And then of course Ali Vincent our first female winner quickly followed by Michelle, our winner from last season.
Q. While Jerry’s (pictured with wife Estella) collapse this week on The Biggest Loser 7 season opener served as a lesson in why people need to take control of their weight and health, does it ever concern you about how hard the contestants are pushed? Do you ever tell the trainers, hey, back off a bit? — Dan A.I can genuinely say I think the trainers are the best in the world. they know when to push and when to ease off. They always have the health of the contestants as their first priority. In addition, we have a medical staff both on site and consulting on the show, who are continuously monitoring the contestants to ensure every precaution is taken. that’s why you’ll occasionally see contestants being held out of challenges, etc.
Q. How difficult is the casting process? Are you looking for personalities or people who need the most help? And do you feel bad when you have to turn people down? — Jean A. It is the hardest thing in the world to say no to potential contestants. It is heartbreaking. When casting, our first priority is to find contestants who really want it, who really want to change. And yes, obviously they need to have enough weight to lose!
Q. Are the people who work on the show all physically fit? Is there a lot of peer pressure on everyone to stay in shape? — Mark A. I wish we were all as fit as the contestants become. I think we are all inspired by working on the show to follow the same path. We have also had several examples of production personnel who have successfully lost weight.
Q."The Biggest Loser" has had a better track record at bringing couples together (Matt & Suzy, Marty & Amy) than "The Bachelor" or "The Bachelorette." Would the show ever consider a singles-and-looking edition with the intent of matchingmaking as well as weight loss? — Lindsey A. This is definitely something we have discussed and we love our "Biggest Loser" weddings, but there is no current plan to have that be the whole focus of a (cycle).
Q. How cut off from the world are the contestants while they're at the ranch? I know their contact with family and friends is limited, but what about newspapers and TV? Do they know what's going on in the world while they’re away? — Dave A.They are initially cut off completely from the world — no contact with anyone but each other and production. However, after the immersion period they do indeed get to call home off-camera as well as on-camera, and they obviously can keep up to date with what is going on in the world. For example, this season they did know Barack Obama (was elected) president.
Q.Last season, Vicky, Heba and Brady had such animosity toward teammates Phil and Amy, but Phil and Amy seemed like nice people and I never saw anything that indicated they deserved such treatment. Was there something that got edited out about that? What’s the scoop? — Sheila A.The reality is when you put strong, contrasting personalities in a house for a long period of time, and they are sore, tired and going through what is a difficult and challenging process, there is definitely the potential for conflict. I think Vicky, Heba and Brady certainly didn’t always agree, but, as I think we witnessed at the finale, they had tremendous respect for each other’s incredible personal achievements.
Q.Occasionally, past "Biggest Loser" contestants have visited the campus during the current season. Is there any plan for a reunion of Biggest Loser contestants to see how they've fared in the time since they were on campus? — Terry A. Tell NBC you want to see it! We love seeing our past seasons’ contestants appear on the show from time to time or come to the finale. they are inspirations to all of us and remind us that it’s never too late to make a positive change.
Q. How many contestants have gained back a significant amount of weight since being on the show? — Katy A. We have definitely had failure as well as success, and I think that just goes to show that weight loss can’t be achieved with a magic pill. Instead it’s something you have to continue to work on. but I definitely think we have had more success than failure.
Q.How come you have never had a gay or lesbian couple paired on the show? — nws224 A. This hasn’t been a conscious decision, and we have definitely had a number of gay or lesbian individuals on the show. We are looking for great characters and great stories, so I’m sure we will.
Q. When the season starts on TV, how long have the contestants been at the ranch? A couple of weeks? A month? When they go home near the end of the season, do they need to lay low until the finale? — Renee A. This varies from cycle to cycle but the rule of thumb is that they are on the ranch for approximately four months and then home for approximately four months, if they go all the way.
Q. Are the contestants given a specific diet that they have to follow while they are at the ranch or are they given a daily calorie allowance that they're supposed to meet each day? Do they do all their own cooking? — Coleen A.the trainers, our doctors and nutritionist provide a daily caloric minimum — after all it is calories in versus calories out — but then they tweak the diet for each individual within those parameters as they want to set the contestants up for success. telling them they can never have their favorite foods is just unrealistic. Also, one lesson the contestants quickly learn is that eating enough calories is absolutely essential for weight loss given the level of exercise and cardio they are put through. The contestants do indeed do their own cooking with the help of the trainers.
Q. How many hours a day to the contestants exercise? And how often do they see the trainers? Every day? — TC A. They exercise anywhere from three to four hours a day on average, but then as they become stronger they may work out up to six hours a day. The trainers’ commitment is incredible, and they are generally there six days a week.
Q. How will you be dealing with the arrest of current home contestant Shannon? Will you address it on the show? How will it affect her mother, who's at the ranch? — Lois A. We do not plan to address this as a significant part of the show.
Link to the article: http://weblogs.variety.com/season_pass/2009/01/biggest-loser-they-can-all-change-their-lives.html (http://weblogs.variety.com/season_pass/2009/01/biggest-loser-they-can-all-change-their-lives.html)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 13, 2009, 09:17:00 PM
:'( The wrong person went home it should have been the blahblah girl
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 13, 2009, 09:20:43 PM
I love Joell, and I'm sort of glad that Jerry went home because he was old
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 13, 2009, 09:26:19 PM
I started crying when Tara went back down the hill to help Daniel, and sniffled my way to the end.
Joelle's partner so much more deserves to be there!!
Both Jerry and Daniel needed to be there, but yes I agree Daniel needs it more. Jerry looked great! :yess:
:funny: your making me cry from laughter
I am not kidding it never gets easier watching this show
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: michael on January 13, 2009, 09:51:49 PM
Are we the only three that watch it? It's so good lol ... especially because I am a former fattie
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: pledge on January 14, 2009, 12:08:03 AM
I watch toooooo It's just that out here in Calif the show just ended. And.... yes I'm :'( also I love reading what you guys write ...... makes me :lol: ..... which I need after the show
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 14, 2009, 01:24:55 AM
Alison Sweeney's Blog:
"Two if by sea"
So, first things first… I had my baby!!! Megan Hope. Born January 12, 2009, 6 lbs 7 oz. I’m going to write about that in a separate blog (nothing too graphic, lol) , so stay tuned. For now – here are my thoughts on tonight’s episode! ☺
I got the WORST sunburn during the challenge this week. Lol. Only because I stupidly forgot to put sunscreen on my chest, so, my face and neck are fine, but there were the most awkward burn-lines along the neckline of the shirt I was wearing. Oops. But how incredible was that challenge? We shot it on Catalina Island. About an hour (by ferry) off the coast of LA. Oddly, it’s sort of famous (infamous?) for being the home to a huge population of Buffalo. Apparently a movie production shot a western there in the 40’s or something, and left the buffalo behind. Now, they are an attraction. It is really cool to see them roaming around. Anyway, while we were waiting for the Challenge Dept to set up the paddle boats for the challenge – the contestants and I were hidden away around a cove waiting. Fillipe, Jerry, Helen, Blaine, a bunch of people were all skipping stones along the water. Is it weird that I’ve never tried to skip a stone in my entire life? Well, if we were playing “I Never” I’d be drinking right now. (especially since I’m not pregnant anymore! Of course how many people are playing I Never in a maternity ward? Nevermind. I’m out of it.) Because they all got me going, trying to teach me how to skip rocks. I wouldn’t say I was good, but one time I got the stone to skip three times. That’s something, isn’t it?
It’s so inspiring to see Jerry accomplish so much in such a short period of time – from fainting on day one, to climbing up that hill two short weeks later… it’s truly remarkable what he has accomplished. And it was also such a great example of what a great group of people we have this season, to see them all going back, even though they were exhausted getting to the top, they went back to help their friends make it too. Such an awesome display of camaraderie.
The crew, everyone there had the same strong reaction to seeing Jerry lose only 2lbs. It was truly heartbreaking. The emotions we see on the scale effect me a lot. I get that question all the time – “how do you not cry every day at work??” But mostly, I try to keep my own reaction contained because they are all experiencing so much, that I don’t want to in any way distract from what each person is going through. Does that make sense? But Jerry’s gut reaction to seeing his weight loss, it was impossible not to be affected by. It was clear how difficult it was for them to decide to vote for Jerry. And how impossible the decision would have been if Jerry hadn’t made the plea he did to keep Dan on campus. I know Dan has no intention of letting Jerry’s sacrifice go to waste.
Link to the blog: http://blog.nbc.com/alison/the_biggest_loser/ (http://blog.nbc.com/alison/the_biggest_loser/)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 14, 2009, 01:29:38 AM
I watch toooooo It's just that out here in Calif the show just ended. And.... yes I'm :'( also I love reading what you guys write ...... makes me :lol: ..... which I need after the show
Awww you too, there isn't a dry eye in this thread .... stupid show (:;) :lol:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 14, 2009, 01:53:15 AM
The Biggest Loser Season 6 Winner Michelle Aguilar
Wow she looks awesome starts at the 3:43 mark
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 14, 2009, 02:22:21 AM
Episode 2 Results
Immunity Challenge....Kayaking across the shore and climbing up to the mountain. First person to reach the top gets immunity and the top four finishers get to call home.
Tara won the immunity, she gave her phone call to Filipe Blaine came in 2nd Mandi came in 3rd Helen came in 4th
Daniel was last and got an one pound penalty at the weigh in.
Ron 398 386 12 Michael 366 359 7 19 combined 2.49%
Damien 364 355 9 2.47%
Kristin 341 331 10 2.93%
Filipe 347 336 9 2.59%
Joelle 296 294 2 0.68%
Jerry 344 343 1 0.29%
Daniel 424 421 3 +1lb penalty 0.47%
Jerry and Daniel falls below the yellow line and at the elimination, needs five votes to go home and the first five votes indicated all went to Jerry.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 14, 2009, 04:57:09 PM
:hearts: Coleen Skeabeck - Biggest Loser Recap
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 14, 2009, 05:38:20 PM
An interview with Jerry:
Biggest Loser Castoff: "My Grandson Now Calls Me Less Fluffy"
When Jerry Hayes, 63, stepped onto the Biggest Loser campus, he was the oldest contestant in its seven-season history. Losing only 1-pound in the second-week weigh-in, Jerry was in the bottom two with Dan, 19, the heaviest player this season. But eventually Jerry was voted out by his fellow players, who felt the younger competitor needed to stay. TVGuide.com caught up with the retired engineer who's lost 96 pounds ("My grandson now calls me less fluffy") and how other self proclaimed "couch potatas" can get up and start moving.
TVGuide.com: Joelle only lost 1 pound this week but was safe from elimination after Dan received a 1-pound penalty for coming in last in the challenge. What went through your head knowing that if Joelle was in the bottom two, she would've been voted out over you? Jerry Hayes: I was disappointed. I actually dreamed about me and Dan in this situation two days before it happened. I was dreading it, but Dan had to stay. But me and Joelle, we're starting to talk.
TVGuide.com: Bob had a big blow-up with Joelle that involved a lot of expletives. Did something behind the scenes lead up to this? Hayes: Sometimes she wouldn't do the work-out. When you're not in the gym there's home-work where we'd have to do our own program for 3 or 4 hours. They'd tell us what to do and we'd do it and she wouldn't always follow that. She was doing her own thing at times and it just led up to that. He got frustrated. I guess he never does, [so] it was unique situation. But what you saw, I couldn't believe it [and] I was there.
TVGuide.com: How did it feel to hear Ron be so adamant about keeping Dan? Hayes: I didn't have any problem with that. It was okay because me and Ron talked about it. We talked a lot because we're the older guys. I didn't want to go though. I have to tell you I did not want to go but the decision had to be made and was obvious it had to be me. But I still didn't want to go.
TVGuide.com: Do you have any advice for other grandparents discouraged about losing weight at this stage in their lives? Hayes: Well you need help. I have a trainer here but you have to start slow and get your mind on it. Just keep trying and trying, you'll get faster, you'll get stronger. You got to challenge yourself. You need support, whether it's your spouse, friend. At the health center we go to there's a community of older people that feed off each other. On my own, it'd take a little bit longer than it's happening but I could do it. You just got to believe. There are signs in the [Biggest Loser] gym. "Believe in Yourself," "Trust in the Process," and "Change Forever." [trainer Bob Harper] said it and I keep quoting it myself whenever I'm doubting it. And it's working.
TVGuide.com: Do you have any diet tips or ways to curve cravings? Hayes: Exercise! I'm not kidding exercise curves your cravings. The one thing you got to make sure is you have a snack with you when you're exercising and for when your energy level drops. An apple with string cheese, or something that gets your energy back up. The day off is the biggest challenge for me with food because I'm not exercising so it doesn't keep my appetite down.
TVGuide.com: How many days off do you give yourself? Hayes: One day. We give one day to Sunday.
Link to the artcle: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Biggest-Loser-Jerry-1001657.aspx (http://www.tvguide.com/News/Biggest-Loser-Jerry-1001657.aspx)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 14, 2009, 11:24:59 PM
An interesting article:
Jerry Hayes talks about his time on 'The Biggest Loser: Couples'
Gerald "Jerry" Hayes, a 63-year-old retired engineer from Wheaton, IL, didn't have any trouble making his way through his first workout on The Biggest Loser: Couples. However, the aftermath of his workout took a quick -- and memorable -- turn for the worse.
"I started feeling dizzy about five minutes before I fainted... it was pretty quick," Hayes told Reality TV World in a media conference call the day after his The Biggest Loser elimination aired on Tuesday night's broadcast. "Things started moving around. I was looking up at the windows of the gym and they started shifting on me."
However, although he was briefly hospitalized -- which he said only kept him away from The Biggest Loser ranch for five or six hours -- after he passed out at the competition's initial workout, Hayes said the possibility of leaving the show was never discussed as an option.
"[I fainted] because I was low on potassium and water, and the suggestion [was to] make sure you had enough water and take my potassium pills and if I got faint again [to] lay down on the floor because my blood pressure dropped and that's what did it. So if I lay down on the floor than my heart and my head would be at the same level," Hayes told Reality TV World.
Hayes also said that both he or Estella Hayes, his 63-year-old wife, had initially been unhappy about the first-week twist that had sent nine contestants home to work out on their own.
"We were upset, I'll tell you that much," Hayes told Reality TV World. "But once we understood we were gonna earn our partner back -- we thought that they were going home permanently -- then we kinda understood. Once they started explaining to us that it was to [inspire] everybody else at home, the audience that works out at home, then we calmed down."
He added that while he and his wife had each wanted to go home so that the other could remain on the ranch, they had come to a decision rather quickly.
"I wanted her to stay and I wanted to go home, and she wanted me to stay. But it was not really a debate, it only took about... 10 minutes," he told Reality TV World.
When it came to his own elimination one week later, Jerry did not blame his one-pound weight loss on any side effects from his hospital visit. Instead, he told reporters that his body's adjustment to his Week 1 weight loss combined with blisters on his foot may have led to his sub-par weight loss in Week 2.
"I had a foot problem, because the first week I lost 25 lbs. and that's when I was being limited by exercise, but I was walking a lot." he told reporters. "I was walking outside and I was trying to make it up there, but by walking I ended up with these blisters on my foot, and it made me do the bike more."
"But I think I just lost so much weight the first week, that I couldn't recover from it [during the second week]," he added.
Jerry said that he had even had a dream that he and Daniel Wright, a 19-year-old student from Willow Spring, NC, would fall below the yellow line at Week 2's weigh-in. He also said that while he certainly hadn't wanted to be eliminated from the competition so early, he was fine with the other contestants' decision to sent him home and let Daniel stay at the ranch.
"I love Daniel, I wanted him there. I actually talked to 'the other contestants and said they had to [vote for me]," Jerry told reporters. "I had my wife at home, I have my kids who are all very supportive. Daniel is very young, he has his whole life ahead of him. They came to the right conclusion."
"Daniel is a very special person," he said, before adding that the pair have kept in touch. "[Daniel's] gonna be a Baptist minister, and he's just a kind and nice man."
In addition to Daniel, Jerry said he's also kept in contact with Shanon Thomas, a 29-year-old massage therapist from Centerline, MI, and Joelle Gwynn, a 41-year-old non-profit founder from Southfield, MI.
Now that he's home, Jerry said that his weight-loss regimen consists of three-and-a-half hour workouts at a local gym which he visits six days a week and maintaining his metabolism with a daily minimum intake of calories.
He now weighs 96 lbs. less than when he arrived at The Biggest Loser ranch and has encountered numerous health benefits along the way.
"I was a diabetic, I'm not a diabetic anymore. It's just gone," he told reporters. "My blood pressure is well under control and my cholesterol, I think I'm lower than an 18-year-old. It's unbelievable."
He also added that his improved health had effected how he and Estella now spend time with their grandchildren.
"I'll tell ya, I'm much more focused, I'm more outgoing," he told reporters. "I wanna be around with my grandkids, but it's not just [watching] one TV show to another, it's doing stuff together and really focusing on changing our lives."
And what did he think of trainer Bob Harper's already famous tongue-lashing of Joelle?
Jerry said that Joelle may have irked the trainer by not following her "homework" programs at the gym.
"So it just led up to [what you saw]. But what you saw, I couldn't believe it and I was there too. He just got frustrated," Jerry told reporters. "I guess he never does that. It was a unique situation."
Link to the article: http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/jerry-hayes-talks-about-his-time-on-the-biggest-loser-couples-8289.php (http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/jerry-hayes-talks-about-his-time-on-the-biggest-loser-couples-8289.php)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 15, 2009, 05:21:26 PM
The Biggest Loser Trainer Jillian Michaels Update:
"Today" show Monday, January 26 (9-10 a.m.) Jillian Michaels is interviewed
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 15, 2009, 05:35:22 PM
An interesting article an interview with Jerry:
Biggest Loser’s Jerry Loses 96 Lbs.
In a heart-wrenching elimination that even had host Ali Sweeney wiping away tears, the show’s oldest contestants, Jerry and Estella Hayes, were sent home. The lovable 63-year-old grandparents of Team White were off to a scary start when Jerry collapsed in the gym on the first day. After bouncing back with an incredible 25-lb. weight loss in the first week, Jerry hit a roadblock in the dreaded second week and fell below the yellow line with Daniel Wright, 19, his good friend and the heaviest contestant in Biggest Loser history. In the end, Jerry was sent home to reunite with his wife and partner, Estella. With the support of his family and those emails from Jillian, he has lost 96 lbs. so far! Jerry spoke with reporters recently about his collapse on the show, how he’s getting fit and why Bob the trainer blew up at another contestant.
How much do you think your age factored into your physical fitness? I don’t think it’s so much my age as much as it’s the fact that I was on a couch for 25 years not doing anything. As far as being old, I think I’m okay. I’m not going to be as fast or as strong as a 27-year-old, I know that. I’m not going burn the calories they burn or lose as fast. I’m getting my metabolism up and everything is working.
What’s the main difference in your life after being on the show? I was a diabetic; I’m not a diabetic anymore. It’s gone — there’s no evidence of diabetes anymore. My blood pressure is well under control. My cholesterol is, I believe, lower than an 18-year-old. It’s unbelievable!
How did you feel about them keeping Daniel when you were voted off? I love Daniel. I wanted him there. I actually talked to them and said they had to choose me. I had my wife and kids at home who were all very supportive. Daniel is very young and has his whole life ahead of him. They came to the right conclusion. I didn’t want to leave, don’t get me wrong. Daniel is a very special person, he’s going to be a Baptist minister and he’s just a kind and nice man. We are friends and talk all the time.
What is your favorite healthy thing to eat now and what is your biggest temptation? I like yogurt with fruit in it. Besides the yogurt, my favorite foods are the same as before, we just modify them. I eat an omelet for breakfast like I did before, but the omelet I eat now is made out of egg whites and the calories are about a third of what it was, but it tastes the same to me. And I love spaghetti and I still have it but it’s wheat spaghetti with turkey meatballs and it’s much more healthy. The temptation is there but I haven’t fallen off the wagon.
What is your advice for other grandparents who are discouraged about exercising? You need help and I have a trainer here. You just have to start slow but you got to get your mind on it and keep trying and trying. You’ll get faster; you’ll get stronger. You got to challenge yourself and you need support whether it is a spouse or friend. The health center we go to has a community of older people who feed off of each other. You just got to believe.
What did learn at the ranch that you were able to bring home with you and incorporate in your regimen to be so successful and drop 96 pounds? [The doctor] recommended a 2 ½ hour cardio program and on top of that, I do another hour either with my trainer or I do weights that my trainer has laid out for me. I found that I cannot get into a weight room by myself without directions because I have the tendency to over-lift and I’ve always screwed up a muscle or something in my years of experience. But it’s essentially 3 ½ hours a day. The diet is the same as the diet they laid out for us up there … We follow the program and journal everything we eat. Me and Stella measure and we weigh everything. I’ve never read so many food packages in my life.
Did your trip to the hospital in the first week put any limitations on your exercise program that may have led to your disappointment on the scale in week two? No. The first week I lost 25 pounds. But I was walking a lot for exercise and trying to make it up there. And by walking a lot I got these blisters on my foot and it made me do the bike more. But I think I lost so much weight the first week that the second week I didn’t recover from it. Once they found out my heart was okay, that took three days, I wasn’t limited in what I could do except for the blisters on my foot.
Was there something that happened in the second week that we didn’t see, which led to Bob’s big blow-up in the gym other than Joelle’s inability to stay on the treadmill for 30 seconds? No, you saw it. Sometimes she just wouldn’t do the workouts. In the gym, there would be homework where for three or four hours we’d have to do our own program because they wouldn’t always be there but they’d tell us what to do and we’d do it. And she wouldn’t always follow that; she was doing her own thing at times. It just led up to it. But what you saw, I saw too, and I just couldn’t believe it. I guess he just got frustrated.
Link to the article: http://tvwatch.people.com/2009/01/15/photo-biggest-losers-jerry-loses-96-lbs/ (http://tvwatch.people.com/2009/01/15/photo-biggest-losers-jerry-loses-96-lbs/)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 16, 2009, 11:41:55 AM
From etonline.com
"The Biggest Loser" will continue to help Americans shed unwanted pounds -- at least for one more year -- as NBC today announced that the show has been given a pickup through the 2009-2010 season.
"I love that show. I inherited it," Paul Telegdy, executive vice president, Alternative Programming, NBC and Universal Media Studios tells ET exclusively. "I love it when you get a toy that you like. I love it when I talk to people who aren't in the business about that show. It is incredibly inspiring. Every year people make resolutions to be healthier and that show is the No. 1 tool kit available to people to be inspired."
As for the fate of Shannon, this season's "The Biggest Loser" contestant who was charged with domestic violence after an incident in suburban Detroit last month, a spokesperson for the show says that at this time the matter won't effect her participation in the series.
As for the themes for next season, Telegdy adds, "The challenge is to keep the cast and the stories amazing. Some of the transformations we saw in the last season where Michelle [Aguilar] lost 110 pounds was just extraordinary. We have to be careful we don't compromise health. I love the family stuff and the stakes between two competitors."
Telegdy also says that host Alison Sweeney will not miss many episodes following the birth of her daughter Megan Hope Sanov on Monday, January 12. He jokes, "Ali was our biggest loser that day: 6 pounds 7 ounces."
"The Biggest Loser" airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 16, 2009, 08:29:52 PM
An interesting article:
Kristen Steede of Greenville survives second week on NBC's 'The Biggest Loser: Couples'
"The Biggest Loser" Tuesday was chock-full of drama. Even Cathy Skell thought it was entertaining.
"At that point of filming I was at home, so it was kind of like watching it all new for myself as well," said Skell, who can't reveal if she's at home in Shiocton or on the Biggest Loser ranch in California.
The first challenge Tuesday offered contestants $25,000 to walk away. No one took host Allison Sweeney up on the offer.
Kristin Steede, who as of last night has lost 29 pounds (more weight than she's ever lost before), may have been tempted, but participating on the show is not about the money, her mom said.
Trainer Bob Harper was seriously angry last night due to one contestant's lack of focus and 2-pound weight loss.
"He takes his job seriously … and when someone is not giving 110 percent, he gets upset because there's a lot of people that try out to be on that show," Skell said.
Last night's decision was to send contestant grandpa Jerry home.
"That is the hardest part of being there," Skell said. "You get so close. And not only are we motivated by (trainers) Bob and Jillian, we are motivated by each other."
When Skell was one of nine people sent home after the first episode of "The Biggest Loser: Couples," she headed to the gym.
On the recommendation of a friend, Skell, who has hopes of returning to the ranch in 30 days if daughter Steede still is in the game, hooked up with the Appleton-based Ellipse Fitness.
Link to the article: http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090115/APC0101/901150470/1004&located=RSS (http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090115/APC0101/901150470/1004&located=RSS)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 16, 2009, 08:32:18 PM
An interesting article:
Mich. 'Biggest Loser' Contestant May Lose More Than Weight
A contestant on NBC's "The Biggest Loser" is a South Lyon city councilman, but he may not be for much longer because of a vote that could cause him to lose his position.
Ron Morelli and his son are winning challenges on the weight-losing show, but all his hard work could come with losing his seat on the council for absences.
The South Lyon city charter says a member can be voted off after three unexcused absences. Morelli has been missing meetings since September. He has three unexcused absences and two excused absences, according to city manager David Murphy.
Morelli's friend, Gary Childs, is trying to persuade the city to let him keep his place in City Hall.
"I spoke in support of him and filled out the comment section at the last meeting," said Childs.
Childs said the worst part is nobody has been able to contact Morelli while he's doing the show, so he doesn't even know about the controversy back home.
"South Lyon will go on, and Ron will go on. He can run again. Either way, Ron will be fine," said Childs.
Most city leaders are just learning why Morelli has been absent and told Local 4 they don't believe Morelli will be voted off, but hope he does well in the show.
Morelli has already lost 40 pounds while on the show.
Link to the article: http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/18499004/detail.html (http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/18499004/detail.html)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 16, 2009, 08:34:41 PM
An interesting article an interview with Jerry and Estella:
Interview With Jerry and Estella of The Biggest Loser: Couples
Last week, on the season premiere of The Biggest Loser: Couples, contestants were shocked when most of their teammates were sent home to continue their weight loss journey while they would be left in the competition alone. If they were still in the game 30 days later, their partner would come back and compete alongside them. This week, two of Jillian's teammates, Dan and Jerry, fell below the yellow line. The players deliberated and decided that 63-year-old contestant Jerry Hayes would be the one heading home, where he would continue to train alongside his wife, Estella. Today, the couple talked to RealityWanted.com in an exclusive interview.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted.com: How did the two of you end up being part of this season of The Biggest Loser? A. Jerry: Good question! We started to get information of weight loss. We never thought The Biggest Loser would pick a 63-year-old couple who did not exercise for 25 years. Our kids were 100% behind us and helped all the way.
A. Estella: We began with a call on the internet for interviews at the Lexus car dealership in Schaumberg, IL, followed by an hour interview in Chicago. We went through more interviews in L.A. After the first interview, we thought our chances were "a snowball's chance in Hell." Then, we got a phone call and it's been rolling ever since then!
Q. Gina, RealityWanted.com: Did you underestimate how difficult the workouts would be and what kind of physical toll it would take on your bodies? A. Jerry: The workouts are tough and very hard on your body and mind. I found my mind is more limiting than my body. Beside the one week health problems, my body has performed well. I have muscle pains but no joint or other body problems. Enough sleep was a problem at times.
A. Estella: No, we didn't underestimate the difficulty of the workout and the toll on our bodies but we didn't realize our muscle mass under the fat had decreased so much. For me, this has been the hard part.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted.com: What was your reaction to the twist that almost every team would have a member sent home this season? A. Jerry: At first, not good, but once I understood it was to show you can lost weigh at home, it was more acceptable. I never like the idea of being separated from Estella.
A. Estella: Shock! Panic! Then, intense internal pondering of me staying vs. Jerry. I talked to Sandy, the medical trainer, to see if Jerry could physically train hard, and he gave me the green light. He said not to panic and he was right. I could do this at home. I could do more than I thought.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted.com: Estella, when Jerry collapsed, did you have a moment where you thought that maybe this was going to be too much for the two of you? A. Estella: With the initial collapse, it definitely got my attention and reaffirmed we needed to be here to make a change. Jerry had been on too many blood pressure medications and not enough potassium was the result from going to the hospital. But we didn't want to give up.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted.com: What qualities does Jillian bring to the table as a trainer that you appreciated? A. Jerry: Jillian is great!! She pushes you to be the best that you can be. She also watches you like a hawk to ensure you will not hurt or disable yourself. I learned from Jillian that my mind was my biggest problem to weight loss and physical exercise, not my body. She is tough, but kind and fair at the same time. She is great!
A. Estella: Jillian calls it as she sees it and is not afraid to hold up a mirror in front of you with words to help you see or understand the potential for change. That week with Jillian was life changing for me. She challenged me to do the "impossible." I am grateful everyday to have spent the time with this lady. She is very competitive, fair and able to challenge you to do things you never considered.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted.com: Last season, there was a lot of gameplay and alliances. Did you see any of that this season? A. Jerry: There was no game-playing during the show. We played, laughed, and ate together as one team A. Estella: I was there for one week and mostly occupied with concerns for Jerry and survival for me with the intense workouts and getting rid of the toxins in my body and feeling lousy. But thank goodness that has eased. Too busy for game playing.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted.com: Which players are working the hardest and have the best work ethic? A. Jerry: This is tough because most contestants work hard and had a great work ethic. It is a small list of who did not have a best work ethic but I elect not to discuss that because we were one team and we were trying to do our best.
A. Estella: On Jillian's team: Tara, Aubrey, Mandy, Dane, and Daniel all worked hard. We all tried to encourage each other. Jerry couldn't work hard in the gym but walked so hard and so long that he got blisters and kept on going. Carla, Kristen, Sione, Felipe, Nicole, Damian, Ron, Mike, etc.all worked hard and challenged us to work harder.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted.com: What is your workout routine like at home and how has the show changed your lives? A. Jerry: We work out three to three and half hours a day at home. We are focused on changing our lives and we are going to be around a long time.
A. Estella: My workout routine include walking-jogging on indoor track at Wheaton Sport Center. I take classes such a Zumba, Mixer, total body workout, water aerobics, and Spin. I work out on the stairmaster, elliptical, and treadmill. One day of doing a circuit of weights and 3 days with a personal trainer. I workout 6 days, and rest one for at least 2 ½ hours of cardio daily. The show has changed our lives by encouraging us to do things we never thought possible. It has helped us to be around longer with the family we love. It has given Jerry and I more time together, we appreciate each other more, and we are kinder to each other. It has helped our children see us in a new light as people who can face challenges, become stronger and be role models. They don't see us as someone to take care of but people to be proud of. It's been an incredible ride and we are very grateful.
Link to the article: http://www.realitywanted.com/newsitem/1591-interview-with-jerry-and-estella-of-the-biggest-loser-couples (http://www.realitywanted.com/newsitem/1591-interview-with-jerry-and-estella-of-the-biggest-loser-couples)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 17, 2009, 02:07:31 AM
Ali Vincent is blogging again :hearts:
Don't Just Sit and Watch, Participate!
January 16, 2009
I am so excited about this season. I think it's time. It's time after 5 years to not only watch every Tuesday and support the contestants but to get up and join them. This season will be like no other, we have the biggest contestants yet. This is America and it's time we join together and make a change. I can testify that The Biggest Loser is bigger than just a television show, it is a show that has inspired a country and now we have the opportunity to sign online and register together to put action behind our dreams.
I honestly can say I don't know what it would have been like to do my first workout on the ranch on my own. But I must admit these contestants looked so lost, they have NO idea what they are in store for. I think that Bob and Jillian know that this is serious and that there is a lot of work ahead of everyone on season 7. I guess I say a lot of work ahead for fear of saying these contestants are sick. America, we are killing ourselves by allowing ourselves to get so out of shape and living the convenient life of drive-thrus, and couches while watching TV. The upswing of such dire circumstances is that there is so much room for change and success and that is exciting!
Scared for Jerry
I got so scared when I saw what looked like the life drained out of Jerry. I know that the privilege of having been on ranch is to have constant supervision by trainers and doctors, so please be excited on your journeys but remember to check in with your doctors and trainers at home when starting and changing your activity routines and calorie intakes.
Picking teams is a horrible way to have to get on a team, I don't know why I hate situations like that so much. (I'm probably just too sensitive as Roger might say!) What I do know is that everything happens for a reason so I hope everyone likes their teams but whether they do or not, I know they are right where they are supposed to be. How cool for the purple team to go from feeling like they weren't being chosen to being the only team that got to choose their trainer, how about that Kristin and Cathy?!
Hardest Step
The first weigh-in is one of the hardest steps that anyone on the Biggest Loser has to take, as well as for every one of you at home. I know that there are those of you out there who do not feel like they need to weigh themselves in order to lose weight. What I have to say to that is, you are absolutely right. What you do have to do though is come up with a way for you to judge your progress.
So whether it's a scale or a pair of pants that you can pull up but are tight and unable to button up or maybe it's an elastic band that can't stretch anymore and cuts into your skin throughout the day, I don't know. I do think it is important to continue to have ways to judge progress in more ways than just feeling better. It is important to see success so we continue to be encouraged. And of course if you want to participate in the pound-for-pound match-up, you have to use the scale, so come on, do it for the hungry as well as yourself.
About the Contestants
Daniel is one of my favorites already. He is the heaviest contestant ever. I just want it for him sooooooo bad. I want him to finally for the first time in his life feel proud of himself and have success in a battle I can only imagine has caused him tremendous pain.
Then there is Kristin and Cathy. I love their commitment to each other and Kristin's ability to see the glass half full. The silver and pink teams are both full of spunk which makes me love them. The black and blue teams are both from my home state and have what I imagine to be similar backgrounds. So there is that soft spot.
Oh and Damien and Nicole, so cute and in love and so much ahead of them. Who can't relate to Mandi and Aubrey, the sisters who will encourage and set each other off. I know what it feels like to feel uncomfortable in your own skin and my heart went out to Mandi when she said her husband doesn't even see her like that; I'm sorry but that has to put a strain on the relationship. She deserves to feel beautiful and sexy around the man that she loves and has chosen to share her life with.
What would it feel like to be too big to be a plus-size model like Tara and Laura? I can't imagine. I'm so excited to see Jerry and Estella going after it. I hate it when people think that it's too late, and they are too old. I'm glad that the white team is going to put that notion to rest. When I was on the show my grandma started walking to get the mail, which was a huge step for her. I can't wait to see the results of the power of a father and son team in Mike and Ron.
The First Challenge
Go Aubrey and Mandi! I love how they gave it everything they had. Even though they lost the coveted immunity, I was extremely impressed. It's at times like that I wish Alison would say they both get immunity but that's my fairyland lol.
I kinda feel like Bob and Jill both have come to the conclusion that there is absolutely no time to waste. At least that's what it felt like during the contestants' very first LAST-CHANCE workout. With each new season I try to remember how I felt -- it's amazing how our bodies change.
The twist of all twists, you could tell that Bob and Jill weren't buying the fact that there was not going to be an elimination as grounds to celebrate, and they were right. I think I would have died if I got that news. I don't know what would be more courageous, to leave or stay. Mike and Ron really took it home. Congrats guys!
What would it be like to decide between yourself and your dream and the opportunity of a lifetime and one of the most important people in your life? Both are such a hard spaces to be in, it truly becomes an act of trust. What is supposed to be, will be. The responsibility each team member must feel, this is good though… this is what it is all about, believing in yourself enough to create something far bigger than you can do on your own. Shanon was right when she said in her last campus interview this will inspire people. It has inspired me.
Let's talk real quick about the pound-for-pound match-up. This is probably the coolest thing Biggest Loser has ever been a part of and I mean Biggest Loser the community, the viewers, the club members and all of your friends. Let's make a pact to encourage everyone that crosses our path to go online and resister to get healthy and FEED the HUNGRY!
Link to the blog: http://blog.nbc.com/ali_vincent/ (http://blog.nbc.com/ali_vincent/)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 17, 2009, 04:45:03 PM
:funny: The Soup: The Biggest Loser: Couples 1/16/09
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 17, 2009, 04:50:51 PM
... more about Ron:
Mich. 'Loser' Could Lose Post
A contestant on the NBC reality series "The Biggest Loser" is shedding dozens of pounds, but might be jeopardizing his political career in this Detroit suburb.
City Councilman Ron Morelli hasn't attended a meeting since Sept. 22. Mayor John Doyle says that under the city charter, members may face removal proceedings if they miss three consecutive meetings or four meetings in a year without being excused by their colleagues.
The "Biggest Loser" Web site says the 54-year-old Morelli has lost 44 pounds while competing on the show, which began its seventh season Jan. 6. He told the Detroit Free Press by telephone from California that he doesn't know why other council members would try to oust him.
Morelli calls his participation in the show a fight for his life.
Link to the article: http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story/Mich-Loser-Could-Lose-Post/TkIwldj9iU2dKI7DVgvI2Q.cspx?rss=785 (http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story/Mich-Loser-Could-Lose-Post/TkIwldj9iU2dKI7DVgvI2Q.cspx?rss=785)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 17, 2009, 04:57:36 PM
An interesting article:
The skinny on Wheaton's 'Biggest Losers' couple
Sport center happy to have them working there on weight-loss goals
The words on the health club sign flash red: "Biggest Losers Work Out Here."
Since the seventh season of "The Biggest Loser" started filming this past September in California, staff and members of the Wheaton Sport Center have been rooting for Estella and Gerald "Jerry" Hayes of Wheaton, both 63, who were contestants this season.
The first episode of the show aired Jan. 6, and on it, the contestants -- pairings that include friends, cousins, and in the case of the Hayeses, spouses -- were surprised with the news that they had to send one partner home from "the ranch."
For Estella and Jerry Hayes, the choice seemed obvious. Estella had far less weight to lose and fewer health problems than Jerry. She opted to go home and leave her husband of 42 years in the care of fitness professionals.
On the second episode, which aired Jan. 13, Jerry and one other contestant, 19-year-old Daniel Wright, "fell below the yellow line," meaning the men had the lowest percentage of weight loss that week. The other contestants were told to choose which man would be eliminated. Despite their obvious affection for Jerry, the other contestants felt that Jerry, not Daniel, would be equipped to continue a healthy lifestyle at home. They chose Jerry.
Their instincts were right. Since their return home, Jerry and Estella have been steadfast in their new, healthy habits. To date, Jerry has lost 96 pounds, from 369 to 263. Estella has lost 45 pounds, from 242 to 197. A recent physical revealed one sign of Jerry's dramatically improved health -- he no longer has the diabetes he had to manage for years.
"My grandson says, 'Grandpa, you're not so fluffy anymore,'" Jerry said from his home in Wheaton this week.
Far from over But, Estella and Jerry are far from finished with their weight loss programs. Karla Butler is membership director at the Wheaton Sport Center.
"Last fall, we had a kickoff party to celebrate Jerry and Estella being on the show," Butler said. "Our lounge was packed. Having them on 'The Biggest Loser' has been a huge encouragement for everyone here."
Butler sees Jerry and Estella swimming and working with their personal trainer daily. The Wheaton Sport Center, she said, is a good fit for people like the Hayeses.
"I've been to gyms where you have to be a size 2 or have to be 25 years old in order to fit in," she said. "This isn't that kind of place. Everyone feels accepted here."
Jerry is a retired engineer and continues to work part-time preparing tax returns. He and Estella, a retired nurse, are the parents of three grown daughters.
One of the ways Estella and Jerry Hayes have maintained their exercise regimen over the past months has been to "learn to put ourselves first," Jerry said. "We're exercising like crazy."
Successful year On the first week of "The Biggest Loser," during his very first workout on the show, Jerry fainted. "I went from ending up in the hospital four months ago to where I can run up stairs," Jerry said. "I can play with my grandchildren. I can sleep better. Everything's better."
Jerry is bemused by the amount of attention he is getting after appearing on the show, but he isn't distracted from his goal. And, "The Biggest Loser: Couples" season finale is in May. Jerry and Estella will appear on the show and weigh in. The couple with the greatest percentage of weight loss will win, but Jerry said that regardless of whether they win the $250,000 prize, he'll consider this year a success.
"We never went into it for the money," Jerry Hayes said. "We're doing this for our lives. We both want to inspire older people to start taking care of themselves, too."
Link to the article: http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/wheatonsun/news/1380596,6_1_NA16_WSLOSERS_S1.article (http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/wheatonsun/news/1380596,6_1_NA16_WSLOSERS_S1.article)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 17, 2009, 05:02:49 PM
Jillian Michaels on The View 01/16/09
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 20, 2009, 02:16:20 PM
Peachy don't forget your tissues tonight :'( :lol:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: georgiapeach on January 20, 2009, 02:18:43 PM
Is it actually on? ???
I'm all caught up in the Inauguration, and thought the coverage would preempt the show....
Just checked, looks like it is on! May have to be a TiVo job for me though, but thanks for the reminder!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 20, 2009, 02:24:53 PM
I'm all caught up in the Inauguration, and thought the coverage would preempt the show....
Yes it is on tonight you could always record it and watch it later :kuss:
I did post earlier the episode details but here it is again:
This week kicks off with a temptation that host Alison Sweeney tells the contestants will allow one player to reunite with their teammate at home and bring their trainer with them. But the reunion doesn't go exactly as planned when fireworks erupt between the two teammates after one player accuses the other of not doing all she can to stay on the ranch. Meanwhile the contestants check in with Dr. Huizenga to see how far they've come and how many medications they no longer need from the first three weeks of weight loss. Then a wild jump rope-like challenge results in immunity at this week's weigh in for the winner, followed by a surprising elimination that sends another contestant packing.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: georgiapeach on January 20, 2009, 02:33:25 PM
Heh, let me guess? Joelle takes the temptation, and I hope her teammate gives her hell heck.
Sounds like another good one! :yess:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 20, 2009, 07:42:42 PM
An interview with Jerry:
“This body isn’t as old as I thought it was”
What was the biggest surprise about being on the ranch? I thought it was going to be a gradual work up, not six to eight hours, boom, right off the bat, okay. And you had to cook for yourself; you did everything for yourself. Those were all kind of shockers. But after you’re there for awhile, you better learn how to cook for yourself.
The big scene this week was Bob’s blowup at Joelle. Did anything else happen that led to that? No. You saw it. Sometimes she just wouldn’t do the workout. When we were in the gym, there was homework where they wouldn’t be there, and we’d go off and we’d have to do our own program at three or four hours. They’d tell us what to do, and we’d do it. And she wouldn’t always follow that. She was doing her own thing at times. So it just led up to that. I couldn’t believe it. He just got frustrated. I guess he never does - that was a unique situation.
Are you keeping up with your work outs? Yes. Right now I’ve lost 96 pounds since I started on the ranch. I work out three and a half hours a day, six days a week. I’m not kidding you. I started out as a couch potato. Four months ago, I didn’t get off the sofa.
What benefits are you seeing? We’re more active. We used to take our grandchildren places but we’d sit down on the bench and let them do it. Now we’re doing it with them. My grandson now calls me less fluffy. I’m not a diabetic anymore. It’s just gone. It’s gone. My blood pressure’s well under control and my cholesterol is - I think I’m lower than an 18-year-old, so - unbelievable.
What other changes have you made? We used to go out to eat a lot. We don’t do that anymore. When our grandson spends the night with us, we get him stuff to eat, but we’re pretty good as far as food. We’re not tempted too much. And it’s probably because we’re doing it together.
What was the hardest part of the whole experience for you? To get my mind around it that I could do it, to tell you the truth. I thought my body couldn’t do it. But my body was in much better shape for this thing than I thought it was. I’m very careful with my joints and everything. So this 63-year-old body isn’t as old as I thought it was. I think it’s not so much my age as the fact that I was on a couch for 25 years not doing anything.
Who are you in touch with? Daniel and I are friends. We talk all the time. Joelle just called me. We’re starting to talk. I’m starting to talk to Shannon – emails right now. And, well, that’s about it. We do talk from time to time, all of us together.
What do you talk about? It’s emotional. It’s more, you know, “How you doing?” You know, live strong, that kind of stuff. We don’t talk about weight loss so much, it’s more support.
What’s your advice for other grandparents who are maybe discouraged about starting a fitness program? I think you need help. I got a trainer. You have to start slow, but just keep trying and trying and you’ll get faster, you’ll get stronger. And you need support, whether it’s your spouse or a friend or — at the health center that we go to there’s a community of seniors that feed off of each other. And you’ve just got to believe. There’s a sign in the gym that says, “Believe in yourself, trust in the process and change forever.” I keep quoting that to myself whenever I’m doubting it. And it’s working.
Is your current trainer anything like Jillian? She’s strong. She pushes me. Doesn’t quite as yell as much but pokes at me.
Are you in touch with Jillian? Me and Jillian email once a week if not more. She’s cool. You could fire an email to her any night or day and within an hour you’ve got an answer back. You don’t see it in the gym, but she text messages constantly when she’s yelling and screaming at you. She’s great, great woman.
Link to the article: http://www.intouchweekly.com/2009/01/the_biggest_loser_couplesthis.php (http://www.intouchweekly.com/2009/01/the_biggest_loser_couplesthis.php)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 20, 2009, 09:52:03 PM
Huh funny no tears this episode what a relief :lol:
I'm surprised how the votes went down
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: pledge on January 21, 2009, 12:12:16 AM
I'm not happy with tonights results.......but ... I'm not sure if Joelle or Carla would have been able to succeed at home.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 21, 2009, 01:56:18 AM
Recap from tvguide:
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Week 3"
After the elimination of Jerry last week, the Biggest Loser contestants were sad about letting him go and disappointed that Joelle was able to stay. So does she redeem herself and prove she belongs on the ranch? Not so much.
Once again we were treated to some at-home updates and the temptations that they've been struggling with (well maybe just the men are struggling with). The women seem to be faring better: Aubrey has switched to turkey bacon, Shannon orders plain chicken breast and even when Laura is out with friends she sticks to tuna and sea bass.
Back on campus, it's time to be tempted. The contestants walk in to find a counter filled with food, each listing the amount of calories it contains. We've seen this one on previous seasons, but this time the at-home partners were involved as well. Each person would have their five minutes alone to decide how much, or how little, to eat. The team that racks up the most amount of calories has to train alone at home with their trainer. A good prize, but worth the cals? A few previews showed Damien inhaling the scents of the food trying to satisfy his meat tooth, Mandy tearing up while eating a slice of pizza in hopes that it will be enough to go home and see her boys and Joelle making a huge plate for herself. After everyone has gone, Alison reveals who had eaten what. While Filipe ate nothing, his partner Sione did the opposite. He scarfed down two slices of pizza and a taco to take the lead. Many of the teams stayed faithful to their diet. Team Purple ate nothing, as did Red, Pink, Green, Black and Brown. And then came Silver. Joelle shockingly changes her mind (pre-bite no less) and decides not to do it. Her partner Carla, on the other hand, ate away. "Don't get mad, I need to see you!" was her justification. Joelle was pretty thrilled she was heading home for a bit, but her excitement upset Mandy, who missed her family.
Later in the gym, Bob learns he's going to Detroit — and what a trip it was. Once again, Joelle is the target of a blow-up, but this time, it's her partner Carla doing all the yelling. She's pretty upset that Joelle isn't pulling her weight (or losing it for that matter) as much as she should. Carla is urging her to sweat twice as hard for her, but Joelle remains blank and vacant (it was actually pretty odd). Things heat up as Carla yells, "You ain't showing me nothing. I'm trying to push you to see that this is for us." Later on at dinner, Joelle continues to be passive. Carla asks her to push on so that she can come back, and finally the tears come out as Carla admits she's mad that Joelle got the stay on the ranch and she didn't. Bob asks Joelle what she has to say, and all she mutters is, "Carla, I have vision for the both of us to come forth, to push." What does that even mean? Carla tells her it's unacceptable, and Bob steps in to say, "You have made your point." They just need to think about getting through the next weigh-in.
Back in Los Angeles, Bob and Joelle are back and it is time for the challenge. Once again, this looks familiar. Each person has to continually jump over a beam and not break it as it gets faster and faster. The winner gets immunity yet again. Joelle is the first one out, followed by Ron, Dan and Helen. Soon Damien is out and it's down to Mandy, Tara, Dane and Kristin. Although Mandy feels she could go all day long, something happens and she breaks the beam. After an hour and 45 minutes, Dane is out. Kristin feels a surge of adrenaline and desperately wants the win, but after 2 hours and 45 minutes, she breaks the beam leaving Tara victorious — again. But it's also bittersweet as she tells everyone, "I love Kristin," and didn't exactly enjoy beating her.
The last chance work-out is pretty standard. Joelle's talking to herself gets a bit annoying, especially when she says "no excuses" and then gives up. Jillian comments that she likes watching other people suffer and Bob almost makes Mike cry with his leg presses.
At the weigh-in, Tara goes first since she had immunity. She lost a solid 8 pounds. Here's how everyone else did:
Helen, Pink, lost 6 pounds for a total of 2.53% Mandi, Yellow, lost 8 for a total of 3.27% Joelle, Silver, lost 6 for a total of 2.04% Filipe, Blue, lost 14 for a total of 4.14% Mike and Ron, Brown, lost 11 and 9 for a total of 2.68% Blaine and Dane, Black, lost 12 and 18 for a total of 4.21% Damien, Red, lost 4 for a total of 1.13% Daniel, Orange, lost 15 for a total of 3.56%. Kristin, Purple, lost 7 for a total of 2.11%
So it's Damien and Joelle below the yellow line. No-brainer, right? Wrong. Even after a deliberations, where Joelle hesitates upon being asked, "Do you want to be here?" and Jillian's team agrees to send her home (thinking Bob would follow suit), it all went downhill. Filipe, Mike, Ron, Kristin and Helen voted to send Joelle packing. But Black turns it around voting Damien, with Tara, Mandy and Dan doing the same. I guess their thought was that Joelle needed to be there because she wouldn't be able to do it on her own. Well, tough. Shouldn't someone who gave 110% be able to stay? It also could've been strictly game play as Joelle won't be winning her team any challenges any time soon.
I'm not happy with tonights results.......but ... I'm not sure if Joelle or Carla would have been able to succeed at home.
Me too :groan: I don't know if I can take another episode with Joelle
I think Bob can't either :lol:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 21, 2009, 02:55:08 AM
The show started with a temptation challenge. There were a table full of food with calorie count beside every dish. They were told that their partners back home had the same challenge. The team that eats the most, in calories, wins the challenge and the partner that is still at the ranch gets to go home with their trainer, Jillian or Bob and have a workout with the other partner already at home.
Mandi ate one slice of pizza, 380 calories, her partner at home, Aubrey, ate nothing. Filipe ate nothing but his partner, Sione ate three slices of pizza and a taco with a calorie count of 960. All other teams except for Joelle/Carla ate nothing. Joelle did have a plate of food and came close to eating but stopped in the nick of time but her partner at home, Carla had a huge plate of food and ate it all with a calorie count of 2,710. So, Joelle and Bob went to Detroit to visit Carla. Bob told Carla about his breakdown last week and that Joelle hasn't lost much weight at all. Carla and Joelle ended up fighting almost the whole time during the visit.
They did an immunity challenge, jumping over the beam as it swing towards you. A new record was broken. Matt from another season held the record for 40 minutes and the new record was 2 hours, 19 minutes and Tara won immunity for the second week in a row, with Kristin finishing 2nd and Dane at 3rd. Joelle finished last.
Week 3 Weigh-In Results
Contestant Starting Weight Current Weight Pounds Lost Percentage
Tara 272 264 8 not indicated/immunity
Helen 237 231 6 2.53%
Mandi 245 237 8 3.27%
Joelle 294 288 6 2.04%
Filipe 338 324 14 4.14%
Michael 359 348 11 Ron 386 377 9 20 combined 2.68%
Damien and Joelle falls below the yellow line and here's how the voting went.....
Filipe voted for Joelle Ron/Michael voted for Joelle Kristin voted for Joelle Helen voted for Joelle Blaine/Dane voted for Damien Tara voted for Damien Mandi voted for Damien Daniel voted for Damien
They each got 4 votes and with Damien receiving the lowest percentage weight loss, he was sent home.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 21, 2009, 11:52:48 AM
This is what I have to say concerning last night's episode...
I am so OVER Joelle! Her attitude totally sucks and I thought for sure she was toast last night! I was really shocked at how the votes went down. Bob's whole team wanted her out while Jillian's whole team kept her. Honestly, now that I think about it, I can understand why it went down that way. It just makes Jillian's team stronger and Damien was more of a threat than Joelle. But still, that lazy fat ass bitch needs to go. She does not deserve to be on the ranch anymore in my opinion. I actually feel sorry for Bob, I'm sure he wants to strangle her or something. I think Bob is really biting his tongue and keeping himself in check after that breakdown he had the other week and was probably embarrassed about it. JMO
Based on the previews they showed for next week, it does look like an emotion-packed episode. I have this really horrible feeling it's going to be Daniel's swan song next week. I pray it is not and am hoping what they did show on the preview was actually a trick to make us think that way. You know how the editors are on that show, they twist everything, to make it appear one way but actually it's not. We shall see!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 21, 2009, 12:39:15 PM
Alison Sweeney's Blog:
Bob goes to Detroit
Let’s talk about that challenge. 2 hours and 19 minutes??? Pretty much everyone acknowledged that Tara was going to be tough to beat at that challenge. She proved her strength and competitive spirit last week, charging past Blaine for victory. But I think we were all unanimously impressed by Kristin challenging her for so long. She definitely made Tara work for that immunity. What a huge success for Kristin – to go from not being picked by any of the teams on the first day, to completely proving how capable she was by lasting until the end in the week 3 challenge. She outlasted Dane, and of course everyone teasingly made sure Blaine and Dane knew they’d been beaten by BOTH girls.
Who knew what drama Bob would find himself in the middle of in Detroit? I heard some of the fall out from what happened there afterwards, but it still didn’t prepare me for actually seeing them square off like that. In the gym, In the middle of a work out. Yowsers. You all were probably doing the exact same thing I was doing, asking myself why Carla chose to go home and leave Joelle on the ranch. I am still, to this day, totally unclear about how that decision was made.
The whole silver team situation has made me love Bob more than ever. I mean, last week, when he finally lost his cool – I mean, when the Zen master loses his cool, you know it’s serious, right?! – and then dealing with Carla and Joelle duking it out in Detroit, not to mention you know he flew both ways with Joelle, and still had to give everything he had to the rest of his players when he got home. And through it all, he was able to have a sense of humor and perspective about his own reaction, as well as what he was dealing with. Yup, I love Bob.
Everyone was heartbroken to see Damian lose only 4 pounds. I love how he talks about Nicole, the smile it brings to his face, and it was sad knowing we wouldn’t have Nicole’s bright personality back on campus in 2 weeks. She is a truly beautiful person, and so sincere in her love for Damian and her dedication to getting healthy together
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 21, 2009, 12:42:03 PM
Alison's blog....week 3
January 21, 10:23 AM
Bob goes to Detroit
Let’s talk about that challenge. 2 hours and 19 minutes??? Pretty much everyone acknowledged that Tara was going to be tough to beat at that challenge. She proved her strength and competitive spirit last week, charging past Blaine for victory. But I think we were all unanimously impressed by Kristin challenging her for so long. She definitely made Tara work for that immunity. What a huge success for Kristin – to go from not being picked by any of the teams on the first day, to completely proving how capable she was by lasting until the end in the week 3 challenge. She outlasted Dane, and of course everyone teasingly made sure Blaine and Dane knew they’d been beaten by BOTH girls.
Who knew what drama Bob would find himself in the middle of in Detroit? I heard some of the fall out from what happened there afterwards, but it still didn’t prepare me for actually seeing them square off like that. In the gym, In the middle of a work out. Yowsers. You all were probably doing the exact same thing I was doing, asking myself why Carla chose to go home and leave Joelle on the ranch. I am still, to this day, totally unclear about how that decision was made.
The whole silver team situation has made me love Bob more than ever. I mean, last week, when he finally lost his cool – I mean, when the Zen master loses his cool, you know it’s serious, right?! – and then dealing with Carla and Joelle duking it out in Detroit, not to mention you know he flew both ways with Joelle, and still had to give everything he had to the rest of his players when he got home. And through it all, he was able to have a sense of humor and perspective about his own reaction, as well as what he was dealing with. Yup, I love Bob.
Everyone was heartbroken to see Damian lose only 4 pounds. I love how he talks about Nicole, the smile it brings to his face, and it was sad knowing we wouldn’t have Nicole’s bright personality back on campus in 2 weeks. She is a truly beautiful person, and so sincere in her love for Damian and her dedication to getting healthy together.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 21, 2009, 06:54:21 PM
An interview with Damien:
The Biggest Loser's Damien: "My Goal Weight Is 180, a Sexy 180"
When Damien Gurganious and his fiancée Nicole stepped on to the Biggest Loser ranch, they had their sights set on slimming down and getting sexy before their upcoming wedding. But a first-week twist sent Nicole packing, leaving Damien to fight for the prize and a chance to bring her back to compete. Week 3 saw his shocking elimination after being in the bottom two with Joelle, who most thought would be the one to go. TVGuide.com caught up with Damien to see what life is like back home with Nicole, how he plans to reach his goal weight ("my goal is 180, a sexy 180"), and what he learned from his time on the ranch. The Biggest Loser: Couples airs Tuesdays at 8pm/ET on NBC.
TVGuide.com: Whose idea was it to apply for the show? Damien Gurganious: Nicole actually set me up. One day I [was working at] home and she kept talking to me. The Amazing Race was on, and she turns to me and goes, "Would you be up to doing a reality show?" Just so she'd shut up, I said yes, and went back to work. Would you believe the next frickin' day, we saw a commercial for Biggest Loser auditions in Rockefeller Center? She looks at me, like, you said yes! We ended up going down at 5 in the morning, waiting in line for two hours, and the rest is history.
TVGuide.com: Do you have a pre-wedding diet plan that you're trying to follow? Gurganious: Right now, there are only three things that we actually follow: our calorie intake, working out, and water. That's the basic premise. It's minimum 90 minutes in the morning, 90 at night. Eat your calories and drink lots of water so that you can get rid of the salt, the sodium that comes with your food. That's what we do six days a week. One day we just relax and sleep.
TVGuide.com: And which day is that? Gurganious: It's today [Wednesday].
TVGuide.com: Do you have a favorite healthy recipe? Gurganious: I make this low-sodium chicken soup. Let's be honest, vegetables aren't the greatest unless they're salted down, almost fried. But I've figured out a way to make a chicken soup where you get the flavor in a nice dense soup. The soup is so hearty and filling that it fixes that snack tooth.
TVGuide.com: What's the biggest lesson you took away from being at the ranch? Gurganious: The biggest lesson is honestly the simplest thing: You don't need the show to do it. You just need to want to do it for yourself. If you're unhappy, only you can change it. After being eliminated, you go through this cleansing process where you write down everything you learned on the show and what you're taking away from it. For me, it was three things: I've got to believe in myself, I've got to want it for me and I've got to be committed. That was all I wrote down. I didn't write down exercising, I didn't write down food, I didn't write down who I respected. It was just those three things. It's all about setting that goal. There's nobody else involved. The thing is, you know how much weight you have to lose, you know where your weak points are, and you just work around those. Once I had that figured out, I came home and lost nine pounds that week.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 21, 2009, 07:01:41 PM
Next week on The Biggest Loser
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Episode 4
It's Super Bowl week on the Biggest Loser ranch, and that means food, football and fun with two special guest stars – celebrity chef Curtis Stone and NFL MVP Kurt Warner. First, Stone tests the contestants' calorie knowledge of traditional Super Bowl snacks, then teaches them how to make healthier versions. Later, one contestant has to leave the ranch for a very important arrival at home, while another surprises her teammates with a new change in attitude. Then it's time for the challenge, when Warner puts the contestants through an NFL-style drill that will give the winner an especially valuable prize this week. Then the partners who were sent home for 30 days while their teammates stayed on the ranch are welcomed back. But the reunion celebration is quickly followed by a tense weigh-in and elimination that will leave one team heading home.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 21, 2009, 07:07:22 PM
The Biggest Loser on February 3, 2009
Episode 5
Now that the contestants' partners are back at the ranch, those who've been working out at home will weigh in and see how they have fared away from the ranch. A visit to Dr. Huizenga will reveal the contestants' new "real age" and how far they've come in the first five weeks. Then all the players compete in this week's "rope challenge," and later, an elimination leads to tension on one team when one player thinks her partner hasn't been pulling her weight.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 21, 2009, 10:53:08 PM
An interesting article:
Damien Gurganious talks about his time on 'The Biggest Loser: Couples
Damien Gurganious knew he wasn't guaranteed a free pass into The Biggest Loser: Couples' next round after falling below the yellow line during last night's broadcast on NBC. Still, the 31-year-old industrial designer from Brooklyn, NY, liked his chances.
It's a show about competition and weight loss, and there's a prize at the end, so you don't put anything past anyone," Gurganious told Reality TV World in a media conference call the day after his The Biggest Loser elimination aired on Tuesday night's broadcast. "But then on the other token, I felt I was gonna probably stay because the person I was up against who didn't wanna be there in the first place."
"You're thinking 'Maybe I will stay,' and then you go 'Well, this is an opportunity here for the competition,'" he added. "So you're hoping thing go your way, but in my case it didn't go."
While he said he was unsure why the contestants had decided to keep Joelle Gwynn, a 41-year-old non-profit founder from Southfield, MI, and vote him off instead, Gurganious speculated it may have been because the other contestants felt he was a bigger threat than Joelle.
Gurganious also added that he didn't feel the show's broadcasts had portrayed Gwynn's behavior inaccurately, and didn't dismiss the idea that the contestants that were being trained by Jillian Michaels had eliminated him in order to force Bob Harper's contestants to have to continue dealing with Joelle’s disruptive influence.
"You've all seen the show and sometimes it comes down to who plays the game the best and maybe that was a part of it," Gurganious told Reality TV World. "There's no way of telling what they were thinking, but it could've been [a reason for my elimination]."
While the first episode twist that sent nine of The Biggest Loser: Couples' contestants home to continue their workouts on their own was met with mixed reactions from the show's cast, Gurganious told Reality TV World he felt it was a "great thing" because it forced the contestants to commit to losing the weight.
"You actually get rid of your enabler, the person that you spend the most time eating with and hanging out and practicing bad habits with. It puts you to your own devices," he told Reality TV World. "It's just you, without your partner, and you gotta figure out how to do it on your own. No more turning to someone else, you [have to] look internally to find out that you have the power to do stuff. And I thought it was great."
He added that the decision to have him remain on the ranch while his fiancee Nicole Brewer, a 37-year-old wardrobe stylist, went home to Brooklyn to workout on her own was made by her based on their different body types.
"Nicole figured that with me and my size, and the weight I had to lose, that it would be easier for me to stay, because I have more weight to lose and that would give us a stronghold towards staying in the game," he told Reality TV World.
While Brewer's plan didn't pan out, Gurganious told reporters that they have both been able to commit to a workout regimen that includes 90 minutes of cardio twice-a-day, six-days-a-week since returning home.
"I'm one of the fortunate ones, because me and Nicole both run our own businesses. So when I came home it allowed me to kinda just take some time off and not have to work every day," Gurganious told reporters. "The people that work for me still have to work a little bit, but for me I have the ability to focus me and Nicole's goals."
Ironically, while Damien's profession is helping him now, it was also what he said had led to Brewer "setting [him] up" to apply for The Biggest Loser in the first place.
"One day I had a tight deadline to do on a project... and I had to bring the project home," Gurganious told reporters. "[Nicole's] watching [The Amazing Race], and she turns to me and she goes 'Would you be up to doing a reality show?' and so she would [be quiet so I could work] I said 'Yes!' and I go back to working on this project."
"And would you believe it, the next frickin' day [Nicole sees] the [open auditions] commercial for The Biggest Loser at Rockefeller Center, and she looks at me and she said "You said yes!" and I was like 'Okay, let's go,'" he added.
However Gurganious isn't complaining. He's lost 85 lbs. since he first arrived at The Biggest Loser ranch and plans to be "a sexy [180 lbs.]" by the time he and Brewer wed in June.
"That is how I will be getting married. There will be no more 'Big & Tall' ordering suits for me," he told reporters, before adding that he had intentionally held off on finding a suit for the wedding before appearing on the show because he hadn't been impressed with the suit selections available for his pre-Loser size.
"With a size 60 waist you got three options: powder blue, big top red, or some kind of turquoise plaid. I was like 'hmm, I think I'll wait," Gurganious told reporters. "Now I can actually get an Italian designer suit that actually looks good."
Gurganious said he expected for all of The Biggest Loser: Couples contestants that had been trained by Bob to attend the wedding, and added that he already had thought of special plans for them.
"We're gonna have a giant round table cut like a pie chart with blue, pink, brown, [and they'll all be] sitting at this one table," he said. "It'll be The Biggest Loser wedding party!"
Gurganious also admitted to reporters that he felt the Blue team of Sione Fa, a 28-year-old landscape company owner from Maricopa, AZ, and his cousin Filipe Fam, a 26-year-old lube technician from Mesa, AZ, stood the best chance of going all the way and winning the competition.
"I put a lot on [Sione and Filipe] only because they have the most non-selfish story," Gurganious told reporters. "They have a whole village of Tongans who are looking to them to bring back this information to help them out because they live a lifestyle of obesity and insulin shots and medication. I think that with them, the pressure of saving their people is on their shoulders, and I think that's not to be taken lightly. I see them taking it all the way."
Link to the article: http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/damien-gurganious-talks-about-his-time-on-the-biggest-loser-couples-8312.php (http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/damien-gurganious-talks-about-his-time-on-the-biggest-loser-couples-8312.php)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 22, 2009, 10:24:49 AM
"One day I had a tight deadline to do on a project... and I had to bring the project home," Gurganious told reporters. "[Nicole's] watching [The Amazing Race], and she turns to me and she goes 'Would you be up to doing a reality show?' and so she would [be quiet so I could work] I said 'Yes!' and I go back to working on this project."
:jumpy: Yay Nicole is a fan of TAR
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 22, 2009, 11:53:31 AM
NFL MVP KURT WARNER AND POPULAR CHEF CURTIS STONE VISIT "THE BIGGEST LOSER: COUPLES" FOR SPECIAL SUPER BOWL EPISODE ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 27 (8-10 P.M. ET)
NBC Press Release
Two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner and popular celebrity chef Curtis Stone will guest star on the Super Bowl-themed episode of NBC's "The Biggest Loser: Couples" on Tuesday, January 27 (8-10 p.m. ET).
It's Super Bowl week on the Biggest Loser ranch, and that means food, football and fun for all the contestants. First, Stone will test the players' calorie knowledge of traditional Super Bowl snacks like chicken wings. The winners of that contest will get to learn how to make healthier versions of the snacks, and one player will get a chance to have Stone surprise their teammate at home for a special one-on-one lesson in preparing healthy meals.
Then it's time for this week's challenge, which will play out on a football field with NFL superstar Warner. After giving the contestants an inspiring pep talk, he'll put the players through an NFL-style competition that will give the winner an especially valuable prize – immunity. And since all the "at home" teammates who have been working out on their own for 30 days will return at this week's weigh in, immunity also means that the winner's partner is guaranteed a spot back at the ranch – and back in the game.
Also in this week's episode, one contestant has to leave the ranch for a very important arrival at home. And later, the contestants face their toughest decision yet at elimination when two teams who really need to be at the ranch fall below the yellow line.
Stone is an acclaimed chef, bestselling author, TV host and entrepreneur. His fourth book, "Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone: Recipes To Put You in My Favorite Mood," will be released on April 7. He can be seen on the TLC show "Take Home Chef," is a partner on AOL Food's "Trade Secrets" videos, and recently launched his line of eco-friendly kitchen products at Williams Sonoma.
Warner is a quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, and will be playing in this year's Super Bowl on February 1. He is a two-time NFL MVP (1999 and 2001) and was also named Super Bowl XXXIV MVP after leading the St. Louis Rams to a win over the Tennessee Titans (2000). Warner and his wife, Brenda, established the First Things First Foundation, which is designed to help those less fortunate with projects such as trips to Disney World for ill children, rewarding single parents for achieving the dream of home ownership, and teaching Special Olympians the football basics. More information on his organization can be found at www.kurtwarner.org.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 22, 2009, 09:42:34 PM
An interesting article an interview with Damien:
Biggest Loser Couple Damien & Nicole Prep for Wedding
The contestants got a reality check on Tuesday’s episode of Biggest Loser: Couples episode, when game play reared its ugly head in the season’s third week, resulting with the nice guy finishing last. Team Red’s Damien Gurganious, 31, fell below the yellow line with Team Silver’s Joelle Gwynn, an increasingly unpopular teammate for her lack of desire to be at the Ranch. But when it came time for elimination, Jillian’s team went for the lesser threat and a tie vote sent Damien packing due to his lower percentage weight loss. At home in Brooklyn with his fiancée and teammate Nicole Brewer, Damien has already lost 85 lbs., and has a goal to be a sexy 180 at their wedding. He spoke to reporters about his experiences how his life has changed, what they’re doing to prepare for the wedding and whether Joelle is really as bad as she appears on TV.
How has the weight loss and the whole experience affected your relationship with Nicole? The weight loss is going to open up different doors for activities that we can do as a couple. We love to fly and … with the weight loss, it allows us to enjoy each other and not be cramped up in the seats, and if somebody actually gets a seat in between us, they can actually enjoy their plane ride as well. . . . We can now go for three or four-hour bike rides and not be tired or winded. We can go to a movie theatre together and sit side by side and not infringe upon each other’s space and comfort. We get to relive things we’ve been doing all the time and we get to experience it the way skinny folks do.
How’s it going in the kitchen? Did you modify your recipes? I had to throw them out and get a whole new set of recipes. You really can’t cook low-fat coconut rice. You have to just have plain brown rice and try to enjoy it. I make a low-sodium chicken soup that allows you to get all your vegetables in. Let’s be honest here, vegetables are not always the greatest unless they are salted down or almost fried. I figured out a way to make a chicken soup where you get the flavor, and it’s hearty and filling.
What is your pre-wedding diet plan? There are three things that we actually follow: 1: our calorie intake. 2: A minimum cardio workout of 90 minutes in the morning and 90 minutes at night, six days a week. 3: Water to get rid of the sodium intake that comes with the food.
Will you be inviting anybody from the show to your wedding? Bob’s entire team will be there. We’ve decided we’re going to have a giant round table cut into a pie chart with blue, pink, brown colors and that’s going to be the Biggest Loser wedding party.
What would you do with the $100,000 if you won the at-home prize at the finale? Our wedding is already paid for. I think the honeymoon is going to be the magical part. I’m going to take the longest honeymoon ever recorded in history. Right now, it’s five months of working out everyday, with Nicole and I in each other’s faces and we are going to need a vacation that we can actually forget that we worked out for five months through achy bones, tired muscles and frustration.
Is Joelle really as bad as what viewers see on TV? You can’t fake what you saw. . . . I don’t think she was prepared for the emotional and physical battle. A lot of times people act out different ways, and with hers it was just what you saw, an emotional block.
Link to the article: http://tvwatch.people.com/2009/01/22/biggest-loser-couple-damien-nicole-prep-for-wedding/ (http://tvwatch.people.com/2009/01/22/biggest-loser-couple-damien-nicole-prep-for-wedding/)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 24, 2009, 11:54:10 AM
The Biggest Loser
Episode 6:
02/10/2009 (08:00PM - 10:00PM) (Tuesday)
ONE CONTESTANT WINS 24-HOUR VISIT FROM LOVED ONE
It's the 100th episode of "The Biggest Loser," and this week, a balancing competition will bring the winner a coveted prize – a 24-hour visit from a loved one back home. Then the teams all take part in a tough challenge that tests their endurance, and later, one player will be sent home from the team that falls below the dreaded yellow line.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 25, 2009, 11:43:25 PM
Biggest Loser 7 - Episode 4 - Behind The Scenes
This week we answered some of your questions
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 27, 2009, 10:24:53 AM
From etonline.com
Is Daniel Wright, the heaviest-ever "The Biggest Loser" contestant, quitting the competition?
"I never thought it was possible to not be fat," Daniel, who weighed 454 pounds on week one, tells trainer Jillian Michaels. "I look in the mirror and I try to see that this can happen, but..."
On tonight's episode of the weight-loss competition, Jillian is frustrated with Daniel's inability to psyche himself up for the workouts, despite the fact that he has lost 48 pounds in three weeks.
"Dan doesn't get out of his comfort zone," Jillian explains. "He talks a good game, but he doesn't follow through."
What Jillian is trying to get the 19-year-old to achieve is a five-minute run on the treadmill, but Daniel keeps making excuses.
"All these things keep popping up in my head," he explains. "I weigh 400 pounds. I could break my knee, or my ankle could go out. All these excuses make me want to run away."
Tune in tonight to find out Daniel's fate, when "The Biggest Loser" airs at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: ohsweetjebus on January 27, 2009, 05:17:37 PM
I thought i was the only one loved those behind the scenes! Did you watch the blooper reel yet? Bob is ****ing hysterical!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 27, 2009, 11:58:12 PM
:hearts: Loved tonights episode .... from tvguide:
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap "Week 4"
Last week's shocking elimination left Joelle not only still on the ranch, but with a team that had unanimously voted her out. After Jillian's team promised to vote the same as Blue, they went and ousted Damien. So now the race for immunity is on. Finally some team vs. team drama!
At home, the partners are still trying to do their best while fighting temptations and the strain of being in the real world. Aubrey is working out as much as she can, but taking care of her kids is making it a bit more challenging. Tara is wondering what Laura is doing in Miami's South Beach. "I'm sure she's playing beach volleyball and doing a ton of spinning and working out." Cut to her dancing it up in the club. On the dedicated end of the spectrum is Sione, who realizes that he does have to time to work out, he just needs to make it. Dan, meanwhile, is not so sure about his at-home partner Dave, and has a lot to be worried about, as we're shown him continuing to smoke and eat fried foods.
On the ranch, Joelle is welcoming the opportunity to work with Bob, but her teammates aren't so convinced. Kristin and Helen tell Bob that Joelle is distracting, but he calms them down. "She's here, so let's help her. But don't not help yourself." He also asks them to let it go. Surprisingly, when Bob tells Joelle to push, she actually does it, and he tells her that he's finally seeing something in her for which he's been waiting.
It's Super Bowl week on The Biggest Loser — and we all know how tempting a tailgate party can be. Curtis Stone, my favorite "take-home chef" (isn't he so adorable?), was on hand to challenge the contestants to guess how many calories were in their favorite party snacks. First up was the melt-in-your-mouth, spicy and messy goodness that is the chicken wing with a side of Ranch. They came in at 991 calories, and Dan guessed the closest. Next was a bread bowl with chili and sour cream. Kristin won by being the closest to 1,165 calories. Last up was the ever-present seven-layer dip. It came in at a whopping 1,775 calories, to which Helen guessed the closest. For the next part of the challenge, Curtis cooked up a healthy version of the wings. He used cubes of chicken breast with mustard and honey, and rosemary as the skewer which he then grilled. And if the image alone wasn't convincing, Ali sure did make me a believer in this recipe. Dan, Kristin and Helen had to then guess the calorie count in one serving (five pieces). Dan came the closest to the correct number of 230. His prize was pretty sweet, and his team was arguably the most in need of it. Curtis was to visit Dan's partner Dave at home and show him how to cook healthy meals. Dave would also receive a 2-pound pass for his weigh-in upon his possible return to the ranch. So off to North Carolina Curtis went where he showed Dave how to grocery-shop, how integral spices are, and how he can cook a pretty tasty yet healthy meal.
The Super Bowl theme continued to this week's challenge, where QB Kurt Warner was a special guest. Each contestant had a basket and the goal was to fill everyone else's, because a full basket of five footballs meant elimination. This type of challenge always plays out the same, with most people teaming up against one person to get them out first. This time it was no different. Filipe and Tara were out first, with Dane out shortly after. Strongest players were clearly the early targets. At the end it was Helen vs. Joelle, who was amazed to still be standing. In this case, that wasn't such a great honor but hey, I'll give it to her. Helen was victorious and ecstatic to know that she had won herself immunity, meaning her daughter was definitely returning to the ranch.
Back in the gym, Blaine returned from being home for the birth of his new baby boy Breckin. On Team Jillian, Dan was struggling. He wasn't pushing hard enough, and Jillian was about to make him her next victim. He even fell, but she continued to scream at him to get up. Dan finally admitted that he "never thought it was possible to not be fat," and so was constantly coming up with excuses. Jillian got through to him by telling him he had the strength to get past it, and he went on to run the allotted time with his team cheering him on in the background.
This week's weigh-in was crucial; the final week before the at-home players could return. Joelle told Ali that she kept the light blazing all week long, and Bob and Filipe even said that she worked out harder than ever before. So was it enough to keep her in the game? Before they could find out, Ali had another surprise in store — the at-home players were there! Everyone was so excited and Filipe's reaction was great. There were tears and hugs abound. Helen went first since she had immunity, and lost a respectable 6 pounds. Here's how everyone else fared.
Mike and Ron, Brown, lost 9 and 7 for a total of 2.21% Blaine and Dane, Black, lost 11 and 15 for a total of 3.81% Filipe, Blue, lost 13 for a total of 4.01% Tara, Green, lost 12 for a total of 4.55% Kristin, Purple, lost 12 for a total of 3.70% Mandi, Yellow, lost 10 for a total of 4.22% Dan, Orange, lost 12 for a total of 2.96% Joelle, Silver, lost 10 for a total of 3.47%
Talk about pulling big numbers! Orange and Brown fell below the yellow line with a tough decision ahead for their teammates. Ron was torn up, blaming himself and asked that they kick him to the curb but keep his son Mike. Dan reminded everyone that they all need to be there and that it's tough because Brown was so instrumental in keeping him around two weeks prior. He also made it known that he loves everything about the ranch. His teammate, though, not so much. Dave made it clear that it can be done from home and admitted it would be hard to be on the ranch.
The elimination was a nail-biter and I didn't even have my mind set on who I wanted to see stay. Pink, Purple and Silver and Blue voted Orange out while Yellow, Black and Green voted Brown out. The most powerful moment was when Tara yelled at Dave for not getting why he needed to stay. She was pissed off that 250,000 people tried out and that his partner Dan was "working his ass off" to get him back. "You need to be here. This kid doesn't get it. I'm gonna make you get it," she yelled. "The truth is my commitment is here, my heart is not," Dave responded. He felt that he'd feel trapped on the ranch and at this point, Filipe got upset. He explained that being trapped is not being able to see your wife or kids but that he'll endure it so that he can live longer for them. In the end, it didn't matter what anyone said because Orange was going home and father-and-son Team Brown were staying.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 28, 2009, 12:27:04 AM
:hearts: Jillian Michaels on Rachael Ray, 01.27.09
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 28, 2009, 12:29:19 AM
.... continued Part 2
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 28, 2009, 03:10:38 AM
First of all, tonight's show was really good. We got to see Blaine's fourth child being born, and him being torn of having to leave his family right after the birth to return to the ranch to finish what he started...and of course the emotional elimination...wow, Tara sure did go off!
No need for me to recap the episode here as the tv guide article posted earlier pretty much covered it all. I'm going to list the weigh-in results but with more specific numbers, gonna include day 1 weight, weekly weight and total pounds lost since arriving at the ranch in case some readers may want to know them.
NAME DAY 1 WGT LAST WEEK CURRENT WGT LBS LOST TOTAL TOTAL LOST % THIS WEEK
Helen 257 231 225 6 32 immunity
Ron 430 377 370 7 60 combined/ Michael 388 348 339 9 49 2.21%
So that obviously meant Ron/Michael and Daniel below the yellow line
And since their original partners came back for a second chance at the ranch....
At the elimination, the colored teams voted to be eliminated are:
PINK, Helen/Shanon, voted for Daniel/Dave YELLOW, Mandi/Aubrey, voted for Ron/Michael PURPLE, Kristin/Cathy, voted for Daniel/Dave BLACK, Blaine/Dane, voted for Ron/Michael GREEN, Tara/Laura, voted for Ron/Michael SILVER, Joelle/Carla, voted for Daniel/Dave BLUE, Filipe/Sione, voted for Daniel/Dave
The orange team, Daniel/Dave were eliminated from the ranch and to this day, Daniel has lost 101 pounds and Dave has lost 46 pounds bringing their current weights from 454 to 353 and 393 to 347.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 28, 2009, 03:21:22 AM
My two favorite teams are the Black n Blue!
I love Blaine, he's grounded, a family man, committed, and Dane, he's a machine, can't wait to see him skinny! Hell, they have lost 120 pounds, combined in 4 weeks! That is quite an achievement!
I love Filipe for his personality, he's so positive, full of energy, and Sione, he feeds off Filipe's energy and thrives on it
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 28, 2009, 12:07:04 PM
From people.com
The campus hosted a bunch of special guests this week, and not just Super Bowl-bound quarterback Kurt Warner or Take Home Chef’s Curtis Stone. Contestants were also eager to welcome back their at-home partners to the campus. After couple cooking lessons and a football challenge, it came down to a heartbreaking weigh-in where the contestants had to choose between the Orange and the Brown Team. After an impassioned plea from father Ron to keep at least his son Mike on the show, and after Tara and Filipe angrily railed at David about his seeming lack of desire to be on the Ranch, Team Orange was sent home.
Here’s how it happened:
In the first of two Super Bowl-themed challenges, contestants had to guess Price Is Right-style the amount of calories in popular tailgate party foods without going over. The three finalists in the challenge would then learn how to make a healthier version of a popular snack from Stone. Then from those three, a final calorie-guessing winner sent Stone to their partner at home with a two-lb. advantage at their next weigh-in. Daniel won, which sent Stone off to Raleigh, N.C.
In two off-campus segments, Stone took David to the produce aisle of a supermarket to help him identify things behind the flavors he loved so much when eating out. Then, Stone showed him how to mix spices together, rub them on a piece of chicken and grill it. Meanwhile, Blaine surprised his wife Jenny for the birth of their fifth child, a boy. After seeing him, Blaine said, “It really hits home why I’m doing what I’m doing now.”
In the football challenge, Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Warner came out to encourage the contestants to keep running and play for immunity in a tactical game of place-the-most-footballs-in-your-opponents-bins. An elated Helen won and said, “I am starting to find self-esteem again and it feels really good.” Back on campus, Jillian confronted Daniel with her assessment that he wasn’t pushing himself hard enough. She asked him what was going on in his head and in a devastating admission, he said, “I never thought it would be possible to not be fat.”
The at-home partners returned to campus and Kristin described it as “a moment of pure joy.” Among the notable results were Tara’s 12-lb. loss and Filipe’s 13-lb. drop. Joelle finally got over her mental hurdle and cleared double digits with a 10-lb. loss. But falling below the yellow line were Ron and Mike and Daniel and David. A teary Mike poignantly said, “Who deserves to be here isn’t going to work in this situation. Dan and I are both so young and so overweight, it’s probably the worst possible scenario for this week.”
Although Daniel told the room he wanted to stay, David oddly said that it was just as possible to lose weight at home, later triggering Tara to lash out at him for failing to see the importance of the Ranch. It was Filipe, however, whose Team Blue cast the final deciding vote against Team Orange and sent David Lee, 23, and Daniel Wright, 19, back home.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 28, 2009, 01:21:17 PM
An interesting article an interview with Daniel:
Biggest Loser’s Biggest Contestant: 100-lbs. Lighter — And Still Losing!
After an emotional night saw the departure of Daniel Wright, the heaviest contestant in Biggest Loser history, the 19-year-old student, of Willow Spring, N.C., spoke with PEOPLE about how he’s doing at home. Wright lost 60 lbs. off his 454-lb. frame in four weeks during his run on the show and now has lost 41 more, bringing him down to 353 lbs. Wright also revealed his diet and exercise plan, talked about the support of his family and why he isn’t ready to shop for clothes.
What were the first changes you noticed in your body after so much weight? I definitely have more mobility and energy … Before going to the Ranch, I could barely walk around with my friends for more than 15 to 30 minutes at the max. My joints would hurt, my lower back would be in pain, I would have to go sit down somewhere on a bench. The best thing is to be able to stand all day without sitting down or being able to keep up with my friends and family.
What has been the reaction of your family and friends? I’ve always had the family support right there ready to accept me once I was willing to step up. My mom and stepdad always play a lot of tennis and I can keep up with them now, and my sister is a cheerleader and she’s really active and now she comes to the gym with me. They have always been pretty active and now I’m just joining them!
Have you gone out and bought new clothes? I am avoiding shopping for new clothes because I still have all my old clothes from before gaining weight, so I’m just kind of stepping backwards with the style, a decade, so I’ll be rocking the double polo soon! … Most of the new stuff that I am buying are exercise clothes, so it’s cool to see the fit change in those, but I am avoiding buying the good or street clothes until I’m done.
What has your typical day been like now fitness wise? I run from 8-9 [in the morning]. After that, I will do either circuit training with weights or some type of cardio machine in the gym like an elliptical machine or a treadmill, and then I will usually take a break, come home, fix my second meal, relax a little bit, then go back to the gym for another two hours and do more cardio or work with a trainer. Then, I rest again and more cardio at night. It’s been great.
What did Jillian teach you in terms of why you were eating? Rather than facing those fears that come up in life, I would retreat and eat, and I would eat foods that were pretty comforting and usually pretty fattening and high in calories. I realized … it’s not wrong to be afraid. Even though it hurts, the hurt or the pain that come from whatever situation I’m afraid of will be far less than the hurt of going home, eating ice cream and gaining another 100 pounds. Looking back, I wasn’t sure what I was afraid of, people laughing at me or whatever, but so what? Now I’m on national television with my shirt off and I don’t care any more!
What was a typical lunch like before the show? What’s it like now? I would do something normal, like have a sandwich and chips, but once everybody left, I would eat whatever was left on the table, or I would also grab three or four snacks out of the cupboard … So, my lunch would look pretty normal but what I was eating behind the scenes was making my lunch pretty big. Now, for lunch, I will have 4 ounces of grilled chicken, some broccoli, and a sugar-free Jell-O pudding cup. Or today I had 4 ounces of New York strip steak with the fat cut off and mixed vegetables. It was really satisfying and I focused on cooking it right and I love it.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 28, 2009, 01:35:34 PM
:hearts: Alison Sweeney's Blog:
tailgate!!!
Curtis Stone was our celebrity chef to start off this week. Tara and Kristin had been asking me when they were going to get cooking lessons! Having seen the show, they look forward to some of the surprises we set up, though it’s never quite how they expect it. In honor of the Super Bowl, the whole cooking challenge was centered around Tailgating snacks… buffalo wings, 7 layer dip and chili. Curtis took on the seemingly monumental task of remaking these dishes into healthy options… and they were delicious. I snuck a few extra Rosemary Chicken Skewers home for my family. Ben and I split them at dinner.
Helen, Tara and Mandi were all loving the idea of sending Curtis home to their teammates – for more than just the nutritional education purposes. Helen loved imagining Shannon’s reaction to a hot Australian chef showing up on her doorstep! And, Curtis couldn’t have been sweeter. He was so interested in everyone’s stories, and really enthusiastic about helping everyone make a positive change. He even brought a few gifts – he gave me a cutting board from his own line of cookware. I was so psyched!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 28, 2009, 01:49:25 PM
:hearts: love this girl
Coleen Skeabeck - Biggest Loser Recap Season 7 Episode 4
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 28, 2009, 04:07:49 PM
Awwww she is so darn cute Coleen <3
Coleen Skeaback Answers Your Questions
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 28, 2009, 05:14:19 PM
From tvguide:
The Biggest Loser's Dan on Life After the Ranch
At 454 pounds, Daniel Wright was the heaviest contestant in Biggest Loser history. He quickly proved that he was in it to win it -- if only his partner, David, had felt the same. Instead, David made it clear that he would rather continue his weight-loss journey at home. Just one week shy of the return of the at-home contestants, Daniel was voted out. TVGuide.com asked the 19-year-old student about his favorite healthy recipe and how it felt to have a "5 foot-nothing" woman terrify him. The Biggest Loser: Couples airs Tuesdays at 8pm/ET on NBC.
TVGuide.com: How did it feel to find out that while you were working your butt off at the ranch, Dave was at home eating fried foods and smoking? Dan Wright: I know how hard it is to try to [lose weight] at home. I've tried for years and I haven't been successful yet. So my heart was just hurt knowing that he was going through the same struggles that I had been going through a month earlier.
TVGuide.com: What's the biggest lesson you learned on the ranch? Wright: To understand what food is, and to put it in its place. I use it as a crutch. The ranch helped me realize that I can turn to completely different things — not just food.
TVGuide.com: Going back to that last work-out with Jillian, what went through your head when you fell and she just kept screaming at you to get up? Wright: I was thinking that I'd like to be at home eating ice cream on my couch. What in the world? Where does that thought come from? For some reason, I was really scared of her. I mean, she's 5 foot-nothing and I'm terrified of this woman. I'm on The Biggest Loser, I'm in a hot and sweaty gym, I'm getting beat up by Jillian for two hours. That really helped me realize that when I'm afraid of things or when life gets difficult, I run to food. That was a big realization for me because I never wanted to admit that I was an emotional eater, and that right there proved it. I was really mad at her for continuing to yell, but she actually was able to help me out.
TVGuide.com: How have you kept the weight off at home? Wright: It has been harder at home because of the distractions that rise up. It's just staying determined and trying to make every day as much like the ranch as possible.
TVGuide.com: So do you have a favorite healthy recipe? Wright: I've got a couple. One of them, believe or not, is in The Biggest Loser cookbook. It's called The Winning "Fried" Chicken. It's spanking awesome.
TVGuide.com: And it gets the job done when you're craving real fried chicken? Wright: Oh, absolutely.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 30, 2009, 02:30:06 PM
An interview wiht Daniel and David:
The Biggest Loser Exit Interview: Daniel & David
All eyes have been David Lee and Daniel Wright since they first arrived on The Biggest Loser. As the Orange Team, Daniel, 19, was the heaviest contestant ever on the ranch at 454 pounds; David, 23, was close behind at almost 400 pounds. After a shocking twist was thrown into the game, David was sent home to lose weight while Daniel stayed back at the ranch. Audiences were shocked to see David not only continuing his unhealthy lifestyle once he returned home, but also to see him request to continue the rest of the show at home rather than the ranch.
Despite the fact that Daniel wanted to stay in the game, the other players granted David’s request and sent the team home. Fancast got the chance to talk to the best friends about life after the Biggest Loser, their friendship, and why it’s so hard to face childhood obesity.
David, why did you campaign to go home to lose weight rather than stay in the game?
David Lee: You know, the reason I did that is because I don’t want people to think that the ranch is a magical place that you go and the weight just falls off. You know, there’s 250,000 that tried out for that show and 22 made it. So those other people have to know that it can be done from home. But, you know, as my progress is showing it is harder and it does take longer because you have to live your life and do this.
But what about the footage of you eating fried chicken, hot dogs, and smoking?
David Lee: Unfortunately the camera guys pretty much tell you what they want you to do. At that point when they were filming I was naïve enough to think that they wouldn’t show me eating fried chicken because it was my high calorie day. But they did and that’s something I’ve had to live and learn with TV. But, it doesn’t hurt my feelings because there are people out there that are having the same struggles I’m having and I want them to know that it can be overcome.
Daniel, what did you think about that fact that David expressed his desire to go home, knowing that you wanted to stay?
Daniel Wright: I was a little shocked when he said it but at the same time I knew he’d felt that way because me and him had had plenty of discussions week one about it. You know, that was part of our decision in who would stay just because he was really excited about getting to go home for 30 days and I was really excited about getting to stay. So the first week worked out for us and I kind of figured he’d be coming back in.
What did you guys think of Tara’s rant when she voted for you guys to stay?
David Lee: Tara is that kind of person– it was kind of expected. I think she went a little overboard because she didn’t understand where I was coming from. I think if she had the opportunity she would apologize. And I don’t say that to be condescending or anything but she just didn’t understand. I was dedicated to be there… I just didn’t enjoy it, if that makes sense. I definitely agree with what she said.
What was your relationship like after your left the ranch?
Daniel Wright: It was pretty good. I was just really excited to see him because I’d been without friends or family for a month. But we were actually good– I wasn’t mad at him or anything and he wasn’t mad at me. We were able to support each other and get back where we left off. What’s been some of the biggest either challenges to your exercise routine?
David Lee: I’ve done the majority of this on my own from home so for me I think the biggest thing for my workout was to find something that I enjoyed doing that would burn a lot of calories. And for me it’s basketball. I get together with a bunch of guys and play full court basketball. I’ll play for an hour and a half, two hours and burn 2000 calories.
Do you think people are destined to be overweight if it runs in their family, or do people do it to themselves?
David Lee: I don’t think it’s genetic at all; with the average American it is not genetics that make us fat, it is the fact that there are tons of chemicals in all the food we eat. Much of our food is processed; most of it is from a fast food restaurant. And we barely move. Our jobs involve sitting for long periods of time and high stress mental work but not any physical labor. I think a lot of it has to do sometimes with upbringing a lot of parents instill sometimes bad habits in their kids with fast food.
Is that why obesity in children is such an epidemic?
Daniel Wright: I think it’s a lot of things. With kids because you’ve got self image problems, you’ve got self confidence issues, you’ve got all kinds of things. I think no matter what your upbringing, you make the choice to eat what you eat and you make the choice to not move. I definitely sympathize with them because there are a lot of struggles that come with it. Food is almost becoming an addiction.
David Lee: The fault lies on the individual. But in saying that, society has become I want it and I want it now. You know, fast food drive-thrus and pizza buffets for $5… society is making it easy to be obese. That’s unfortunate, and I think things are starting to change now. I think actually the Biggest Loser is making a big impact on that.
Link to the article: http://www.fancast.com/blogs/interviews/the-biggest-loser-exit-interview-daniel-david/ (http://www.fancast.com/blogs/interviews/the-biggest-loser-exit-interview-daniel-david/)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on January 30, 2009, 08:08:51 PM
THE BIGGEST LOSER SEASON 7
Episode 7:
02/17/2009 (08:00PM - 10:00PM) (Tuesday):
CONTESTANTS LEARN TO WORK OUT WITHOUT THE USE OF THE GYM
This week, the contestants hike up a hill to find over 100 keys, but only two teams will find the keys that unlock the Biggest Loser gym. The rest of the teams have to learn to creatively work out all week without the use of the gym. Later, a rowing machine challenge pits team against team, and then a surprising turn of events leads to one contestant heading home.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on January 31, 2009, 12:58:05 AM
MARK YOUR CALENDARS...
Biggest Loser Finale
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
There is an article about Daniel in the newest issue of People magazine and the date of the finale was mentioned in it.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 04, 2009, 02:30:04 AM
From tvguide.com
Recap of Episode 5:
It's official: Six players are back on the ranch and ready to help their partners compete for the $250,000 prize. Rejoining we've got Aubrey (yellow), the mother of five; Laura (green), a former model; Shannon (pink), who's been overweight her whole life; Cathy (Purple), a recovering alcoholic and smoker; and Carla (silver). Bob reminds his team that they have to stay on course after hitting big numbers last week, while Jillian tells her team that they really need to fight because they're outnumbered and Bob is notorious for not allowing his teams to vote one of their own. Although I can't see Jillian doing that either.
Right away, the returning players weighed in, giving them a chance to prove how well they've done at home. It also provided an opportunity to win immunity for their team this week. The numbers, though admirable, seemed low in comparison to those on the ranch, and while some were still pleased, others were pretty disappointed. Shannon from the pink team was up first. She lost 15 pounds (in 30 days people!) for a percentage loss of 5.56. She did a nice job, but was disappointed, thinking she had lost more. Next up was Laura from the green team. She lost 7 pounds and was also upset, but her tough partner Tara told her to nut up and calm down. Team purple's Cathy lost 8 pounds, (2.85 percent), and was very happy with her progress. Aubrey from yellow team weighed in next, and the poor woman only lost 2 pounds (.85 percent), in the 30 days at home. She went on about how at least she knows she gained muscle, etc.Jillian quickly shot her down by saying that she shouldn't candy coat it because it's all B.S., and she still needs to lose 100 pounds. Period. Even Bob said that there were no excuses, and it's a good thing she's back in the house. I'd be pissed if I worked out four hours a day like she said she did and barely lost anything. Carla from the silver team weighed in next. She lost 20 pounds, (5.43 percent), and although her goal was 40, she thought this was more realistic. Then came powerhouse Sione, who lost 25 pounds (7.16 percent) and won immunity for himself and Filipe.
The first workout with the returning players involved some straight up butt-kicking, care of Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper. I have to say, I did one of Jillian's workout DVDs this weekend, and I'm still sore! I can only imagine what it's like in person. I loved when she explained her rules to the newbies. "You can throw up, scream, yell and swear. But no crying." Over on Bob's side, Sione was unstoppable, even making Filipe look bad. Blue is my new favorite team for sure.
This week's challenge proved to be a bit of a guessing game. The teams were each tied to a rope that was looped around a large barrel. The teams had to unravel enough rope to cross the finish line. The key was to keep looping around to gain rope, but guessing when you had enough to allow you across was the tough part. It sounds confusing, but it was pretty straightforward. Everyone became pretty exhausted early on and the yellow team decided to be risky and attempt to cross the line first. Luckily they had just enough rope to make it and won the choice between $5,000 dollars or a two-pound advantage at the weigh-in, the latter of which they chose.
The weigh-in was the first to be done in pairs since Week 1. Here's how the numbers fell:
Filipe and Sione lost 3 and 8 for a total 1.73 percent. Mandi and Aubrey lost 6 and 10 for a total of 3.90 percent (with the advantage) Carla and Joelle lost 9 and 0 for a total of 1.44 percent Blaine and Dane lost 9 and 11 for a total of 3.04 percent Laura and Tara lost 13 and 12 for a total of 4.84 percent. Mike and Ron lost 9 and 4 for a total of 1.83 percent. Helen and Shannon lost 9 and 9 for a total of 3.75 percent. Kristin and Cathy lost 11 and 5 for a total of 2.74 percent.
OK, let's go back to Joelle and her whopping zero-pound weight loss. She did not get off easy with that one. Aubrey started to cry for Carla, who had clearly pulled her weight this week. Joelle tried to defend herself by ever so calmly saying, "I got into higher intensity this week and challenged myself to do things I hadn't done." Is she kidding?
So Silver and Brown fell below the yellow line, and during deliberation, Aubrey asked Joelle if she really wanted to be there, a question on everyone's mind I'm sure. She started to spit out her "higher intensity" diatribe again but was quickly shot down by Aubrey then Carla, who began to scream at her just as she did in Week 3. "It's not about you, it's about us," Carla said. When Joelle kept saying, calmly, that she has worked out, Carla became more upset. "I really want to be here and this is the second time I put my faith in your hands, and twice you failed me," she said. Can this friendship ever be repaired?
For once, the elimination ceremony had no surprises, and the message regarding who deserved to go home was read loud and clear. Pink, yellow, blue and green voted silver out (there was no need to reveal the other votes), and most of the cards were written with a huge "Joelle" and a tiny "Carla." Joelle felt she needed to say something, and although I agree with everyone for wanting her gone, it must be tough to feel like an outsider. She proceeded to tell her fellow contestants, "I don't want to get things twisted up here that I have not worked, that I have not leaned, that I have not pushed, that I have not persevered." She then went on to say that she's proud of the work she did and that although the scale has been low, her work ethic is good. I don't quite know about that one. In the end, there were hugs all around, but mostly for Carla and not Joelle.
Do you think these two will continue to lose weight at home? Which remaining team is your favorite?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 04, 2009, 02:58:57 AM
No need for me to recap since the previous post from tvguide covered it all except for that when at the end of the episode, they were showing the current status of Carla and Joelle. They returned home, went their separate ways and had not spoken to each other and had a reunion three months later and at that moment, decided they were done with each other and went their separate ways. To this date, Joelle has lost 57 pounds and Carla lost 87 pounds.
Here are the specifics of their numbers....
Returning contestants got weighed in at the top of the show....
NAME WGT B4 GOING HOME CURRENT WGT AFTER 30 DAYS LBS LOST PERCENTAGE
Shanon 270 255 15 5.56%
Laura 272 265 7 2.57%
Cathy 281 273 8 2.85%
Aubrey 236 234 2 0.85%
Carla 368 348 20 5.43%
Sione 349 324 25 7.16%
BLUE TEAM, Filipe/Sione wins immunity at the weigh-in at the end of the show
WEEKLY WEIGH-IN
TEAM LAST WGT IN CURRENT WGT LBS LOST PERCENTAGE
BLUE Filipe 311 308 3 Sione 324 316 8 1.73%
YELLOW Mandi 227 221 6 Aubrey 234 224 10 3.90%
SILVER Carla 348 339 9 Joelle 278 278 0 1.44%
BLACK Blaine 312 303 9 Dane 345 334 11 3.04%
GREEN Tara 252 240 12 Laura 265 252 13 4.84%
BROWN Ron 370 366 4 Michael 339 330 9 1.83%
PINK Helen 225 216 9 Shanon 255 246 9 3.75%
PURPLE Kristin 312 301 11 Cathy 273 268 5 2.74%
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: scuzneck on February 04, 2009, 02:03:12 PM
Okay...Was it just me or did anyone else have a MAJOR problem with Aubrey's speech to and about Joelle at the elimination ceremony?
She was right with her assessment of Joelle and her lame excuses as to why she lost 0 pounds in one week. If Joelle's intensity was higher and she was trying things she didn't nornally do (I thought Bob was going to have a fit when she was saying that), then she would have lost weight. Period. End of story.
However, Aubrey came across as a condescending B-word. Aubrey was the one who for 30 days lost a grand total of two pounds and then had the audacity to say that she worked out in a gym 4 to 5 hours everyday, gaining muscle mass. Talk about lame excuses. I hope the yellow team falters mightily this next week and ends up on the block. And I hope someone, anyone, calls her out on the carpet for this. She had absolutely no right to open her big freaking trap.
As the rest goes, I absolutely think Blue is the team to beat. Two very dedicated, very determined individuals who work perfectly as a team. Plus they are enjoyable to watch.
Black is a beast. But can Dane continue to pull double digits. He has too because if they ever fall below the yellow line, they are history.
Green is a definate threat. Tara will keep pushing Laura even more so then Bob.
And, unfortunately, I think Brown reaches the end of the line in the next episode. Son can't continue to carry Dad. And Dad can't continue to have his competitors "to keep my son here."
Just my two cents worth....
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 06, 2009, 11:20:03 PM
Ohhhh ...... okay?!! :res: an interesting article:
Biggest Loser’s Joelle: I Missed a Workout to ‘Uphold My Civic Duty’
After bringing back teammate Carla Triplett to the Biggest Loser Ranch, Team Silver’s Joelle Gwynn had a tough week culminating with a zero-pound weight loss. Unable to convince the rest of the Ranchers that she wanted to be there, the votes were cast and one message was clear: It was Joelle, not Carla, the show’s heaviest contestant ever, that the others felt deserved to go home. Months later, a reunion intended to rebuild a broken friendship ended abruptly when the two women could not agree on how to move past their failed partnership. At home in Detroit, Triplett, 36, and Gwynn, 41, have been working separately to achieve their weight loss goals and have already lost 87 and 57 lbs., respectively! In a phone interview, they spoke about their broken friendship and Joelle’s decision to miss a workout and leave the Ranch.
What motivated you to go on the show? J: I was watching season 3 [of the show] eating a Double Filet-O-Fish combo and an apple pie. There was a gentleman that I dated from college on [the show] and he looked fantastic. He dropped 95 lbs. I contacted him and we talked. I was really motivated because that year I was really considering gastric bypass surgery. I asked Carla to audition, and [the producers] loved her sparkle and shine and we got an immediate response. It was really to save myself from gastric bypass.
How long have you known each other and how is your friendship holding up since returning home? C: I’ve known Joelle for two years. I still consider her a friend and have reached out to her many times but I don’t know how she feels. J: Carla and I were actually more of acquaintances. She did suggest for marketing purposes that we put ‘best friends,’ but we are still interacting in the same way that we did before and we are still working on achieving our goals; we are just doing it separately. I didn’t want to come [on the show] and do drama. There were some things that were said publicly that were hurtful, but sometimes relationships are rocky like that. The end result is that we benefited so much: we’ve gotten rid of high blood pressure, diabetes. There are victories here.
What does your routine consist of at home? C: I work out between six to eight hours a day. Pretty much just cardio and weight training. Once I found out I was on this show, I took care of what I needed to do to get the time off of work and since I still have that time available, I’m going to utilize it until I go back. J: For me it’s a combination of not only the cardio and weight training, but I’ve been doing kick-boxing, which I love because it helps get rid of stress. I do Pilates, yoga, spinning and swimming. Doing it with the toning and the cardio helped me with muscle. I think not so much weight loss is gone, but it’s really helped me with toning up and inches coming off.
Joelle, looking back at your time on the Ranch, do you think you ever gave up or didn’t give it your full at times? J: No. I think I went through tremendous challenges and any time that you try to grow, you’re going to have peaks and valleys. Now dealing with the challenges between my personal team and the outside team, I tried to stay on the high road and keep quiet about those. Maybe my weak point was not speaking or interacting, but the focus of this opportunity was losing weight and I challenged myself to do that.
Carla, did you think that Joelle had given up in that last week? C: I think that she worked hard to bring me back and when I got back, I think she may have given up a tad bit. Her workouts weren’t as vigorous as the week before and everyone noticed it. And there were times when she wasn’t on the Ranch because she decided to do other things. So, yeah, I think she did give up a little. J: Now if I can just say that I didn’t know you were speaking specifically of Week Six. Week Six was a special week– it was election week. I had submitted my absentee ballot prior to that and had found out that it been messed up. What you may not be aware of is that I had to make a decision that the producers and cast did not like. I chose to uphold my civic duty and leave to go vote. It was a historic moment for my community.
Okay...Was it just me or did anyone else have a MAJOR problem with Aubrey's speech to and about Joelle at the elimination ceremony?
Just my two cents worth....
:lol: No it's not just you scuzneck that is a great point being made, thanks for sharing
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 06, 2009, 11:30:25 PM
Welcome back, Marigold...thought you fell off the face of the earth, lol
Anyhow, don't you find it odd that Alison didn't post a blog this week? Especially with the ouster of Joelle, know what I mean?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 06, 2009, 11:43:48 PM
Not really too odd she has missed them before
I know she is an incredibly busy girl and with 2 children especially the newest member to her family Megan born less than a month ago
I am sure she has medical follow ups with the baby and herself.
Who knows she may post one later in the week. :)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 06, 2009, 11:53:30 PM
That's true and maybe she is just loss at words to talk about Joelle....
Personally I am glad she's gone, despite at Carla's expense. Loved Carla but hated Joelle.
Just curious, who's your faves? Mine are Blaine/Dane and Filipe/Sione.
I have to agree on the comment about Aubrey and I think Tara's cocky. None of the girls have won me over so I'm sticking with the boys. I predict Ron/Michael will be toast this week.
I wonder when they will go to singles. Should be soon as the season is gonna run until May 12th. Longest season ever!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 07, 2009, 12:00:13 AM
I don't have a fav team I really want them all to get healthy and to be happy
It's a continued struggle for them even after the show as I hear some of them gain the weight back, it's truly sad
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 07, 2009, 12:10:07 AM
Oh yeah, I know...
the one guy that won, I forget his name already gained all it back but thirty pounds and Bob trashed him during the last season
do you remember?
most do gain some back but not much, like maybe ten or twenty at least it's controllable
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 07, 2009, 04:17:46 AM
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 09, 2009, 06:43:50 PM
A blog from Carla posted at NBC's The Biggest Loser:
Monday, February 09, 2009
A blog from Carla, One Half of Season 7's Silver Team
My experience on the ranch the first week started at 100 miles per hour, day one. As soon as we stepped off the BL bus, we headed straight to the gym. I thought, Oh, we're just going to take a look at it, instead we were there to meet Alison, and she told us welcome to our first workout on our own. I was like, WHAATTT!!! I need to take off my hair ( I had my hair dresser make me a quick weave cap, so I didn't spend time doing my hair, that's why my hair always looked done). I had mentally prepared myself for this and I was ready, set, go!!!! During that first week I noticed a change in my teammate Joelle. Her desire to be there seemed to lax, the drive she displayed prior to being selected was not the same when we got there. I started questioning things, that wasn't adding up pertaining to our friendship. That whole week was workout, workout, workout, then the challenge. I was working out, approximately 10 to 15 hours a day. Believe me when I say, it is FAR from being on a vacation, this is a game and every one (with the exception of one) put their best foot forward.
Weigh-in day came, I lost 11 pounds (I was dehydrated and had to drink Gatorade and water) however, I was still proud that it was a double digit. I never lost 11 pounds in a week or a month before. I was like, I'll Take It!!!! Then Alison came with the twist, There will be no ELIMINATIONS, I was so relieved. Because at that moment, It would have been Joelle and I under the yellow line, and going home. A big, WHEW!!! went through my mind. Alison continued with, but nine of you will be going home. I was shocked again. So when it came time for Joelle and I to discuss and decide who was going home, she had already decided she was staying (strategically, the heavisest person should've stay) and gave me reasons why I should agree.
Joelle first explained to me, that she wanted to show her parents she will stick with this and complete this. Secondly, she wanted to show all the people who ever made fun of her and said she wouldn't amount to anything, to look at what she has accomplished, she made it on tv. Lastly, she told me that she wanted to prove that she was my friend, and that she did have my best interest at heart, and if I let her stay she will prove it. So, I decided to go home. Everyone was BAFFLED!!! In the elimination room, when I said, "this is a test of our friendship" I was referring to what Joelle said to me in our room. Because I had doubts about her true intentions of our friendship.
So now, I'm on my way home. I am fine with it, because I have the support at home. I have a home gym, and I have a gym membership. I absorbed and retained all the knowledge I gained in the first week, especially with counting calories and knowing what I can and cannot eat. My husband (Lenny) was key in my weight loss during the 30 days, he was like Bob's twin. he told me, "the house is the ranch", that meant, no phone, no going anywhere (except the gym), and no outside distraction's just like the BL ranch. The rest of my family didn't know I was home. So my focus was on me and I worked out everyday for 6 to 8 hours. There were times when I was tired and didn't want to workout, but I pushed through it. When I got tired of running on the treadmill, and working out on the elyptical, I started dancing one hour a day, vigorously. I checked my BODYBUGG and it showed that I burned between 1000 to 1800 calories in a hour. So I increased my dancing from one hour to three hours a day. I also did other things to keep moving, in order to burn those calories. The thirty days was up, Joelle was able to bring me back, and my results showed that I lost a total of 20 pounds at home. I was like YEEEAAAAHHHH!!!!!! I was able to show America you can lose weight without being on the ranch, that it can be done at home.
The week that I returned, I knew the people on the ranch were more advanced. Which meant I had to step my game up. I would be in the Gym early every morning, while others were asleep (including my teammate). I started to jog around the mile, went swimming everyday, rode a spin bike three hours or more. I am an observer, so I watched everyone to see what they were doing, and whatever they were doing I made sure I did. My heart was in this to STAY!!! Then the weigh-in for the SILVER TEAM. I lose 9lbs (with having a fever for 4 days out of that week) and Joelle lose 0, ZERO, ZILCH, NADA, NOTHING!!!!!!! I was speechless. So we were sent home.
I appreciate the time I came home, the 30 days, because when I came home I knew how to jump back into the workouts. Plus there's a feeling of disappointment and depression that you feel when you come home from the Ranch, and because I felt that before, it wasn't as hard on me as it was for Joelle.
Since our elimination and being home, I've continued the concept that my house is the ranch. I haven't gone back to work, and I plan to utilize the time while I still have it, to lose as much weight as possible. I'm continuing my workouts from 6 to 8 hours a day, and maintaining my calorie intake. I'm K.I.M (Keeping It Moving)!!!! See you at the finale!!!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: georgiapeach on February 09, 2009, 08:27:59 PM
What a wonderful attitude! Definitely things would have been different if she had stayed, and she would have been great to watch as well!
Carla love!! :hearts:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Kiwi Jay on February 10, 2009, 12:18:58 AM
Havent been able to watch. Sad Carla and Joelle were only acquantencies! (:;) Sad they broke off their friendship! :'(
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 10, 2009, 08:18:19 AM
From etonline.com
The Brown Team -- Ron Morelli, 54, a City Councilman, and his son, Mike Morelli, 18, a student from South Lyon, MI. -- have been in the bottom two for the past two weeks on "The Biggest Loser."
"If you are below the yellow line for the third time, you are gone," trainer Bob Harper tells Mike, who he feels is the weak link in the partnership of father and son.
"Your dad needs you," Bob continues. "This is his last ditch effort."
Ron, who started at more than 400 pounds, has dropped 60 pounds; while Mike has dropped 58 pounds. But it isn't enough to keep the Brown Team from falling below the yellow line, which puts their stay on "The Biggest Loser" ranch in jeopardy.
So what is a trainer to do? "You win it in this gym," Bob says, trying to encourage Mike to pump up the volume on his workouts.
If one of Bob's losers wins this season's competition, it will break Jillian Michael's winning streak, so Bob is motivated and is trying to motivate his teams.
Who will go home this week? Find out when "The Biggest Loser" airs on Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 11, 2009, 01:07:15 AM
From tvguide.com
After last week's elimination of Joelle and Carla, the Brown team was left feeling pretty lucky, yet again. For the second week in a row, they were in the bottom two, and admitted that they probably would've been sent packing had they been up against anyone other than Silver. So it's time for them to kick it in gear.
Alison makes an early appearance when she has the teams follow her outside for their first "pop" challenge. Each contestant has to stand on a block with just one foot. Simple concept, yet these are often the most draining type of challenge. The reward, although no immunity, was an important one since it meant that the last person standing would get to re-connect with someone they love for 24 hours on campus. Ron is out first, no surprise there, with Kristin next. Tara then tries to break people's concentration and show off different poses, which backfires when she loses balance and either purposely or accidentally jumps in the pool. Shannon falls next, knocking her mother Helen in the process. And then comes the negotiations. "Let me see my husband," Mandi says to Filipe. This is why I love him. He steps off with the mentality that in his heart it was the right thing to do. After 10 minutes of standing on one foot it is down to Blaine, Mandi and Aubrey. Blaine, having just been home, steps off and Aubrey follows leaving Mandi as the winner.
Mandi excitedly tells Jillian what she wins except Jillian is the opposite of happy for her, and she actually tells her that Mandi is the last person she wanted to win this. She wonders if Mandi is strong enough to deal with the conflict and distraction of her husband.
After a nice Yoga session with the team, Bob takes his players on a hike to Subway, except once they get there they learn that it's just a pit stop, and their actual lunch stop is another two miles away. Tricky Bob, tricky. They finally arrive and the team indulges in their choice of any "fresh fit" meal. I'm usually not one for product placement, but this time around, it actually made me want to go out and get me some Subway.
This week is another "harder than it looks" challenge where each team has to hold a bar above their head. At an hour, all teams are still in it and the game changes to the no switching arm rule. Blue soon loses focus and gets out, a surprise for such a strong team. Brown and Black are next, and at the two-hour mark, the shift is made to now keeping both hands on the bar. After three full hours, only Green and Purple remain. Kristin is determined to win after coming close a few weeks ago against Tara. Tara tries to bargain with her but it's to no avail. Laura soon loses her strength and just like that, Purple wins immunity. Another deserving team, in my opinion.
Mandi's husband arrives on the ranch, and as an added bonus, so do her boys. When she asks them what they want for breakfast, her 4-year-old says ice cream and she immediately remarks that changes will be made for their entire family, all around. She also treats her husband Rusty to a workout, to show him just how tough it is. For someone who was noted earlier in the episode as unsupportive of this experience, he seems pretty into it. Unfortunately, Mandi's last hour with the fam is during the last chance workout, which doesn't sit well with Jillian. She gives her a hard time, but Mandi still decides to spend the hour with her husband and kids and not in the gym.
At the weigh-in, Purple goes first since they have immunity. Kristin actually gains two pounds, while Cathy loses two, which is pretty upsetting since she just stated her hopes for finally being under 300 pounds. But with a positive attitude as always, Kristin says she won't let it get her down. Here's how everyone else did:
Helen and Shannon, Pink, lost 5 and 5 for a total of 2.16 percent. Laura and Tara, Green, lost 3 and 11 for a total of 2.85 percent. Filipe and Sione, Blue, lost 10 and 11 for a total 3.37 percent. Blaine and Dane, Black, lost 4 and 5 for a total of 1.41 percent. Mandi and Aubrey, Yellow, lost 6 and 1 for a total of 1.57 percent. Mike and Ron, Brown, lost 13 and 5 for a total of 2.59 percent.
I'm always amazed when eating more pays off, as is the case with Mike on the Brown team who was told by Bob he wasn't consuming enough calories. Black falls below the yellow line, and since we're getting toward the latter half of the season, it's time to make an elimination within one team. As Bob hugs everyone, he whispers, "Dane and no-one else." Who knew Bob was so into game-play? Blaine asks to go home since he'd like to return to his 3-week-old and also thinks he's learned what he has to learn and can lose the rest at home. After his plea, the teams discuss what they want to do. Was anyone else surprised at how strongly people felt to keep Dane in the game, when we've barely seen him all season? Apparently he's the back-bone of many players, which has probably been lost in the editing room. The conflict that arises is that many of the teams feel that although Blaine wants to go home, he's really the one who needs to stay, and that in terms of strategy, he's also the weaker of the two. Emotions are stirred as Kristin brings up Damien's elimination a few weeks ago, when he really deserved to stay on the ranch yet was eliminated over Joelle, who was arguably a weaker player.
After much deliberation, it's time to reveal some votes. Pink goes with sending Dane home, stating that they think he can lose the weight at home. Brown, Green, Blue and Purple go on to vote Blaine out, fulfilling his wish to be the one sent packing. Blaine tells his fellow contestants that he's grateful for the opportunity and better from the few weeks he spent with them.
Do you think Blaine made the right choice to leave the ranch?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 11, 2009, 02:30:02 AM
BROWN Ron 430 366 361 5 Michael 388 330 317 13 2.59
Black Team fell below the yellow line and the other teams had to choose which black member to vote out....
Pink voted for Dane Brown voted for Blaine Green voted for Blaine Blue voted for Blaine Purple voted for Blaine Yellow was not indicated since enough votes were needed to send Blaine home
At this date, Blaine has lost 86 pounds, currently weighing in at 279.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 11, 2009, 03:32:04 AM
Tonight's episode had me in tears a lot.....
It was a great episode.
Bob's concern over the brown team paid off. Poor Michael, so much pressure and constantly in tears.
Mandi's family reunion was overplayed obviously, can't blame Jillian for dissing it!
Was shocked to see the black team go under the yellow line....I so love Blaine!
The group deliberation was interesting but I still hate AUBREY!
I hope she goes next!
Worried about Dane now
But love Filipe and Sione
Rooting for that emotional boy, Michael as well....
Not impressed with any girls so I'm all for the BOYS this season!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 12, 2009, 12:36:35 AM
From people.com
Biggest Loser Recap: Blaine Leaves Dane Behind
Family was forefront on everyone’s minds this week, with father-son team Ron and Mike regrouping, Mandi pleading to win a visit from her husband and new dad Blaine begging the contestants to send him home while keeping cousin Dane on the show. And just when game play could have been a factor, the Ranchers proved they had indeed become a family when they gave Mesa, Ariz., college counselor Blaine Cotter, 27, his wish and sent him packing.
Pop to It: In a deceptively simple challenge, Ali Sweeney (in fur? Faux fur? In L.A.…really?) told the contestants to balance on a block on one foot with the last person aloft winning a 24-hour visitation from a loved one. By the time there were four people remaining, Mandi begged Filipe, and then Blaine, to step off their blocks. It worked. Jillian was skeptical, though, because Mandi’s husband Rusty had expressed doubts about her need to be on the show, and Jillian did not want Mandi’s efforts sabotaged by a visit.
More Carbs, Less Carping: Bob attributed the losing ways of his Brown Team to their diet and explained to them that as counterintuitive as it seemed, they had to eat more food to keep their metabolism in line with their increased exercise. In a visit to Subway, Bob told Ron he could stand to eat more carbs. Meanwhile, Jillian noticed that Laura was spouting weight-loss platitudes without much workout effort (shades of Joelle?). At one point, she called Green Team member Tara over to smack Laura in the face if her left hand dropped during a boxing exercise. Needless to say, Laura regained her form right quick.
Pruple Power, Family Hour: For immunity, Kristin and Cathy of Team Purple held a bar above an electric threshold for a whopping four hours and 40 minutes to beat the Green Team. Meanwhile, waiting in Mandi’s room was her husband Rusty and their two sons. The next day, Mandi made her family simulate her workouts. Rusty admitted, “Now I’m really proud of my wife.” At the last-chance workout, Bob worked Mike to the point of tears, saying, “Ron, your son’s growing up in this house, you know that?”
Weigh-in: It was a good thing Kristin and Cathy had immunity – when they weighed in, Kristin had gained 2 lbs., eluding her under-300 goal for another week. The Blue Team of Filipe and Sione, on the other hand, had an astounding showing, losing 10 and 11 lbs. respectively with Filipe going under 300 lbs. Mike rebounded for the Brown Team with a 13-lb. loss while his dad lost 5 lbs. But falling below the yellow line were cousins Blaine and Dane.
Blaine told everyone to send him home because he learned what he needed to and thought Dane needed to stay on the Ranch more; an emotional debate ensued as Bob’s charges contemplated sending Dane home instead. When Tara told Bob’s team not to engage in game play, Kristin shot back, “Then why did Joelle stay and Damien go home?” But in the end, the majority gave Blaine his wish.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 12, 2009, 04:31:53 AM
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 12, 2009, 02:25:17 PM
An interesting article an interview with Blaine:
Tipping the Scales with Biggest Loser Couples Big Man Blaine Cotter
This week's episode of The Biggest Loser Couples proved that if you ask, beg, and plead, sometimes it works out in your favor for all of the right reasons, especially when it comes to family. Since Arizona native Blaine Cotter was eager to be with his wife and newborn child, weight loss wasn't the first thing on his mind despite finding a new family at the Biggest Loser Ranch and putting up impressive numbers on the scale.
Although big-man contestant Cotter had some stiff competition in the begging department from his new TV family member Mandi, who was vying to win a visit from husband, it was Blaine who became the unlikely winner by getting sent home to be with his new extended family while his cousin Dane remained in the game.
The morning after this week's Biggest Loser Couples, we caught up with Blaine to find out how his time on The Biggest Loser left a lasting impact on his lifestyle, the logistics of the most recent immunity challenge, and how Jillian helped to change his way of thinking of both the physical and mental aspects of living life as a fit individual.
THE DEADBOLT: What happened to the huge numbers that you and Dane were putting up week after week? Did you guys just plateau or something?
BLAINE COTTER: That’s a good question. I wondered the same thing when I saw the numbers. You know, we kind of knew it was coming. I mean, we had put up such big numbers week after week. And we really had to, because we were huge threats and we knew that the second we were below the line they’d get rid of us. As well as the other reason, was definitely because every week we had to do it, because we were the ones that were both there. So two weeks prior, everybody else that was coming from home, they had a great motivation. That they had to have big numbers so that they brought their partner home.
The week after that we really pushed it really hard to make sure we had a big number because you had people that were coming from home and would have another week one, basically, of weight loss. It kind of put us at a disadvantage and we just tried to keep it up every week. But that week we did get sick a little bit and it just ended up being a bad week. We were hoping that maybe just one of us would have a bad week, but it ended up being both.
THE DEADBOLT: Adding to the plateau theme, some former contestants have told me that it’s actually harder for tall people to lose weight. Did you find that to be true?
BLAINE: I don’t know about that percentage wise. I mean, when you’re dealing with percentages that’s definitely the case. I mean, I’m 6'8, so I’m never going to be 200 pounds. That’s just not possible. I’d be thrilled if I got to 230. So definitely, percentage wise it’s tough. But at the beginning we had the percentage and I think it just ended up being a bad week.
THE DEADBOLT: From sitting on my couch, that immunity challenge didn’t look that hard. So what was going on with the bar above your head that put you out in less than two hours?
BLAINE: [laughs] It wasn’t that hard and the bar wasn’t really that heavy. It was pretty light. So I don’t know if people wondered that. I wish I could give that excuse, that it was all weighted differently or something. Really, for us, like I said last night, it was just a matter of concentration. I mean, that’s what that was. It wasn’t who could run the fastest, who was the strongest - It comes down to determination and concentration and, you know, my ADD kicked in and really it was a matter of we were holding it up. And yeah, it hurt.
But so did everybody else. And we actually kind of just - looking away - it touched. And we were like, "Did it just touch?" And then the light comes on and we were like, "Oh, okay. I guess it did touch." But it was pretty funny that all three of the guy teams were out and it was just all of the girls. It was kind of funny. That shows what kind of challenge - not necessarily that the girls can’t do as good as the guys - but it definitely came down to concentration and motivation and determination. And, man! Some of those girls there, they’ll beat me in a determination race any day.
THE DEADBOLT: So it wasn’t about strength? Okay.
BLAINE: No. It definitely wasn’t, because once you held it up you had to - I mean, it was kind of like the jumping challenge that way. Yeah, it takes endurance and strength and that’s going to help you. But ultimately what’s going to get you to the very end is just pure grit, determination, and concentration.
THE DEADBOLT: Aside from the birth of your child, what was the most challenging part of the whole process?
BLAINE: You know, besides the whole family thing - that was definitely the hardest part - I had a few physical aliments while I was there. Nothing that ever stopped me and was that big of a deal, but I have a torn meniscus in my knee and to this day it’s still there. I’ll get surgery after the show. That was painful and they didn’t really show it.
But a day before the challenge of going up and over the cylinder, I was jumping up on a box and got 15 stitches in my leg. So, anyway, being sick every once in awhile, it couldn’t slow you down. But it taught me a valuable lesson that those types of things can’t, you know? I mean, that’s what happened to me. I’d be, "Okay, I’m going to go to the gym." I’d get sick two weeks later and never make it back for four months. So that definitely teaches you to keep going.
THE DEADBOLT: What did you think of Jillian’s style of training? Was it better for you than Bob’s style?
BLAINE: Well, I really don’t know Bob’s. You kind of see what he does and the way he is. I mean, they’re both - Obviously they’re the best trainers in the world if you ask me. But Jillian, I was so glad. I never wanted Jillian. I told Dane, "Dude, we want Bob." All I’ve heard is how horrible and how mean Jillian is. That couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m so glad that I got to be with Jillian and I needed that. I mean, she definitely works both, just not your physical workout.
It’s a mental workout every time you’re with her and she teaches you stuff about yourself. It’s interesting working out and being in pain and pushing yourself to the limit, being away from your family, being in a situation like that, how much that just puts a microscope to your entire life. And I’m so grateful for the lessons I’ve learned from her. From what she taught me, she probably affected me more mentally than she did my physical. More mentally than anything else.
Link to the article: http://www.thedeadbolt.com/news/105474/biggestcoupleblaine_interview.php (http://www.thedeadbolt.com/news/105474/biggestcoupleblaine_interview.php)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 13, 2009, 11:08:24 AM
An interview with Blaine:
Biggest Loser’s Blaine: The Pink Team Aren’t Bad People
Unable to post big weight-loss numbers as they had in previous weeks, the Black Team’s cousin tandem of Blaine Cotter and Dane Patterson from Mesa, Ariz., faced elimination with an emotional plea: Cotter, 27, begged his fellow Ranchers to keep his cousin Patterson, 27, so he could go home to his wife and four children. In a show of heart, the other contestants put aside game play and granted him his wish. Back home, Cotter, who is busy with work, family and training for an Ironman triathlon in May, spoke to reporters about his change of heart about Jillian and his on-going weight challenges.
At voting time, were you surprised to hear the Pink team say they didn’t think you would be able to lose the weight at home? No, to be honest I think they were justifying why they were voting for Dane. I don’t disrespect them or think the Pink Team are bad people for voting for Dane because it is a game. It isn’t smart to keep Dane and lose me; I’m not a threat of winning anything. I have one of the smallest percentages of weight loss that I can achieve in the house.
Why did Tara seem the most affected by you leaving the Ranch? Me and Dane and Mandi and Tara got very close while the other partners were at home. The four of us pushed each other a lot. I don’t know if you can call it an alliance, but it was a strong friendship.
How did Joelle’s departure change the atmosphere on the Ranch this week? I think we were all kind of happy it wasn’t the Joelle Show anymore. Our whole team started to second guess our decision not to let Joelle go the first time. Joelle being there by herself was not as bad as Joelle and Carla being there together. They did not get along, and that’s uncomfortable to be living with people who are really upset with each other.
Did you feel Jillian’s training style worked better for you than Bob’s? Obviously they are both the best trainers in the world. But I never wanted Jillian. All I had heard was how mean Jillian was. That couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m so glad I got to be with Jillian. It’s not just a physical workout, but also a mental workout every time you are with her. I’m so grateful for the lessons I learned from Jillian.
What is the biggest challenge for you at home? Food and nutrition are the hardest things. On the Ranch you learn how to work out and I know how to exercise and how to push myself further and harder now than I ever have before. But nutrition-wise, you definitely cook your own food. You learn how to do it there, but you have a refrigerator stocked with good food. Whereas [at home], you have the bad choices and you also have the budget thing.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 13, 2009, 05:19:39 PM
An interview with Blaine:
Exclusive Interview with Blaine of 'The Biggest Loser: Couples'
Last week, the nation was shocked to see one of the strongest teams on The Biggest Loser fall below the yellow line. After weeks and weeks of shedding double-digit pounds, the Black Team hit their plateau and wound up in last place. The teams were then told they'd have to vote of one of the two members of the Black Team; either Dane or Blaine.
Due to his requests, the cast eliminated Blaine from The Biggest Loser ranch. His wife had just had a baby and he wanted to be home with his family. I was able to chat with Blaine about his Biggest Loser experiences and his life after the ranch. He gives us the low-down on the much-debated Joelle/Damian elimination and his hopes for the outcome of the show.
What were your original reasons for joining The Biggest Loser?
Well, besides being 365 pounds, most of the reasons were just that I was pretty unhealthy. More than looks for me, it was definitely about how I felt.
How many pills are you down to now? You started with what? Seven?
I started with eight. I went on the show with eight and I'm on zero now. I don't take anything.
Really?
Yeah
When did you stop taking them completely?
Before I left the ranch I was on one. Or I should say that when I left the ranch, I was on one. Since then, I've stopped taking that one.
How much do you think it helped you to have Dane there the whole time?
You know, as I said on the show, having Dane there was huge. Me and Dane get along really really well. We were friends before, pretty close, obviously cousins, but really we became best friends on the show. Being there with him and motivating each other - that's what made you happy, just hanging out with Dane. We had a good time.
Do you think he'll struggle without you on the ranch?
Dane pushes himself really hard. I think that I would struggle more without him than he would without me just because he's so motivated and he really knows how to push himself really hard. But at the same time, it'll be hard. When I left for a couple days when I had the baby, I got back and everybody's like, “Dane really missed you.” And I said, “Good. I'm glad he needs me to.” But he'll do just fine without me.
You said it yourself, you really only had about 50 pounds to go after you left the ranch, so maybe he had more of a reason to stay there?
I mean, definitely. That's the way we felt. And I probably had more reason to go home. Definitely with my wife just having a baby. That was a sacrifice for my wife more than for me. If it was going to be one of us, I really had more reasons to go home and he had more reasons to stay.
That must have been incredibly difficult for you to experience the birth of your child and then to have to go back to the ranch right away. Was it hard to get back into the mindset?
You know, not really. I was really afraid of getting back and having it be hard to not be home and that that would kind of slow me down. I think it just motivated me more to learn that's why I needed to be there. That's why I was there. I've said, I went to the ranch with four reasons (my three kids and my wife) to do this and I went back to the ranch after my baby was born with five reasons.
How much has your daily routine changed since The Biggest Loser?
It's a lot different now than it was before I went to the ranch. I probably exercise as much as I ate before. Instead of eating, I exercise now. That's the change. You know, I exercise more than I think a normal person probably needs to or should right now because of the show and the finale. Mainly, I want to get to the finale and not have any more to lose. I don't ever want to have to lose weight again. I just want to maintain. That's a goal that I have a good timeline to complete.
Has everyone at home been supportive? I know it must be difficult to go back home and have a job and you have, obviously, a lot less free time back at home than you did at the ranch.
Yeah, I mean losing weight at home and then losing weight on the ranch is just absolutely, completely two different things. It's easy to lose weight on the ranch. It's easy. Here, it's difficult, especially because I have a normal job. I work 8 to 5 every single day. I sit at my desk all day. There are different changes you make so that it becomes more possible. It's working out but it's a lot more difficult at home.
You obviously spent a lot of time with everyone at the ranch. Besides Dane, who were you closest to in the house?
Definitely Mandi and Tara. I think you could probably see that on the episode. It was emotional to leave those two. The four of us got close when all the partners went home. Dan went home and Jerry went home and it was just the four of us with Jillian. We got really close. That's definitely who I'll miss the most.
There definitely was a similar competitive spirit between you and Tara. I would say the two of you seemed most competitive on Jillian's side at least.
Definitely. We both are very competitive. It bugged me every single time she'd ever, you know...especially that second challenge where she beat me up the mountain. I always wanted a rematch. I never really got a chance to. It was always a healthy competitiveness between us. It was funny, me and Dane, we met Tara and Laura just for a second. They keep you pretty separated before you start the show. We met them actually just to go to the grocery store once and we're like, “If they make it, they're going to be game players. We better keep them on our team.” It ended up that our impression of them was completely different from who they really were. That's why we had picked them to be on our team. We figured that we should keep our enemies close. But, you know what? They were nothing but friends.
How hard is it, because not a lot of people talk about this, but to balance the competitive side of the game, especially with eliminations and things like that, as compared to the moral side, which I guess came through in your elimination when everyone sent you home because it was really the right thing to do?
It's a game and you have to play it. You want to stay as long as you can because that gives you the most advantages. There is a balance. Definitely, I would say the show makes it looks like… I'm sure the gameplay, even last season it was talked about a lot with Nicky and Hubba and all the gameplay. For instance, this season, with us sending Damian home, that's when the game play started. We definitely made some enemies sending Damian home. Really, the choice on TV, watching the show seemed much clearer that we should have sent Joelle home but, you know, actually being there in the moment and in the situation. You know, Damian wasn't that big of a threat.
The biggest threat if you look at the four players who could be a big threat, it was definitely Carla, being the biggest woman ever on the show, we should have eliminated them if we were going to play the game, but really the choice to send Damian home was a choice that, you know what, he had Nicole at home, we knew that Nicole, from that one week being there, there was no way that they weren't going to do it at home and we felt sorry for Joelle. We thought that she...we didn't want to make it about popularity rather than about compassion, so that's why we made that vote. So, things like that are definitely - it's more interesting, it makes for controversy, it was shown the other way...that's fun. You know what you're getting into when you get into this show. There's a balance there. At the same time, everybody, it's a game. You're forced into that situation. And you're forced to play or you have to go home. But, you're right - there's a balance there.
And not only that, but it helps to have someone else, it really seems like in order to have success, you have to have someone else there, someone supportive. It feels like Joelle probably had the least amount of support. How important is the support of the other people around you?
It's big. The support of everyone is really important. That's a good lesson for people at home trying to lose weight as well. Having good support is critical. The problem, and I felt sorry for Joelle, she doesn't have that at home. She didn't have that on the ranch and she didn't even have that with a good partner. Carla's influence was definitely destructive rather than uplifting. And i felt sorry for Joelle that way too. You're right, a lot of it was self-inflicted, but that's sometimes what we do. We all have problems. Everybody there has issues if you're that obese. There's issues there, whether you want to admit it to yourself or not. But, some are more visual or more more apparent. Joelle's was by far the most flamboyant of anyone else's there and that caused her some hardship, but I guess that's life.
What was the biggest thing that you took away from the ranch, the biggest lesson that you learned?
Biggest thing was a mental change that took place. I learned a lot about myself. Jillian is excellent at doing that, at not just physically training you, but mentally training you. And we had some good conversations about why I was in that situation and why I wasn't healthy. All between the ears is really the biggest change that took place. I have no doubt that I will lose the weight. It will never come back, and it was because ...not because of the physical change that has taken place inside, but my mental change. I'm a much better person for knowing one Jillian Michaels for sure.
And just to sort of wrap up. Who do you think will win, and who do you want to win?
I think Dane will win for sure (laughs). I hope Dane obviously wins. Of course, he's my partner. Definitely Mandy or Tara besides him. Everybody goes "You're not really in teams and things get split up, you go to to individuals, you're not black and blue at the beginning, you're couples." You work out with people seven hours a day, twelve days a week you are working out with these people. You're seeing the toil, struggle, being in pain. You don't always get to see the other team. You're definitely close to your team and from day one, you protect each other and so that is obviously anybody from Jillian's team I would like to see go on and finish. But, you know what, I was never there for the money. Still, I'm not even going for the hundred thousand, the percentage I had to lose, being 6'8", it was just never going to happen to me compared to everybody else. It's not why I was there, and that's not why really...I will say that about every single person there. Nobody was there for the money. They made sure of that this season. Everybody was there for the right reasons and anybody, any one of us, deserves...if we change our life that much and do that well, deserves the money.
Awesome. Hey, Blaine I'm really forward to seeing you looking like a stud on the final and wish you the best of luck.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 13, 2009, 06:27:20 PM
The Biggest Loser Season 7
03/03/2009 (08:00PM - 10:00PM) (Tuesday)
Episode 9:
POPULAR CHEF ROCCO DISPIRITO GUEST STARS
Celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito returns to the Biggest Loser to take the contestants to a restaurant, where he teaches them how to make healthier choices when eating out. Then the contestants have a lively cook-off, preparing healthier, low-calorie versions of once favorite meals. The winning team gets a meal specially prepared by Rocco, and a chance to pick a fortune cookie with an especially valuable fortune inside! In this week's challenge, the players all head to a food bank where they'll race to pack food kits for the hungry and load them on trucks, with the winning team earning an amazing prize. Later, all of the contestants are surprised to learn about a new twist at this week's weigh-in.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 14, 2009, 11:57:39 AM
An interview with Blaine:
The Biggest Loser Exit Interview: Blaine Cotter
The Black Team has been the team to beat on this season’s The Biggest Loser. Week after week, they have thrown up (probably not the best phrase to use in regard to a weight loss how, but whatev) double digit losses and kept the other teams quaking on the treadmill. So when Blaine and Dane plateaued this past week and fell below the yellow line, the contestants were forced to make a difficult decision. Blaine wanted to go home to his newborn baby; Dane was a bigger threat. What happened? They gave Blaine his wish. Afterward, he spoke about his time on the ranch.
How did you guys decide which one of you would go home first?
We’ve discussed it before. With me having my new baby at home that was definitely a consideration that my wife would need me home if it came down to either one of us. Dane had more weight to lose and that’s why we were there. That’s definitely why we had already decided that if it came down to the two of us and we had the decision to make it, I’d go home.
What happened to the huge numbers you and Dane were putting up week after week? Did you guys just plateau?
I wondered the same thing when I saw the numbers. We kind of knew it was coming. We had just put up such big numbers week after week. And we knew the second that we were below the line they’d get rid of us.
Have you lost more weight since we saw your update?
I’ve lost a little bit more than that so I’m at 275 right now.
What would you have done if they had voted Dane off and made you stay?
You know, you keep working. If they would have sent him home first thing, I would have feared Jillian a little bit only losing four pounds in a week. But every second on the ranch is precious and I am grateful for every second. And I honestly today I really wish it had been longer.
Why did you decide to go on this show knowing that your wife was probably going to have a baby?
We actually tried out for the season before this one and they had asked us to come back. And given that opportunity– basically for me it was, I may miss the birth of my child. And that’s a big deal and it is definitely something that I made sure that my wife was okay with.
How did the atmosphere on the ranch change after Joelle’s departure?
I think we were all kind of happy that it wasn’t the Joelle show anymore. We should have let Joelle go the first time. Joelle being there by herself was not as bad as Joelle and Carla being there. They did not get along and that’s uncomfortable to be living with people that are really upset at each other.
Are you going for the at home prize?
I’ll be honest with you, no. It’s not going to happen for me percentage wise; it’s just not going to happen. And that’s not why I went on there. It’s not why I’m continuing to work on it. So no, I’m not going for that. I’m going to just look as dang good as I can.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 17, 2009, 11:53:14 AM
An interesting article:
THE BIGGEST LOSER: CARLA AND JOELLE SPEAK!
It’s been two weeks since The Biggest Loser’s Silver team, Joelle and Carla, got the boot from the ranch, and revealed in their Biggest Loser transformation video that they’re still not speaking.
Come on ladies, are you really going to let a few (hundred) pounds stop you from being pals? I had to know for myself, so I rang them up (separately, of course!) to get them to weigh in on their friendship.
According to Joelle, their union was already on thin ice before the show started.
“We had challenges in our friendship before the show. We weren’t speaking,” she admits. “I found out that we had made the show and talked to my family. This chance was greater than our bickering. We decided we would try to work past this.”
Things got more complicated on the ranch. While Joelle says she struggled with Carla’s coaching and bickering, an act she calls “degrading,” Carla began to feel that that Joelle, who had auditioned for The Biggest Loser before on her own, may have seen herself more as a lone competitor than as a team.
“She had been trying out since season four and then invited me to get on,” Carla explains. “Now that you’re here, you don’t want me as a teammate? That’s why I said this is a test of our friendship.”
As for deciding who went home after the first week, the gals’ reasons again differ. Carla says that Joelle wanted to stay on the ranch to prove should could accomplish something. Joelle admits she was going through a tough time. “I had lost a business and moved back home, I wasn’t dating, it was difficult,” she confesses .
But Joelle adds in the end, it all came down to the numbers. “We had this unstated goal whoever lost the most weight on the scale had talking rights, and I lost 13,” she explains. “Then they gave us that announcement that nine people had to go … I said to myself, why don’t I stay and fight?”
So where do the ladies stand now?
Carla hopes the friendship can be salvaged. “We’ve talked a little. I’ve reached out to her,” Carla says. “I’ll continue to support her in whatever it is that she wants to do, and my door is always open to her. It’s up to her if she wants to come in.”
As for Joelle, “There comes a time when you have to evaluate the relationships in your life, are they positive or are they toxic,” she points out. “We’re still connected and we’re working on it, but for my personal growth, I’m giving it some space right now.”
Let’s hope these ladies can continue to drop the weight – and the baggage – and emerge as Losers and friends.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on February 17, 2009, 02:10:24 PM
An interesting article an interview with Blaine:
“I may miss the birth of my child, but it was worth the sacrifice”
The final immunity challenge, where you and your cousin and partner, Dane, had to hold a bar over your heads, didn’t seem that hard — what happened? It wasn’t that hard — I mean, the bar really wasn’t that heavy — but it was just the matter of concentration. It wasn’t who could run the fastest or who was the strongest, it came down to determination and concentration. And my ADD kicked in and we were actually looking away and all of a sudden it touched and we were like, did it just touch? It was pretty funny that all three of the the guy teams were out and it was just all the girls. Some of those girls there, they’ll beat me in a determination race any day.
Had you discussed who would go home? Yeah. With me having my new baby at home, that was definitely a consideration. The other thing was Dane had more weight to lose and that’s why we were there. We had already decided that if it came down to the two of us, I’d go home.
Did you plateau, as far as your weigh loss goes? We knew it was coming. We had put up such big numbers week after week. We really had to. One, because we were huge threats and we knew the second we were below the yellow line, they would get rid of us. The other reason is that every week, we had to do it because we were the ones who were both there. We tried to keep it up every week, but that week we did get sick a little bit. We hoped that just one of us would have a bad week, but it ended up being both.
What is your current weight? I’m at 275 right now.
Dane has lost 83 pounds and yet we don’t see much of him on the show. Can you tell us about him? I would love to! We’re not sure why that’s the case either. Dane is definitely not as loud-mouthed as I am. He’s such a great guy with a great personality. Maybe he’s not on as much because he doesn’t create any drama. He works super-hard. Jillian didn’t have to push him the way that she had to push me. I definitely tried to slack more than he did. He was in the gym every day, working hard. He’s just made for the show and that environment. I wish they’d show more of him and maybe without his overbearing, loudmouth partner, they will.
What was your biggest misconception about the show beforehand? Dane was a big fan of the show. I had really not followed the show, so I didn’t know what to expect. The biggest thing was I didn’t really think we’d be working out all day. But when they say “all day” they mean all day!
What was the most challenging part of the whole process? Besides the whole family thing, I had a few physical ailments while I was there; nothing that ever stopped me and was that big of a deal, but I have a torn meniscus in my knee and to this day it’s still there. I’ll get surgery after the show. That was painful and they didn’t really show it but a day before the challenge of going up and over the pole, I was jumping up on a box and got 15 stitches in my leg. So being sick every once in a while and things like that couldn’t slow you down. It taught me a valuable lesson because that’s what happened to me: I’d get sick and not make it back to the gym for four months. So that definitely teaches you to keep going.
How do you feel about Jillian’s methods? I never wanted Jillian; I told Dane, “Dude we want Bob!” All I’d heard is how mean Jillian is. That couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m so glad that I got to be with Jillian — I needed that. She definitely works both not just your physical workout but it’s a mental workout every time you’re with her. She teaches you stuff about yourself and it’s interesting how working out, being in pain and pushing yourself to the limits, being away from your family — how much that just puts a microscope to your entire life. I am so grateful for the lessons that I’ve learned from her.
Why did you decide to go on the show knowing that your wife was going to have a baby? We had actually tried out for the season before and they had asked us to come back. Basically, it was, “I may miss the birth of my child, and that’s a big deal — and I definitely made sure my wife was okay with that — but it’s a matter of living past his birth to the birth of his children.” It was a pretty bad situation for me, health-wise, before I went on the show. It was a pleasant surprise that they allowed me to go home, but we have a lot of support and a really great family. Looking back, it was worth the sacrifice. I’m really glad that my wife was willing to make that sacrifice probably more than even I was willing to.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 18, 2009, 12:26:14 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Week 7"
It's getting down to the wire and now that individuals are being sent home, rather than a full team, the pressure is on.
Ali shows up for another pop challenge. She tells the players that most important key to weight loss success is the one that opens the gym. Each team will have compete for one of two keys, and the ones who don't get them will have no access to the gym for the entire week. And not only are there a ton of keys to choose from when attempting the open the lock, but in order to get a key, each person has to climb the hill. Some, like Tara, go as fast as they can for more chances to select the right key. Shanon, on the other hand, is less enthusiastic. There's no point in killing herself over it. Ron, whose knees have been getting worse as the weeks go on, struggles with the climbing. It was a great moment when his competitors help him. Tara's drive is incredible as she hustles back and forth, even puking in the process. Unfortunately, though, the game is the luck of the draw because Shanon and Mike, perhaps two of the slower competitors, come out with the winning keys.
After the pop challenge, the players return to their trainers, who learn the fate of last week's elimination. Jillian is happy to see Dane, but is surprised that Bob's team clearly defied him and instead made a decision from the heart. Bob, meanwhile, is speechless. He tells them that they kept a really big threat in the house and that they shouldn't ask for his input anymore if they're not going to listen. Ouch. The trainers also find out that they won't be able to train in the gym. Jillian is not happy and decides to make the living room a home gym where she'll do a "horrendous host of fitness videos circa 1980." The pink team, who has access to the gym, decides to turn half of it into a lounge so that they never have to leave. Kristin has a bit of an "aha" moment during her outside workout and says she feels so powerful, but it hurts knowing this person was inside her the whole time. A few of the contestants decide to have a little fun and after a dip in the sprinklers, they slide in the mud. Tara says she loves everyone at the ranch and I think the people that are left is the greatest group of all seasons.
This week's challenge is about rowing your heart out. Each machine is connected to a light and the players have to keep going so that it stays green. It becomes yellow as a warning and if it goes to red, the player, and their teammate, is eliminated. Ron and Mike are out first, no surprise there. Aubrey goes next. Shanon shushes her mom, who tries to push her to stay strong, but soon they're out too, followed by the Purple team. So it's just the Green, Blue and Black teams left. They keep teetering between yellow and green lights until Blue is eliminated, leaving just Green and Black. Tara starts taunting Dane while Laura is constantly fighting to get out of yellow. Eventually it gets too hard and Green gets eliminated, leaving Dane to win immunity. Laura starts crying hysterically, as she feels it's another disappointment, but there's no question she pushed as hard as she could for the duration of the challenge.
For the last-chance workout, Bob takes his team, minus Ron, to the beach. Ron stays in the pool to keep the pressure off his knees. He's upset and feels like he's letting his son Mike down by only being able to work out at around 30 percent. Jillian has her team do boxing and some good ol' '80s-style leg lifts. Tara is a bit of a mess this week and worries that she's going to be the one to go.
At the weigh-in, Dane goes first since he has immunity. He loses 4 pounds, 1.22 percent. Here's the rest of the group:
Kristin and Cathy, Purple, lose 12 and 1 for a total of 2.30 percent. Filipe and Sione, Blue, lose 7 and 9 for a total of 2.65 percent. Laura and Tara, Green, lose 8 and 7 for a total of 3.14 percent. Mandi and Aubrey, Yellow, lose 5 and 7 for a total of 2.74 percent. Helen and Shannon, Pink, lose 6 and 3 for a total of 1.99 percent. Mike and Ron, Brown, lose 10 and 7 for a total of 2.51 percent.
Yay for Kristin getting below 300, and I'm so happy that Brown stayed above the yellow line, although at this point I don't want to see anyone go! It's also interesting that two of the bottom three teams had access to the gym all week.
During deliberation, Pink makes it relatively clear that Shanon should go and Helen should stay. Shanon feels she would do better at home and has already proved that. The rest of the group is pretty surprised that the parent is staying over the child and wonder if it's the right decision for them. But like last week, the remaining players respect their choice and vote Shanon to go home.
BROWN Ron 430 361 354 7 76 Michael 388 317 307 10 81 2.51
Pink team falls below the yellow line and at the elimination room the votes were revealed...
GREEN...voted out Shanon BLUE.....voted out Shanon BROWN..voted out Shanon PURPLE..voted out Shanon
YELLOW & BLACK was not indicated as four votes were enough to send Shanon home
At to this date, Shanon has lost 85 pounds and currently weighs at 198!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 18, 2009, 11:32:27 AM
From etonline.com
Did the Biggest Loser 'F' Up?
Did a contestant on NBC's "The Biggest Loser" sneak in an F-bomb on national broadcast television last night?
Reality TV has its share of potty mouths, but the FCC mandates that certain swearwords be bleeped before they make it to the air. However, on Tuesday night's episode of "The Biggest Loser," it seems like one got past the censors.
Former model Tara Costa was running up a hill where she had to choose one key from a wall of keys in order to win a challenge. While looking at the wall of keys, she said, "I don't f***ing know," and somehow the swearword made it on the air.
There is no word yet on whether the FCC will take steps to reprimand the show.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on February 20, 2009, 03:13:37 PM
I think Shannon wanted to stay but she was doing what her mom wanted. You saw the look on her face. Plus soon it is going to come down to the game and not the pleads of please do this. Shoudl be interesting soon when it goes to an individual game.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 21, 2009, 11:31:55 AM
From Reality TV World...
Shanon Thomas talks about her time on 'The Biggest Loser: Couples'
Similar to Blaine Cotter before her, Shanon Thomas told her fellow The Biggest Loser: Couples contestants that she wanted to be the Pink team member voted out of the competition after she and her mother finished last at the show's seventh elimination weigh-in.
However, the 29-year-old massage therapist from Centerline, MI admits that despite Cotter's experience one week earlier, she still was uncertain that her wish to go home would be granted.
"I actually had doubts in the back of my mind. I mean, I wasn't sure that they were going to listen to me," Thomas told Reality TV World during a media conference call the day after her elimination aired on NBC's Tuesday night broadcast of The Biggest Loser: Couples.
"[A lot] of them thought that I had to be there just as bad as [my mom Helen Phillips], and [they also wanted to keep me] with me being the younger Pink team member. I wasn't confident that they were going to go through with it. I really was unsure until that last [vote] plate was opened."
Thomas -- who arrived at The Biggest Loser: Couples ranch weighing 283 lbs and lost much of her weight when she spent 30 days working out at home as part of the season's initial twist -- added later that while her mother, a 47-year-old retired retail manager from Sterling Heights, MI, was more than willing to go home, that she saw no reason to break from a formula that had already proven to work.
"She's my mom so of course she wants what's best for me and would sacrifice anything for me. I just kept telling her why would we mess with this when I already went home and pulled great amounts of weight loss... and we're trying to get her off of those cigarettes for good for the rest of her life," Thomas told reporters.
Thomas also clarified the Tuesday night broadcast's comments in which she was shown saying that she was going to complete the episode's Pop Challenge competition at her own pace.
Although the broadcast made it appear as though Thomas made the comments at the beginning of the challenge, Thomas said she actually made them partway through after she began thinking about the upside to not winning the challenge and being forced to stay away from The Biggest Loser ranch's gym for the week.
"I did jog, and then I said to my mom probably on my fourth of fifth lap, I said 'I wouldn't mind getting out of the gym for a week," because me and my mom love to go up north, we love to go walking, we love to be outside," Thomas told Reality TV World. "My mom and I were climbing that mountain for fun every day and we loved getting out there... I [said] that because I would love to be outside for the week."
"But I got the key anyway, didn't I?" she added with a laugh.
However, Thomas also said that while winning the challenge and having the gym almost all to yourself would sound like an ideal situation in a weight-loss competition, she quickly grew to miss the camaraderie and motivation of the other contestants.
"In order to have an awesome gym you've gotta have people in there, because you feed off those people," Thomas told reporters. "It felt so empty in that gym without everybody."
Thomas said that the Pink team's prize of sharing the gym with only the Brown team for the week also got interrupted when some nearby wildfires kept the gym out of service to everyone for a couple of days.
"We weren't even allowed in the gym for two days! They didn't show that," Thomas told reporters. "It was a crazy, turned upside down week, but we got over it."
As far as the makeshift lounge she and her mother created on trainer Jillian Michaels' side of the gym, Thomas said the decision had been her mom's attempt at a "good laugh."
"It was after we had done all of our homework the night before, and my mom said 'Let's just do this, it'll be funny, it'll be cute,'" she told reporters.
Thomas added that although trainer Bob Harper had initially been somewhat taken aback by the lounge, he had grown to accept it by the end of the week.
"At first [Harper] was like 'What'd you girls do?' But then one morning he's like 'Well you girls got all those snacks over there, so go over there and get lunch... and then get back on the treadmill.' So it actually ended up coming in handy, our little lounge," she told reporters.
Thomas also told reporters that it had been her mother's idea that they audition for The Biggest Loser and she had made the suggestion while Thomas was cooking Easter dinner.
"I didn't even know there were auditions! It was Easter weekend and I was having Easter dinner and I called her because I bought the wrong ham -- how ironic right?" Thomas told reporters. "I heard all the noise in the background and [asked where she was] and she's like 'I'm at The Biggest Loser auditions, come down here."
After auditioning for last fall's The Biggest Loser: Families edition and failing to make the season's final casting, Thomas said they were subsequently approached to participate in the show's Couples edition instead.
Now at home and weighing 194 lbs., Thomas elaborated on last night's broadcast's post-elimination update video in which she said she's joined a local roller derby team.
"I love roller derby! I used to skate when I was younger and we started skating again and found out about the roller derby. I went on The Biggest Loser and then I came back and was like 'You know, this is perfect, this fits, I'm gonna keep going,'" Thomas told reporters. "It's a tough competitive sport and [all these girls] take it very, very seriously. We work out five-nights-a-week for two-to-three hours a night so it's definitely a great source of exercise for me."
Although she didn't comment on it directly, Thomas also seemed to touch on her January arrest in which she was charged with domestic violence for a December incident in which she allegedly threw flour in the face and eyes of a tenant.
"I just roll with the punches," Thomas told reporters. "Anything can happen to anybody at anytime and you just gotta try to handle everything as gracefully as you can and that's what we're doing."
Thomas also said that similar to Cotter, she isn't focusing her weight-loss goals on winning the $100,000 prize that one of the show's previously eliminated contestants will receive at the season finale's consolation weigh-in in May.
"This is about changing my life, and I feel like I've changed my life. If I win some at-home prize sweet, awesome, great," Thomas told Reality TV World. "I'm just keeping up, I'm making a life change and I wanna see what I can stick to, and I wanna be healthy and happy. That's what I'm focused on."
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 21, 2009, 11:41:43 AM
From The Deadbolt...
(http://Burning Calories with Shanon Thomas of The Biggest Loser Couples)
The Biggest Loser Couples stepped on the scales for its seventh episode and it was a tough call between Pink Team mother - daughter couple Helen and Shanon from Michigan on who should be the one to leave the Ranch. Not only was it a bit harder for the other players since the teams had to decide whether they should honor a request by 29-year old Shanon to be sent home so her mother could remain in the game for her own well-being, but it was also tough to keep Shanon because of her strength. When the final weigh in was over, Helen and Shanon fell below the yellow line despite having access to the gym for the entire week and it was Shanon who was sent packing. For the Pink Team, it was all about making peace with who was going to leave early.
The next morning we hopped on our weekly Biggest Loser phone scale for a conference call with latest evictee Shanon Thomas to find out how she felt about the keys, the challenges, her outlook on junk food after her time at the Ranch, and what surprised her most about her time on The Biggest Loser Couples.
THE DEADBOLT: You didn’t seem too concerned about winning the challenge and the key to the gym. Did it matter to you to win that key?
SHANON THOMAS: I mean, of course everybody wants to win the challenge and the key and stuff, but ... my mom and I love to be outside. And that mountain there, behind, that we were climbing is an awesome workout. I mean, some days we would spend two hours up there burning close to two-thousand calories. We love being outside. So my mom and I kind of looked at it like, "Do we want to win? Yes, we always want to win. Will we be fine without the key? Yeah, we will be because we love the outside."
THE DEADBOLT: How hard was the rowing challenge?
SHANON: Well, what they did was: We had to keep it above a certain point, like we had to keep it above ninety. And then they raised it, so you had to keep it above a hundred. It’s not miles per hour, but I’m not sure how exactly it works, the watts, or whatever it is. So if you dropped under there - and it was all hooked up to a computer system and the lights would turn - when you got to a certain point range, you know, the yellow, the green, and the red. But yeah, you definitely had to get into your groove. And they had some rowing instructors out there because some of us, like me, I’ve never rowed before. We didn’t have any rowing machines in the gym. So I was just like, "okay." But Dane, he was in the groove, man. He found the groove. Cathy was really in the groove there for awhile, too. But there was definitely a science to it.
THE DEADBOLT: Was there any particular type of junk food you missed and what have you replaced it with?
SHANON: I don’t know if you guys know or not but I used to eat Thai food like it was going out of style, and it had real coconut milk in it. But the only thing was, it was breezing through the calories. The calories were just, like, through the roof. I don’t know. This morning I had eggs and I chop up peppers and onions and then I just spice it with the Mrs. Dash and I try to make it like a little quiche thing. I don’t know. I’m just getting creative. When I get my sweet tooth, I do like a teaspoon of peanut butter with a cut-up apple and that takes care of my sweet tooth in two seconds. I freeze the protein shakes and eat it like a popsicle. I don’t know, you just have to get creative. But it’s worth it.
THE DEADBOLT: What was the biggest thing about the whole process that surprised you the most?
SHANON: The thing that surprised me the most is how it’s so non-stop. When it’s not completely physically draining, it emotionally takes a toll on you. It’s non-stop. You don’t realize how much goes into the show and I didn’t realize how the whole thing worked. I’ve never been on a TV show before, you know? And another thing that surprised me was my mom, man. She’s a rock star. She’s awesome, like a soldier. Only my mom can wear her hair down during a football challenge and look hot [laughs]. Yeah, I think there’s so many things. Everything was a surprise. I didn’t know what to expect, really.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 24, 2009, 08:45:49 AM
Reminder...
The show will be shown in two parts this week due to the Presidential Address tonight at 9pm EST
Part one airs tonight 8-9pm EST
Part two airs tomorrow 8-9 EST
The remaining players/teams gets reshuffled, some ends up with different trainers
Instead of individual team colors, it'll be two teams, black vs blue!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 24, 2009, 11:36:08 AM
From tvguide.com
2/24/09 Part 1 of 2. The teams are reorganized, leaving some players struggling to adjust to a new trainer. Later, a challenge spans 24 hours as the players try to log as many miles as possible on a bike during that time period.
2/25/09 Conclusion. The players take a quiz on health and aging. Later, the contestants have last-chance workouts before the weigh-in.
3/3/09 Rocco DiSpirito teaches the players to choose healthy meals while dining out and later prepares a special meal for the team that wins a cook-off competition. Then, the contestants pack and load kits for a food bank during the weekly challenge.
3/10/09 A surprise challenge could affect the weigh-in. Later, the players compete in a relay race to win a full day of luxury and spa treatments, but some players fall victim to temptation during the challenge; and a contestant clashes with a trainer.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 25, 2009, 10:15:57 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Week 8, Part 1"
In the first half of a two-part episode, the teams are reorganized, leaving some players struggling to adjust to a new trainer.
It seems that just about every week now, the players are treated to a "pop challenge." This time around, the lovely — and obviously preggo — Ali tells the teams that from now on there are no more partners. It's Blue vs. Black. Team Bob vs. Team Jillian. Team Yoga vs. Team You'll Workout Until You Throw Up. The twist is that this pop challenge will decide who gets which trainer, regardless of who's been kicking your butt all season long. The task is to do 100 "up-downs," in the mud. All the teams, minus Dane and Helen who are now partner-less, choose who will represent them and compete. The players get all dirtied up as Tara and Sione are neck-and-neck. Despite Filipe screaming at his partner, Tara edges him out for the win and also the guarantee that she and Laura can continue training with Jillian. Helen is the unlucky one who comes in last, and has to automatically switch her to Jillian's team. The rest of the teams' fates are left to the toss of a coin. As luck would have it, (or as NBC would plan it), most are thrown for a loop as the switches are made. Filipe and Sione's coin lands on Black and Sione isn't shy about how he feels. "No offense to the black team but I'm pissed off." When all is said and done, Mandi and Aubrey switch to Blue, as does Dane, and father-and-son team Mike and Ron are split up when there's only one spot left on the Black team (which is what their coin lands on). They get to make their choice and Mike joins Jillian's team so that although he has a new trainer, he can remain with most of his old teammates.
The exchanging of the trainers is quite the emotional scene. While Jillian thinks it'll only benefit the contestants to learn a second approach to health and wellness, Sione just doesn't want to push himself without Bob being the one to yell, "Do one more!" As the teams run into each other, Sione and Bob hug it out. Such a sweet bromance they have going on. And then the waterworks start with Helen and Bob. We get a little cheese-tastic montage and the teams are on their merry way.
The challenge this week is the longest in Biggest Loser history. Over 24 hours, the teams must log as many miles as they can on their team bike. And since it's a team challenge, it's a team reward — a 3-pound advantage in this week's weigh-in. The winning team will also each receive their very own custom trek bike. Pretty sweet. The teams immediately realize this task is harder than it seems. The sweat is pouring, Aubrey's "ass is on fire," and even with the food, pillows and blankets Tara grabs, everyone is starting to wonder if they'll make it. Mandi throws out the idea of giving up so that they can preserve their energy for the last work-out, but Sione quickly shoots her down. He personally wants to keep going but tells the others they can make the decision to do what they want. I love his determination, and it eventually inspires the rest of the players to nut up and finish for their own personal victory. Even Mandi is glad he spoke up because when the teams finally make it through the challenge, she's proud of herself. Ali comes back to reveal the final tally and it's 264 miles for team Blue and 301.9 miles for team Black. Tara individually logged the most miles at 58.8.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 25, 2009, 02:34:14 PM
Biggest Loser Recap: Trainer Turnabout, Part I!
In the most melodramatic episode ever on the Biggest Loser, couples split up and trainers changed after a pop challenge, which lead to a morose Ranch and a crying Bob. But all contestants seemed to rally for an epic 24-hour bicycling challenge that ended the first episode of a two-parter this week. Here’s what happened:
Muddy Mix-Up: The teams dreaded the pop challenge as soon as they saw boards with blue shirts and black shirts, knowing there would be a team switch-up. Alison Sweeney announced that one member of each pair would compete in a classic football drill of up-downs, where you begin prone in the mud and then rise up to touch a medallion. The first to complete 100 up-downs would retain their partner and trainer; the loser would split from his or her partner and switch trainers. The rest of the group would have their trainers determined by coin toss. Sione and Filipe desperately wanted to keep Bob. Sione put up a valiant effort but she was no match for challenge monster Tara, who was equally keen on keeping Jillian. In the end, Tara won for herself and Laura. In an excruciating slo-mo sequence, Kristin beat Helen to stay out of last place.
New Teams: After all the flipping and switching, Sione, Filipe, Helen and Mike changed over to Jillian’s team; Aubrey, Mandi and Dane flipped to Bob’s group. A sullen Sione lamented, “It’s almost like I am betraying someone I love.” When Jillian got her first look at the squad, she addressed the disappointment of her new charges and tried to get them comfortable. She said, “The silver lining of the scenario is they get the best of both worlds. I think it’s an opportunity.” But in the most over-the-top sequence ever in the series, Bob dramatically pulled aside his former teammates before working out with his new group and embraced them all with tears and a wobbly lip. “I’m having a real hard time,” he said. “I’m going to miss you guys. That’s just the bottom line.” Back in the gym, he tried to muster the energy to work out but it took him a while. When he once again stated that this was the most devastating twist he has ever faced on the show, the music swelled and producers showered us with Bob Team Flashbacks. Can we pour it on any thicker?
Pedal Power: Alison gathered the contestants in the gym and had them face two dramatically lit bicycles and said the challenge was simple — to put as many miles on the team’s bike as they could and the team that rode the most miles would win a three-pound advantage in the next weigh-in and a trek bike for each member. The rub was that the challenge would last 24 hours. In a clever bit of strategy, the Black Team decided early on that each would bike in only a half-hour shift, giving each other enough of a break in between. At the 9-hour-remaining mark, a tired Mandi proposed to everyone that they stop and conserve their energy and call a truce; Sione said he made a personal vow to finish all challenges. Sione’s speech changed everyone’s mind and they pushed on through. At the end, the Black Team did win with 301.9 miles biked compared with 264 miles for the Blue Team. Tara rode the furthest of anyone, logging in 58.8 miles. Even Mandi appreciated Sione’s plea for them to continue. The camaraderie and can-do spirit displayed at the end of the episode marked such a contrast to last season’s group. Bravo!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 26, 2009, 01:07:33 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Week 8, Part 2"
The second half of this week's episode opens up with a pop quiz to test everyone's knowledge about health and aging. The editor-in-chief of Prevention magazine is on hand to ask the questions and deliver the answers. First up: If you switch from regular cola to diet, will it help you live longer? False. Both can double your risk of metabolic syndrome. Next question: Which will help you live longer, cutting calories or fat? Calories is the answer, leaving Blue with one point and Black with two. And the final question is, which exercise is believed to help you live longer, push-ups or squats? The answer is squats (hey, I got it right!). Black wins 3-1, earning an awesome vacation for each member of the team.
After a quick lesson on frozen veggies — featuring Bob wearing quite the spiffy turtle-neck — the teams are onto their last-chance workout. Jillian pushes Filipe to run at 12.0 mph and when he makes it through like a champ, Jillian remarks that it's good she knows his limit and when to push him, because he doesn't.
The weigh-in this week is a bit different, now that there are two definitive teams. The team that collectively has the lower percentage of weight-loss must vote a member out. So here's how the numbers fall:
Blue Team:
Dane loses 13 pounds. (The fastest 100-pound loss in Biggest Loser history) Aubrey loses 5 pounds. (Rolls her eyes, wishes she did better) Mandy loses 7 pounds. Ron loses 5 pounds. Kristin loses 10 pounds. Cathy loses 14 pounds.
The Blue Team loses a total of 54 pounds and 3.26 percent.
Black Team:
Helen loses 7 pounds. (She's now below 200 pounds.) Laura loses 8 pounds. Tara loses 11 pounds. Mike loses 10 pounds. (He's now under 300 pounds.) Filipe loses 8 pounds. Sione loses 10 pounds.
The Black Team loses a total of 57 pounds and 3.65 percent to win the weigh-in.
The Blue team is given one hour to discuss their decision. Ron suggests they do it the "fair way," by looking at who needs to remain at the ranch. Who has the support at home, he asks, and the answer is Dane. He has Blaine and has already lost 100 pounds. Of course Dane fires back that his consistent weight-loss can help them win future weigh-ins, and that Ron only wants him gone because he's a threat. "Damn me, for being successful," Dane says in his confessional.
At the elimination, Dane and Mandi vote to oust for Ron, but Ron, Cathy and Kristin vote for Dane to go. Did Aubrey vote Kristin? I may have missed that... Anyway, Dane immediately starts tearing up but you know what? The man has lost 100 pounds in eight weeks!
During the "Where are they now?" piece, we see that Dane's wife started training for a marathon when he left for the ranch. So, upon his return, Dane decided to take up the challenge as well. They did it together and Blaine was there to cheer him on. Way to go!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 26, 2009, 02:51:09 PM
Biggest Loser Recap: Blue Team Cuts Dane
After trainer Bob’s emotional outburst in Tuesday night’s episode, he regained his composure in part two of this week’s Biggest Loser: Couples, initiating Aubrey, Mandi and Dane into the Blue Team with rapid-fire circuit work. Jillian gave her new charges a taste of her demanding style, too, and although they thought it would be the death of them, the Black Team unified. As Filipe said, “Jillian knows my limits and I don’t.” But in the first weigh-in as Blue v. Black, Black won leaving the Blue team the decision to oust Mesa, Ariz., real estate appraiser Dane Patterson, 27, an original Black Team member. Although upset to leave the Ranch, Dane left a great legacy — the first contestant to lose 100 lbs. in just 8 weeks!
Other things of note in a rather short episode:
1. In a Prevention magazine pop quiz, we learned that squats are better than push-ups because squats help the long-range goal of improving leg strength and posture, which in turn better reduces the likelihood of hip failure. 2. Both trainers measure up. As Helen noted, “I will always have Bob in my heart… but Jillian beat my ass!” 3. The product placement segments seem to be getting longer. 4. How awesome was Kristin this week? After losing 10 lbs. at the weigh-in, she spoke gratefully about being on the Ranch and how by watching the Biggest Loser on the couch motivated her to get off of it. She concluded, “You have it inside of you and you just have to find it.” 5. There’s nothing like the truth. When trying to decide who to vote off the Black Team, Ron tried to argue to remove the person with the most support at home. Dane saw through it, though, and knew he was seen as a threat. As Dane so eloquently put it, “I think we all got freakin’ fat and we all need to be here.”
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on February 28, 2009, 01:07:33 PM
Biggest Loser Apologizes After Marathon Controversy
Looks like Dane's inspirational "where are they now?" package at the end of Wednesday's Biggest Loser: Couples is now a little less inspiring.
After losing 100 pounds in eight weeks, Dane was booted by his fellow competitors who believed he was a front-runner for the $250,000 grand prize. As is customary, the show followed up on Dane to see if his weight loss has continued at home. The resulting footage showed him training with his wife for a marathon, and concluded with him crossing the finish line at 3 hours and 53 minutes — a remarkable time for even trained runners.
Moving, right? Well it didn't really happen, according to the Los Angeles Times. After investigating the mysterious time, it was discovered that not only was the time clock malfunctioning (he actually crossed the finish line at 5:53), but Dane got a lift from a field producer for three miles in order to complete the marathon in under six hours, and thus providing the touching ending for the package. Dane ran 17 miles, rode for three miles, and then completed the race from the 20-mile mark.
The show's executive producers issued an apology. "We would like to make an official apology and set the record straight with regards to the claim in last night's episode that Dane completed a marathon in Arizona," the statement said. "We are incredibly proud of Dane for running 23 miles and losing over 130 pounds on his weight loss journey so far and wish him luck as he continues his new healthy lifestyle. We have also taken the necessary action to ensure that there are no future misrepresentations and sincerely apologize for misleading our loyal viewers."
Dane was so upset with the deception that he later went back and reran the miles he skipped, the Times says.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 01, 2009, 11:00:41 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples - Cooking, Boxing and Another Twist?
Big surprise Dane leaving last week on Biggest Loser Couples 2 - I really thought it would be Ron's last week on the ranch. Other than the fact that they all seem to really like each other and are playing with their hearts, I just don't get the lack of strategic moves or maybe there was a little strategy going on.
Thinking about it, Dane would have been able to help the Blue Team win the competitions. We know Ron will be no threat to any of the team members and it's doubtful that he will be winning the challenges anytime soon due to his bad knees. Cathy and Kristen are pulling good numbers and they voted to eliminate Dane. Maybe they think they will be able to continue pulling high weight loss numbers and are keeping Ron around as their "third" vote against Mandi and Aubrey. That could also be the reason Mandi and Aubrey wanted to keep Dane as their third vote. Nevertheless, it seems to me the Blue Team is going to have a tough time against the Black Team, both in challenges and weigh ins. Tara is a machine - she just never lets up. Mike, Filipe and Sione have a lot of weight to lose. Helen and Laura are performing well too. It may well prove to be an uphill battle for the Blue Team with their loss of Dane.
Poor Bob, he sure is going through some major mood swings this season - first with Joelle making him crazy leading to his cussing up a blue streak and now we see him shattered and almost crying because the teams have been split up. His Yin and Yang must really be out of balance. I was surprised that he didn't seem to want to give his ex-team members a pep talk, instead falling apart and saying how angry he was about the split. Definitely not the typical, easy going, laid back Bob we are accustomed to seeing.
Personally, I think it was a good thing that the contestants were forced to switch trainers although they probably would not agree with me. When you think about it, each trainer has different takes on weight loss and workouts. If the contestants the best of both, they will be able to really excel toward their goals. Let's hope the trainers and contestants can begin to look it optimistically.
Needless to say, I am thrilled with the fact that my hero, Rocco DiSpirito, will be on Tuesday's Biggest Loser Couples 2 on NBC. I'm hearing that Rocco will be taking our contestants to a restaurant and teach them how to make healthier choices while dining out (information we could all probably use). There will also be a cook off, where our contestants will compete to prepare the tastiest, lowest calorie entree. The winner will have a special meal prepared by Rocco. Rumor is there will be a fortune cookie with an extra vote at elimination!
Bob will take the contestants to a 24-Hour Fitness to spar with Sugar Ray Leonard. This should really be a treat for Aubrey - remember she was an amateur boxer. Sugar Ray will show them how to have fun shadow boxing while burning calories.
I'm also reading that their will be a challenge to pack food kits for the hungry and then load them on trucks. The winner will receive free groceries for a year and letters from home. Now this could be a clue to the "act of kindness by the youngest contestant on the show." Do you suppose Mike will be the winner of the challenge and give the food for a year and letters to Aubrey since she has five children? Now that would be beyond generous with today's food prices!
From the teaser last week, I gather we will also see Jillian lose it with someone on her team. When Jillian says its the meanest thing she has ever done... well, for lack of a better word - ouch! Wonder if it has something to do with the way our contestants weren't exactly willing to accept their new trainers?
And finally, I'm hearing that there will be a new twist at this week's weigh in. Sounds like this will be a fully packed two hours on Biggest Loser Couples 2, Tuesday, 8/7c on NBC. Don't miss it - but if you do, stop by and see us, we'll do our best to give you all the highlights of the show!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 02, 2009, 11:11:17 PM
'The Biggest Loser' Controversy
When is reality TV not real? "The Biggest Loser" knows. On last Thursday's show, when viewers saw Gregory "Dane" Patterson crossing the finish line of a marathon, it wasn't exactly so. Dane and his wife Carli had received a lift for three miles of the 26-mile marathon.
In a phone conversation, Dane explained that he had planned to do the complete marathon, but when he got there, he found out that he needed to do it in less than six hours. He and his wife were making good time for the first half, but by mile 17, he had fallen behind and the field producers, who were shooting the event, were concerned.
"At mile 17, it was discussed that I was not going to make that time. Honestly, I wish I hadn't [taken the ride]. My purpose was to run the full marathon, but you never know what is going to make it on the show. I honestly didn't think anything of it."
Dane goes on to explain that he didn't realize that the producers were going to say he completed the full marathon, and he adds that the race officials knew what had happened and they still gave him the medal.
"I did 23 miles in that race and that is what that medal stands for to me," says Dane, who adds that he and Carli went back and did the other three miles.
Last Thursday, after the episode aired, NBC issued the following statement: "In the final segment of last night's episode of "The Biggest Loser," which updated viewers on the status of an eliminated contestant, the former contestant was shown running a marathon in his home state of Arizona. NBC today learned that the contestant did not, in fact, run the entire marathon as depicted in the segment. Because the segment as aired was contrary to NBC policy, we are working with the program producers to determine how this occurred, and to ensure that corrective action is taken."
Controversy aside, Dane does have a record to be proud of. He lost 100 pounds in just eight weeks on the ranch, and he lost 13 pounds, dropping from 325 to 312, the week that he was sent home by the Blue Team. His teammate Ron, who received the second-highest number of votes, lost only five pounds -- and played on his team's sympathy, explaining he needed to be there more Dane, who would do just fine at home.
"I don't have any ill feelings. This is a game. The only thing I didn't like about [being voted out] is Ron didn't admit that that was what he was doing," says Dane, who understood that Ron was sending him home because he was the biggest threat. "This was what was best for the Black Team and his son [who is on the Black Team], and not what was best for the Blue Team, which was our team."
To date, Dane says he has lost 142 pounds and his No. 1 goal is to win the at-home prize of $100,000.
"I am working very hard to get that," he says. "I am back at work as a real estate appraiser, so I am actually at a desk a lot, but I workout as much as I can before and after work, usually between three to five hours every day. It is a sacrifice I want to make right now leading up to the finale. Hopefully, by the time the finale comes around, I will be at my goal."
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 03, 2009, 01:57:52 AM
The Biggest Loser's Dane Discusses Marathon Debacle
When Dane Patterson left The Biggest Loser: Couples, he had no idea what drama was to come. After being eliminated in week 8, the same week he broke a Biggest Loser record, Patterson went on to complete a marathon back at home. But after the episode aired with his "where are they now?" piece depicting him crossing the finish line with a time of 3:53, it was revealed that it was actually 5:53, and that he had been driven three of those miles to finish in under six hours. TVGuide.com caught up with the 27-year-old real estate appraiser on how he feels about cheating those 3 miles, why he's proud that Bob wanted to vote him out and what his progress has been at home.
TVGuide.com: Let's talk about the marathon. What went through your head when you were approached by a producer to get in the car, and how did it feel crossing the finish line, having driven for three of the 26 miles? Dane Patterson: Before I even started the race, building up to it, I didn't think I had a time limit. I was planning on doing it between seven and eight hours, I was going to take my time. When I got there, the producers told me I needed to do it in under six hours, which was a push in itself. So I actually ran the first 13 or 14 miles in that pace, and then I started gradually slowing down. At mile 17, it was just discussed that I was not going to make that time. I wish I hadn't done that and my purpose was to run the full marathon, but you never know what's actually going to make it on the show, and so I honestly didn't think anything of it because I was proud that I accomplished what I accomplished. When I went to the finish line, the race officials, they knew what happened. It was discussed between the producer and them and they still gave me a medal and I was proud of that medal and I was proud that I did what I did. And because it was my plan to run the full marathon, I went back and ran those three miles. So in my mind I ran the full 26 miles.
TVGuide.com: How did it feel to break a Biggest Loser record, losing 100 pounds the fastest? Patterson: I wanted to lose 100 pounds that week, but I didn't even know it would be a record. It was a lot quicker than I thought it would be. I knew I would be successful, I knew I'd do well on the show, but I didn't have any idea I'd lose 100 pounds in eight weeks. It's an unbelievable amount of weight.
TVGuide.com: In your last week, Aubrey voted for Kristin to avoid being the deciding vote. How did you feel about that? Patterson: If she would've voted with Mandi and I, it would have forced a tie and at that point, the Black team could come in and decide who was to go home. It sounded to me like I was going to go home anyway, and so I think Aubrey probably wanted to build somewhat of an alliance with Ron, Kristin and Cathy, to keep her there as long as possible. I didn't really put up a fuss about the whole thing because I realized, even if there was a tie, I was still going to go home.
TVGuide.com: Do you have any ill feelings toward Ron for pushing to get you voted out? Patterson: I don't have any ill feelings because this is a game, but the only thing I didn't like about it was that he wouldn't admit that's what he was doing. Everyone could see through the fact that he was sending me home because I would be successful at home. He made a decision that was the best for the Black team, what was best for his son, and not what was best for the Blue team. Kristin and Cathy couldn't see through that at the time, I'm sure they do now.
TVGuide.com: When your partner Blaine was eliminated in week six, Bob told his team to "vote you out and no one else." Did that bother you? Patterson: You know what, that's actually something that I'm proud of. The fact that Bob Harper wanted to get rid of me, the fact that he was so scared of me at the time, how could I be disappointed in that? I'd rather have that happen than the other way around and want to keep me there because I was weaker. It was a little bit difficult moving over to Bob's side after that, but when it's all said and done I'm kind of proud. Obviously I worked extremely hard, and hard enough that Bob Harper wanted me to go more than anyone.
TVGuide.com: What's the greatest lesson you learned from Jillian? Patterson: My very first workout was the hardest thing I've ever been through in my entire life, and from that point I knew that there were no excuses. When I was over 400 pounds at the time, our first workout was five hours long, every muscle in my body was cramping up, and I was in extreme pain. No matter what I said, she didn't care. It's at that point, in the very beginning, you learn not to think of excuses because it's not going to make it any easier. So I learned to just deal with the pain, not put any thought into it, ignore it and it makes it a lot more tolerable. That's what I did from there on out.
TVGuide.com: So how's it going back at home? Patterson: At home, I'm obviously not losing that second 100 pounds as quickly as I lost the first 100. I'm back at work, I sit at a desk a lot, but I usually work out between three and five hours every day. It's the sacrifice I'm wanting to make right now, leading up to the finale. Hopefully by the time the finale comes around, I'll be at my goal weight.
TVGuide.com: And how many pounds have you lost as of now? Patterson: About 142 pounds.
TVGuide.com: Blaine said he's not going for the at-home prize. Are you? Patterson: Definitely, definitely. That's my No.1 goal right now, and that's what I'm working very hard to get.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 03, 2009, 09:33:27 AM
'The Biggest Loser': Does Jillian Go Too Far?
"The Biggest Loser" shook things up last week when the teams were reformatted into the Blue Team and the Black Team -- and old alliances were destroyed as half of Bob Harper's losers were switched to Jillian Michaels' team and vice versa.
It was the first time that a team had to send home one of its own players -- up until now the rainbow of teams consisted of only two players each and one of those two would go home after a vote by its opponents.
When it came time to vote, the game-playing element of the show really kicked in when the team voted to send home Dane -- one of the strongest players who earned a "Biggest Loser" record by losing 100 pounds in eight weeks -- instead of Ron, one of this season's weakest players. Do you keep someone who is strong and can help the team win immunity, but could end up being "The Biggest Loser," or do you send home the player who is not a threat, but puts the team in jeopardy?
"The one person I leaned on to help me do more is gone," a distraught Tara says. "It was a really stupid decision."
But the Blue Team's Kristin, Ron and Cathy, who were originally on Bob's team, are happy with the vote. Cathy explains, simply saying, "We are going to stick together."
Then Laura storms out of the gym after a confrontation with Jillian.
"I am not going after her," Jillian tells Laura's friend Tara. "She is perfectly capable and perfectly strong. She doesn't want to be happy. She doesn't want to be healthy. She is in her own way."
"It is the meanest thing I have ever seen Jillian do," Tara says. "Jillian took it too far, but she is right. Laura needs to learn how to motivate herself."
One more will go home when "The Biggest Loser" airs tonight at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 04, 2009, 08:49:16 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Week 9"
With 11 players eliminated, 11 remain. Last week, Dane went home and while Mike and Ron are happy, Tara is devastated. He was the one person she leaned on (what about her partner?) and tells the Blue team it was a stupid choice to get rid of him.
The contestants head over to Chefs, Inc where handsome chef Rocco DiSpirito is waiting for them. He tells them that fast food is the worst food you can eat and demonstrates just how fatty it is. The teams are tasked with coming up with new, tasty — and most importantly, healthy — versions of a hamburger, pizza, and burrito. After the 30 minutes are up, it's time to name a winner. In the father/son pizza showdown, Ron wins out with his 276 calorie pie. One point for the Blue team. The Black team wins in the burrito category with only 303 calories, as opposed to the Blue team's 525 calorie whopper. In the hamburger competition, the Black team wins by making a bison burger with chopped onion, Portobello mushrooms and feta cheese. Surprisingly, it was the ketchup and mustard that was the Blue team's downfall. So, the Black team wins the challenge, an extra team vote and a nice meal prepared by Rocco.
Bob takes his team to 24-hour Fitness to partake in Everlast shadowboxing. Aubrey is extremely excited as she was a boxer for three years — who knew? They walk in and Sugar Ray Leonard is there to teach them. He gives them an inspiring talk, leads them through an intense workout and tells them to stay focused.
Dr. H pays a visit to tell Mike and Tara that they are the king and queen of the record-breakers. Mike has lost 134 pounds of fat, and even though it's only 91 pounds of weight-loss, it has never been done. Tara has had a 29 percent weight-loss in three months. Meanwhile, Jillian and Sione have a little heart-to-heart. He tells her he's adapting to the change in trainers, and she leads him in some metabolic training with high intensity circuits. But he pushes himself a little too hard and falls and twists his ankle. My favorite Tongan better be okay!!
The teams go to a food bank — the sight of their next challenge — where they learn that one in eight Americans struggle with hunger. As overeaters, the contestants are happy to be giving back for all the extra food they consume. The task is to take the donated food, assemble it into a kit and then take them across the warehouse and load onto trucks. Once completed, they will have helped feed 1,200 people for a day. We learn that Aubrey went to food banks for her first two children, so this challenge means a lot to her. The teams take off, and after scrambling to get the job done, the Black team comes up victorious yet again. They win a year of free groceries from General Mills and a letter from home, and will be featured in a national campaign for Cheerios. The Blue team is tired of seeing their opponents celebrate wins, and Mandi and Aubrey just stand there hugging and crying from their loss. When they return to the ranch, the Black team reads their letters as we are treated to the requisite cheesy music montage. And then Mike does one of the most generous things I've seen on this show: He gives his year supply of groceries that he's won to Aubrey. Pretty stand-up guy, I'd say.
The Black team reports back to Jillian that they've won again, but she tells them not to be so gloat-y. Jillian, do you ever get excited for your team? She's mad that Laura chose to be the teammate to sit out when Sione was hurt and Helen is much older. And then she gets a beat down. Apparently there's a problem when Jillian isn't yelling at you, because it means she's lost all hope. She decides to "create awareness" for Laura and asks her teammates who is the weakest link, knowing they'll choose her. After being called out, she leaves the gym and cries that what Jillian did was worse than someone calling her fat to her face or making fun of her. But she cools down is eventually ready to talk it out. As Jillian often does, she asks Laura why she's really there, to which she responds, "I want love." Sometimes I think Jillian should be my therapist, she's so good at it.
The weigh-in is a bit different this week. Instead of weighing in against each other, everyone weighs in with each other. If they could collectively lose a total of more than 77 pounds (equal to each of them losing a pound a day), then everyone would gain immunity. If they didn't hit that number, one person from each team would go home. As an added bonus, for every pound lost, The Biggest Loser will donate 100 pounds of food. Enter the scale...
Helen loses 5 pounds. Mandi loses 8 pounds. Sione loses 3 pounds. Aubrey loses 8 pounds. Laura loses 7 pounds. Ron loses 6 pounds. Tara loses 11 pounds. (94 total pounds in 9 weeks. I can't even recognize her!) Kristin loses 9 pounds. Filipe loses 8 pounds. Cathy loses 3 pounds. Mike loses ...
Wait, what? That's it? We're left with a cliff-hanger. Tune in next week to find out who, if anyone, will be eliminated.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 04, 2009, 10:58:13 AM
'The Biggest Loser' recap: 'Tis the Season
Prepare, Overcome, and Win Every Round. Prepare, Overcome, and Win Every Round. Oh, hi, didn't see you there. What's that? You're looking for this week's Biggest Loser recap? It'll be along shortly, as soon as I finish meditating to my new friend Sugar Ray Leonard's P.O.W.E.R. mantra for success. What am I preparing to overcome, you ask? Well, just the fiery, burning rage I'm currently enduring over the fact that NBC made me sit through a bizarrely constructed two-hour episode of The Biggest Loser and then, you know, NOT AIR THE ENDING. You're right, NBC. I love sitting through two hours of something only to reach zero conclusions at the end — in fact, I paid $12.50 for the privilege on Saturday when I saw The International (a poor life choice. Just say no, kids).
After the two eps of one-hour deliciousness that aired last week, last night's disappointment felt a little like following your low sodium broth-based soup and salad sporting non-fat dressing with a 1,200-calorie hamburger and fries. Tasty 'til the end, when you realize it's full of fat and ultimately unsatisfying. Things started off fine and dandy — celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito dropped by, then Sugar Ray Leonard dropped by, then the show's doctor dropped by, then David Arquette dropped by (that really is how it happened, there weren't any transitions between the segments) — until these words of doom appeared on screen: ''To Be Continued...''
Here's how it started. The first challenge brought the contestants to a kitchen somewhere in Los Angeles (I assume), where ''world-class chef'' Rocco DiSpirito (their words) told them just how bad fast food actually is (you know, like in the Super Bowl episode just with a different chef). Then the contestants drew knives to find out which fast food dish — burger, burrito, or pizza — they'd have to make healthier in the Quickfire challenge. Kidding — it wasn't Top Chef, but it was pretty similar (NBC and Bravo are sister networks, so I guess they were cool with the ripoff). Each team had to make a healthy, tasty version of a fast food monstrosity in 30 minutes. The team that made the best-tasting food with the fewest calories won a dinner cooked by Mr. Ninth-place-on-Dancing-With-the-Stars and an extra vote at elimination for one person (chosen randomly).
Ron and Mike had a father/son pizza rivalry (Ron won), the sisters and the cousins had a burrito-off (Sione and Filipe won by default, since the burritos were both gross but the boys' had fewer calories), and the blue team accidentally sabotaged their burger effort by including ketchup and mustard in their dish, upping the calorie count by a couple hundred. Surprise, surprise, it was another black team victory, with Laura landing the extra vote.
While the black team enjoyed a gourmet dinner of mashed sweet potatoes, crispy chicken, and salad, the blue team washed dishes. It worked out okay for the losers, however, because Bob decided to take them to a shadowboxing class taught by none other than pro boxer/weight-loss competition show motivator Sugar Ray Leonard. We then learned two useful pieces of information: one, shadowboxing gloves come in a variety of fun colors (taste the rainbow), and two, Aubrey used to be a boxer (I know, right?!). I'm sorry, did I say useful? I meant random. The useful part was Leonard's P.O.W.E.R. mantra, which helped me successfully overcome my ''To Be Continued...'' rage and not throw my laptop at my TV screen.
Later, in the gym, Dr. H came in and told the contestants how well they've been doing: Tara has lost 29% of her body weight, Mike has lost 134 pounds of fat, Mandi went from having the fitness of a 68-year-old to being fitter than other women her age, and Ron's blood sugar has gone down. This information would've been a little more interesting if it wasn't sandwiched between segments, and if Dr. H hadn't told Tara she'd done well for having been there three months when it's only the ninth week of the show. Is my timeline off or was this shot at a different time than the rest of the episode?
Not to be outdone, the Pound for Pound segment of the episode even had a guest: David Arquette talked about how he volunteers at the food bank. America, if he can make the time between guest-starring on TV shows to volunteer at the food bank and guest-star on a PSA during another TV show about volunteering at the food bank, then you can find the time to volunteer too.
Speaking of the food bank, the challenge was held there this week (in case you couldn't tell by one of the 87 establishing shots of the building). Each team had to take donated food, assemble it into 100 kits, push the boxes all the way through the warehouse, and load them onto a truck (along with 50 pre-made kits). All said and done, the teams would pack enough food to feed 1,200 people. The winning team would be featured in a national advertisement for Cheerios, and each member would receive letters from home along with free groceries from General Mills for a year.
If you had to take one guess, who would you pick to win the challenge? If you picked the blue team, you are probably a member of the blue team because no one else in their right mind would think they had a shot at winning. If you picked the black team, you correctly picked the winner!
The blue team was sad about losing; but the black team was pretty psyched about winning. They got free food and letters from home! The letters weren't terribly exciting, because they all said the same thing. Guess what: the black team's families love them. But if you play footage of them reading their cards in slow-mo and set it to a sappy song, you get an instant montage!
All the feel-good feelings from feeding the needy rubbed off on college student Mike, who didn't need his grocery prize and decided to give it to mother of five Aubrey instead. It was a genuinely nice sentiment and both sides were sincere in their intention and gratitude, though the actual gifting was staged pretty awkwardly and transitioned immediately to the last chance workout.
Jillian, after hearing that Laura sat out of the challenge instead of Sione, who sprained his ankle earlier in the week, decided she was fed up with Laura's negative attitude about her own abilities. Jillian, in ''the meanest thing [she's] ever done,'' polled the black team to find out who they thought their weakest link was: Laura. The thing she didn't tell Laura was that she didn't think Laura was the weakest link, it's just that Laura keeps behaving like she is and thinking that she is — therefore other people perceive her as such. Clearly, Laura's problem with weight is directly related to how she thinks others view her. So when Laura said she wanted to lose weight so other people would respect her, Jillian was upset — Laura shouldn't want to lose weight just to get validation from others, she should want to do it for herself. I hope Laura took that advice to heart, because it's true.
Finally, it was time for the weigh in. Ali Sweeney was lookin' all '80s mermaid chic with her green peephole top and wavy blond hair, the contestants were sporting the latest in cotton/spandex blend gym wear, and the trainers were wearing pastels to make them look less threatening. So Ali was all like ''If you collectively lose enough weight to equal one pound each per day, you can all stay! But if you don't, two of you have to peace the eff out of here.'' The contestants stepped on the scale one by one. Some did well (Tara, obvs), and some didn't (Ron, obvs). Then Mike went up, and Ali was all like ''Mike, you need to lose 10 pounds for everyone to stay. No pressure or anything.'' But it wasn't actually up to him — the producers just picked him to go last. It was up to everyone to lose seven pounds. Too bad we won't find out what happens until NEXT WEEK.
An excerpt from my totally professional notes: ''WHAT TO BE CONTINUED SERIOUSLY WHAT IS THIS S---.''
To be honest, I figured since it was clearly the happy, feel-good Christmastime (in March) episode they'd succeed. There were only a couple minutes left until the end of the show and they hadn't finished weighing in, so I assumed they had it in the bag. How naive I was — to think NBC would give us a show with a conclusion. But I was young then. Now I'm a full three hours older and I see what they were doing, trying to switch up the format so we didn't get bored. But older and wiser as I am, I'd like to tell NBC that if they pull something like this again, they can _____ my _____ (fill in the blanks with your own choice words and I'm sure you'll catch my meaning).
Were you as royally TO'd by the ending as I was? Or did this episode fill you with filmed-at-Christmas non-holiday related (since it's actually March) cheer? What did you think of the celebrity guests who dropped by? Did everyone pull their weight in the challenge? How many people do you think will be kicked off next week?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on March 04, 2009, 04:00:42 PM
Poor Mike... it is alot of pressure on him. But also keep in mind Sione only lost 3. Now that could be because he hurt his foot. I really hope Mike makes it only because of how he will treat himself if he does not.
I think Jillian was mean, but I do not think she went too far. She was right Lara is still stuck in the poor me and will not survive back at home if she does not get a handle on this.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: catzoid on March 05, 2009, 08:07:33 AM
Mike is getting a very strong "hero" edit, so I think he'll pull off the win.
Laura belongs in a different kind of program, like Weight Watchers or something, where she gets lots of group support and isn't expected to lose more than a pound or two a week. This isn't the right format for her. Jillian is right about her, but I expect Laura to be the next Black team member voted off, so there really isn't much time for Jillian to influence her.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 07, 2009, 10:53:11 AM
THE BIGGEST LOSER MARCH SCHEDULE
Episode: 710
03-10-2009 8:00PM
A 24 HOUR FITNESS RELAY RACE BRINGS WINNING TEAM 24 HOURS OF LUXURY -- This week brings a pop challenge that will add an interesting twist to the weigh-in, and later, the contestants head to 24 Hour Fitness for a relay race competition. The winning team gets 24 hours of luxury, including spa treatments, but some contestants have trouble resisting temptation during their 24-hour getaway. Also, one contestant has a big blow up with their trainer, and all of the contestants get some welcome and surprising news from host Alison Sweeney after elimination.
THE BIGGEST LOSER
Episode: 711
03-17-2009 8:00PM
CONTESTANTS GO HOME FOR A WEEK AND COMPLETE HALF-MARATHONS -- All of the contestants head home for a week, where they are faced with the challenge of continuing to make healthy food choices and getting their workouts done in their home environments. After they arrive home, each player gets a DVD with host Allison Sweeney revealing their “at home challenge” – to run a half marathon – 13.1 miles! A cookie temptation adds an interesting twist to the competition, and the players find out the results of their hard work once they return to the ranch. Later, another contestant is sent packing.
THE BIGGEST LOSER
Episode: 712
03-24-2009 8:00PM
NASCAR DRIVER CLINT BOWYER GUEST STARS – In part one of this week’s two-part challenge, contestants divide the amount of weight they’ve lost so far among their opponents, with many ganging up on the player they feel is the strongest competitor. For part two of the challenge, the players head to the racetrack where they’ll meet NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer. Then each contestant will pull a two-ton car – plus the weight added on from part one of the challenge -- for almost a quarter of a mile! Also, the competition goes to singles this week and contestants are given their original colored shirts to wear for the rest of the competition. And later, one contestant breaks “Biggest Loser” records at a weigh in that finds several players hitting big milestones.
THE BIGGEST LOSER
Episode: 713
03-31-2009 8:00PM
PAST SEASON WINNERS ALI VINCENT AND MICHELLE AGUILAR GUEST STAR -- The contestants get a blast from the past this week with visits from season five winner Ali Vincent and season six winner Michelle Aguilar, both filling in as host while Alison Sweeney is on maternity leave. The contestants are also surprised by the arrival of some old friends, whose return promises to shake up the competition. And while one player is sidelined by medical issues, the rest compete in a balance and endurance challenge that finds each contestant standing on a platform, suspended six feet over a pool. One by one, the lines supporting the platform are removed, making it harder to stand, until only the winner is left standing. Later, Bob has last chance workouts at the beach before the weigh in, which is followed by a surprising elimination.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 07, 2009, 11:07:13 AM
Alison Sweeney’s Blog:
Giving it their all and more
March 04, 09:43 AM
Okay, I've been accosted by three co-workers already this morning. - "did Mike lose it? Are they safe??!!" I've been threatened and guilt-tripped, wow - what a cliffhanger!!
Wasn't the challenge at the Food Bank amazing? Everyone was busting their butts out there... Helen hustled bagging those groceries, the black team was really working as a team. While the blue team wanted it, they just didn't have that same cohesiveness. And Jillian made a really good point to Laura after, so much of this is mental.
And when Mike gave his reward to Aubrey? Wow. I was so moved when they told me. It was just such an amazing gesture. Obviously the groceries will make such a difference in Aubrey's family's life. What a wonderful thing to do.
P.S. I'm on facebook now! come check it out, I downloaded it onto my bberry, so I'm gonna try to figure it out and update it from set and stuff.
mud
February 27, 01:07 PM
Wow. How intense was that challenge? I mean seriously! 24 hours. That bike looked so cool – but man, all night long was not easy. And I could totally understand Mandi wanting to take a break, especially as they knew they were falling behind. Even without Ron struggling to participate, it had to be hard squaring off against a team with Sione, Fileipe, Mike AND Tara. But still, how great was Sione – saying he wouldn’t quit, that he wanted to finish what he started no matter what. And Aubrey totally jumping on board with him. I think that was a defining moment in the season. Deciding to keep going, no matter what.
The up-downs were so brutal. And I don’t just mean the mud. And you couldn’t have asked for a stronger motivation. Bob and Jillian are both such incredible trainers, and they both have such a strong connection with their teams, it’s no wonder they didn’t want to risk losing that bond. It was so emotional to see them say goodbye – Bob talking to them outside the gym, was heartbreaking.
And of course, saying goodbye to Dane was tough. Obviously, in a week where they had to say goodbye to their trainer, it seemed as if ron, cathy and Kristin stayed united.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 11, 2009, 01:20:58 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Week 10"
Just two weeks ago, the teams were divided into Black and Blue, but it's already time for another twist-eroo. But first, we need to see the results of Mike's weigh-in. He has to lose more than nine pounds, or else one member from each team goes home. Can he do it?
He sure can! Mike loses 11 pounds, guaranteeing all the players one more week on the ranch. But it's not all fun and games. Only minutes after learning that they'd be safe another week, the contestants are summoned to the courtyard to meet Alison who announces that Week 10 starts now. "Forget the yellow line, this week is one-on-one," she says. So what exactly does that mean? A pop challenge determines who gets to choose who faces off against whom in the weigh-in. Win your face-off and your team gets a point; first team to three wins. The pop challenge is simple enough: Each person does a wall-sit and whoever lasts the longest wins. Kristin from Blue sits out due to unexplained medical reasons, so Black elects Sione and Helen to not participate to even up the numbers. Within the first 25 seconds, Ron is out. Then Cathy and Aubrey falter, leaving Mandi as the sole Blue competitor. Filipe and Mike soon drop with Laura shortly behind. Mandi eventually gives out and Tara from Black is victorious yet again. She immediately accepts the pen and paper and works out the match-ups.
Tara decides to pit Mike against Cathy, the youngest player versus a grandma, with a 31-year age difference. Next she pairs Sione with Mandi, the strongest from each team. She puts Filipe up against Kristin, who doesn't look happy, but he surely is. He tells her, "You're going down, you big blueberry." I thought these cheesy stare-downs were funny. Tara also matches Helen against Ron, a guaranteed point for Black in most people's minds. Lastly, she pairs Laura and Aubrey, leaving herself out of the equation.
In the gym, Filipe begins his workout in a great mood, joking around as he taunts Kristin. Has anyone noticed that while he's losing pounds, he's gaining some hair on his head? Anyway, he starts to get irritated as the time passes and Jillian seems to ignore him. He starts to feel alone without Bob, especially when the workout ends and Jillian leaves having not trained him. Filipe is mad, and we later see what happens when he reaches his boiling point.
This week's challenge is a complicated relay race. For the Black team, Filipe leads off against Ron from Blue. Although Black takes an early lead, he doesn't destroy Ron in the pool as much as I thought he would. Sione takes over the next leg for Black and Cathy starts up the stairs for Blue. Next up, the military-style leg, which looked nauseating. Both Tara and Mandi (with an interesting hairstyle choice) kick butt through this. The last section is for Helen, who has a head start, and Aubrey. Although Aubrey puts up a good fight, Black still pulls out the win, remaining undefeated in challenges. They win 24 hours of luxury.
The limo pulls up and whisks away the Black team. But their reward turns out to be a disadvantage when the players overindulge with food and alcohol. At the end of their night, they rack up a whopping 15,563 calories, which they made look easy. The next day it's back to reality and when Jillian questions her team, she learns that there was drinking, smoking and a lot of fatty food. She starts to yell, saying, "Why am I going to care if you don't care?" It's like their mommy is grounding them. But Jillian's attitude only prompts Filipe to blow up. He becomes extremely upset and tells his trainer that she didn't even work with him in the last workout. "I stood on that treadmill, wondering, 'When am I going to get my turn?', and I didn't." Filipe then walks outside with his cousin Sione, and tells Bob that Jillian is a beeyotch, and that they won't be working out with her anymore. You know Bob was giddy inside, since ultimately he's also competing with Jillian for bragging rights as to who's the better trainer.
So after the last-chance workout, it's time for the one-on-one weigh-in. Tara is up first since she's not matched up against anyone. She loses a whopping zero pounds — yep, zero. I guess those two shots of tequila weren't so worth it after all. Here's how everyone else measured up:
Mike loses 8 pounds, 2.80 percent. Cathy loses 4 pounds, 1.63 percent. 1 point for Black.
Aubrey loses 3 pounds, 1.48 percent. Laura gains 1 pound, +.44 percent. 1 point for Blue.
Kristin loses 7 pounds, 2.59 percent. Filipe loses 1 pound, .36 percent 1 point for Blue.
Helen loses 4 pounds, 2.07 percent. Ron loses 6 pounds, 1.75 percent. 1 point for Black.
So it all comes down to Sione and Mandi. Sione weighs in first and loses 6 pounds, 2.12 percent. Can Mandi secure her team a victory? Nope. She actually gains 2 pounds, +1.03 percent, and nobody is quite sure how. Black wins again, and I really feel for the Blue team.
During deliberation, it's obvious that Mandi is the target. Kristin is safe, as she had the highest percentage of weight loss, and she, her mom and Ron have developed an alliance. They feel that Aubrey should stay since she spent the first 30 days at home. Aubrey, acting selfless, cannot stand to see her sister go and volunteers herself. Because Laura from Black has a vote from winning it last week, she can tie things up, leaving the ultimate decision to Black, who would probably respect Aubrey's wish to go home.
But it doesn't go down that way. Instead of Mandi voting for Cathy to create a tie, she votes for Ron, sending herself home. In the end, she didn't want her sister Aubrey to make the sacrifice for her, so Mandi stepped up to the plate and is going to go home. She's done a great job so far on The Biggest Loser, going from 263 pounds to 197 pounds, and hopes to return to the finale in a size-2 dress. Do you think she can do it?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 11, 2009, 11:25:47 AM
Alison Sweeney's Blog:
BL7 Gone Wild
March 10, 11:28 PM First, lets talk about those ‘wall sits’. They are HARD. I mean, seriously hard. I’ve had Jillian stand on my legs as she took forever to count down before I could stop. And believe me, it’s brutal. And… Tara won. 4 minutes?! That is really impressive. No wonder Tara’s legs wouldn’t hold her up after. She needed to sit on the stairs to figure out what to do. And she spent forever making that decision, I’m not sure if it was because it tough working out all the numbers, or if it was because she needed to rest.
Obviously tonight’s theme was ‘FACE OFF’! And the face-offs set up at the Pop Challenge made everything about this week so intense...
Everyone really got into the match ups. Filipe is a good guy. From day one, his enthusiasm and outgoing personality made everyone like him right off the bat, but it’s his sincerity of heart that seals the deal. He won everyone over right from the beginning. And it was clearly his passion that led to a separate face-off between him and Jillian.
24Hour Fitness was the host of another challenge. This relay race was amazing. Mandi made quick work of the obstacles, she ate up a lot of the lead on Tara. It was so awesome watching the girls going so hard core all the way to the end. The blue team was faced with more frustration, while the black team earned quite a victory prize. That spa looked – let’s be honest – fabulous!! The pedicures, the massages – pretty sweet. But wow, ‘acting careless’ was an understatement, right??!! They definitely took the luxury to another level – and it was tough seeing them regret it and be unhappy on the scale.
Jillian has her ways – they couldn’t really have expected to keep the evening a secret from her?! The black team was ‘crusin’ for a bruisin’ ans my dad would say. That confrontation was tough, but definitely an awakening.
And the heartbreaker for the blue team was that if it had been a regular week, not one-on-one, the blue team would have won. As a whole, they beat the black team’s percentage. But the black team managed to stay whole for another week. And Mandi ended up doing an unbelievably courageous and selfless thing. She made sure Aubrey would be on campus for at least another week. She sacrificed herself for her sister. And the emotions were truly at a peak in that elimination room. Everyone was affected by the gesture. And I was so happy to see how great she looks, how gorgeous her kids are – isn’t her son cute?
Tonight, before I got home to watch the show I got a ton of replies on http://twitter.com/Ali_Sweeney about tonight's ep. Everyone was commenting on what a crazy good, intense ep it was and they were right! Feel free to jump into the conversation! I'd love to hear from you!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 11, 2009, 04:54:26 PM
An interview with Mandi:
“If anyone is playing the game, it’s Jillan”
As contestants were pitted against each other for one-on-one showdowns at the weigh-in, it was a week of emotional outbursts on The Biggest Loser: Couples, culminating with cousins Filipe and Sione defecting to train with Bob again, partly because Jillian had been ignoring them during workouts. “I think she did it intentionally,” says Mandi Kramer, who had worked with both trainers and was eliminated after losing the weigh-in face-off against Sione. “Jillian’s whole plan was to get rid of Filipe. So I think he heard of that and that’s what made him so mad in the first place. If anyone is playing the game, it’s Jillian the most.”
When it became clear that either you or your sister, Aubrey, would go home, why did you sacrifice yourself? I realized that Aubrey needed to stay more than I did. I like to work out and exercise, and she doesn’t so much. Even though I wasn’t 100 percent sure about food and whether I would be able to do it, I knew I had the willpower. I didn’t see that from Aubrey yet. I was still getting her out of bed in the mornings and bringing her to the gym and trying to motivate her. She didn’t have that on her own yet, and I thought the longer she could stay there, the more it would develop in her brain that she needs to work out everyday and push herself. At home, with her five kids and her husband, it’s not going to be easy for her. I was hoping she could get that engrained in her before she left.
Was there any discussion of sending Ron home? We had talked about that during the week with Kristin and Cathy, that that might be a possibility so it was kind of a shocker to me when all of them just decided that it was me who was going to go home. It really just came down to Bob’s old team wanting to stay together.
Was there any other reason they kept Ron? Honestly, I think that Ron is really good at taking the focus off of himself and making people feel sorry for him. He has done all of these surgeries and things to help him lose weight, and nothing has worked. He’s a good person, but he’s definitely got the “feel sorry for me, I need this for my boys” attitude.
Why do you think you gained two pounds at the weigh-in? I honestly think I was stressed out. I had done everything exactly the same, I worked out just as hard if not harder, and I think maybe mentally in the back of my head, I thought I was never going to be able to beat Sione and that held my body back a little bit. When you have stress, cortisol levels go up, which holds fat to your body. You bloat up and don’t let your body relax and lose everything that it needs to lose weight. I lost five pounds at home the next week. I think being at home and being de-stressed, it just came off.
It must have been especially disappointing later to see how much Sione indulged when his team got the day of luxury. I thought, “He did all of this and I still couldn’t beat him!” So I think there’s nothing I could have done because I was stressed out.
After Filipe and Sione left Jillian’s team, what was it like working out with them? It was good because I knew that they would push me to work even harder, but at the same time, it was difficult because I did want Bob’s whole attention to be on me.
You trained with both Bob and Jillian: Did you understand Filipe and Sione’s feelings? Definitely. Jillian — I love her to death — but you work hard for her so she doesn’t break your fingers. With Bob, you work hard for him because you want to work hard for yourself.
Why didn’t she want to work with Filipe? She just has her favorites. I really think she wants Tara to be there for the long haul, and she wants to eliminate anyone who would get in her way.
How has your relationship with Aubrey changed during this experience? I was the older sister, but she always acted like the older sister. I was shy and didn’t have the self-confidence that she had had and kind of let her lead the way. I think being on that ranch for 30 days by myself [after she was sent home], when she came back, we did have quite a few arguments because she wasn’t used to me doing my own thing. I was turning into a stronger, more independent person. That put some struggles on our relationship, but being able to go through this and figure out who we are as individuals made us bond more as sisters.
Your father is obese – what was his reaction to you being on the show? He’s super excited. He’s definitely one that needs to have that switch clicked in his head. He’s super proud of us and really wants us to do great and actually has gone to the gym a few times and tells me that he’s walking and starting to eat right. But he wants me to call him on an everyday basis to kind of babysit him, so I’m hoping that pretty soon he can do that for himself.
Have you given him any tips? Oh, definitely. We’re trying to tell him little things here and there that could start helping him. He’s looking at the big picture, and I think it scares him to see that he needs to lose over 200 pounds. I tell him “One day at a time and just go from there.”
Would he go on the show? No, he’s not one who could put up with Jillian or Bob. He doesn’t like being told what to do!
Your husband seemed really hesitant about you being on the show. How is he adjusting? He’s doing much better. He’s glad that I’m home, and I think he’s ultimately seen what a positive experience this was for me and how it’s changed me as a person for the positive. I think the whole thing with him was that he didn’t understand why I had to leave in the first place. It was really just to find myself and become a better person on the inside. We’re starting to work on that and to understand more about why I needed to do it.
And you’re sharing what you learned with the family? Yeah. I have my boys saying they want to go to Subway and Quiznos instead of McDonald’s and Burger King. My kids have been amazing. On Sunday, it’s my day to relax and not exercise and that’s the day where I let them have one thing that they really want. It works really well — they know if they eat healthy the whole week, then on Sunday they get to pick out the meal they’ve been craving. They’ve been really supportive.
How much have you lost so far? I’m at 90 pounds.
You said you wanted to be a size 2 for the finale. I don’t know where I got that from, but now I’m going, “Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe I said a size two!” I’m just trying to work as hard as I can to get to a good goal for me.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 11, 2009, 05:32:17 PM
An interview with Mandi:
Biggest Loser Castoff Mandi Talks Stress, Sports Bras and Spandex
When Mandi Kramer gained two pounds in Week 10 of The Biggest Loser: Couples, she knew that either she or her sister Aubrey would be sent packing. Unable to convince the rest of her Blue team to send home Ron, a weak player but also a member of a strong alliance, she made the decision to leave the ranch and let her sister continue to compete for the $250,000 grand prize. TVGuide.com caught up with the 30-year-old mother of two about her time on campus, what she learned from her trainers and why she gained weight in a week that she appeared to work extra hard.
TVGuide.com: What made you decide to be sent home? Mandi Kramer: I realized that Aubrey needed to stay more than I did. I like to work out and exercise and she doesn't so much. I was hoping the more she stayed, the longer she stayed, it would get more ingrained in her head.
TVGuide.com: Was there any team discussion about voting off Ron? Kramer: We had talked about it during the week with Kristin and Cathy, that it might be a possibility. So it was kind of a shocker to me when all of them decided it was going to be me that went home, and there really was no discussion in the actual deliberation of the whole thing.
TVGuide.com: How did you feel going one-on-one against Sione for this week? Kramer: I was scared, really scared. I think he only lost three pounds the week before, and so I knew he was going to have a huge number.
TVGuide.com: Why do you think you gained weight this week? Kramer: I really, honestly think I was stressed out. I have been wracking my brain over that forever and I don't know. I worked out just as hard, if not harder, and I think mentally, in the back of my head, I thought I was never going to be able to beat [Sione], and that could've just held my body back a little bit.
TVGuide.com: What's the biggest lesson you learned through this process? Kramer: I learned so many things! The biggest lesson is to realize you have everything you need inside of you and [whether] you believe it or not, it's there; you just need to dig deep and know you can do it. I think that's the thing I had all along that I wasn't really ever sure of. You don't need a trainer, you don't need a gym, you don't need anything. You just need to know that in yourself you're strong enough to do it, and just get out there and do it.
TVGuide.com: What's your go-to healthy snack? Kramer: Air-popped popcorn.
TVGuide.com: So was it your idea or your sister Aubrey's to go on the show? Kramer: It was Aubrey's idea. It kind of took a lot of convincing. I'm not one to stand up in front of everyone in a sports bra and spandex.
A two-pound weight gain was the nail in the coffin that ended Mandy's stay at "The Biggest Loser" ranch this week when each member of the Blue Team went head-to-head with a member of the Black Team.
"I really honestly think I was stressed out," she says. "I have been racking my brain over that forever. I had done everything the same. I worked out just as hard if not harder. I think mentally in the back of my head I thought I might not beat [Sione]. That could have held my body back."
Mandy goes on to say that trainer Bob Harper told her that when you are stressed, your body's cortisone levels go up, which can cause bloat and make it more difficult for you to lose weight.
She also says that she knew the minute that her former teammate Dane was sent home two weeks ago that things weren't going to go well for her. That despite the fact that she was the strongest Blue Team player when it came to the challenges this week.
"It really just came down to Bob's old team wanting to stay together," she says. "I don't think they were looking at the big picture of what would keep them there the longest. Looking back, I am sure they are thinking, 'We should have thought about what was going to keep our team intact the longest.' But they wanted Bob's old team to stay together and that affected the whole game."
To date, Mandy says she has lost 73 pounds, dropping from 263 pounds to 190 -- and she does plan to compete for the $100,000 at-home prize.
"I have two different trainers at home," she tells ET. "I still try to work out two to three hours a day. I usually take Sundays off to give my body a rest day. My hugest focus since I have been home is food. I am trying to be conscious of everything I put in my mouth. I am actually starting to do well. I only have eight weeks left until the finale, so I am doing the best that I can!"
"The Biggest Loser" airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 13, 2009, 01:31:55 PM
An interview with Mandi:
Biggest Loser’s Mandi Before & After Losing 90 Lbs.
In a selfless act of sisterly love, Mandi Kramer, 30, adjusted the vote so her younger sister, Aubrey Cheney, could remain on the Ranch. A tough competitor for the Blue Team, Mandi has already lost 90 lbs. and is fiercely working towards the $100,000 at-home prize in Boise, Idaho. She spoke to reporters about the effects of stress on weight loss, the differing training styles of Bob and Jillian and Filipe’s big flip-out. – Rebecca Gross
How did you manage to gain two pounds in your last week on the Ranch? I really think it was stress. Your body’s cortisol level goes up, which holds the actual fat to your body. When you’re stressed out, you kind of bloat up a little bit and you don’t let your body relax and let your body lose weight. I honestly think I was stressed out.
We saw Filipe flip out at Jillian for ignoring him in the gym. Do you know if that was an oversight, or did Jillian intentionally exclude him from one-on-one training time? I think she did it intentionally. That’s only because that whole week and the week before, I was talking to Tara and Jillian’s whole plan was going to be to get rid of Filipe and I think he heard word of that and that’s what made him so mad in the first place. If anyone’s there playing the game, it’s Jillian the most … She really made him feel like an outsider.
Having had the experience of working out with both trainers, can you understand where Filipe and Sione were coming from in respect to their problems with Jillian and then switching back to train with Bob? Definitely. I love Jillian to death, but she has the aspect of you work hard for her so that she doesn’t break your fingers. With Bob, you work hard for him because you want to work hard for yourself.
Why did you sacrifice yourself at the elimination? I knew I had the will power inside to go home and do it. And I didn’t see that from Aubrey yet. I was still getting her out of bed in the mornings and bringing her to the gym with me and really trying to motivate her … I just thought that the longer she could stay there, the more it would develop in her brain that she needs to work out everyday and push herself. Her home with her five kids and husband is not going to be easy, so I was just hoping that would get ingrained in her before she left.
What has your routine been like since you’ve been home from the Ranch? I have two different trainers at home and I try to work out two to three hours a day. I usually take Sundays off to give my body a rest day. My hugest struggle since I’ve been home has been food and so trying to be conscious of everything I put in my mouth has been my number one problem. But I’m actually starting to get it down and do good. I only have eight weeks left before the finale. I’m really just cracking down and do the best I could.
Can you share some tips you’ve learned to help you with your struggle with your diet? I wasn’t drinking enough water and water is the main thing because it helps keep you full throughout the day. Also, writing down everything you eat. I would slack some days and not do that, so I really made it a goal to write down everything that I’m eating every single day to stay within a certain calorie range.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 13, 2009, 04:11:02 PM
An interview with Mandi:
Biggest Loser’s Mandi: “Jillian’s Plan Was to Get Rid of Filipe”
Mandi Kramer is the latest eliminee from The Biggest Loser campus, and it seems she escaped just in the nick of time. In the week preceding her departure, the drama was overflowing. First, her competition pigged out during their 24 hours a luxury. This caused Jillian to literally flip a lid on her team. Sione and Filipe couldn’t take the yelling, so they went running back to Bob, their original trainer. So now Mandi was forced to work side-by-side with her biggest competition. Who wouldn’t be a little stressed from that? Apparently the stress was a wee bit overwhelming for poor Mandi, who gained two pounds and sent herself home.
Fancast got the chance to talk to Mandi about her journey on Biggest Loser, and boy oh boy, she didn’t hold back one bit. Read on to find out what she had to say about Jillian, Ron, and the Black Team. And it isn’t pretty.
Why did you decide to send yourself home?
I realized that Aubrey needed to stay more than I did. I realized that I like to work out and exercise, and she doesn’t so much. I was hoping that the longer she stayed, it would get more ingrained in her head.
Did you feel ganged up on when everyone decided to vote for you?
I knew the minute that Dane went home that it was going to be Aubrey or me that went home next… unless we could really get inside Kristin and Cathy’s heads that Ron was kind of the weakest link that needed to go home. And I thought I had, but when it came down to elimination, Kirstin pretty much just said, well Mandi’s going home. It hurt but there was no way I could get them to change their minds.
When Filipe flipped out at Jillian for not training him, was that just an oversight on Jillian’s part or did she intentionally not give him one-on-one time?
I think she did it intentionally. Jillian’s whole plan was going to be to get rid of Filipe. And so I think he heard word of that and that’s what made him so mad in the first place. If anyone’s there playing the game, it’s Jillian the most. It sucks to say that but she really made him feel like an outsider and was like hey well pretty much he heard that you wanted to get rid of him so he was like whatever. So she really just didn’t work on him at all because she was figuring he was dispensable and he wasn’t going to be there much longer anyway.
What did you think when Sione and Filipe came over to train with Bob?
I thought it actually gave the Black Team more of an advantage because I knew that they would get a better workout. They would actually relieve some stress working out with a trainer that they loved and that they could push themselves a little bit harder so it kind of scared me a little bit. [I was] thinking, geez, now they’re going to lose tons of weight and they’re still on the opposite team.
Were you surprised when you saw the other team eating and drinking so much during their 24 hours of luxury?
Oh, my gosh, yeah. We got a chance to talk with them a little bit when they came back and they kind of told us what they did but I had no idea it was to such extreme. They said yeah we ate and we got massages and stuff. Well they left out the drinking part so that was like a whole big shock to me. I was just sitting there watching it going, oh my gosh. Everything they did… it’s crazy. Why would they do that? And then at the same time I get mad at myself because [Sione] did all of this and I still couldn’t beat him?
Ron is the weak link on the Blue Team, so why do you think he’s still there?
I think that Ron is really good at taking the focus off of himself. And he’s really good at making people feel sorry for him. He has done all these surgeries and all these things to help him lose weight and nothing has worked. He’s a good person, don’t get me wrong, but he’s definitely got the ‘feel sorry for me, I need this for my boys’ attitude.
Has the show brought you and your sister Aubrey closer together?
I think it definitely changed quite a bit of the dynamics. I was the older sister but she always acted like the older sister. I was kind of shy and didn’t have the self confidence that she had had. And so that put some struggles on our relationship. But overall looking back on it, us being able to go through this and really figure out who we are as individuals made us bond more as sisters.
What’s your weight-loss routine like now that you’re home?
I have two different trainers at home. And I still try and workout two to three hours a day. I usually take Sundays off to kind of give my body a rest day. Really, my hugest struggle since I’ve been home has been food. Just really trying to be conscious of everything I put in my mouth has been my number one problem. I’ve only got eight weeks left before the finale so I’m really just cracking down and doing the best I can.
What was the biggest lesson you learned?
I think the biggest lesson is just to realize that you have everything that you need to succeed inside of you. And if you believe it or not it’s there, you just need to dig deep and know that you can do it. And you don’t need a trainer, you don’t need a gym, you don’t need anything; you just need to know that in yourself that you’re strong enough to do it and just get out there and do it.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 13, 2009, 05:14:41 PM
THE BIGGEST LOSER SEASON 7
Episode: 714
04-07-2009
TEMPTATION WINNER GETS SOLE VOTE AT THIS WEEK’S ELIMINATION --The competition heats up when the eight remaining contestants are faced with a temptation that will give the winner all the power this week. The players come to the gym and find 100 trays before them, under which there are high calorie snacks, cash prizes and the golden ticket – the one and only vote at this week’s elimination. They can uncover as many trays as they like, providing they eat whatever they uncover. Then Chef Rocco DiSpirito returns to teach the contestants how to make healthy, lower-calorie versions of the dishes they used to order in restaurants, and later, two familiar faces from last season give the players encouragement and advice. This week’s challenge finds the players running up and down the steps of the Pasadena Rose Bowl competing for an incredible vacation prize. And after the weigh-in, the temptation winner casts the sole vote to send another player home.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 17, 2009, 10:37:14 AM
An interview with Mandi:
‘Loser’ Mandi says Bob’s the better trainer
“With Jillian, it’s work hard for her or she breaks your fingers.” What made you change your mind and decide to go home? Mandi Kramer: I realized that Aubrey needed to stay more than I did. I like to work out and exercise, and she doesn’t, and the longer she stayed, the longer it would be engrained in her.
Was there any discussion about sending Ron home? MK: We had talked about Ron going home during the week, so it was a bit of a shocker when I found out that it was me that was going home.
Why do you think you gained weight this week? MK: I honestly think I was stressed out. I’ve been thinking about it, and I had done everything exactly the same that I always had. I worked out just as hard, if not harder, and I just think that mentally, I just didn’t think I could do it.
Bob explained that when you have stress, your body actually stores fat. When you are stressed out, your body bloats up, and can’t do what it needs to do to lost weight.
How did you feel being matched up against Sione? MK: I was scared. I think he only lost three pounds the week before, so I knew he was going to have a huge number.
Did you feel as though the team ganged up on you? MK: I knew that we would be the next to go home, unless we were able to convince the rest of the team that Ron was the weakest link. I thought I had, but when it came down to elimination and it was me that was being marked for elimination, it hurt.
You worked with both Bob and Jillian. Can you talk about that? MK: I love Jillian to death, but her mentality is that you work hard for her or she breaks your fingers. With Bob, you work hard for him, because you want to work hard for yourself. That’s it.
Can you talk about your relationship with Aubrey before you went to the ranch? MK: I’m the older sister, but Aubrey has always acted like the older sister. I was shy and lacked self-confidence, and I let her lead the way. Being on the ranch by myself for 30 days helped, in that I grew more self-confident. We had quite a few arguments because she wasn’t used to me being on the go and doing my own thing because I had always relied on her for support. When she came back to the ranch, I had kind of turned into a different person, and become more independent.
Are you going to try to win the at-home challenge? MK: I am. I really think I had a good chance to win it, if I really buckle down these last eight weeks.
What did you learn at the ranch that you are using at home? MK: I learned that I wasn’t drinking enough water. Water helps keep you full through the day. Also, writing down what you’ve had to eat all day…it was so surprising. I make it a goal every day to write down everything that I eat.
Which trainer did you like best? MK: Jillian is really good at push, push, push, and I’m used to that athlete-coach dynamic. But as far as really connecting, I would have to say Bob. He focuses on working out for yourself, and not for him.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 17, 2009, 07:15:30 PM
:'( awww it's a good episode where's my kleenex :lol:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 18, 2009, 12:13:39 AM
SPOILER ALERT
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap "Week 11"
This week's episode began right where we left off — in the elimination room. Alison has invited Black to join Blue and announces that Mandi is not the only contestant to go home. In fact, everyone will be going home for the week and will return for the next weigh-in. The players are anxious to see their families, but are aware that they'll return to the temptations that got them to the ranch in the first place.
It was nice to see everyone's welcomes when they returned home, especially Mike and Ron's. Mike's brother Max, who is extremely overweight, could do nothing but sob at the vision of a life he wants and the feeling that he's now alone in being an obese family member. We also get flashbacks to Week 1 and realize how far everyone has come so far.
But in Biggest Loser fashion, this week will not be without a challenge and a temptation. Each person receives a tin of cookies (13 to be exact), and finds out that their task will be to run a half marathon. For every cookie they choose to eat, they can also add on five minutes to another person's time, getting them closer to the 10,000 dollar reward. The internal debate begins, but c'mon people: Wouldn't you rather save your calories for fresh-baked cookies and not those sent in the mail?
Then, the half marathons kick off, with each person doing it in their hometown location. It's cheesy music and flashbacks galore but I'm not going to lie, I was truly inspired by this one. Tara is a rock star, as per usual, and Sione is doing great as well... That is, until he stops and falls to the ground. With the support of his cousin, he gets up to finish the race. There were lots of tears at each of the finish lines, and everyone completed the 13 miles, with the exception of Ron. So now the cash prize will depend on the way the cookie crumbles, literally.
Before heading back to the ranch, the Biggest Losers enjoy their last moments with their family. Aubrey figures out how to balance working out with five -- count 'em, five -- kids. She also takes the opportunity to confront her obese father and reason with him that he really needs to lose weight. Mike and Ron still enjoy their favorite pizza place, but I'm shocked when the owner offers them whatever they want, on the house. Um, hellooo, they're on a weight-loss show! Sione's mom orders calamari in front of him, but, like a good boy, all he does is take a big, fat whiff. And for Helen, it takes a trip to the grocery store for it to all to settle in. She knows she'll be able to keep up her routine when she returns permanently.
Back on campus, it's time for the weigh-in. First, Alison reveals that only one person ate a cookie, Helen, and she used it against Tara. Adding five minutes on to her stellar time of 2:24:19 leaves her to fall just short of Sione's time of 2:25:57. On to the weigh-in:
Mike loses 8 pounds. Laura loses 6 pounds. Tara loses 2 pounds. Sione loses 4 pounds. Filipe loses 7 pounds. Helen loses 7 pounds. Black loses a total of 34 pounds, 2.35%.
Aubrey loses 5 pounds. Ron loses 10 pounds. Kristin gains 1 pound. Cathy loses 1 pound. Blue loses a total of 15 pounds, 1.34%.
Blue loses yet another weigh-in and you have to wonder how they'll ever be able to even the playing field. Because Ron has immunity for losing the highest percentage of his team, it's down to Aubrey, Cathy and Kristin. Cathy says she'll go home — it's amazing how many people essentially volunteered to leave when they knew it was their time to go. So after an emotional good-bye, Cathy is on her way. Today, while she's kicked alcohol and cigarettes she has a new addiction: spinning. And she's even gotten her daughters to run with her. Way to go Cathy!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 18, 2009, 09:47:11 AM
Alison Sweeney's Blog:
"I would listen to me!"
I loved seeing everyone with their families. How cute are Sione’s kids? And Aubrey’s? So sweet. It’s funny, I’ve heard so much about them, all their loved ones, and so it was so cool to see them all. To see how excited they were to see the cast. Isn’t it amazing how different, how fantastic everyone looks after only 10 weeks? 5 people tonight close to losing 100 lbs at the weigh-in? and Mike’s at 118!! Really everyone is just so incredible. I hope that Max was inspired by Mike’s success. Mike told me that he helped Max quit his job at a fast food restaurant (which is where Mike used to work, with too much access to all that crap food) and put him on a fitness plan. So I am so hopeful to see Max on the right track at the finale!
As I’m struggling to lose the ‘baby weight’ I am even more in awe of their efforts than I usually am. I am hosting my own personal ‘weekly weigh-in’. lol. I felt so bad for Kristin this week. Such a tough thing to see on the scale. And I can only imagine how frustrating it was for the Blue team to keep losing.
And I loved how Jillian told Tara to listen to her. Tara’s tough, and clearly driven, but obviously, Jillian feels she’s pushing herself too hard at this point, and sometimes the body does need to recuperate. I imagine Jillian wouldn’t say “slow down” unless absolutely necessary. Am I right?!
Speaking of, jillian texted me to say we should work out together soon. Ack! I am so not ready to be training with her again!!! I predict a butt kicking in my future. Ha.
Whew – Days has been busy lately. I got everyone on my facebook page all riled up when I teased about how cute the guys on set look all dressed up in tuxes. I can’t help it. It’s true!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on March 18, 2009, 10:45:16 AM
Okay... I missed the frist 10 minutes or so, but it was a good episode. I know it is a game, but come on you ate the cookies. They showed Cathy, Kristin and Aubrey eating cookies who did their's go against if it was not Tara? I felt bad for Tara, to lose that way sucks. Now I know Sione would have flat beat her if he did not have the muscle tighten up.
Okay maybe I am cranky sitting on my couch, not exercising and passing judgement . . . .BUT does anyone else feel Ron is really not into it? Maybe that is jsut his personality but she just seems so hum drum most of the time.
It is amazing that most of the people have asked to leave. I agree Aubrey needs to be there, but was really surprised when Cathy said I will go.
I am sure they will go to individual competition soon, and then that will be then end of the original black team. Mike and Ron will stick together, Sionne and Felipe will stick together and they will hold on to kristin. Lara is not a threat but Tara and Aubrey are. And Helen after the cookie will not have good chemistry with Tara and laura.
This season is all about emotional votes not who it the bigger threat. Mike is a big threat with alot of consistent numbers. Aubrey and Kristin still have a lot to lose so they will be threats. Will be interesting once they go to individuals.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 18, 2009, 02:22:06 PM
:hearts: yay Texan glad your still watching I feel the same way
It was great to see them run the marathon feeling a self accomplishment they did it for themselves they weren’t thinking about doing this for their trainer or team so I think this was a great challenge for them.
I was so happy to see Cathy and Kristin’s home visit and wanted to see our sprice0611 what a beautiful family and so sorry to see Cathy go :'(
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 18, 2009, 03:24:20 PM
An interview with Cathy:
The Biggest Loser's Cathy Calls Daughter Kristin a "Trooper"
Cathy Skell has spent years fighting addictions to alcohol and food, but her latest addiction is one she doesn't want to kick: spinning. She was eliminated in week 11 of The Biggest Loser: Couples after her Blue team lost the weigh-in and had to vote someone home. Fearing a tie would end with her daughter and ranch partner Kristin sent packing, Cathy volunteered to go. TVGuide.com spoke with the 49-year-old mom, about losing 78 pounds to get down to 215, how it felt to complete a half-marathon, and if chewing gum really helps to curb those cravings.
TVGuide.com: What went through your head when you were given the challenge to run a half-marathon? Cathy Skell: Oh my god, I'm lucky I'm running on a treadmill, much less a half-marathon! I was scared, I was so scared, and it turned out to be one of my greatest accomplishments.
TVGuide.com: How much of it did you run? Skell: I paced myself where I ran and then walked a little and ran [for] the entire 13.1 miles. I made little points for myself: "I'm going to run to this section, then I'm going to walk," and then sometimes I'd push myself a little farther. I didn't have to stop at all, I just kept going the whole time.
TVGuide.com: Going back to the split into two teams, were you happy to stay with Bob, or did you want to work with Jillian? Skell: It would have been great to train with Jillian but [I was] absolutely ecstatic that we stayed with Bob. I love Bob, there's that reason that we picked Bob, and I was glad we stayed with him, and Kristin and I got to stay together. That was an added plus.
TVGuide.com: Two episodes ago, Kristin was sitting out with injuries. Can you explain what happened? Skell: Kristin had three herniated disks in her back. To this day, she's still suffering with it. She's a candidate for back surgery but she doesn't want to have it because she doesn't want it to interfere. She did have some back issues before, but with losing the weight your body kind of shifts a little. A lot of it too [was] that jumping challenge, a lot of the running, and all that impact. She's been a real trooper because she just fights through the pain.
TVGuide.com: Can you tell me more about your other daughters? Were they immediately inspired to lose weight with you, or did it take some urging to get them to the gym? Skell: Well, they started once I left, because they knew Kristin's battled this her whole life [and] my daughter Carrie has gained it with children. They knew since we were going to be losing weight, they wanted to prepare themselves for when we came home. But nothing prepared them for when we came home with our reveal, and you could see by Carrie's reaction of "Wow." So once we did come home, they really bumped it up more. [It's] something we've never done as a family before, it's totally amazing.
TVGuide.com: At home, which is harder to keep up: the diet or exercise? Skell: Right now, it's the exercise. The diet, I'm not struggling with it that much, but I am struggling with some hip issues. I meet with my trainer at 5:30 am and it's a half hour drive for me to get there, so yes, I get up at 4.
TVGuide.com: What's your go-to healthy snack? Skell: Right now, I like yogurts or a piece of fruit. And I always keep gum with me. ... It honestly works because there are some wonderful flavors out. My trick is the cinnamon because it's so peppery and cinnamon-y that you lose taste, nothing else would even taste good after that.
TVGuide.com: What's the greatest lesson you learned from your trainer, Bob Harper? Skell: The best lesson he taught me was to be proud of ourselves and our accomplishments. He showed me that I could pretty much do anything I put my mind to. He would have things up there for me to do, that Mandi was doing, and I would walk up there like, "Aren't you going to change that? You know I'm 49-years-old." And he would just look at me, and I would do it. It was amazing. If we're running sprints, he would just look at me and I'd look in his eyes and we didn't even have to say a word. I made it through it. What he taught me is that it is in myself and I can do it, there are no excuses why you can't.
It was home visit week on "The Biggest Loser" as each of the remaining contestants got a one-week visit with their families -- and all the temptations that go with it!
Even so, the majority of the contestants continued to tip the scales lighter at the weigh-in -- with a few exceptions -- but the Blue Team, which has been decimated by losing this challenge week after week and was down to only four contestants -- once again had to send someone home.
And even though Cathy Skell was not the obvious choice, she volunteered to go on the chopping block, so that her daughter Kristin Steede could stay on "The Biggest Loser" campus.
Last week, the original members of trainer Bob Harper's team -- Cathy, Kristin and Ron Morelli -- all banded together. They were going to vote off either Aubrey Cheney or her sister, Mandi Kramer, who originally were on trainer Jillian Michaels' team. Mandi threw herself on the sword to keep her sister on the ranch and went home, but this week the team wasn't as unified in its decision to send Aubrey home.
"What changed was we actually bonded more as a team and saw the reality that Aubrey needed to be there," Cathy explains. "Her sister sacrificed for her because when Aubrey went home, she only lost two pounds. Ron had immunity, so it was between Kristin, Aubrey and myself. The big thing in my mind was I couldn't afford for it to go for a tie, and that is basically, why I said, 'Kristen, you have to vote me off.' If there was a tie, the Black Team would [break the tie] and send someone home. I was afraid it would be Kristin."
Cathy demonstrated the love she has for her daughter, but it has paid off for her in other ways. When she left the ranch, Cathy weighed 241 pounds. Today she weighs 215 pounds -- and she is not the only one losing weight. Her other daughters are, as well.
"They started [dieting] once I left [for the ranch],"Cathy explains. "They knew that Kristin has battled [her weight] her whole life. My daughter Carrie gained with children. They knew since we were going to be losing weight -- you always have results on 'The Biggest Loser' -- so they wanted to prepare themselves for when we came home. But nothing prepared them for when we came home with our reveal. Once we came home, they bumped it up more."
Cathy spent her entire time at "The Biggest Loser" ranch training with Bob, and she says the biggest lesson he taught her was she could do anything she puts her mind to.
"He would have things up there for me to do, and I was, 'Aren't you going to change that? I am 49 years old,'" she recalls. "And he would just look at me, and I would do it. I would stare in his eyes. I would look in his eyes and I made it. What he taught me is it is in me. I can do it. There are no excuses why you can't."
Next week, "The Biggest Loser" will air at 9 p.m. on NBC, one hour later than usual because of President Barack Obama's address to the nation.
Alison Sweeney wasn't expecting to give birth on Jan. 12. But when she dropped into the hospital for a check-up in full hair and makeup after a long day on the set of NBC's The Biggest Loser, the host, then 9-months pregnant with a baby girl, recalls, "My doctor was a little concerned and said, 'I don't want to leave her in there one more day!'"
After having labor induced, Sweeney, 31, gave birth to Megan Hope Sanov at 11:48 that same night.
Sweeney describes her surprise – and her husband Dave Sanov's mad dash to the delivery room just in time for the birth – in the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.
At home in Los Angeles, little Megan already has her dad, a California Highway Patrolman, "wrapped around her little finger," Sweeney says. Not to mention her big brother, Ben, 4: "He pets her on the head and calls her cutie-pie!"
Pink and Brown Nursery Megan's nursery is decked out in pink and brown tones with sage green accents, a feminine chandelier, and traditional Bellini furniture. Tradition, too, dictated Megan's name: "There have been a lot of quirky, unusual celebrity baby names. But we wanted people to be able to spell it. We wanted it to be more timeless," Sweeney tells PEOPLE.
There's nothing old-fashioned about Sweeney's post-baby workout routine, however. The star who, was back on the The Biggest Loser set just eight days after the birth – and returned to her role as Sami Brady on soap opera Days of Our Lives just six days after that – has been turning to her Nintendo Wii for help. Sweeney is the proud owner of a new fitness program, called EA Active, and has been following its lead to help bust her baby weight.
"When do I have time to go to the gym?," asks Sweeney. "It really is like a personal trainer in a box. It's perfect. I recommend it to all mothers!"
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 19, 2009, 12:06:40 PM
An interview with Cathy:
THE DEADBOLT: You still lost a little bit weight after going home. But how hard were all of the temptations?
CATHY SKEL: Actually, I was pretty good. I have to admit that. I mean my biggest temptation is if we go out to eat. So I knew I needed to avoid that. At home I’m lucky enough that I don’t have children. I don’t have children at home, I’m an empty nester, so my cabinets are pretty much cleaned out from when I was home for the thirty days. [laughs] And it goes with that little bit of will-power you have for staying sober for twenty years. So I’m now putting that towards sweets because that was my next addiction. I have such a sweet tooth.
THE DEADBOLT: If you win the $100,000, what do you plan on doing with the money?
CATHY: Wow. If I win the $100,000, what would I do with the money? Right now I would probably just save it, honestly, no plans. If I could do anything I would probably go back to school. Yeah, I honestly would, and I would either be an AODA counselor or I would probably go into some type of physical therapy to assist people in the cardiac unit.
THE DEADBOLT: It seemed obvious that the choice was for you to go home. But did you and Kristin ever discuss her going home?
CATHY: Never. I would never allow it. Kristin would never go home. You know, Kristin coming in as the second heaviest female ever on the show. She never had to go home. It was never a question of her going home. My biggest fear was - and that’s how it kind of played out for us - it going to a tie and the Black Team would come in and they get to choose who goes. My biggest fear was [that] if it went to a tie they would get rid of Kristin. She was a bigger threat, with so much weight to loose, that she had an "X" on her back. And as a mother, I don’t think I could’ve stayed there. If I was there and they chose to send home Kristin and I stayed, it would be very hard for me.
THE DEADBOLT: What was your favorite exercise and what was your worst exercise?
CATHY: Right now I love spinning. I love spin class, it’s fun. I love how it’s upbeat and it’s to music. And probably my worst exercise, I would have to say ...
THE DEADBOLT: Which one really kicks your butt?
CATHY: [laughs] The kick butt one is running. It’s the best for me. But at my age I’m not a runner and I try hard. I try very hard to run and I can run sprints. But the day I can run a full 5k, I’ll be very proud without stopping. And I’m going to continue to try, it’s one of my goals.
THE DEADBOLT: So when that half-marathon challenge came down, you knew that you were out of the money?
CATHY: Oh, absolutely. I knew I was out of the money. But it’s one of my greatest accomplishments. It’s right up there with twenty years of sobriety, I’ll tell you that.
THE DEADBOLT: What really shocked you about the ranch?
CATHY: I think what really shocked me was that we were totally responsible for cooking, for our laundry, and responsible for our exercise. I mean we didn’t have a schedule of exercise. What you did, you had to do on your own. You could go take a nap if you wanted to or you could walk or hike the ridge. So it was all in your hands of how many calories you were going to burn. Also, what you put in your mouth because we did our own cooking.
THE DEADBOLT: Was there a set time you guys had to go to bed, or could you just stay up as late as you wanted?
CATHY: Yep, we could stay up all night and work out if we wanted to. We had a set time that we had to be downstairs, showered and ready to be mic'd, and ready to go for filming. But other than that, the time was ours to do what we wanted with. Of course we had to stay on the ranch. But the exercises that we did, we chose to do. How long we did it was up to us. We were given homework assignments but nobody really holds you accountable except your body. So you’re at your own destiny.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 19, 2009, 12:11:38 PM
An interview with Cathy:
Biggest Loser’s Cathy Talks About a Mother’s Sacrifice
When the Blue Team found itself in the the elimination room–a familiar place after their third straight loss–a mother’s desire to put her child first made their decision a unanimous one. Cathy Skell, 48, of Shiocton, Wis., volunteered to leave so that her 28-year-old daughter Kristin Steede, the second heaviest woman in Biggest Loser history, could remain. Now home, Skell, who has lost 78 lbs. so far, talks to PEOPLE.com about a mother’s sacrifice, some surprising discoveries about life on the Ranch and how 20 years of sobriety has helped her weight loss at home. –Rebecca Gross
Last week the Blue Team seemed pretty set on sending either Mandi or Aubrey home. What changed this week to keep Aubrey off the hook? We bonded more as a team. Ron had immunity so it was between Kristin, Aubrey and myself. The big thing in my mind was that I couldn’t afford for it to go to a tie. We couldn’t risk there being a tie and the Black Team would come and get to choose whoever they wanted to send home. I was afraid it would be Kristin.
What was the most shocking thing about your life on the Ranch? What really shocked me was that we were totally responsible for our cooking, our laundry and for our exercise. We didn’t have a schedule of exercise. What you did you had to do on your own. You could go take a nap if you wanted to or you could go walk or hike the Ridge. It was all in your hands.
What’s the most difficult part for you being at home while trying to lose weight? My biggest temptation is if we go out to eat, so I knew I needed to avoid that. I’m lucky enough that I don’t have children at home. I’m an empty nester, so my cabinets are pretty much cleaned out. It goes with the little bit of will power you have for staying sober for 20 years, so I’m putting that towards sweets because that was my addiction. I have such a sweet tooth.
How has your years of sobriety helped you with this weight-loss journey? Knowing where you’ve been and you don’t want to be there again — I’ve put that same concept of will power and staying strong into weight loss now. Why I could never do it before, I don’t know. But it’s clicking now.
How do you stay motivated and what message would you give other women your age to find their motivation? The No. 1 thing is do not compare yourself to anyone else. You are your own person. Don’t think of what you are not losing, but think of what you have lost. Don’t give up because anything is possible. You just have to stay strong, stay positive and surround yourself with positive people as well.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 19, 2009, 12:42:33 PM
... more about next week's episode:
Episode of 'Biggest Loser' is taped in Fontana
NBC's hit show “The Biggest Loser” showed up at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana recently and got a little help on track from someone familiar with speedways.
NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer was on set, having been invited to have a special part in the episode through his primary Sprint Cup sponsor General Mills. The Auto Club Speedway taping of the show will air March 24 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
“With a new sponsor like General Mills, a lot of opportunities are going to present itself,” said Bowyer of the show, which challenges and encourages overweight contestants to shed pounds in a safe and recommended manner through comprehensive diet and exercise. “Being on the set of ‘The Biggest Loser' really opens your eyes to how big this show really is. It's a great honor to be here and see the sacrifices these guys have to go through to be part of this.”
Bowyer will return to Auto Club Speedway when the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup races to Auto Club Speedway for its inaugural debut in California on Oct. 11 for the Pepsi 500.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on March 19, 2009, 10:17:47 PM
Her baby is so cute, and MAN does she have alot of hair!!!
Next week looks interesting, with them pulling the cars. Surprisingly in the preview challenge hog Tara is in the middle to back of the pack.
OOPs I meant when they showed the 2 sisters of Kristin's which one was sprice0611? Do we know? IF I remember right she said she was the sister of the contestants.
Will be interesting to see if we have 1 or 2 100 pound loss for Woman this week.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 20, 2009, 11:12:54 AM
NASCAR DRIVER CLINT BOWYER GUEST STARS ON NBC'S HIT SERIES "THE BIGGEST LOSER: COUPLES" IN EPISODE THAT ALSO CHALLENGES EACH CONTESTANT TO PULL A TWO-TON CAR ON TUESDAY, MARCH 24 (9-11 P.M. ET)
NBC Press Release
Plus, One Contestant Breaks A "Biggest Loser" Record At Weigh-In!
NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer will visit "Biggest Loser" contestants when they face one of their toughest challenges yet – each pulling a two-ton car – in an episode of NBC's hit series "The Biggest Loser: Couples" airing Tuesday, March 24 from 9-11 p.m. ET. The episode will start an hour later than usual due to a Presidential address on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.
This week's episode kicks off with host Alison Sweeney telling the contestants that they are no longer on teams – they will now compete as singles, so she gives each of them back their original team color "Biggest Loser" shirts.And with the switch to singles comes the news that each contestant will get to decide which trainer they want to train them for the remainder of their time at the ranch.
Once each contestant chooses between trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, they begin part one of this week's two-part challenge. They are each given their weight lost to date, and get to distribute it to other players for part two of the challenge – leading to an emotional breakdown for one player who feels the rest of the contestants are ganging up on her.
Then it's on to part two of the challenge as the group heads to a raceway and meets NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer, winner of the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers championship. He gives an inspirational pep talk to the contestants before they face one of their hardest challenges yet. They'll each pull a two-ton car – plus the weight added on from part one of the challenge – for half a mile!
Later, one contestant breaks a "Biggest Loser" record at a weigh-in that finds several players hitting big milestones before an elimination round sends another player home.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 20, 2009, 11:44:24 AM
No more black and blue, thank god!
I think it's a no-brainer of who will train with whom....all will return to their original trainers is what I expect to see happens:
BOB:
Ron Mike Kristin Filipe Sione Helen
JILLIAN:
Tara Laura Aubrey
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 20, 2009, 07:41:03 PM
Rachael Ray Show Scheduled Guest
Tuesday March 24, 2009
Michelle Aguilar, the 2008 winner on The Biggest Loser
What if you lost 155 pounds but still felt like the same old you?
The Biggest Loser winner steps in to help one of our viewers find the right clothes for her new body and the courage to start a new life!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 23, 2009, 11:14:37 PM
An interview with Cathy:
‘Loser’ Cathy offers inspiration
“Don’t think of what you’re not losing, but think of what you have lost.”
What went through your mind when you were told the challenge was to run a half marathon? Cathy Skell: Oh my God. I’m lucky I’m running on a treadmill much less a half marathon. I was scared. I was so scared. And it turned out to be one of my greatest accomplishments.
How much of it did you actually run or did you have to stop and walk at all or... CS: I paced myself where I ran and then I walked a little, ran…the whole entire 13.1 miles.
Were you happy to stay with Bob or did you want to work with Jillian a little bit and see how it was? CS: Absolutely ecstatic that we stayed with Bob. I love Bob. We picked Bob. But on the other hand it would have been great to train with Jillian but, there’s that reason that we picked Bob and I was glad that we got to stay with him and Kristin and I got to stay together.
How tough was that whole elimination on Kristin? You seemed to be pretty broken up about it? CS: It was very hard on Kristin. How would you vote your mother off? What’s done is done and that’s the way it played out that night, and it was very hard for her.
How much did you consider eating one of those cookies after you got that tin? CS: I didn’t consider it at all. I knew Kristin and I wouldn’t win the marathon because of the fact Kristin had an injured back and I had bursitis on my knee. So I, at that point thought, “I can’t afford the calories. It’s going to be a hard enough struggle at home.” And I figured everyone else would be eating cookies for Sione and Tara so I just let them consume the calories.
Do you think your grandchildren will be really excited that their family is going to be so much more active now and be able to run around together? CS: Absolutely, yes, they’re going to be so excited. One of my big things this summer is to get up on water skis, because I tried it last year and I could not pull my weight out of the water. So I’m so excited for summer.
Even though you did well with weight loss at home, how did you find the temptations? CS: My biggest temptation is if we go out to eat, so I knew I needed to avoid that. At home I’m lucky enough that I don’t have children at home; I’m an empty nester. So my cabinets are pretty much cleaned out from when I was home for the 30 days.
It goes with that little bit of willpower you have for staying sober for 20 years. I ’m now putting that towards sweets because that was my next addiction; I have such a sweet tooth.
Did you and Kristin ever discuss her going home? CS: Never. I would never allow that. Kristin coming in as the second heaviest female ever on the show… it was never a question of her going home. My biggest fear was it going to a tie and the black team would come in and choose whoever goes.
What’s the biggest thing that surprised you about the ranch? CS: What really shocked me was that we totally were responsible for cooking, for our laundry and responsible for our exercise. We didn’t have a schedule of exercise. What you did you had to do on your own. You could go take a nap if you wanted to or you can go walk or go hike the ridge. It was all in your hands of how many calories you were going to burn also what you put in your mouth because we did our own cooking.
Have you set yourself up on a routine at home, and what does it look like? CS: I’ve set myself at a routine. My one major obstacle that I had is I tried to go back to work full-time which was totally almost impossible because I was getting up at 4 a.m. and I was just wearing myself out. I needed to cut down my work hours. I adjusted my work schedule and then I adjusted my workout schedule to kind of flow with that.
Once I got all that set, that stress is gone and you just focus on your exercise and your diet and you go on with your life. I’m looking forward to maintenance because it’s going to be wonderful.
What can you say to the women across America to keep them motivated? CS: Do not compare yourself to anyone else. You are your own person. Stay positive, don’t think of what you’re not losing but think of what you have lost.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on March 24, 2009, 09:09:53 PM
Okay as usual I missed the first 20 minutes.... But good for TARA for winning after they all ganged up on her. Aubrey is trying to latch on to the old blue team to have numbers. seh is a whinner. I hope Tara protects Helen after that.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on March 24, 2009, 09:21:16 PM
WOO HOO KRISTIN broke the 100 poind mark. WAY TO GO GIRL!!! :sucks :sucks :jumpy: :wohoo: :yess:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on March 24, 2009, 10:16:52 PM
I knew Aubrey was going home as soon as she fell below the yellow line. The blue team will get rid of the other team every chance they get. Tara bette work her ass off to stay above it.
Even though I think Aubrey was a whinner, I think they should have gotten rid of Filipe as she was a bigger threat.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 25, 2009, 01:27:53 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap "Week 12"
Black is shocked that Cathy went home, and now that Kristin has to compete alone, a fire has been lit in her to keep going. The next morning the teams enter the gym to find Alison there with t-shirts in the original colors. "12 weeks ago you came to make a change...you are the only person who controls your future, especially as of today," she tells them, because they're returning to singles. Now they have to choose which trainer they'll go with. For some, like Sione and Filipe, it's a no-brainer —they're going with Bob. For Mike it's left up to a flip of the coin -- which his dad, Ron, calls idiotic -- and he goes with Jillian. The rest of the breakdown is as follows: Tara, Laura and Helen on Team Jillian and Ron, Kristin and Aubrey on Team Bob.
The challenge this week was in two parts: In the first, each contestant had blocks of weight in front of them that totaled their weight when they came onto the ranch. They were able to give away the weight to whomever they wanted, but without knowing how it would affect the rest of the task. At first, Helen got loaded up with bricks as the opposing team felt she betrayed them by choosing Jillian.
But most of the weight was given to Tara who, while the others thought it was pretty funny, felt ganged-up on. She says, "Wouldn't it be funny if I still won when everyone tried to take me down?" Tara wasn't joking, because in the second part of the challenge, she whopped everyone's behinds. Each person had to pull a car, with the additional weight they were given in round one, for a half-mile. Even though Mike and Sione were out to an early lead, Tara came back, with her extra 257 pounds and all, to win immunity for the week. Her weight-loss may be slowing down, but this girl is unstoppable.
At the weigh-in, both Tara and Kristen were gunning to be the first female in Biggest Loser history to lose 100 pounds on the ranch. Tara gets weighed-in first, but onlyhloses three pounds, leaving her one short of the title. Next up is Kristin, who is able to break the record with eight pounds this week and 3.04 percent. Here's how everyone else fared:
Aubrey lost 4 pounds, 2.05 percent. Mike lost 6 pound, 2.22 percent. Laura lost 7 pounds, 3.18 percent. Helen lost 5 pounds, 2.75 percent. Sione lost 7 pounds, 2.56 percent. Ron lost 10 pounds, 3.06 percent. Filipe lost 4 pounds, 1.5 percent.
So it's Aubrey and Filipe in the bottom two. Aubrey tells them that she's not ready to leave and is scared to go home and Filipe tells them to just vote with their hearts. Everyone is torn, but in the end, Tara and Laura vote Filipe, while Mike, Helen, Kristin and Ron vote Aubrey out. She says her goodbyes and begins her at-home journey once again. There, she's welcomed by friends and family and even her overweight father has been inspired to lose 26 pounds.
Do you think voting Aubrey out was a smart decision?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 25, 2009, 09:08:51 AM
'The Biggest Loser' recap: Every Man for Himself The contestants compete as individuals in a strongman-type challenge, and the drawn-out weigh-in sucks all excitement out of the show's pacing
Mazel Tov, Biggest Loser viewers. Over the past few weeks, our dear contestants have been struggling to prove themselves during a life-changing time. Last night, however, after months of preparation, it was finally time for them to come into their own. Yes, our contestants are grown-up men and women now, responsible for making their own decisions (like choosing their own trainers) and being held accountable for their actions. It's no longer a team competition — these babies are now competing for themselves.
Okay, it wasn't exactly a Bar Mitzvah when Alison brought everybody outside and handed them their old colored team shirts to wear, but there are some similarities: months of training with an experienced figure who helped them complete a daunting task, and somebody who walked away much richer (in sweet prizes) than everybody else (unfortunately, the challenge losers didn't get their own personalized ''Biggest Loser 7'' CD holders). It makes sense, because really — isn't middle school a lot like reality TV? Manufactured drama, ganging up on perceived threats, and a constant stream of unnecessary tears — am I right, or did you go to middle school with the most well-adjusted kids ever?
After twelve weeks of team competition, it was about time some people lost the ability to ride their teammates' coattails through elimination from week to week. While Bob might've been the only trainer with contestants up for elimination yet again, it's no longer the obvious outcome it once was. And with each person picking his/her own trainer, Bob was able to gain back his loyal team members.
Of course, we couldn't have the contestants make a decision without taking a spirit walk-type stroll through the BL ranch grounds while discussing how hard it would be to choose a trainer, even though it was obvious how everyone would vote. Jillian wound up with Tara, Laura, Helen, and Mike, and Bob got Sione, Filipe, Kristin, Ron, and Aubrey (the only surprising choice, since she started out training with Jillian).
The challenge this week was a two-parter: first, in a game Kristin called ''Let's See How Much Everyone Else In the House Hates You!,'' the contestants had to handicap their opponents for the second half of the challenge by distributing the amount of weight they'd lost among everyone else. Smartly, most people chose to impede Tara, and puzzlingly, Helen. Though Helen good-naturedly laughed her way through the process, Tara got extremely pissed off and later threatened to sabotage her weigh-in and send herself home.
Though Tara's become increasingly bitchy from week to week (her incredulous ''Did you really think you would beat me?'' to Helen last episode was almost the last straw), I managed to remain on her side until she became so defensive that she blew off Aubrey's attempts to boost her ego and started crying because the mean kids on the playground wouldn't let her on the monkey bars. For someone who prides herself on being such a strong competitor, Tara really cracked when faced with an obstacle she wasn't sure she could beat. Combine that with several mediocre-to-bad weigh-ins in a row, and Ms. Thang's confidence was sorely shaken. Which is a good thing, because her ego needed a healthy dose of fear to realize she wasn't the only person in the competition with a chance of winning the darn thing.
Though it probably surprised the contestants, part two of the challenge wasn't much of a secret to anyone who saw last week's previews: the contestants had to pull cars a half-mile around a racetrack. It was kind of like those strong man competitions they play on the secondary ESPN networks after the spelling bee. Some NASCAR driver dude came and told the contestants that being successful is about setting goals and reaching them (duh), then he told them that not only would the challenge winner get immunity at the weigh-in, they would also get VIP passes to an upcoming race.
While Laura and Kristin sat out (due to injuries, probably), the rest of the contestants were strapped to beat-up cars airbrushed with sweet portraits of them and loaded with their opponent-imposed handicaps. Ron had 37 pounds, Mike had 53, Filipe had 67, Aubrey had 72, Sione had 92, Helen had 215, and Tara had a whopping 257. Mike and Sione pulled into an early lead, while Helen struggled in the back. Tara, however, slowly crept up on the leaders, passing Mike and eventually Sione.
Lesson learned: don't piss off Tara, especially now that she's back in her green shirt. Green Tara angry! Green Tara destroy competition! Green Tara ride in fun Cheerios race car after win! I'd call that yellow Cheerios-branded race car egregious product placement, but it's NASCAR. That's kind of their thing. I would, however, like to know about the super slick sunglasses Alison Sweeney was wearing (maybe I'll ask my friends over at Style Hunter).
After the usual grunting-and-sweating montage that is the Last Chance Workout, it was time for the weigh-in. Unfortunately, the show reverted back to its old let's take an entire hour to show you weigh-in results for nine people, which actually could've taken about ten minutes, or twenty if we really wanted to stretch it out format. Instead of the streamlined process we've gotten used to over the past few weeks, it took the entire second half of the show to tell us that Aubrey and Filipe fell below the yellow line.
I'll admit, the weigh-in wasn't completely devoid of suspense. Tara and Kristin were both on the verge of becoming the first woman to lose 100 pounds on the ranch, but Tara only managed a three-pound loss this week, falling one short. Kristin, however, lost eight pounds! Go Kristin! Kristin was psyched about her 105-pound total loss, but I was a little weirded out about how she and Bob were talking about Cathy like she was dead. She's back in Wisconsin, not deceased. Sione and Filipe also crossed the 100-pound mark this week.
In the most frustrating moment of the weigh-in, Ron, who lost ten pounds, was disappointed in his success because he was afraid Mike would be up for elimination this week. I'll be happy if Ron continues to step up his game and drop big numbers, but I'll be even happier if he falls below the yellow line and someone self-righteously announces to the group ''It's just his time to go'' when they're discussing who should be eliminated. Can we say karma?
Since we were back to the ''beat the dead horse'' format, Alison was back to repeating the count after each vote (as one commenter put it a few weeks back, it's like she has to explain math every time: ''Filipe, that's two votes for you, which is one less than three, and the only even prime number. If you get two more votes, you will have four total, which is the same as two squared and half of two cubed.''). Ultimately, Sione must've effectively plead Filipe's case, because Aubrey was sent home. Sadly, after Aubrey's initial reunion with her family (cute bangs, Mandi), we learned that she gained nine pounds in her first three weeks back at home by putting her sizable family ahead of herself. However, she's since snapped out of that mindset and lost 10 pounds.
Were you as upset as I was to learn how easily Aubrey slipped back into her old ways? And as pleased as I was to learn that she figured out how to balance her time and take care of herself? Did Tara's temper tantrum annoy you? Were you ready for the individual competition to begin? And are you as excited as I am to see old faces return to the ranch next week?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 25, 2009, 09:16:51 AM
Alison's blog:
Kristin makes history!!!
How great does Mike look? Could you believe Mike’s old shirt? Isn’t it just incredible how far they’ve all come? It was such an emotional start to the show – all the contestants, but especially Kristin and Aubrey were so affected by surviving to ‘singles’. And Jillian was right – having to choose between Bob & Jillian, and announce it in front of them, was like choosing between mom & dad. An incredible tough, emotional decision in some instances. And you could see the instant he said it that Mike regretted leaving his to a coin toss. And I don’t mean that he wouldn’t have picked Jillian, I don’t know… I just mean, we talked about it, and I think he regretted leaving such an important decision to a coin toss. Sione’s words about wanting to make his family proud obviously affected everyone – the BL campus is tough on everyone, and the experience impacts everyone in different ways – it was really moving to hear him say that no matter what happens, he is thinking of his family, and his true goal – to be healthy for them.
The Nascar challenge was so insane right? Clint Bowyer was SO awesome. A really nice guy, and it was really cool having him on the show. Mike & Ron are both major Nascar fans, so everyone was really psyched to meet him, but they in particular, knew all the stats etc. Not for nothing, Tara kicked ass dragging that car down the race track. Man, Tara took that weight and proved what she’s made of. Helen said it exactly right “bring it!” We were all so jealous of Tara’s victory ride. How incredibly fun did that look? Wasn’t Kristin so incredible on the scale? She has been inspiring since day one, and tonight’s ep proved why. I hope everyone sitting at home on their sofa watching, thinking they can’t do it, hears her words and is encouraged, that anything IS possible – and that you can do it too! I love her. For all you Days fans reading this – I will try to blog about Days this week. SO MUCH awesome stuff happening on the show. But also, I have a twitter and facebook. page where I talk about Days, BL and … life, all week long! Check it out!
http://blog.nbc.com/alison/the_biggest_loser/
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on March 25, 2009, 09:20:54 AM
Next week with the contestants back... it will be interesting to see who comes back... Any guesses I would think Dane. We know it is not Audrey as we saw her progress at home and her struggle... so she did not make it back.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 25, 2009, 09:43:16 AM
Next week with the contestants back... it will be interesting to see who comes back... Any guesses I would think Dane. We know it is not Audrey as we saw her progress at home and her struggle... so she did not make it back.
I would love it if it is Dane coming back. I love Blaine/Dane, they were one of my favorite couples.
I hope Tara goes soon. I can't stand her and am so over her power trip, winning just about everything!
Right now, I think I'm rooting for Mike to win the whole thing. I would like to see Mike, Filipe & Sione for the final 3.
Another thing that is making me wonder since the network/show is searching for a new trainer next season, I wonder if Jillian is quitting again. She sure doesn't seem happy on the current season and I have a feeling she's done with the show after this one. I could be wrong.
This season is dragging on way too long....whoever makes it to the end will be skinny by the time they leave the ranch and won't look much different on the finale. I hope they shorten the duration next season.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 25, 2009, 10:13:27 AM
WOO HOO KRISTIN broke the 100 poind mark. WAY TO GO GIRL!!! :sucks :sucks :jumpy: :wohoo: :yess:
They all look amazing, yay Kristin :hearts:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 25, 2009, 12:27:24 PM
THE BIGGEST LOSER SEASON 7
Episode: 15
Air Date: April 14, 2009
TIM GUNN HELPS TRANSFORM CONTESTANTS IN FAN FAVORITE – THE MAKEOVER EPISODE!
It’s one of the most eagerly-anticipated events every “Biggest Loser” season – the makeover episode! And fashion guru Tim Gunn returns to help the final seven contestants look their stylish best after all the players get complete salon makeovers from guest hair stylist Tabatha (Bravo’s “Tabatha’s Salon Takeover”) and celebrity stylist Brandon Martinez. Then it’s time for amazing transformations and emotional reunions when the made-over contestants show off their incredible new looks to loved ones flown in to help them celebrate their big day. Also, the contestants soar to new heights in this week’s challenge, and one player is sidelined with an injury that will have a dramatic impact on her workouts.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 25, 2009, 04:05:48 PM
An interview with Aubrey:
The Biggest Loser's Aubrey: "I Needed My Body to Catch Up With My Mind"
Aubrey Cheney was thin for most of her life, but as she watched seasons of The Biggest Loser go by, she noticed that she was packing on the pounds herself. Having the opportunity to participate in the current "Couples" season, she and her sister Mandi quickly proved to be a strong team. But after her elimination in week 12, it was time for Aubrey to go home, where her real life made it a struggle to continue in her progress. TVGuide.com caught up with the mother of five to see how she's doing now and why Bob was "the best."
TVGuide.com: During the first part of this week's challenge, Tara took offense to everyone giving her all the blocks of weight. Were you ganging up on her or was she just being oversensitive? Aubrey Cheney: We were absolutely ganging up on her. We're all there for the same reason and that's to change our lives and become healthy. But we are also involved in a game, and the game aspect is when there's someone who's standing between you and a healthier lifestyle or $250,000, then your first instinct is to eliminate them, or slow them down as much as possible. That's what we were all trying to do.
TVGuide.com: You started out training with Jillian but ended up Bob. Who do you prefer? Cheney: Bob was the best, hands-down. Jillian has a wonderful track record, she knows her stuff, she's a genius when it comes to weight loss, fitness, health and nutrition, but I think there's just personalities that work [better together]. Jillian and I, we're both really strong personality types. It's not that we really butted heads, it's just that I felt like I was doing it for her more than I was doing it for myself. And during the up-down challenge, when we went to teams and I didn't have a choice, we got flipped over to Bob's team. That was the best thing that could've happened because Bob really showed me why I was there. And that was for myself.
TVGuide.com: When you first returned home from the ranch, you struggled and regained weight, but you picked yourself up again. What advice can you give to other moms in your situation? Cheney: Organize a schedule. That would be the No. 1 thing. There's always an hour or two that yeah, you could be doing housework or laundry, but you could also be going to the gym. See when your slow time of the day is and take that time. You can always do a little laundry while helping with homework.
TVGuide.com: Mandi said it was your idea to go on the show. What convinced you that you needed to do something about the weight? Cheney: My husband and I have watched every season of The Biggest Loser since it started, and during that time I gained over 100 pounds. I did have three kids during that time, but I was just thinking, look at all these people, and every season I watch and I'm heavier and heavier and heavier. I didn't feel like I was getting depressed, I didn't really feel like I was losing myself in any way, but when I looked in the mirror or when I saw family videos or pictures that other people had taken, I realized that I was humongous and it was something I had to do. I think I was blessed enough to be accepted on The Biggest Loser before my weight really [caused] any self-esteem issues. Because I was confident in myself, I felt good about myself, I just needed my body to catch up with my mind.
TVGuide.com: What's your go-to healthy snack? Cheney: My favorite snack of all time, always has been, always will be, cauliflower and Ranch dressing. I've just changed the Ranch to nonfat or low-fat ranch. It's not the best thing in the world, but at least it's vegetables!
TVGuide.com: How many total pounds have you lost to date? Cheney: I've lost an additional five pounds from my "where are they now," so to date, it's 73.
TVGuide.com: Are you going for the at-home prize? Cheney: Heck yeah! It's a far cry, but I'm trying.
Aubrey Cheney gets eliminated from 'The Biggest Loser: Couples'
By John Bracchitta, 03/25/2009
Aubrey Cheney was revealed to be the fourteenth contestant to be eliminated from The Biggest Loser: Couples during last night's broadcast on NBC. ADVERTISEMENT
"I can now look back at what I was [like before my time on The Biggest Loser ranch] and realize how unhappy I was and how I was just going through the motions of life, but I wasn't living," the 28-year-old information and education specialist from Gooding, ID, said following her elimination. I've had a taste now of what it's like to have energy and to be happy and to really mean the smile that I put on my face. My kids are gonna see a side of their mom that they haven't seen in a long time."
The Biggest Loser: Couples' eleventh episode began with the Black team's shocked reaction upon learning that the Blue team had eliminated Cathy Skell following the previous weigh-in instead of Aubrey.
RELATED LINKS RealityTVWorld: The Biggest Loser SirLinkALot: The Biggest Loser The Biggest Loser Message Boards
More The Biggest Loser 7 News
"I can not believe that Aubrey just walked in the door. I mean, it shouldn't be Cathy, Aubrey should be the one going home," said Mike Morelli, an 18-year-old student from South Lyon, MI, upon learning of Cathy's elimination. "I just feel bad that [Cathy's daughter Kristin Steede, a 28-year-old business owner from Greenville, WI] has to go through that. Losing your mom in this game is horrible."
The following day, both teams entered the gym to find The Biggest Loser: Couples host Alison Sweeney, who surprised the contestants by telling them that they would no longer be competing together in teams and would be competing against each other singles for the rest of the competition.
"I made it to singles, that is like the last stage of being on the ranch," said an excited Aubrey. "I'm almost there, I'm almost there."
After returning each contestant's original colored shirt to them, Alison also revealed that they would have to decide whether they wanted to train with either Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper for the remainder of the competition and would have 30 minutes to think about their decisions.
The contestants then disbanded to think about which trainer they preferred. While Filipe Fam, a 26-year-old lube technician from Mesa, AZ, had little trouble making up their his mind given his falling out with Jillian a few weeks prior, Aubrey struggled with her decision. In addition to noting Jillian's recent success with training contestants who eventually went on to win the competition, Aubrey also noted Bob's ability to "open the door" for her to succeed when she trained with him.
"It's just such a hard decision, they're both such excellent trainers," she said.
Upon reconvening in the gym with Alison, Jillian and Bob, each contestant revealed whom they wanted to train with.
Mike; Tara Costa, a 23-year-old finance manager and former model from New York, NY; Helen Phillips, a 47-year-old retired retail manager from Sterling Heights, MI; and Laura Denoux, a 24-year-old sales director and former model from Miami, FL chose to train with Jillian, while Kristin; Filipe; Aubrey; Sione Fa, a 28-year-old landscape company owner from Maricopa, AZ; and Ron Morelli, a 54-year-old city councilman and retired food distributor from South Lyon, MI, chose to train with Bob.
The newly individual contestants then went to train with their newly chosen trainers before meeting once again with Alison for what they were told was the first part of their challenge for the week.
After meeting on a basketball court with scales across from individual stacks of blocks representing the amount of weight that each contestant had lost while on the ranch, Alison revealed that each contestant would be able to distribute their amount of lost weight to any of the other contestants for the second part of the challenge. However, Jillian refused to reveal any additional details about the second part of the challenge, except to say that its winner would receive immunity at the upcoming weigh-in.
Since the contestants felt that two of the strongest remaining contestants in the game were Tara and Helen, they received the bulk of the weight, with Tara receiving 257 pounds and Helen receiving 215 pounds. Sione followed next, receiving 92 pounds from the contestants, with Aubrey receiving 72 pounds, Filipe receiving 67 pounds, Mike receiving 63 pounds and Ron receiving 37 pounds.
After the first part of the challenge, Tara got upset she'd been singled out by the other contestants and stormed away to be alone, despite Aubrey and Helen's insistence that her receiving the weight was more of a compliment than anything.
Laura was eventually able to track Tara down while walking outside the ranch. After initially saying that she was going to throw the weigh-in and get herself sent home because she didn't want to deal with the pressure of being a frontrunner anymore, Laura was able to talk Tara back into sticking in the competition.
"If you wanna give up, pack your backs and leave, but I don't think that's what you wanna do, because you're here to lose weight for you, for Tara, not for, not for Jillian, not for all these frickin' people here, nobody," Laura told Tara sternly before getting her to return to the ranch.
The following day, the contestants learned of the second part of their challenge after traveling to the Auto Club Speedway and meeting with Alison -- who stood alongside race cars colored for each participant -- and NASCAR professional Clint Bower. Alison revealed that each contestant would have to pull their respective race cars nearly half a mile down the track to the finish line, with the first person to do so winning immunity.
Alison revealed that the weigh given to each contestant at the first part of the challenge would be added to the car, making the cars -- each of which had already weighed nearly 2 tons -- even harder to move.
The challenge then got underway, with Sione and Mike jumping out to a quick lead. However, eager for some revenge against the contestants who had piled weight onto her, Tara steadily gained ground on Mike and Sione after a slow start and eventually jumped into the lead as Sione and Mike began to fade. After maintaining a consistent speed by getting the car's momentum moving in her favor, Tara went on to win the challenge in a landslide, easily beating out Mike and Sione who finished in second and third place respectively.
"Victory has never tasted so sweet," and pumped up Tara said following her victory. Day in and day out I worked my butt off and everyone realizes that. Hold it against me, and I'm still gonna do the best that I can. But my best is better than yours."
Upon returning to the ranch, Tara received additional kudos from Jillian, who was impressed by her ability to fight back from adversity.
"Way to stick it to 'em," Jillian told her encouragingly.
Both teams then participated in their last chance workouts with Jillian and Bob before heading to their weigh-in for the week. Because the Blue and Black teams had been dissolved, Alison said that each contestant would weigh-in individually. The two contestants with the lowest percentage of weight-loss would fall below the yellow line and be put up for an elimination vote by the remaining contestants.
Because she won immunity, Tara weighed in first. Despite only needing to lose four pounds to become the first woman in The Biggest Loser history to lose 100 pounds on the ranch, Tara fell just short, losing 3 pounds for a weight loss percentage of 1.52%.
However, Kristin managed to set the record on her own weigh-in, losing 8 pounds for a loss percentage of 3.04%.
"I just can't believe how far I've come," she said after her record-breaking weigh-in. "This has been the most amazing experience of my life."
Kristin would go on to finish third in the week's weigh-in results, behind Laura, who lost 7 pounds for a weight-loss percentage of 3.18%, and Ron, who lost 10 pounds for a percentage of 3.06%.
Helen followed in fourth place, losing 5 pounds for a percentage of 2.75%, while Sione came in fifth place after losing 7 pounds for a 2.56% percentage and Mike came in sixth place, losing 6 pounds for a weight-loss percentage of 2.22%, leaving Aubrey (4 pounds for a 2.05% loss) and Filipe ( 4 pounds for a 1.05% loss) below the yellow line.
Upon convening to decide who to eliminate, Aubrey stated that she was "not ready to go yet," and "scared to go home," while Filipe urged everyone to simply vote with their hearts.
After Filipe and Aubrey left the room, Helen admitted that she didn't know what to do, while Ron said that the decision was harder than he initially thought it would be.
Sione came to Filipe's defense saying that he needed to be on the ranch and that there were "a lot of things in his life that got him to the point where he was at," and worried that it would not be easy for him to continue losing weight at home.
"I knew I had to plead his case. I knew I had to be the one to fight for it," Sione added later.
Upon going to the elimination room, things initially looked grim for Filipe after receiving votes from Tara and Laura. However, after votes for Aubrey by Mike, Helen, Kristin and Ron, he was spared and Aubrey was revealed to be the next contestant eliminated from the competition.
In the post-show update, it was revealed that Audrey had struggled and actually gained nine pounds upon initially returning home. However, it added that she had subsequently recommitted herself and lost the nine pounds she'd gained plus an additional 10 pounds and hoped to drop 30 more pounds by the show's finale.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on March 26, 2009, 12:52:13 PM
I agree Tara's attitude it bad. Yes it is a game, but you make no friends by gloating and expecting to win. Some people can win and then still be freindly. I think Tara has taken the game part to seriously and has alienated people. We all know the minute she falls below the line she will be gone. And with the numbers lately I think she has hit a platue and will go next week.
I am not sure who i am pulling for right now. I think Sione kind of has the same aspect as Tara, just not wining the challenges.
I do not think she will make if but I think I am pulling for Kristin. She is getting alot out of this and looks like she has a support system at home that will help her too.
I worry more people will be like Aubrey and gain weight at first and get discouraged. when you go from 4 or 5 hours of work outs to fitting that into your routine it is hard.
I think Mike will do well, and Ron will be pulled along because of Mike. I just sometimes think Ron is not totally in it and someone else would have used the time much better.
Next week with the contestants coming back... I am curious will it be one person or two coming back.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 26, 2009, 01:42:28 PM
An interview with Aubrey:
Biggest Loser’s Aubrey Balances Calories & Kids
Although Aubrey Cheney, 28, was thrilled to see yellow when the contestants got their original shirts back during individual competition, the color took a less cheerful turn when she fell below that dreaded yellow line. The information and education specialist was sent home to her five kids in Gooding, Id., where she’s getting the hang of life off of the Ranch. Now 73 lbs. lighter, Aubrey spoke to PEOPLE about balancing weight loss with domestic duties, her closest friendship on the Ranch and why she chose Bob over Jillian.
When you returned home, you struggled with putting others’ needs before your own and you gained nine pounds. How did you overcome that and what advice can you give other mothers in your situation? I finally realized I had to change something. I needed to evaluate why I cannot grasp this whole concept at home. My most valuable advice would be to organize a schedule and see when your slowest times of the day are. You can always do a load of laundry simultaneously with helping your kids with homework. In combining some of that housework, I’m able to take those two hours for myself and work out, whether that’s going to the gym or going for a walk.
What did you write in that note they showed right before the elimination? I was writing Kristin a letter just to let her know I’m still rooting for her and she can do this. During that time, things were getting a little bit rough. It was down to 8 people and game play was shoving its way through the door and we were all trying to keep our heads on straight. I wanted her to know Cathy and I were at home pushing for her to be honest, play as minimal games as possible and be there to be healthy. I let her know how much I appreciate everything she did and I love her to death.
There seemed to be a little tension between you and Tara. Was that just frustration on her part? I think it was. I like Tara! We didn’t connect in some of the ways that Kristin and I did. We are all there for the same reason; we all know what it’s like to be in each other’s shoes. But if there’s someone standing there between you and another week on the Ranch or between you and the $250,000 you are going to do whatever it takes to slow that person down or eliminate that person. It was survival of the fittest.
What is your favorite healthy snack? My favorite snack always has been and probably always will be cauliflower with ranch dressing. So I just changed the ranch to non-fat or low fat. It’s not the best thing in the world but at least it’s a vegetable.
You started out with Jillian and ended up with Bob. Which trainer did you prefer? Bob was the best hands down. Jillian knows her stuff and made her life around this. She’s a genius when it comes to weight loss, fitness, health and nutrition. But I think there are just different personalities that work with different personalities. Jillian and I are both really strong personality types. It’s not that we butted heads but I felt that I was doing it more for her than I was for myself. When we got flipped over to Bob’s team, it was the best thing that could have happened because Bob showed me why I was there and that was for myself.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 27, 2009, 01:41:21 AM
:groan: I'll be okay just realized snooky's was a recap :lol:
An interview with Aubrey here: http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/interview-aubrey-cheney-talks-about-her-time-on-the-biggest-loser-8682.php (http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/interview-aubrey-cheney-talks-about-her-time-on-the-biggest-loser-8682.php)
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 27, 2009, 07:40:18 AM
I agree Tara's attitude it bad. Yes it is a game, but you make no friends by gloating and expecting to win. Some people can win and then still be freindly. I think Tara has taken the game part to seriously and has alienated people. We all know the minute she falls below the line she will be gone. And with the numbers lately I think she has hit a platue and will go next week.
I am not sure who i am pulling for right now. I think Sione kind of has the same aspect as Tara, just not wining the challenges.
I do not think she will make if but I think I am pulling for Kristin. She is getting alot out of this and looks like she has a support system at home that will help her too.
I worry more people will be like Aubrey and gain weight at first and get discouraged. when you go from 4 or 5 hours of work outs to fitting that into your routine it is hard.
I think Mike will do well, and Ron will be pulled along because of Mike. I just sometimes think Ron is not totally in it and someone else would have used the time much better.
Next week with the contestants coming back... I am curious will it be one person or two coming back.
:tup: so true I agree Texan
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 27, 2009, 01:19:00 PM
An interview with Aubrey:
Biggest Loser’s Aubrey Gives Weight Loss Advice to Busy Moms
When Aubrey Cheney first decided to lose weight, she knew it would be a challenge. Especially with five kids. So she went on The Biggest Loser with her sister Mandi, lost a ton of weight, and accomplished more goals than she ever dreamed. Unfortunately, Aubrey fell below the yellow line on this week’s show and was sent back to the comfort of home. Which meant, of course, a house full of kids to take care of. Aubrey was thrown right back into the situation that caused her to gain weight in the first place. How does a busy mom find time to exercise and cook healthfully anyway? Aubrey shared her number one tip for moms with Fancast, as well as some of the juicy tidbits from back at the BL ranch.
When you returned home you had a little bit of a struggle before picking yourself up again. What advice can you give to other moms in your situation?
Organize a schedule. And there’s always an hour or two that, yeah, you could be doing housework or you could be doing laundry but you could also be going to the gym. Come up with a schedule and see when your slowest time of the day is… take the time that you would normally do housework or housecleaning and take that time and go to the gym.
Have you been helping your dad lose weight?
My dad and I have been to the gym together a few times. And I’ve taught him some of the things that I’ve learned on the ranch. I’ve tried to teach him a little bit about nutrition but everything has been so crazy still as far as me trying to figure out my own schedule and how I’m going to take care of myself. Dad’s the type of person that he needs someone to be with him; he needs someone to go to the gym with him. And it’s hard for me to find enough time for myself and, you know, it’s almost impossible for me to find as much time as he needs for me to be with him. So he’s taken what I’ve taught him and he has been to the gym, he’s been working out on his own I think a few times and he’s lost an additional 16 pounds.
How did you feel about running the half marathon with your sister by your side?
Running a half marathon was more than I would have ever expected for me to do. It was very, very challenging but I think my adrenaline and where my body was physically from being on the ranch and being trained and being conditioned made it so much easier. And then to have my sister next to me I think running a half marathon was more than I ever expected to get out of the Biggest Loser besides my weight loss. And I think it helped put into perspective that I’m not just losing inches and I’m not just losing pounds I’m gaining accomplishments and I’m gaining self confidence and I’m gaining my life back.
Before the half marathon, they showed you eating one of the cookies. Who did you eat it for?
I was eating the cookie for Helen. Actually I ate two cookies for Helen. My whole strategy was I figured everyone else would eat for Sione and Tara because they were obviously the two biggest threats as far as winning this challenge goes. And Helen and I were really close as far as the times that we can run a mile and our athletic ability was the closest out of everyone else there. So I figured I would leave it up to everybody else to take care of Tara and Sione. So if I took Helen out then maybe that would give me a chance to get first place. And had I eaten all 13 cookies, six for Tara, six for Sione and one for Helen I would have won by under a minute. (laughs)
What did you first think when Alison told you guys you had to pull a car?
Well when we walked up on the track and we saw all the cars there I was thinking this isn’t the right reality TV show to let us drive the car so I figured we’d be pulling it. I was hoping the only thing I was worried about from then is how far we’d be pulling it. And when she told us it was a quarter mile I was thinking this is crazy; this is insanity. There’s no way I’m going to be able to pull a car a half mile. But yeah, it was hard.
During this week’s challenge, everyone seemed to be ganging up against Tara. Was that the objective?
We were absolutely ganging up on her. We’re all there for the same reason and that’s to change our lives and become healthy. But we are also involved in a game. And the game aspect is when there’s someone who is standing between you and a healthier lifestyle or $250,000 then your first instinct is to eliminate them or to try and slow them down as much as possible and that’s what we were all trying to do.
A couple of people wanted to stick with Bob as their trainer because they feel like this is Bob’s year. Do you think Bob will be the guy behind the Biggest Loser this year? And what do you think is unique about this season to make that happen?
I think that people this season have realized that it’s not about $250,000… it’s about changing your life. And that’s what makes people drop the hugest numbers. I mean, we’ve broke so many records this season. And I think it’s because people aren’t there for the money; they’re there to literally change their lives. And when you concentrate on that instead of concentrating on winning I think that that puts a lot more power behind what you’re doing. And I definitely hope that this Bob’s year. I hope Kristin wins; she’s being trained by Bob. She definitely has the numbers. She definitely has the percentage to be able to lose that much. And I hope he takes her all the way to the end, not just for her but for him too because he is a phenomenal trainer and he doesn’t care about winning or losing.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 28, 2009, 10:46:26 PM
THE BIGGEST LOSER SEASON 7
Episode: 16
Air Date: April 21, 2009
BOB AND JILLIAN TAKE THE CONTESTANTS TO THE GROCERY STORE TO LEARN HOW TO SHOP HEALTHY ON A BUDGET
The contestants’ food and fitness knowledge is put to the test this week when Good Housekeeping Magazine’s editor in chief stops by for a trivia challenge that will give the lucky winner an all-expense paid trip to New York. Then contestants face a different kind of test when trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels send them grocery shopping on a budget – and then critique their purchases. Later, a unique challenge tests each player’s balancing skill, and one contestant hits a big milestone at the weigh-in before a shocking elimination sends another player home.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on March 29, 2009, 12:30:50 PM
Ali and Michelle Return
This last week's episode of The Biggest Loser Couples made me think back to my English classes when we were studying cultural and classic theater. There was a quote from one that came to mind from a play called the "The Mourning Bride" (1697) by William Congreve that says: "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned! "
I think we saw an example of that quote in Tara this past week. No matter what they both teams piled on her, no matter how much giggling and humiliation they tried to heap on her, she served it back to them as their taunting (and Laura's encouragement) ignited a fire in her, leading her to a victory in the challenge. It was almost unbelievable to watch her pull that car, with the additional weight of a person or two, and go from third to first place... ahead to two strong men, no less! I'm telling you, that girl is a machine! It was so very touching to see the others go back and help Ron pull his car across the line - this is one of the most endearing groups of contestants ever!
Last week we also saw Kristin become the first woman in Biggest Loser History to break the 100 pound weight loss while still on The Biggest Loser campus. Do you think Kristin will raise the bar so high no one can beat it or will she be seen as a threat and get sent home... leaving the door open for the possibility that Tara will set the bar even higher? It will be interesting to see which of these two ladies will be the champion of weight loss while still on the campus. Yes, this could be a battle royale and is yet another reason to keep watching the show (as if we need another reason)!
Coming up this week: According to the NBC website, the contestants get a blast from the past this week with visits from Ali Vincent (Season 5 winner) and Michelle Aguilar (Season 6 winner), both filling in as host while Alison Sweeney is on maternity leave.
The contestants will also be surprised by the arrival of previously eliminated contestants which is really going to shake things up. And while one player is sidelined by medical issues (will it be Ron or Kristin) the rest of the contestants compete in a balance and endurance challenge that has our them standing on a platform that is suspended six feet over a pool. And in usual Biggest Loser style, the lines will be removed, one at a time, until only the winner is left standing. Finally, if you watched the trailer, there will be a medical emergency which could send the sickest player home. Could this medical emergency be the reason one of the contestants is sidelined during the endurance challenge?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 29, 2009, 01:10:51 PM
An interview with Aubrey:
Pulling Cars and Shedding Pounds with Aubrey Cheney of The Biggest Loser Couples
THE DEADBOLT: How discouraging was it to be on the blue team and continuously be losing?
AUBREY CHENEY: [laughs] Oh, it was frustrating. I don’t like losing and I don’t like being the underdog, but I’m not a really strong competitor. I didn’t really help out a whole lot, I think, as far as when challenges are concerned. So I didn’t feel I had any grounds to complain about it. We were a really, really close team and I think that’s what made it easier. We really bonded as a team, we had an awesome team, and I think that’s what helped us get through it. Yeah, it was really frustrating. I mean, if you lose time and time again it’ll get to you eventually.
THE DEADBOLT: Which challenge was your favorite?
AUBREY: Well, I’d have to say my favorite was the one my sister, and I won. The rope challenge was definitely my favorite. I mean, how could you complain about an ending like that. That was awesome, and Mandi and I had fun. We actually had fun the whole time . Before it started we were messing around and laughing and joking and it came down to - just like the first challenge when we were inches away from winning - after that we were just like, ‘You know what? Challenges don’t put you below the yellow line. So let’s just do our best and count the calories and take it all in and whatever happens happens.’ But definitely the one that we won, sweet victory always makes everything better.
THE DEADBOLT: I liked the food bank challenge because it worked out for you in the end, even though the blue team lost.
AUBREY: Yeah, that one was awesome, too. That one emotionally was really powerful. [laughs] I’m trying to decide why we were crying so hard all of the time. But I think it was just emotion. I don’t think I was crying so much because we lost. I think I was crying because the whole situation was emotional. I’ve been on the other side. I know what it’s like and to be able to give back, especially in such a huge place where I know I’m going to be helping so many people is awesome. I can just picture the little kids. And I think the whole thing was just so emotional and it was really really good. Since that challenge, I think I’ll be involved in the Idaho food bank and I’ll be helping distribute food all around Southern Idaho as well. And then on top of Mike giving me the groceries, yeah, lots and lots of good came out of that one.
THE DEADBOLT: What did you first think when Alison told you guys you had to pull a car?
AUBREY: Well, when we walked up on the track and we saw all kinds of cars there, I was thinking, ‘This isn’t the right reality TV show to let us drive the cars.’ So I figured we’d be pulling it and the only thing I was worried about then was how far we’d be pulling it. And when she told us it was a quarter mile I was just thinking this is crazy, this is insanity, there’s no way I’m going to able to pull a car a quarter mile and ... Or was it a half mile?
THE DEADBOLT: It was half a mile.
AUBREY: Okay, there you go. I wasn’t paying attention because I’m thinking, 'I have to pull a car, who cares how far it is?' But yeah, it was hard and when she told us we were pulling cars it was like, ‘Okay, whatever you say.’
THE DEADBOLT: Even before that challenge there seemed to be a bit of tension between you and Tara. Was that just frustration on her part?
AUBREY: I think it was. I really think it was. I like Tara, and I know after [the] last episode it seemed like I don’t, but I really do like Tara. We didn’t connect in some of the ways that Kristin and I did. But like I was saying before, we are all there for the same reason. We all know what it’s like to be in each other’s shoes. And when you’re there to stay there as long as possible,and become as healthy as possible, and for somebody who’s there for the $250,000, if there’s somebody standing between you and another week on the ranch or you and $250,000, you’re going to do whatever it takes to slow that person down or eliminate that person, and that’s what we were doing.
It was survival of the fittest and that’s all we were trying to do, because we knew if we didn’t do something to slow her down she was eventually going to get rid of all of us. I mean, she’s the strongest player and we didn’t have a choice. She was going to continue to get immunity so that’s where the tension came from. And I told her she should take that as a compliment, that she is the strongest person and that should keep her motivated, because if I was the strongest person I would be really motivated that there’s eight other people coming after me and I need to run and do whatever I can to stay away from them.
I don’t know. It was probably just the stress of everything and being there. And it’s pretty hard to do that, even if you don’t have kids or a husband at home. I think it just all came to a head that it was something physical. When you’re on top, you know that you’re the best and everybody is trying to catch you, but you don’t actually see it. For everybody to put it in black and white in front of her, I think it hit her hard. I think it scared her and so I was just trying to tell her it’s ridiculous. You can’t get mad at us for doing the exact same thing that you’re doing and that’s playing the game.
THE DEADBOLT: How did you feel when Sione and Filipe jumped ship and started working out with you guys?
AUBREY: I didn’t really care, honestly. Bob was really good about making it really equal for all of us. He was really good about working all of us out equally and making sure that we all had a really strong workout. It’s not like he was there for two hours and that’s it, he’s leaving. So if he worked in Sione and Filipe, it would cut out on our workout time. Bob was really good about staying longer so we all had an equal amount of workout time. He would take us out singly and work with us and he was really good about it. So I really had no problem.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on March 31, 2009, 07:51:29 PM
An interview with Aubrey:
‘Loser’ Aubrey fighting to reach 125
“When I looked in the mirror, I realized that I was humongous.” Tara took a little bit of offense to you guys laughing at her last week. Do you think you were ganging upon her or was she just being oversensitive? Aubrey Cheney: We were absolutely ganging up on her. We’re all there for the same reason, and that’s to change our lives and become healthy. But we are also involved in a game. And the game aspect is when there’s someone who is standing between you and a healthier lifestyle or $250,000, then your first instinct is to eliminate them or to try and slow them down as much as possible and that’s what we were all trying to do.
When you returned home, you had a little bit of a struggle before picking yourself up again. What advice can you give to other moms in your situation? AC: Come up with a schedule. There’s always an hour or two that you could be doing housework or you could be doing laundry, but you could also be going to the gym. Come up with a schedule, and see when your slowest time of the day is and take that time to go to the gym. You can always do laundry as you’re helping with homework or something else.
Mandi had said that it was actually your idea to come on the show. What was the turning point for you that you really wanted to do something about the weight? AC: My husband and I watched every season of The Biggest Loser since it started, and during that time I gained over 100 pounds; from Season 1 until Season 6, and I was thinking, “Look at all of these people, and every season I watch and I’m heavier and I’m heavier and I’m heavier.” When I looked in the mirror or when I saw videos of myself - family videos or pictures that other people had taken – I realized that I was humongous.
You started out with Jillian but ended up with Bob; which trainer did you prefer? AC: Bob was the best hands down. Jillian has a wonderful track record. She’s a genius when it comes to weight loss and fitness and health and nutrition. But I think there are different personalities that work with different personalities, and Jillian and I are both really strong personality types. I felt like I was doing it for her more than I was doing it for myself.
They said you gained nine pounds when you came home and then they said you lost 10 pounds. Did you lose the nine back and one more, or did you actually lose the 10? AC: I gained the nine pounds when I got home. And then I lost 19. So all together I had lost 19.
What did you write in that note they showed right before you left for elimination? AC: I was writing Kristin a letter, letting her know that I’m still rooting for her and she can do this. I just wanted to write something down so she could have and look at when she felt like she was getting caught up in any sort of mess or any sort of drama. I wanted her to know that we’re out here – meaning Kathy and I – are still rooting for her and pushing for her to continue to be honest and play as minimal games as possible and just to be there to be healthy and just wanted to let her know that I appreciated everything she did and I loved her to death and to keep going.
What have you been doing with your dad in terms of working out together? AC: My dad and I have been to the gym together a few times. I’ve taught him some of the things that I’ve learned on the ranch as far as workouts go, like circuit training and stuff like that. I’ve tried to teach him a little bit about nutrition but it’s been so crazy as far as me trying to figure out my own schedule and how I’m going to take care of myself that dad’s the type of person that he needs someone to be with him; he needs someone to go to the gym with him.
He’s taken what I’ve taught him and he has been to the gym, he’s been working out on his own I think a few times and he’s lost an additional 16 pounds.
How discouraging was it to be on the blue team and constantly losing? AC: It was frustrating. I am the type that doesn’t like losing, and I don’t like to be the underdog. We were a really, really close team and I think that’s what made it easier is everybody really bonded as a team. We had an awesome team. It was frustrating, but I think the fact that our relationship was really good it made it a lot easier.
You’ve set a goal for yourself to be 125 pounds at the finale; how did you come up with that number? AC: I just wanted to be what I was in high school, and that was around 120, 125. I figured had I been able to stay on the ranch from now until the finale then I’d probably be at 125.
How did you feel about the whole half-marathon? AC: Running a half-marathon was more than I would have ever expected for me to do. It was very, very challenging, but I think my adrenaline and where my body was physically from being on the ranch and being trained and being conditioned and ready for it was - made it so much easier.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on March 31, 2009, 10:56:25 PM
Well I only saw the last 10 minutes of the show so I know who was in the bottom yellow. Will have to wait until the show is online. I do find it itneresting that Filipe and Sione were going to boot Ron, I think they thought Tara would boot Ron. Could be the best thing for Tara. Now Mike and Ron will be mad at Filipe and sione and would probably boot them if they fall below the line.
What did the other players have to do to get back on the show. That must suck to get back on and then leave right away.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 01, 2009, 12:06:31 AM
:groan: I have no idea Texan I missed it too .... a recap from my girl Sarah
'The Biggest Loser: Couples': Ron rage
"The Biggest Loser: Couples" has me nearly apoplectic with rage and bile, as someone comes back to the ranch, someone leaves, and someone (cough RON! cough) needs to disappear from my TV screen before I do some serious damage to my electronics.
Past winners Ali and Michelle stand in for Alison, who is busy giving birth, while three booted competitors get a second chance. Estella has lost 45 pounds and is pleased as punch. David loses just one more pound than Estella and looks mortified. Ali reminds me why I loved her so much during her season by telling him not to be downhearted -- you lost 46 pounds! That's something to be proud of! Use this is the springboard to make good choices. Damn straight -- that's the way you have to approach this. Ali rocks.
You know who else rocks? Nicole. I always thought she was adorable and dedicated, and she proves me right. She's lost 87 pounds at home -- holy crap! That means she's back on campus, and she's got immunity* (we’ll get to that asterisks later). It also means she's got the second highest percentage of weight loss of anyone on the ranch. Let the freaking-out commence!
House drama The rest of the competitors go into heavy game-playing mode, sucking up to Nicole and trying to give her "friendly advice." Tara is more freaked out than anyone, and she alternates between bravado -- I'm glad she's here! She'll make me step up my game! Bring it! -- and despair -- she lost 87 pounds at home! Woe is me! Jillian finally tells her to get a grip -- "Honey, you're manic!" -- and figure out what it is that makes Tara tick. Tara tries to quiet her monkey mind, but we'll see how that goes.
Filipe, Sione and Kristin are peevish that Ron lobbied to get Filipe kicked off at the last elimination. Apparently at the beginning of the season, Ron had made some sort of alliance with the Fijians, and Sione and Filipe are SHOCKED! that Ron would go back on that. Oh please -- Ron wants his son to win, and will do anything to make that happen. Bob agrees with me, and tells them to avoid the problem by staying above the yellow line. He works extra hard with Sione and Kristin to give them an edge. Filipe? Apparently Bob already thinks he's a lost cause.
Ron experiences light-headedness, cold sweats and chest pains. He's whisked to the hospital, where they rule out a heart attack but discover some half-healed (and moderately disgusting -- look, I stopped writing about radiology for a reason, thank you!) bleeding ulcers in his gastrically bypassed gut. They pump him full of fluids and meds, and he's eventually cleared to go back to the ranch.
The challenge The competitors stand on board balanced on 40 ropes suspended over a pool. They can hang onto a rope overhead with one hand. As time goes on, ropes are cut. Last person standing wins a 1-pound weight credit. Since Nicole as immunity*, if she wins, she can give a 1-pound weight penalty to one of her competitors.
Filipe speaks for me by telling Michelle that this is a boring challenge and they need to cut ropes faster. Granted, that bit of bravado was misplaced, as Filipe was the second one (after Mike) to fall, but still -- watching people balance just isn't that exciting. After many splashes, it comes down to Sione and Kristin. Kristin blinks first, and Sione gets the weight credit.
The weigh-in Here's where the * comes in. Alison(who is back from birthin’) announces that Nicole has immunity -- assuming she hasn't gained any weight. Wait a minute - they didn't mention that at the outset... Nicole's new routine, the stress she's under, and the change of scenery bit her in the butt -- she gains 5 pounds. Dammit! This is so not her fault! It's just her body reacting to being discombobulated! Don't take her immunity away for that! Alas, Alison doesn’t heed my pleas. Dammit.
Mike has a stellar week, losing 11 pounds. Sione, Filipe and Helen each lose 6 pounds, while Filipe and Kristin lose 4 pounds. But Ron's hospital stay prompts him to gain 3 pounds, and Laura somehow gains 1 pound. Ron and Nicole are below the yellow line.
The elimination We finally have the opportunity to boot Ron out, but he's up against a woman whose return freaked everyone out. Will people vote to save Nicole -- the woman who really, truly, honest-to-god deserves to be there -- or will they boot her as the biggest threat? Nicole refuses to beg -- I'll just remind you all of the things you said to me, about how you're glad I'm back and how I push you to do better. It's about your personal integrity now, she tells them. Oh, Nicole. You're doomed.
Filipe has the temerity to vote for Ron -- who tried to get him booted last week. Ron is offended. Alison asks him to explain. "People are making these decisions to help themselves," Ron gasps. Well, DUH! That's what you've been doing the whole time, Ron! Don't you DARE claim the moral high ground now! Mike accuses Filipe of lying to him, and Mike, I really want to continue liking you, so shut it. Filipe says no, I just told you Ron would be fine. Ron and Mike cluck and roll heir eyes and act like they've experienced a personal betrayal, and I'm ready to kill someone. SHUT. IT.
Sione is just as frustrated as I am -- quit with the "he needs to be here" argument, because we're all going home soon and we all need to suck it up. Begone, Ron! Helen also tries to cast out the Ron demon that is possessing the ranch. Alas, everyone else votes for Nicole to go home. Again. Dammit!
Nicole looks fantastic at the Look-at-me-now interview, but then, she looked fantastic when she walked back onto the ranch. Nicole, you're a sweetheart, I adore you, and you didn't deserve what happened to you. Congrats on all your efforts, keep it up for yourself, and don't let the malignant schmuckiness get you down.
Highlights, thoughts and odds and ends
Tara did seem a bit unhinged by Nicole's presence. She was parroting self-help phrases by the end, but I can't help but think there's something a lot deeper that needs to be addressed. And no, Dr. Jillian's two-minute sessions don't count. Sione shoots an impressive Look of Death at Kristin during the challenge. Mike talks about his prospects in the challenge: "I have zero balance standing up. It's a miracle I can walk." Heh. When Nicole gains weight, Tara busts out this blinding grin. Grrr. Yeah, you're happy that she's here, you're glad for the extra incentive to do well. Pull the other one... Seriously, how long will we have to endure Ron? He's even poisoning my appreciation for Mike. Make it stop!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 01, 2009, 12:56:48 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Week 13"
This week is full of past Biggest Loser contestants. When the players enter the gym, there are season five winner Ali Vincent — still skinny and buff. Ali announces that after the last elimination, Alison Sweeney had her baby. But that isn't the only big news of the day. Just as Ali was an eliminated competitor who was able to return to the ranch during her season, someone would be getting that chance this year as well. In walks Nicole, Estella and David who never got the opportunity to come back as their partners were eliminated early on in the game. Nicole looks fabulous, Estella also looks great (especially when we see her "week 1" flashback) and David, well, looks like he's had a tougher time keeping it up at home. The three weigh-in:
Estella- from 242lbs to 197lbs, she's lost 45lbs, 18.6 percent. David- from 393lbs to 347lbs, he's lost 46lbs, 11.7 percent. Nicole- from 269lbs to 182lbs, she's lost 87lbs, 32.34 percent.
Nicole gets back in the house, gains immunity for the week, and everyone is worried. 87 pounds lost at home is a pretty big feat, and at 11:04 pm, she's already hitting the gym only to go for a walk at 7:30 am the next morning. During her early morning stroll she encounters a very chatty Tara, and I'm sure all Nicole is thinking is, "Please just leave me be." She returns to the house where Bob sees her for the first time and is stunned — so stunned he even screams out an expletive. Tara, meanwhile, expresses her concern to Jillian as Nicole is now right behind her at number two in terms of progress. She also gets emotional when she tells Jillian she wants to focus on herself and figure out why she gained over 100 pounds in a year and a half because she's scared that she'll go home and do it again. They hug it out and return to workout. Ron has some more serious issues of his own. He feels chest pain so the medic sends him to Dr. H at the hospital. There he finds out he has bleeding ulcers caused by the gastric bypass he had done in his 40's. He'll need medication but can safely return to the ranch.
Michelle Aguilar, the winner of the "families" season, hosts this week's challenge about balance. She, too, looks great. The contestants have to hold a rope with one hand while standing on a platform balanced on 40 ropes, over a pool. Every so often, a rope will be released, making it harder. Mike is the first one out, followed by Filipe. The girls had a strong showing but eventually it comes down to Sione and Kristin. At over an hour and with only nine ropes left, Kristin falls making Sione the winner of a 1-pound advantage at the next weigh-in.
Alison is back in time for the players to step on the scale. Nicole is up first and shockingly gains five pounds. The worst part is that her immunity goes out the window as losing weight is a stipulation. Bob thinks it's stress, but I don't know what to think. Her overall percentage becomes +2.75. Everyone else went as follows:
Ron and Laura also gained a pound. We know Ron most likely did due to his hospital visit, but could Laura have water-logged? I doubt it. It's Ron and Nicole below the yellow line, and Nicole asks her deciding opponents to consider how her being on campus has made them work harder. Ron tells them that in week four he asked them to save his son Mike, and now he's asking them to save him. Mike says his dad still needs to be there and that it's not fair to penalize him for going to the hospital. Although Filipe and Sione turn on their alliance and vote out Ron, somehow, yet again, he makes it through another week. What a bummer for Nicole. During her exit interview she remains proud and says that it's not about winning the title, but about how she feels about herself, what she's capable of doing, and the woman that she's become. Cue cheesy montage as she arrives back home to her loving fiancé Damien, who I'm sure will continue to workout with her as they keep up their progress!
Ok, so I have to say, I was SO thrilled to hear Megan’s name mentioned on BL last night. Dave and I tivoed back to listen to Ali V announce her birth like 3 times.
I’m so cheesy like that. But … on to the show:
It was weird watching it because while I’d heard what had happened during the week, I wasn’t there for stuff I’m normally there for! I was so sad not to get to see David and Estella. I thought Ali V did such a great job with everything, and it was so appropriate since she’d been a ‘return’ herself. And um, can I just say ‘wow!’ doesn’t she look AMAZING?!!! Nicole & Estella both looked fantastic as well. It was so wonderful to see how well they’ve both done at home, and hopefully David took the moment as Ali suggested, as a wake-up call. To not look back, but move forward from there. We’ll see at the finale (which is just weeks away! Omg!) Also, I must mention Michelle too. She seemed so happy and looked beautiful. What a crazy challenge. Whoa!
Days is going on hiatus for the next two weeks. We’ve been pre-taping all these May sweeps scenes getting ready for the time off. Yowsers! I hope you all have your dvr’s set cause it’s really good stuff. I was watching the air show yesterday, I thought James and Joe did such an amazing job with the Tony scenes. Ari and I were talking today about that scene where Sami tells EJ (et al) that she is adopting a baby. We were both saying that those scenes totally caught us off guard, we read it one way, and then when we were out there, doing the scenes, we were both so affected by each other and James that they came out totally different. I watched them and had to tell her she was so great in those scenes! I mean fantastic, right?! I love working with her. We have so much fun together, when we were doing the comic stuff, as well as the serious intense stuff we’ve been doing lately. I was so happy to work with Bry again. I was so happy to work with Bry again. I miss him since we don’t work together all the time now. How funny was the line Will had about not getting his dad’s sense of humor? Cause I think Sami (& I) see such similarities between Will & Lucas, their humor and the way they handle Sami’s …sami-ness… so it was fun to play that moment.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 01, 2009, 10:12:22 PM
Q & A with Michelle:
1) How has life changed for you both personally and professionally since winning The Biggest Loser last season? Personally I have a better outlook on everything. I have found that since the show I take much more joy in the little things. Professionally I have yet to come back down to reality and get a 9-5 job, and I'll be honest, I kind of like it!!
2) How is your relationship with your mother? My relationship with my mother is going great, I have been learning to better balance my time so that we can stay in touch.
3) Do you still keep in contact with the players from last season? What about the trainers? I keep in contact some, our tech friendly society makes it possible. Jillian and still communicate reguarly and I do my best to meet up with her whenever I am in LA!
4) What is your daily routine that keeps you physically fit? I know that I still need to keep a regular work out routine. I hit the gym 3-4 times a week and I focus mostly on cardio. When my schedule permits I get some strength training in as well.
5) Any advice for the players this season? Whatever you do, make sure you are doing this for yourself. I promise there are tough days ahead emotionally, and if you have the right mind set you will get through it!!
6) How did it feel being back on the ranch? What was it like co- hosting with Ali V.? Crazy being back on the show and cool at the same time. It was great to see Ali even if it was just for a moment!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 02, 2009, 10:36:42 AM
An interview with Nicole:
Biggest Loser Castoff Nicole Now Feels "Sexy, Beautiful, and Victorious"
Nicole Brewer certainly had her highs and lows on The Biggest Loser campus: First, a twist Week 1 sent her packing. A few weeks later, when her fiancé and Couples partner, Damien, was eliminated, she missed out on her chance to return and compete. But working hard at home paid off and losing 87 pounds on her own helped her earn a spot back in the game, with immunity to boot. Unfortunately, the change of environment proved to be fatal when Nicole gained five pounds, lost her immunity privilege and was voted out once again. TVGuide.com checked in with the New Yorker (who's lost 107 pounds to date) to see why she gained weight and how it feels to prepare for her wedding as a fit bride-to-be.
TVGuide.com: What was it like re-joining the group, especially when they bombarded you about game-play? Nicole Brewer: It was overwhelming. It was also very awkward. As excited as I was to join the campus and as much as it seemed like it was this big, happy family, it wasn't. Rejoining that team at that time was really stressful; it was no longer just a group of overweight people who wanted to change their lives. I was joining the cast when it was the survivors, it was now about who was going to win the prize at the end of the game. So it was definitely a very different ranch and it wasn't a lot of fun. You've got to be careful what you wished for, because I worked so hard and when I found out there was actually a chance that I could get back on that ranch, I was so excited. But when you actually go back, the reality is that's not exactly where I needed to be.
TVGuide.com: How long was it before you returned that you found out about the second chance? Brewer: It was just a couple of days. I didn't have any time to prepare at all.
TVGuide.com: Why do you think you gained weight during your week on campus? Brewer: It was a completely different environment. I lost all of my weight at home, under no stress, with the man that I love. I also feel that, let's face it, every month women's bodies go through a fluctuation of fluids and unfortunately that's just something you can't ever anticipate. Just like people trying to lose weight at home, some weeks you gain, some weeks you lose, some weeks you don't lose as much as you want to lose, but it's something that you can't ever really predict.
TVGuide.com: Did you know you'd lose immunity if you gained weight? Brewer: I did. That was made clear to me from Alison Sweeney, so I was fully aware and I totally understand that rule.
TVGuide.com: During your "Where Are They Now" piece, you looked stunning in that wedding dress. How did it feel to put it on? Brewer: It was amazing. When I first went shopping for my wedding gown, I had the man who wanted to marry me, I have a beautiful wedding, but I was really unhappy that I was at that size. So going to shop for the wedding gown was totally a different experience. This time around, I could look at the dresses that I would have never looked at, at a size 24. I felt sexy, I felt beautiful, I felt victorious.
TVGuide.com: As a fellow New Yorker, do you have tips for changing up your workout now that it'll be getting warm out? Brewer: Absolutely. I'm just so excited to be in New York City because I've lived here for 14 years, [and] the only thing I ever did in Central Park, before The Biggest Loser, was go to a concert at Summer Stage. There are so many things you can do. Up and down the West Side Highway, you can roller skate, roller blade, ride your bike all along the Hudson River, which is such a beautiful view. It's a whole other workout and a whole other experience than being in the gym. I know that I love the gym and I know that I'll always have the gym in my life, but you can also exercise for free outside. So my biggest tip is just to get outside and get moving and go to places that you've never been before. And now that I have a new body, I'm going to start shopping. When I used to take cabs everywhere, now I might actually be walking.
TVGuide.com: Damien said that you guys were working out 90 minutes in the morning and 90 at night, 6 days a week. Are you still doing that? Brewer: We might bump it up a little bit, but one day of rest is absolutely necessary. Doing it in the morning, really revving up your metabolism, and getting your calorie burns started early is really important so that we can enjoy the day and enjoy the outdoors. But getting a solid, intense workout in is going to be the key and that's what our strategy is for the home stretch, getting to the finale and for reaching our goals.
Nicole Brewer was sent home after just one week on "The Biggest Loser" ranch. She returned on Tuesday night's episode -- and viewers were happily surprised -- her competitors not so much -- to discover that even though she only had a short amount of time to pick up weight-loss skills, she learned enough in that time to go home and lose 87 pounds all on her own.
"I had my calorie counter and I knew my calorie budget," she says when asked how she was so successful without the daily guidance of trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels. "I knew I had to cook my own meals to control my calories."
Nicole also learned how to workout that first week at the ranch. It also didn't hurt that she had a goal other than getting healthy: Her upcoming wedding to Damian Gurganious, who is also doing well since leaving the ranch. He has lost more than 100 pounds.
"Every day I am reminded I am marrying the perfect man for me," says Nicole, who has lost 107 pounds total, going from a size 24 when she weighed 269 pounds, to a size 16. Nicole and Damian have yet to set the exact date, but their wedding will take place sometime in late summer.
"When I first went shopping for my wedding gown, I was so happy. I had a man who wanted to marry me and I was going to have a beautiful wedding, but I was so unhappy that I was that size," she recalls. "This time around, I could look at dresses that I could never have looked at as a size 24. I felt sexy. I felt beautiful. I felt victorious."
Nicole should feel like a winner. When she was on the ranch this week, she placed second on the list when it came to the percentage of weight lost.Tara Costa is the only one who out ranked her.
Now that her diet and exercise program is paying off big time, Nicole says she has not plans to slack off. Rather, she will be adding weights to her cardio workouts in order to "have a more sculpted body and look absolutely fabulous from all angles when I walk down that aisle." To her it is a dream come true that she is not going to get married "fat."
That said, both she and Damian are planning to invite their "Biggest Loser" competitors to the wedding.
"Damian is saying we are going to have a whole 'Biggest Loser' table," she says.
"The Biggest Loser" airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Snooky on April 02, 2009, 04:59:36 PM
Jillian Michaels Reveals She May Not Stay with The Biggest Loser
Will she stay or will she go? That's the question being asked of Jillian Michaels by fans of The Biggest Loser since they announced the casting call for a new trainer on season eight. In an interview with Jillian Michaels by DietsInReview.com, she clarifies that she is in talks with NBC about her future with the show.
New York City, NY (PRWEB) April 2, 2009 -- In an interview with DietsInReview.com, Jillian Michaels discussed her role on the hit NBC reality program, The Biggest Loser. Due to a recent casting call for new trainers, she was asked if she'll be staying with the show. Jillian's response was direct, "I might not be."
"I need certain things to continue with the show, and if I can't get them, then no," says Jillian. She acknowledges that NBC has been great in negotiations, but that might not be enough because she's simply not happy.
I need certain things to continue with the show, and if I can't get them, then no keeping creative options open for next season "I am freakin' miserable!" she admits, noting that Biggest Loser Season 7 has been a tough one for her, going so far as to say that she really hated some of the contestants and that made it difficult to work with them.
In February, NBC announced the casting call for trainers to be a part of season eight, which will air in fall 2009. Speculation immediately rose amongst fans of The Biggest Loser. While an NBC spokesperson said they were merely "keeping creative options open for next season," Jillian clarifies that there are definite questions about her continued position.
News of a possible departure by Jillian has caused a flurry of activity amongst fans on DietsInReview.com message boards, many noting that Jillian is the reason they watch, that they'd hate to see her go and that they likely would no longer watch if she was not a part of the program.
You can hear the interview with Jillian Michaels in its entirety, as well as a part two in which she discusses her new book, "Master Your Metabolism," at DietsInReview.com.
If Jillian leaves the biggest loser I will be very dissapointed! Last time in season three when she left it didn't seem the same!
I agree thanks for the article
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 03, 2009, 03:42:34 PM
An interview with Nicole:
Biggest Loser’s Nicole: I Don’t Need the Ranch to Lose Weight
In this week’s Biggest Loser twist, the Red Team’s Nicole Brewer, 37, earned a surprise return to the Ranch after losing 87 lbs. at home in 12 weeks. But her excitement quickly faded when game play ensued and Brewer realized that the Ranch was not where she needed to be in order to succeed. Just as quickly as she arrived, the wardrobe stylist was sent back home to Brooklyn, N.Y. Having lost 107 lbs. so far, Nicole spoke to PEOPLE.com about being targeted at the Ranch, her upcoming wedding and showing America anyone can lose the weight at home.– Rebecca Gross
What was it like rejoining the group? It was overwhelming and also very awkward. Rejoining [the red] team at that time was really stressful. It was no longer just a group of overweight people who wanted to change their lives; I was joining the cast when it was the survivors, and it was now about who was going to win the prize at the end of the game. It was definitely a very different Ranch and it wasn’t a lot of fun.
When did you to notice that you had a target on your back? On the very first day. Tara physically put an “X” on my back. So it was made very clear to me at that point. Especially coming in with the second highest total percentage of weight loss, Mike made it clear to me that I was taking his slot in the No. 2 spot.
You would have had immunity but you gained five pounds. Why do you think you gained weight? I think I gained weight because it was a completely different environment. I lost all of my weight at home under no stress with the man [fiancé Damien Gurganious] that I love. Let’s face it: every month, women’s bodies go through fluctuation in fluids. So I believe it was the combination of the change of environment and the fluctuation in fluids.
What was your strategy to losing all your weight at home? I knew that I had to cook all my own meals in order to control my calories. When I was heavier I would avoid stairs. And the very first thing I had to do at the Ranch was the Stair Climber. Once I realized I could do it…every day when I went into the gym that was the first thing I was going to do because it was my biggest fear and it was one of the things I needed to tackle. It got my heart rate up, it made me sweat and it made me feel like I accomplished something.
Being a wardrobe stylist, how does it feel to shop for yourself now? It’s something so deeply personal but also professional for me. For my Where Are They Now shoot, I actually did have to go out and buy some new clothes. I was able to go into a store that I would normally go into for my clients. When I came out I just completely sobbed because I could not believe that I could wear clothes from a normal, regular-sized store.
So how did it feel to put on a wedding dress that was half the size of your original one? It was amazing! When I first went shopping for my wedding gown, I was so happy I had a man who wanted to marry me…But I was just really unhappy that I was at that size. This time around, I could look at dresses that I never could have looked at when I was a size 24. I felt sexy, I felt beautiful, I felt victorious.
Tell us about your wedding! I’m so excited and planning my wedding is one of the best parts about life after The Biggest Loser: Couples. We haven’t picked an exact date but it’s going to be a late summer wedding in New York. We are absolutely going to be inviting some of our new Biggest Loser family members to join us for our nuptials.
Do you feel a little “ripped off” that you didn’t get to spend very much time on the Ranch? Having done so well at home and ending up not doing so well on the Ranch, I realized I didn’t really miss anything. I wanted to be the one to show America that you can do it at home. You don’t need a magical Ranch or someone screaming at you or telling you what to do, you just have to believe that you can do it.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 03, 2009, 10:19:08 PM
THE BIGGEST LOSER SEASON 7
Episode: 17
Air Date: April 28, 2009
CONTESTANTS GET TO TRAIN THEIR TRAINERS!
This week, the tables are turned when contestants get to train their trainers and are only too happy to put Bob and Jillian through the paces! Later, the remaining five players have to race up and down hills while carrying bags representing their total weight loss so far in a particularly grueling challenge. Then it’s time to visit Dr. Huizenga for a progress report and to find out their new “real ages” now that they’ve lost so much weight. The players also try on their “goal outfits” and are amazed to see how far they’ve really come. Then after weighing in and eliminating one more contestant, the final four players head home, where they’ll stay for 30 days before returning to weigh in at the ranch one last time.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 04, 2009, 11:38:56 AM
Losing a Grip on Immunity with Nicole Brewer on The Biggest Loser Couples
Although some of the competitors on The Biggest Loser Couples form lasting bonds with each other, even after they leave the ranch, others don't stay long enough to form any relationship. This week's episode of The Biggest Loser Couples saw the return of three competitors that were sent home - Nicole, Estelle, and David - to vie for a spot to stay in the game from losing the most weight at home. When the three stepped on the scales, it was Brooklyn native Nicole Brewer who won Biggest Loser immunity after losing a whopping 87 pounds at home.
However, when the regular gameplay resumed, with a grip challenging rope contest to balance their weight over a swimming pool, Nicole quickly lost the immunity when she stepped on the scales and it was revealed that she gained 5 pounds upon her return. After making it back to The Biggest Loser ranch, Nicole was sent packing almost as quickly as she came through the door.
The next morning we hopped on the phone with Nicole Brewer, the now former competitor of The Biggest Loser Couples, to find out how she lost her grip on both the scales and immunity.
THE DEADBOLT: How did it feel when you first walked back in the gym? It seemed like you scared the crap out of everyone?
NICOLE BREWER: [laughs] You think so? You know, it’s so funny, because when I first walked in the gym I was just overwhelmed by how good they looked. You have to remember the last time I saw them was thirteen weeks before and they were heavy just like me. I mean, it was amazing. So my jaw dropped when I saw them. But when I saw their reaction to me, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m feeling good. I think I might have this in the bag right now.’ It felt really good, it was definitely a confidence boost.
THE DEADBOLT: It was pretty funny. You could see their faces lighting up and getting excited, then their expressions changed once it sunk in that they might be in trouble.
NICOLE: I know, especially when you watch them watching the videos of all three of us in that first week. And then when we walked in, that was pretty powerful.
THE DEADBOLT: You must have felt really proud when Bob saw you and he was speechless.
NICOLE: ‘What?’ - I think he thought when I did my little cat walk. I felt amazing, you know? It really felt good because I felt he was genuinely shocked that I was able to do what I did at home.
THE DEADBOLT: What was your main exercise at home that you feel helped you the most?
NICOLE: Well, when I first got home I gotta say, as cold as it was I - I live in Brooklyn, but workout in Manhattan - I can’t tell you how many miles it is, but I would ride from Brooklyn over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan and back everyday, about six days out of every week. So that burned. That got my calories burning first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I have to say the thing I hate most about New York City, and the thing that, when I was heavier, I would avoid is stairs.
So the very first thing I had to do at the ranch was the stair climber. And once I realized that I could do it, I realized everyday I went to the gym that was the first thing I was going to do, because it was my biggest fear and it was one of the things that I needed to tackle. So I know it got my heart-rate up and I sweat, and I felt like I accomplished something every time I did the stair climber. I’m going to say the stair climber is the number one way I burned the calories.
THE DEADBOLT: Since you only spent a little bit of time at the ranch, do you feel a little ripped off in a way? You didn’t get that experience, really.
NICOLE: You know, I sure didn’t. It’s funny, because a lot of people were saying, ‘The red team got robbed.’ I laugh when people say that, and I think about - again, the reason why I wanted to be on The Biggest Loser was not just to change my life, I wanted to compete and enjoy the game and benefit from the trainers and enjoy the ranch. So I don’t know. Having done so well at home and ending up not doing so well on the ranch, I realized I didn’t really miss anything. If my true success came at home, then everything happened the way it was supposed to happen.
THE DEADBOLT: With your wedding coming up, are you and Damien seriously gunning for the $100,000?
NICOLE: [laughs] Well, I have to say there are so many people in this competition. I think what me and Damien are gunning for is to go out on that stage knowing that we did absolutely everything that we could with this opportunity of a lifetime, and know that we played the game with a certain amount of personal respect and personal integrity and dignity. So I know that there’s a lot of drama that goes on, a lot of gameplay, and I can safely say that we didn’t have anything to do with that. So we can go out there knowing that we did a really good job and the scale is going to prove it.
THE DEADBOLT: What was that rope challenge like?
NICOLE: That rope challenge was crazy. I loved how it was a metaphor for how to balance things in my life, which was kind of interesting, because that’s how I lost the weight at home. I balanced my life with my exercise and my diet and it was really about doing that balancing act. And I really tried to hold on to the very end.
But what was so crazy about it was, my hands were freezing cold. So I couldn’t look from side to side to see who was left in the game with me. But all I knew was that I was going to hang on as long as I possibly could. And it was exciting because that’s what I felt like I missed most, competing in those challenges. So at least I got to have that one challenge and at least make it to the final three. I showed that I was a competitor and had I stayed it was definitely going to be on.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 05, 2009, 10:14:27 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Only One Vote?!
Last week's Biggest Loser was just chock full of surprises. Alison had her baby, Ali and Michelle came back to co-host, three people gained weight and the person winning her way back with amazing numbers, is sent packing before she can even settle in.
Although I felt bad for Nicole, that unfortunate gain of 5 pounds was something we haven't seen since the days of gaining weight by drinking massive amounts of water to throw a weigh-in. I'm sure it was because of all the stress, but still, 5 pounds is a little shocking - but that's just my opinion. She should get lots of kudos though for losing 85 pounds, at home, on her own, with no trainer or guidance. Also, I had to agree with Mike - Ron should not have been penalized because he was pumped full of fluids at the hospital - maybe they should get something in place for their sickest contestants - especially if a contestant is taken to the hospital where they have no control over what goes into their bodies. Want to bet he will have a double-digit weight loss next week? Now Laura... sorry, I just don't get Laura's weight gain. She seems to be all over the place when it comes to weight loss. Maybe it's time for Jillian to get inside Laura's head and find out why this is happening to her.
Mike, Sione, Filipe and Helen are staying on an even keel and seem to be under the radar of the other contestants - or maybe it's just that they are staying above that dreaded yellow line. I don't have a clue which one of the remaining contestants has what it takes to win this whole competition. With the exception of Laura, they all seem to be evenly matched - including Ron. Only time and tough competitions will tell...
Coming up:
We had such a quick peek at the mess of sinful sweets all over the floor of the gym and not one hint to explain what was happening - so, it took a little checking around to understand that few seconds of footage. I've read that the players will compete for the sole vote at the elimination during a risky temptation challenge. Yes, you heard that correctly. Our contestants will face a temptation challenge in which the winner of the challenge will choose the person that will be eliminated. Sounds like a must-win for Tara if she wants to stay on campus. I can't think of anyone else that has a bigger and brighter target ... and with so many people aiming for that target!
I'm hearing that we will, once again, be treated to a visit from Rocco DiSpirito as he teaches the contestants how to make healthy versions of restaurant dishes. He is quickly becoming a regular on the Biggest Loser. Don't know about you all, but I never get tired of Rocco!
I'm also reading that two former contestants will return to offer advice. I wonder if it Ali and Michelle will be staying for an extra week since Alison came back so quickly, or will we be treated to some other past contestants offering up their words of wisdom?
The challenge this week will feature our players scaling the steps of a stadium. Could it be something like a past season's challenge where hot dogs, pizza and ice cream are loaded up on the contestants tables?
Lots to look forward to when The Biggest Loser Couples 2 airs at 8/7c on NBC, Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 07, 2009, 08:42:14 AM
click on link below to view video
'The Biggest Loser' Makeover Episode!
"Project Runway" mentor Tim Gunn transforms "The Biggest Loser" contestants with a Macy's makeover -- and ET has your sneak peek.
"I am very excited to get an amazing haircut and some new clothes and to finally feel good about myself. I haven't taken care of me on the outside, because I was ashamed," Tara Costa says, after host Alison Sweeney informs the remaining contestants that it is time to get stylish.
The final eight "Losers" on the ranch head to Macy's for their brand-new look and then to celebrity hairstylists Tabatha and Brandon Martinez for their new 'dos on the episode airing Tuesday, April 14.
"It is a visualization of how far we have all come," Kristin Steede, who holds the record as the first woman to lose 100 pounds on the ranch, adds.
With a little advice from Tim, the women are dressed in gorgeous jewel tones in everything from a classic shirtdress to a plunging, V-neck cocktail dress, while the men are clad in classic menswear with some unexpected touches.
"They haven't been able to wrap their brains around the new size," Tim says. "They don't know how to dress it, so to be able to be with them and to nurture and guide them, is an honor."
It was especially emotional for Helen Phillips, who has lost 88 pounds at the point she goes shopping. She tells Tim, "I look around and things were untouchable before." Then she gets herself together and adds, "It is happening and I made the change."
Of course, when she gets a surprise visit from her husband, Russ, she is thrilled when he tells her, "Oh, my God, honey. You are so beautiful."
"The Biggest Loser" airs Tuesday nights on NBC at 8 p.m.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on April 07, 2009, 08:04:05 PM
Interesting show tonight. I think Ron was wrong getting so offended about the votes. I think Filipe takes everything so personal.
I also think Tara will be below the yellow line and not keep her power. I think it will be Tara and Laura below the line.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on April 07, 2009, 09:41:18 PM
WOW LARA would have had immunity... has she finnally realized she can do this or was she sandbagging before because she had Tara?
I think she made the right decision. Sione was a bigger threat then Helen. Plus if she falls below next week she MAY have help with Helen.
I have to say... I am loving Kristin. She just gets it. and I love that she is losing so much weight. She seems to be making use of her time on the ranch. Doing it for her self, and working LAURA as a back up for the game. SHe is one to watch.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 07, 2009, 11:40:02 PM
I completely agree Texan
Love Kristin the only reason why I continue watching and I was so glad to see Coleen and Jerry
Ron wants blood I never saw that coming “those of you who voted for me may you get struck down and die” omg
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 07, 2009, 11:47:38 PM
A recap Episode 14:
The Biggest Loser: Couples': Gaining power, losing control
As you can imagine, last week's failed ouster of Ron made things Un! Comfort! Able! on "The Biggest Loser: Couples." So when the Losers were given the opportunity and a plausible reason to drown their discomfort with calories... well, most of them did.
Obligatory Ron Rant Have I mentioned how much Ron bugs me? EVERYONE in the house is scared of him -- he's the Godfather, The Hatchet Man. Tara says she'd be afraid if she were the Tongans -- "They might find a horse's head in their beds.” The editors underscore all their Ron footage with Godfather-esque music from then on.
When Ron gets back after the vote, he thanks those who voted to save him. "Those who didn't, may you get struck down and die." He intones that those who left the protection of the pack should expect to be set upon by wild dogs and have their entrails dragged out to the wilderness. Or to be voted off. Whichever. Fear of The Great and Powerful Ron runs deep: Kristin doesn't even want to be seen walking with the three outcasts, and she slinks away when Filipe asks her if she'd ever vote against Ron.
Mike is livid that Helen, Filipe and Sione dares trespass against The Holy Ron, and I really wish he'd shut up because I want to keep liking him and he's making it difficult.
Please, for the love of all that is good, SOMEONE get Ron out of there!
Temptations The Losers are confronted with 100 covered trays. Most of them contain high-cal snacks. A few contain product-placed gum with cash attached. And one holds "ultimate power" -- a golden ticket that will grant the user the sole vote in this week's elimination.
After a few seconds of hesitation, the Losers gets snacking. Just about everyone says they NEEEEEED this ticket to survive, but Sione, Filipe and Helen feel more urgency than most. Kristin realizes early that the power is fine, but only if you stay above the yellow line, so she drops out. Ron gets a string of lucky trays -- he wins $1,500 in gum money -- but he, too, starts having to eat.
Laura ends up winning the ticket, and she immediately starts scheming. Kneel before Zod! Laura! And get me breakfast in bed while you're at it! Kristin actually does suck up with breakfast in bed, and Helen tries to be motherly and concerned, then suggests that maybe Laura would want to vote her partner off. Wait, what? That's not going to happen.
Laura starts scheming -- Tara, why don't you throw the weigh-in, so you'll be below the line with someone else and then I won't have to make a tough decision! Tara resists, then wavers, then looks like she’s going to, then looks like she won't... she's undecided until late in the game, despite Jillian urging her not to take the risk.
The Challenge Welcome to the Rose Bowl! Now run up and down all the steps in your half of the stadium. My knees start aching just watching them. It's boys against girls, and Sione and Tara win handily. Then Sione and Tara go head to head, and they swap leads. In the end, Tara's focus and her ability to pace herself give her the win. She gets a vacation for 4 at a fitness resort.
Sione is pissed -- I did my best, but I guess my best wasn't good enough, he warbles. (Ok, no singing, but he did get that song stuck in my head). He's feeling defeated. Uh-oh.
The Weigh-In Ron has a stellar week, losing 9 pounds. Will no one rid me of this turbulent Loser? No, seriously-- anyone? No? Sigh. Kristin and Filipe also post great numbers (6 and 7 pounds, respectively), and are safe.
Mike and Tara hit roadblocks this week -- Mike loses "just" 5 pounds, while Tara drops "just" 3. Did she consciously throw the weigh-in? She says no, but Jillian shoots daggers with her eyes. But they're saved by Helen, who drops "only" 2 pounds, and Sione, who loses "just" 4. So long as Laura stays above the line, one of them will be going home. Ron smugly looks smug as he smugs his way to smugville -- one of the heretics will fall to the righteous sword of elimination! Grrr.
And who woulda thunk it, Laura didn't cave under the pressure. She has an awesome week, losing 8 pounds. Hooray! Now, get ready to crush some hopes and dreams!
The Elimination At the judging table, Laura says Helen is like her mother, and Sione is like her brother. Well, Laura's brother, beware if you're in a lifeboat with her and your mom, because you're getting pushed overboard. Sione goes home. Sigh.
He looks spectacular in the Look At Me Now interview -- he's studying to become a trainer, he's working out his family, he gives his (adorable) small children athletic shoes, and takes his (adorable) wife to the gym. He's lost 137 pounds, and he looks gooooooood. Rowr.
Highlights, thoughts and odds and ends
Ah, Sione. You spoke truth to power -- "I don't owe anybody anything. I'm not here for Ron, I’m here for myself" -- and you got smote for it. Alas. We'll miss you.
Filipe gets emotional and tells Sione how much he means to him. Sione looks deeply uncomfortable.
I did like Sione asking Filipe to lead them in a Haka (or Sipi Tau, or Kailao -- I'm afraid I’m not up on my varieties of Tongan war dances). If I haven't pointed you here before, check out the Tongans vs. the New Zealand All Blacks before a rugby match. Now THAT, my friends, is a dance off!
Jillian and Bob are both utterly disgusted by the temptation challenge, and that their Losers succumbed. Jillian looks like she wants to get the gym reconsecrated after the blasphemous binge.
Both trainers enjoy kicking the crap out of the Losers in the post-temptation workout. I'm amazed we didn't see anyone puking. Grateful, but amazed. At the weigh-in, Ron says he's fine with his loss, but "that put me above my son and I'm not happy." "Oh, shut up!" Mike says. "Be happy!" Heh. Finally!
Sione, when he leaves, pledges that the next time we see him, he'll be "the next Tongan Brad Pitt." Wait, there was a previous Tongan Brad Pitt? Where? Is he single? :funny:
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 07, 2009, 11:59:26 PM
From tvguide:
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Week 14"
This week, there was nothing but drama in The Biggest Loser: Couples house as Ron was left in the game, despite receiving votes from his "alliance." The tension follows from the elimination room to the living room as Ron calls out Sione for telling him he was "fine" before the voting. Mike's also upset about his dad getting stabbed in the back while Kristin recognizes that Ron is both cutthroat and competitive. And as the producers like to dramatize, we see a little montage showing Ron as the king of the house.
The next day, Ali is waiting in the gym that's filled with silver platters everywhere: It's time for a temptation challenge. 100 trays are hiding snacks (mostly fattening, some healthy), cash and one lucky golden ticket that will give the player who uncovers it the power to cast the sole vote this week. Of course, nothing in the BL house comes calorie-free. As each player tries to get the lucky platter, they rack up the calories. Finally Laura gets the golden ticket, and she and Tara scream with excitement as they realize they'll be safe another week.
The trainers walk into the gym as the contestants are cleaning up the remnants of their temptations. None too pleased, Bob and Jillian train together to kick their butts and pretty much beat the crap out of them. I bet everyone but Laura is really regretting that temptation.
Jillian takes her team to Subway for a little <strike>product placement</strike> healthy meal. All of a sudden, in walks last season's father/daughter duo Colleen and Jerry looking great, and they the team how to make a healthy sandwich. Jillian gives them some tips, like using mustard and vinegar instead of oil and mayo, apples instead of fries and iced tea instead of soda. Minor adjustments that seem pretty easy to follow.
This week's challenge is at the Rose Bowl football stadium, and Filipe is more than stoked to be there (since my 'SC Trojans have often dominated there). Their task is to run the stairs — all 2,156 of them. It's also boys versus girls, with the winner of each gender to compete in a second heat. The prize is pretty sweet: a two-week trip for four at a fitness spa in Utah. It's no surprise when Sione and Tara win the first leg and have to face-off against each other. Is anyone else sick of these two going head-to-head? Although most of the race is pretty tight, Tara edges out Sione, once again, for the victory.
Back at the house, the scheming begins. Sione and Filipe pretty much tell Kristin if she falls below the yellow line she's dun-zo. Helen and Laura chat and Helen suggests maybe Laura vote off her own partner because, after all, they're not family. Really, Helen!? Kristin then suggests that Tara may fall below the yellow line on purpose, knowing her partner Laura won't vote her off. Oh, the possibilities.
After a little Marley & Me screening and a last-chance workout, it's time for the weigh-in. Mike goes first as he's nine pounds away from setting the all-time record for weight-loss at the ranch (144 pounds). Unfortunately, he only loses five, his lowest number yet, which gives him a 1.98 percent loss for the week. Here's how everyone else did:
Ron- loses 9 pounds, 2.84 percent. Tara- loses 3 pounds, 1.59 percent. (Jillian sends her a scathing look as Tara swears she didn't lose a small amount on purpose) Kristin- loses 6 pounds, 2.39 percent. Helen- loses 2 pounds, 1.17 percent. Filipe- loses 7 pounds, 2.70 percent. Sione- loses 4 pounds, 1.54 percent. Laura- loses 8 pounds, 3.76 percent.
Helen and Sione are below the yellow line, and it's up to Laura to cast the deciding vote. Sione tears up and asks Laura to vote with who she wants to be there while also slipping in that she can count on him every single week from there-on-out. Helen tells Laura that she and Tara are her closest people, and considers them daughters. So whose plea worked? After the cousins do one last Tongan chant, Sione, Helen and Laura head to the elimination room where Laura makes her tough decision; a power she regrets winning. She ultimately decides to send Sione home, but instead of wallowing, he's excited to go back to his family, share what he has learned and be a better father and husband.
In only a few months on The Biggest Loser, contestants Tara Costa and Helen Phillips have managed to sweat and diet their way to newer, slimmer selves, dropping a combined total of almost 200 lbs. And exclusively in the new issue of OK!, these two inspiring women sit down to talk about how they did it — and how they plan to keep the weight off!
"I was a very sad person before," Helen confessed to OK!. "Coming here has actually saved my life."
Meanwhile, former plus-size model Tara admitted, "I was an overweight teen all the way up to 24... I did everything."
OK! caught up with both Tara and Helen when we visited the set of the hit NBC show's upcoming fashion episode, where the remaining contestants work with style guru Tim Gunn to pick new looks to highlight their svelte figures. And here for the first time is your preview of their new looks:
Integral to Tara's dramatic weight loss is her "6-Mile Workout," which consists of: Jogging 3 miles, doing 20 push-ups, jogging another mile, then another set of push-ups, another mile, more push-ups, one last mile and then one final round of push-ups. We're losing weight just thinking about it!
"Right now I'm embracing day in and day out of what I'm living," explains Tara. "I'm finally allowing myself to realize that, okay, I can lose weight and I can be small and the weight will come off. And the second that you start believing that it will come off, it comes off."
Helen hopes that she can be an inspiration to those who think they're too old to get healthy. I would like to be that help for someone else now to get people started," she tells OK!. "I want them to know that they can do it and it’s never too late. At one point I was thinking, ‘I’m 48, almost 50, this is my life now’ but don’t ever settle. Anything is possible and if I can do it, anyone can do it. You just have to keep trying, take little steps and work on it every single day."
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 08, 2009, 12:20:47 PM
TIM GUNN AND TABATHA COFFEY HELP TRANSFORM "BIGGEST LOSER" CONTESTANTS IN ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR EPISODES OF THE SEASON – THE MAKEOVER EPISODE OF "THE BIGGEST LOSER: COUPLES" AIRING TUESDAY, APRIL 14 (8-10 P.M. ET) ON NBC
Released by NBC
Tim Gunn ("Project Runway") and Tabatha Coffey (Bravo's "Tabatha's Salon Takeover") guest star on one of the most eagerly-anticipated events of each "Biggest Loser" season – the makeover episode airing Tuesday, April 14 (8-10 p.m. ET) on NBC's "The Biggest Loser: Couples."
Before getting glammed up for their makeovers, the remaining seven contestants soar to new heights with this week's challenge. They'll have to cross a canyon – equivalent to a 10-story building at its highest point – on a zipline spanning 700 feet. The winner gets one of the most amazing prizes of the season – a $25,000 kitchen makeover.
After the kitchen makeover is awarded to the challenge winner, the contestants find out from host Alison Sweeney that they will all be getting makeovers. But this season, they'll be getting made over for their very own Hollywood premiere – complete with red carpet, reunions with loved ones, and a movie packed with emotional moments from their weight loss journeys.
First, the contestants head to Macy's where they find fashion guru Tim Gunn waiting to help them pick out stylish new outfits to flatter their slimmer selves. Guest hair stylist Tabatha (Bravo's "Tabatha's Salon Takeover") and celebrity stylist Brandon Martinez transform them further with complete salon makeovers. Then it's time for amazing reveals and emotional reunions when the made-over contestants show off their incredible new looks to loved ones flown in to help them celebrate their big day.
Later, back at the ranch, the contestants head to the gym for last chance workouts. But a visit with Dr. Huizenga reveals that one player is sidelined with a medical injury that will have a dramatic impact on workouts – and could affect her future on the show. And at this week's weigh-in, one player breaks the Biggest Loser record for most weight ever lost at the ranch. Then an emotional elimination sends another player home.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 08, 2009, 12:22:32 PM
THE BIGGEST LOSER SEASON 7
Episode: 18
Air Date: May 5, 2009
PAST SEASON WINNERS CHEER ON THE FINAL FOUR AS THEY FACE THEIR TOUGHEST CHALLENGE YET – RUNNING A FULL MARATHON!
The final four contestants go home for 30 days, reunite with friends and family and experience firsthand the challenge of continuing to make diet and exercise a priority back at home. Contestants also learn from host Alison Sweeney what their final challenge of the season will be – running a full marathon when they return to the ranch for their final weigh-in. Completing the full 26.2 mile course will be their toughest challenge yet, but cheering them on along the way are some past season “Biggest Losers”– grand prize winners Ali Vincent and Michelle Aguilar, plus “at home” winners Jim Germanakos, Heba Salama and Bernie Salazar. And as an added incentive, each player who finishes the marathon will get $10,000 to donate to the charity of their choice. Later, it’s the very last “last chance workouts” with trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels before a final weigh in determines who the two definite finalists will be – and which two contestants fall below the dreaded yellow line, leaving America to vote which one will be the third finalist to compete for the grand prize of $250,000.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 08, 2009, 02:26:14 PM
The Biggest Loser Couples Weighing In
Hello, and welcome to another week of The Biggest Loser: Couples. With only eight people left on the ranch, everyone is vying for the title of Biggest Loser more than ever.
Mike is devastated about how his fellow team mates betrayed him by throwing his father under the bus. Ron thanks everyone who kept him there, and tells those who voted against him to get struck down and die. Sione tells them he is playing for him, but Ron still feels betrayed. This causes a LOT of tension between him, Filipe and Sione. Kristin also thinks Ron is cutthroat and everyone is worried about how he is going to retaliate.
TEMPTATION
When everyone gets to the gym, they are surrounded by silver trays. Alison tells them that this is a temptation challenge that has the biggest prize ever. There are 100 trays with high calorie snacks. They have to eat whatever is in the tray. If they get a pack of Extra gum, they also get a monetary prize. The golden ticket tray holds the ultimate reward--complete control of the game, the only vote in the game. Kristin decides to be careful and not choose as many trays so she won't fall below the yellow lone. I'm really not sure what the point of this challenge is, since I thought the show was about LOSING weight. In the end, Laura gets the golden ticket. Kristin is wondering what the power is going to do to her. Laura tries to convince Tara to purposely fall below the yellow line so they can vote for the other person, but Tara isn't so sure she wants to do that.
As they are cleaning up the gym, Bob and Jillian come in. They are not happy with them participating in the temptation---and that is an understatement. Filipe admits he wants the power, but Jillian tells them they put themselves at risk. Bob wants them to them to remember this day and let it be a lesson. They also discuss the vote, and Bob realizes why they all took part in the challenge. He pulls Ron aside and asks him what happened. Ron says it is game on from now on.
WORKING OUT
Bob and Jillian join forces to make sure they all burn off the calories they ate. They take turns training everyone, making sure they realize the mistakes they made.
TRAINING TIP
For flat, sexy abs, add cardio and a proper diet to your crunches.
SPECIAL TREATMENT FOR LAURA
In order to get in Laura's good graces, Kristin brings Laura breakfast in bed.
SUBWAY VISIT
Jillian takes her team to Subway, where they are greeted by Coleen and Jerry from last season. Coleen tells them to use veggies and mustard as toppings. Jerry says eating at Subway helps him when getting a quick meal at work. I have to say, they both look incredible!
ROSE BOWL
They all get to see the Rose Bowl, which is exciting for me because Penn State was in it this year! As a Pennsylvania resident, this is exciting for my family and I! It is boys against girls in this challenge as they must run up and down the stairs to their colored flag. The winner will share their prize with their families--a two week trip for four at a fitness spa. Sione and Tara get their flags first. They have to do it again and whoever finishes first will win. It is a very close race, but in the end, Tara wins! Sione is upset about losing. Filipe, Helen and Sione corner Kristin and ask what she will do if Ron is below the yellow line. She isn't sure, and it causes a lot of tension between them.
LAURA AND HELEN
Helen tells Laura that it is stupid to convince Tara to purposely fall below the yellow line.
BOB'S TALK
Bob talks to her team about the voting debacle last week. They also wonder what Tara is going to do this week. Bob thinks she will purposely fall below the yellow line, but Kristin is not so sure.
JILLIAN'S TALK
Jillian feels the tension and stress from the game. She tells Tara that she better not throw the weigh in. She wants them to put themselves first and nothing good will come of it.
MOVIE TIME WITH BOB
Bob has his team watch Marley and Me and shows them snacks to eat instead of their usual ones, such as veggies and unbuttered popcorn.
LAST CHANCE WORKOUT Jillian pushes Tara, who seems to have trouble this week. Jillian tells her to reach inside her and be the person she knows she can be. Everyone else is focused on staying above the yellow line.
Bob is also pushing his team, especially Sione, who is having trouble as well.
This means Laura has to choose between Helen and Sione since they are in they bottom two.
Sione says it is her decision, but remember that she can count on him to keep her there. Helen says she is happy to have her and Tara there with her because she loves them like her own.
Sione and Filipe to their Tongan chant and dance before going to elimination.
ELIMINATION
After some sweet words for both of them, Laura sends Sione home. He says the show made him a better person. He says goodbye and is sent on his way.
HOW HE LOOKS NOW
When he gets home, he is greeted by his wife and kids, as well as other family members and friends. They are all proud of him and inspired to improve their lives as well. His daughter gives him apples as a snack as he studies to become a personal trainer. He trains his family and pretends to be Bob. Everyone is proud of him. He lost a total of 137 pounds thus far.
Tune in next week for makeover week with Tim Gunn! Goodnight everybody.
"The Biggest Loser" put the eight remaining contestants to the test on Tuesday night's episode, with a high-calorie challenge. Goodies such as donuts, cupcakes and chips were hidden in silver serving trays -- as was a golden ticket that gave the bearer the right to decide who went home that week. Did the quest for power lead them to scarf up the calories?
You bet. Only Kristin Steede was cautious in her calorie count, which paid off for her with a six-pound weight loss for the week, keeping her safe and above the yellow line.
Sione Fa, however, was caught up in the bid for power and it may have been his downfall, because with a four-pound loss for the week, he wound up below the yellow line -- and was sent home by Laura Denoux, who actually found the golden ticket.
"The temptation, I look back on it, it was kind of crazy," he says. "If I go back into the moment, it was a lot of power being handed out. Obviously, when you look back, I ate all that stuff. Maybe that affected the pound. I basically got kicked off by a pound. I can look back and say, 'Maybe I shouldn't have.' But if I was put back in that moment, I would probably do it again."
Everybody on "The Biggest Loser" has a week when they have a low number, but this was the first time that Sione was below the yellow line. He fell below with Helen Phillips, and he says that as soon as he realized that, he knew he was going home.
"The relationship between me and Laura on the game side of it wasn't as strong as Laura and Helen," explains the contestant from Maricopa, Arizona, who began the competition at 372 pounds, and now weighs 235 pounds: a 137-pound loss.
Sione and his cousin Filipe Fa had their controversial moments on the ranch this season. The two cousins began "The Biggest Loser" as members of trainer Bob Harper's team, but about one-third of the way through the season, when the teams were mixed up, they ended up under Jillian Michaels' tutelage -- and they refused to work with her!
"Her training style is awesome," Sione says. "She is a great trainer. I don't take anything away from that. When we did train together, I gave it everything I had physical-wise. Emotionally we connected better with Bob and that showed. On 'The Biggest Loser,' one of things people don't realize, it is just as much emotional as physical. It was just a conflict in personal issues."
Sione's biggest competition this season was Tara Costa, who is still on the ranch. Tara, too, also scarfed down the goodies during the temptation challenge in quest of the golden ticket -- and she, too, had a low number this week: only a three-pound weight loss. Neither Tara nor Sione wound up with the ticket, but they did compete for a two-week spa vacation -- and Tara won. It was the second week in a row she triumphed over Sione in a competition that he felt he should win. Last week, she won the car-pulling challenge.
"Obviously, I was devastated," he admits. "I set out to win them and I wanted to win them. The one thing I look back on, especially the car pulling challenge … going into that challenge, I felt I was the one to beat. A lot of other people felt that I was the one to beat, too. But by not winning, it really made me look back at myself and say, 'What am I doing wrong?' At the car pulling challenge, that is when a lot of things started to click. A lot of things in my life, I start with full force and full of energy, but I putter out at the end. That really opened my eyes to pace myself and finish strong, instead of killing it in the beginning and not finishing."
When Sione began "The Biggest Loser," he owned a landscape business, but since his experience on the ranch, he has decided to become a personal trainer. He is currently studying to take his test, and he plans to build his own business when he is certified. He says he will combine the knowledge he learned from Jillian and Bob for his clients.
"I learned a lot from Jillian cardio-wise, getting your lungs and heart in shape, and from Bob, strength training. On Bob's side, I would take a lot of the emotional. He really connected emotionally with me and Filipe. We want to be here as long as we can on earth. Keeping that in mind, leading a healthy life, I would love to adapt that into my training. Not just the quick fix. But actually be a long term goal."
"The Biggest Loser" airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 09, 2009, 05:02:35 AM
An interview with Sione:
The Biggest Loser's Sione Makes Fitness His Life
Sione Fa has not only been a fan favorite on this season's The Biggest Loser: Couples, but a front-runner as well. Competing with his Tongan cousin Filipe, Sione lost a whopping 116 pounds during his 10-week run, while also realizing his passion for educating his community on nutrition and exercise. Sione's small four-pound loss in his final week on the ranch resulted in being voted out and missing the chance to claim the grand prize by a few short weeks. Fa, who has lost 130 pounds to date, spoke to TVGuide.com about why he preferred to train with Bob and how being on The Biggest Loser has led him to a new career in fitness.
TVGuide.com: Why do you think you only lost four pounds this week and do you regret participating in the temptation challenge? Sione Fa: I think everybody has their weeks when they have a low number and this was the first time I fell below the yellow line. Everybody else there had at least been under once or twice before.
The temptation, you know, I look back on it and it was kind of crazy. But if I go back into the moment, it was a lot of power being handed out. Obviously when you look back, you're like, "Wow, I ate all that stuff, maybe that affected the [small weight loss]," because I basically got kicked off by a pound. Maybe I shouldn't have [participated], but if I was to get put back in that moment, I'd probably do it again.
TVGuide.com: Can you talk more about why you left Jillian in Week 10 to go train with Bob? Fa: Her training style is awesome; she's a great trainer, I don't take anything away from that. When we did train together, I gave it everything I had, physically. It's just that emotionally [Filipe and I] connected better with Bob, and obviously that showed. On Biggest Loser, one thing people don't realize being on the ranch, is that it's just as much emotional as physical there. We're taken out of our life. We can't talk to our families, can't talk to our kids, can't talk to what I like to call "normal people." It was just a conflict in personal issues more than anything.
TVGuide.com: How far into the process did you realize that you wanted to become a trainer yourself? Fa: I knew that I couldn't go back to my old life and my old career, [and] I knew I wanted to make health and fitness a part of my life forever. One day it was like: Be a trainer. I'm still in the process of taking the test to get certified, but my plan is to create a business.
TVGuide.com: Are you still training your family? Fa: Yeah, it's more like phone calls now. My sister was a little embarrassed about [breaking down in the Where Are They Now piece], but sometimes it takes that to kick in and she's actually lost 12 pounds since that.
TVGuide.com: How are you preparing for the finale? Fa: The finale is a deadline for us right now, but I'm trying to just take advantage of every day because I'm never going to be in this situation again. I'm never going to be able to show America the end result. But you know what? I'm trying not to focus on everyone else and where they're at and what I have to do to beat them. All I'm going to do is give it my all, do everything I can, so no matter what happens on that scale, I know that I'll come out on top.
TVGuide.com: What's your typical regimen? Fa: I'm more of a morning workout person, I'm there at 7. I do strength training for about an hour and a half and cardio for another hour, hour and a half. Of course, not everybody is going to be able to wake up and do two and a half hours, but we're trying to lose weight and when I get to the maintenance stage, that's going to be a lot harder.
TVGuide.com: Is it easier for you to keep up with the exercise as opposed to the diet? Fa: They have to go hand in hand. If I'm not making wise decisions on eating, I can feel it in my workout. Food now is a fuel for me and it's not just something that's going to occupy my time while I'm watching a movie or because I'm bored. You can be in great shape but eat like crap and you're going to feel it. So for me, I have to give my body the good fuel. Otherwise, I'm not going to be able to work out as hard.
TVGuide.com: How do you think your partner Filipe will do without you there? Fa: He proved it when I went home for the 30 days. He worked his butt off, did everything he possibly could to get me back on the ranch, and he got me back. I have no doubt that not only is he going to do as good as he did then, but he's going to do better.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 09, 2009, 11:43:07 AM
An interview with Sione:
Rethinking "Golden" Strategy with Sione Fa of The Biggest Loser Couples
Although one of the most popular episodes of The Biggest Loser comes down the weight-loss pike next week, with Tim Gunn of Project Runway and Tabatha Coffey of Bravo's Tabatha's Salon Takeover jumping in to makeover the Biggest Loser competitors, Arizona landscape businessman, Sione Fa, won't be taking part in the festivities.
This week’s episode of the Biggest Loser Couples saw Ron still mad at Sione and his cousin Filipe because they voted for him the week before. As the competition got going, the first Biggest Loser challenge was for a "golden ticket" that would give one player control over who went home between the two competitors that fell below the yellow line at weigh-in. The catch was, however, that the challenge involved scarfing back a heap of junk food until the ticket was located, hidden under one of many silver trays in the gym. When it over, Tara’s partner, Laura, won the weigh-in power before heading to a reward challenge for a week long trip to a spa.
In one of, if not the toughest challenge of the season aside from the mini-marathon, each Biggest Loser player had to run up half of the stairs at the famous Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California. And when it was over, the two fastest had to do it again, head to head. The final challenge came down to Tara and Sione, with Tara shocking the players as she beat Sione to win. However, at the weigh-in, Helen and Sione fell below the yellow line and Laura used her "golden ticket" to send Sione packing from the Biggest Loser ranch.
The morning after Sione was humbled by Tara at the Rose Bowl, we hopped on the phone to join a conference call where we picked Sione's brain about what he would have done had he won the "golden ticket," his time on The Biggest Loser, and what it was like to see Nicole return to the ranch the week before.
THE DEADBOLT: If you would’ve won that golden ticket, how would your strategy have changed?
SIONE FA: You know what? I thought about that, too. Obviously I fell below the yellow line, and if I would’ve had the golden ticket I would’ve lost the ticket [laughs].
THE DEADBOLT: That’s true.
SIONE: So I look back thinking, obviously, maybe if the weight-loss would’ve been the same, I would’ve lost it. And then it still could’ve changed the outcome of the game, because then it would’ve went to regular voting and majority winning. So maybe I would’ve had a chance, maybe I wouldn’t have. But I mean, you just never know. Like I said before, it was in the moment, and I guess you could say you wanted that power, control of the game and I went for it.
THE DEADBOLT: So if you had it and didn’t go below the line, what were you looking to do with it?
SIONE: It was no secret I tried to get Ron off, and if it happened again I would’ve went for Ron.
THE DEADBOLT: [laughs] Actually, that wouldn’t have worked either because he lost a lot of weight this week.
SIONE: [laughs] Yeah, exactly. So I mean, there’s so many [ways]. Even on the ranch, you go through all of these scenarios in your head, and you think you’ve covered every possible scenario, and when you actually go weigh in it never is any of them that you thought of. It’s always the "what if?" So all you can do is lose weight. I only focused on getting that vote [golden ticket] and I guess I never really thought about how I would use it.
THE DEADBOLT: How did you feel losing to Tara and the car pulling challenge, and the Rose Bowl stairs challenge? Those were two pretty heavy challenges.
SIONE: Yeah, they were. Obviously I was devastated, and I set out to win them, and I wanted to win them and I was very disappointed in myself when I didn’t. But the one thing I look back on, especially the car pulling challenge, going into that challenge I felt like I was the one to beat. And, you know? A lot of people thought I was the one to beat, too, that I would take it.
But by not winning, it really made me step back and look at myself and be like, ‘What am I doing wrong?’ Actually, on the car pulling challenge is when a lot of things clicked, a lot of things in my life. Whatever I start, I start it with full force and full of energy, but I putter out at the end. That really opened my eyes to pace myself and finish strong instead of killing it at the beginning and not finishing. So even though I lost to Tara, I learned very valuable lessons that help me even now.
THE DEADBOLT: She certainly does bring out the best in you.
SIONE: Definitely. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. I think me and her definitely pushed each other to the limit and it worked out.
THE DEADBOLT: Well, you must have. When you guys all went home, you pulled it out to win that half marathon.
SIONE: Yeah, that was something I never thought I would do. I thought marathon runners were crazy. Actually, right now I’m training for a full marathon at the end of May. So it’s weird how your mind changes.
THE DEADBOLT: How did Nicole returning to the ranch for a week help you prepare for going home?
SIONE: Actually, when I saw her and the stuff she’s accomplished on her own, I just knew. You know, it’s like that goes to show you right there, not just for me and for people on the ranch, but for people at home who are thinking, ‘Oh, the only way I’m going to lose this weight is to be picked as one of The Biggest Loser contestants.’ She showed everybody that you can do it at home if you want it bad enough.
I mean, she came into the house with the second highest percentage of everybody. It was like, ‘You know what? If she can do this at home, we should be able to do unbelievable things on the ranch.’ It actually excited me to know I don’t need the ranch, you know? I wanted to be there, but I don’t need that. And she showed not only us but America that anything is possible and you can lose the weight on your own. You don’t need the show. And there’s a lot of people who try out season after season to get on the show and don’t make it, and they’re still stuck. So hopefully what she did will inspire them to just do it.
THE DEADBOLT: You guys all looked shocked at how well she did. Was that just because she looked great or is it because you guys are so isolated from the outside world?
SIONE: Yeah, both ways. It was shocking just because we saw each other every day. And mentally you know you’re losing weight but you don’t know how much. You don’t know the change or how far you’ve come. To see them it really just showed us we’ve all come so far. And it was good to see a couple of new faces.
THE DEADBOLT: I know you’re rooting for Filipe. But if he goes down, who else do you think deserves to win?
SIONE: [laughs] Right now, I just hope Filipe gets it.
THE DEADBOLT: What is you’re ideal weight?
SIONE: I’m shooting for as close to the 200 mark as I can.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 09, 2009, 11:18:22 PM
An interview with Sione:
Biggest Loser’s Sione Goes From Landscaping to Body Sculpting
Even a new appetite for fitness did not deter the Biggest Loser Ranchers this week from a high-calorie binge-fest that granted one lucky contestant total control of the game. Laura won that temptation — and the power — to send home the Blue Team’s Sione Fa, 28, of Mesa, Ariz. The Tongan landscaper spoke to PEOPLE.com about his new career move as a personal trainer (Polynesian dancing anyone?), how he’s managed to lose more than 130 lbs. so far, and why he ditched Jillian. – Rebecca Gross
What was your biggest accomplishment? Physically, pushing myself to the limit was the half marathon. Up until that point, I barely got to running 2 ½ miles without stopping. Emotionally, it was the car-pulling challenge. I just realized I need to pace myself and finish strong instead of giving it everything I’ve got and not finishing, because I saw that pattern in my life a lot.
The show portrayed Ron as this big Godfather figure. Did he really command that much respect or was it played up? He was a father figure. I don’t know to what extent, but he was definitely a big influence on the show. A lot of the decisions he made stuck so you have to give it to him for either playing the game well or playing the Godfather role well.
Why did you leave Jillian to go train with Bob even though you were still on her Black Team? She’s a great trainer — I don’t take anything away from that. I think emotionally we connected better with Bob and obviously that showed. On the Ranch, people don’t realize it’s just as much emotional as it is physical there.
When did you know you wanted to become a personal trainer? And did you learn anything from Bob and Jillian that you will incorporate into your own training style? I just knew I couldn’t go back to my old life and old career, and I knew I wanted to make health and fitness part of my life forever. I learned a lot from Jillian on cardiovascular training, getting your heart and lungs in shape. And from Bob, I learned a lot of the physical strength training, but also the emotional connection. He showed us we want to be on this earth a long time and live a healthy life, not just the quick fix. I’d like to adapt these long-term goals into my training methods.
What is your typical regimen now? I’m a morning person, so I get to the gym at 7:00 am. I do strength training for about an hour and a half, then I do cardio for another hour or hour and a half. In a regular working world, of course not everyone would be able to go to the gym for about 2 ½ hours, but we are trying to lose weight and when I get to the maintenance stage it’ll change.
What is more difficult for you–the diet or the exercise? They have to go hand-in-hand. If I’m not making wise decisions with my eating, I can feel it in my workout. Food is now a fuel for me. It’s not just something that’s going to occupy my time while I’m watching a movie or because I’m bored, it’s actually something that’s going to help me get through the day or make me feel better.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 10, 2009, 08:56:02 PM
An interview with Sione:
“I was surprised at how emotional it got”
In the weeks that Sione Fa was on the ranch, he emerged as a fierce competitor — and a very hot guy! Regarding all the new attention from ladies, “I would be lying if I said I didn’t like it,” he admits. “My wife and I just laugh about it and I guess I’m flattered. It’s a compliment and hopefully it’ll get me somewhere!” He and his cousin and partner, Filipe, also made a dramatic defection from Jillian’s team to Bob's in week 10, after several tearful outbursts. “We worked out six to eight hours a day on the physical side of it, but the emotional side is just as intense," says Sione. “You’re away from your kids, you’re away from your wife, you’re away from your family. You have to rely on your partner. Filipe and I were close — just like brothers — before but we became even closer. I was surprised at how emotional it got, but sometimes it just takes that. Looking back on it, I’d do it in a heartbeat again.”
Why do you think you lost only three pounds this week? I think everybody just has their weeks when they have a low number. I mean, obviously this was the first time I fell below the yellow line. It was just my week.
Do you regret eating so much during the temptation? It was kind of crazy. But it was a lot of power being handed out. Obviously when you look back, I ate all that stuff and maybe that affected the weight because I basically got kicked off by a pound. And, yeah, maybe I shouldn’t have. But I’d probably do it again.
Why did you and Filipe leave Jillian to train with Bob? Her training style is awesome. I don’t take anything away from that. When we did train together, I gave it everything I had physical-wise. It’s just, emotionally we connected better with Bob. And obviously that showed. With Jillian, it was just a conflict in personal issues more than anything.
How much have you lost so far? A little over 130 pounds right now. I’m currently at about 235.
When did you realize you wanted to be a trainer yourself ? It’s just I knew that I couldn’t go back to my old life and my old career. I wanted to make health and fitness a part of my life forever. I’m still in the process of taking the test to get certified, but my plan is to create a business.
What did you learn from Bob and Jillian that you’ll use as a trainer? I’d like to take some from both. I learned a lot from Jillian on the cardio — getting your lungs and your heart in shape. And then with Bob, a lot of strength training. But on Bob’s side I’d like to take a lot of the emotional: we always kept our families in mind, the idea that we want to be here as long as we can on this Earth, living a healthy life and not just the quick fix. I’d love to adapt that into my training methods. This is not “buy ten training sessions and then it’s over,” this is a lifestyle change.
What have you done to pass along the things you’ve learned to your family and why is that so important to you? At one point in time, everybody in my family had been thinner. We weren’t always this overweight. And just being able to show my journey through weight loss on TV, it’s just kind of opened their eyes and seen the hard work that it really takes. I haven’t really had to hound my sisters or my brother. They’ve actually come to me. They’ve had some pretty touching moments where they say, “You motivate me and I just want to know is it really that hard and can I do it?” Just to be able to tell them, you know, “It is the hardest thing probably you’ll ever have to do, but it’s worth it.” It’s been great because they’re doing it. Since I started the show, my brother has lost about 40 pounds. My sister, from the time we aired the little boot camp style thing on the episode last night, she’s lost 12. It just seems like they really want it.
There’s been a lot of talk on the show about how much eating is a part of your Polynesian culture. Has it been hard to break through that? Yeah. When we get together obviously as a family and culture, you don’t count calories. You just pile your plate as high as you can get it and go at it. And a lot more people, when I go to those gatherings, are a lot more conscious on what they’re eating. Weight is a big issue in the culture, but with me and Filipe doing this journey together, they’re seeing it that we’re happier. And culture or not, when you’re overweight you’re overweight and you have to deal with the problems of being overweight and all the diseases out there and possibly dying young. I think it’s finally clicked with them. It’s fun: I’ve actually been to a luau where they baked a lot of chicken, made brown rice and that is unheard of! So this is a lot of people being affected by it.
Has it been easier to do ceremonial dances now that you’re more fit? My brother and I were just messing around the other day going through some of the dances and you have to be a little limber in a lot of these dances. I notice a big difference just cardio-wise. It just feels better doing it. You’re not focusing all the fat jiggling on the dances; you focus more on the dance.
Would you incorporate them into your training? I’d love to not only share this with my culture, but share my culture with others. I had the idea the other day of doing a Polynesian workout!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: marigold on April 10, 2009, 08:58:07 PM
An interview with Sione:
The Biggest Loser Exit Interview: Sione Talks About His Rifts with Jillian, Tara, and Ron
Fan favorite Sione Fa might not win The Biggest Loser, but for Sione, he’s already won. Along with his cousin Filipe, he lost 116 pounds at the ranch. And now that he’s home, the Tongan is now hell-bent on training his overweight family on how to be fit and healthy. Throughout the show, Sione formed some, let’s say, interesting relationships. His idolization of Bob compelled him to leave Jillian’s team, his insistence on beating Tara at everything caused some less-than friendly competition, and Ron wasn’t shy about his desire to vote Sione off. Despite all the drama, Sione came out of the house with a fire in his belly. Read on to find out his plans for life after The Biggest Loser.
Why do you think you only lost four pounds this week? Do you regret participating in the temptation?
I think everybody just has their weeks when they have a low number. This was the first time I fell below the yellow line. I kind of felt like it was just my week. I just had that feeling. And the temptation— it was kind of crazy. When you look back, I ate all that stuff… maybe that affected the pound because I basically got kicked off by a pound. But being in that moment if I was to get put back into that moment again I’d probably do it again.
Why did you leave Jillian to train with Bob?
Her training style is awesome; she’s a great trainer. I don’t take anything away from that. When we did train together I gave it everything I had physical-wise. I think emotionally we connected better with Bob. And obviously that showed. On Biggest Loser a lot of things that people don’t realize being on the ranch is it’s just as much emotional as physical there; we can’t talk to our families, we can’t talk to our kids, we can’t talk to, you know, what I like to call normal people. It was just a conflict in personal issues.
What was your relationship with Tara like, considering she was one of your biggest competitors?
She’s a great competitor; she works her butt off. And she was a motivator for me and she had actually told me that watching me workout that motivated her. And it turned into the little competition in every challenge. As you can see, she’s awesome and she works hard. I think we’re in the same relationship right now just mostly she’s somebody that drives me and then I’m somebody that drives her.
Was it hard breaking the tradition of eating in your culture?
Yeah, when we get together as a family you don’t count calories at our get-togethers… you just pile your plate as high as you can get it and just go at it. And a lot more people, when I go to those gatherings, they’re a lot more conscious on what they’re eating. Weight is a big issue in the culture but I think with me and Filipe doing this journey together they’re seeing it that we’re happier. And culture or not, when you’re overweight you’re overweight and you have to deal with the problems of being overweight and all the diseases out there and possibly dying young and heart problems. And I think it’s finally clicked with them. And it’s fun. I’ve actually been to a luau where they baked a lot of chicken, made brown rice. That’s unheard of.
What was your favorite milestone that you accomplished? Hitting the 100 pound mark? The half marathon?
Physically-wise pushing myself to the limit was the half marathon definitely. Up until that point I barely got to running 2.5 miles straight through without stopping. That was a huge physical milestone for me. Emotionally it would be the car-pulling challenge where I just realized that I need to pace myself and finish strong instead of just giving everything I got and not finishing because I saw that pattern in my life a lot. So those are probably the biggest two breakthroughs that I had.
What was Ron really like? Was he really as bossy as he seemed?
He was a father figure. I don’t know necessarily like to what extent to some people. But he’s definitely a big influence in the show and a lot of the decisions he made stuck. And you’ve just got to give it to him for playing the godfather role well. He really did control a lot of that game. We were going to stick it through and stick it all the way to the end. And as you get closer to that those dollar signs and you get close to the title of the Biggest Loser some of those alliances go astray. And we felt it a couple weeks prior that the alliance to us really wasn’t that strong. Like it showed in the last episode true feelings towards us kind of came out. I don’t hold anything against him. You get in this weird state of mind on the ranch and it feels like you’re trapped in a bubble. When it all comes down to it, it should be about you and your personal journey there.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 13, 2009, 09:09:06 AM
The Biggest Loser Couples 2 Makeover Week Is Here!
Tim Gunn of Project Runway and Tabatha Coffey star of Bravo's Shear Genius and Tabatha's Salon Takeover, and Brandon Martinez, formerly of Blow Out will guest star on one of the most eagerly-anticipated events of each Biggest Loser season – the makeover episode.
This week challenge will have our contestants crossing a 10-story canyon on a 700 foot zipline. The prize will be a $25,000 kitchen makeover. After the challenge, our contestants and Alison Sweeney (who is also getting a makeover), will be off to Macy's where Tim Gunn will help them pick out their new outfits to show off their new bodies. Word has it that Tara mistakes Tim Gunn for a perfume counter person, and Helen becomes emotional when she looks at all the clothes that she can now wear with her new body.
Last season, Biggest Loser contestant makeovers were revealed on The Tyra Banks show. This season may prove to be even better as they will be revealed with their very own Hollywood premiere. They will arrive in limos, walk the red carpet then descend the staircase into the arms of a loved one. The premiere they will be attending - a movie featuring their emotional journey of weight loss.
I'm hearing that when they get back to the campus, a visit with Dr. Huizenga will reveal that one player is sidelined with a medical injury that will have a dramatic impact on the last chance workouts – and could affect her future on the show. And at this week's weigh-in, one player, (I'm betting it's Mike) breaks the Biggest Loser record for most weight ever lost at the ranch.
Finally, check your newsstands - Tara is on the cover of OK Magazine, along with Helen and they are giving their diet secrets!
Make sure you have your box of tissues next to you as the makeover show is always super emotional as the families see our contestants for the first time in weeks. The Biggest Loser Couples 2 airs at 8/7c on NBC, Tuesday, April 14, 2009.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 15, 2009, 12:41:27 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap "Week 15"
After Sione exited the competition last week, his cousin, Filipe, is left to fight for his community and a win for Bob's team. He's sick of Jillian winning at the finales and believes the battle is now on.
Alison meets the contestants on top of a mountain where there are two wires hanging 110 feet in the air at the highest point. The contestants must traverse the canyon on the two ropes, and the first one across receives an awesome $25,000 kitchen makeover. Ron sits this one out while the rest fight the wind to cross the wire. Filipe and Mike start out strong, but once Tara figures out a strategy, she catches up to take the win. But her kitchen isn't the only thing to get a makeover. It's actually makeover week on The Biggest Loser!
The contestants head to Macy's where Tim Gunn (love my Timmy) is awaiting them to help dress their new bodies for the Hollywood movie premiere they're going to attend. Afterwards, they go over to the hair salon where Tabitha from Tabitha's Salon Takeover (talk about Bravo cross-promotion) gives them a new look.
Turns out the night is actually everyone's own premiere of his or her new look to family. First to come out is a stunning Helen, who is greeted by her balling husband, Russ. Next, Tara comes down the steps and sees her mom who has also lost weight. "This is you, inside and out," her mom tells her. Filipe comes out, looking sharp in an eggplant-colored suit to meet his wife. Next is Kristin, with her new dark hair. She is reunited with her husband, Nick, and then Laura, who greets her best friend with a new red 'do of her own.. Last to debut their new looks are Ron and Mike, who looks awesome. Mike's brother Max immediately started crying when he realized he'd be the only big one in the family. My heart broke for him, but Mike vowed to give him the tools he needs to lose weight upon his return. And hey producers, maybe you can cast him on your next season. Just a suggestion. When all the reveals are complete, the movie begins, but it's actually a montage of the contestants' journey thus far. Heartwarming as always.
On to the last-chance workout. Because they lost a lot of time "under hair dryers when they should've been on treadmills," the trainers whoop their butts. But for Laura, her ongoing hip problem leads her to Dr. H's office. He tells her she has a stress fracture, and it's the most severe sports related injury they've seen in seven seasons. If she continues to push hard, she'll have to get surgery.
At the weigh-in, Alison informs Mike that he's only pounds away from Roger Schultz's record of the most weight lost on campus in 15 weeks. With a five-pound loss this week, he breaks the record, bringing his total loss to 145 pounds overall. His dad Ron is up next. He loses six pounds and 1.95 percent, and says he hasn't been this weight since his early teens. Tara loses four pounds, 2.15 percent; Filipe loses five pounds, 1.98 percent; and Helen loses a big seven pounds, 4.14 percent. Kristin only loses two pounds, .82 percent and Laura, with her injury, actually gains three pounds and 1.46 percent. Jillian gets upset, and they all start to cry. With Kristin and Laura below the yellow line, a tough decision must be made.
Laura tells the group that although she might need surgery if she doesn't take care of her hip, she wants to be there. She urges everyone to vote as if she's not injured. Kristin claims (rightfully so) that there's a huge game play decision: If Laura stays, she'll struggle and be less of a threat. She begs them to not take the "cowardly way out." In the end, only Tara and Helen vote Kristin while Ron, Mike and Filipe vote Laura. She may be going home, but she will not be alone, as Alison tells her The Biggest Loser is sending her with doctors who will take care of her issue. And she has gone from 285 pounds to 208, which is no small feat.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on April 15, 2009, 11:20:30 AM
I missed the first hour so I will have to wait for the make over to be on the internet to see it. Poor Laura, she really seemed to turn around. AND wow Jillian got so emotional, I have not seen her that emotional before.
Ron lucked out, I think if he was under the yellow line he had a good chance of losing. I was glad Kristin stayed, I do think she is the biggest threat, but she just gets it and I am happy for her.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 15, 2009, 02:36:28 PM
The Biggest Loser Couples 2: Fabulous Makeovers
Tonight's Biggest Loser on NBC opens with a very sad Filipe talking about how Sione's leaving is like the first week and how this time he can't bring him back to THe Biggest Loser. He reads a letter from Sione to Kristin and then begins to cry. He tells Kristin that he is sick of watching finales where Jillian wins when Bob should be winning. He and Kristin tell each other they will fight for Bob to win.
The Challenge Our contestants arrive at the top of a mountain where they see zip lines across a deep canyon. Alison tells them that each of them will cross the canyon, using only two cables (one to walk on and one to hold on to). She tells them it is 700 feet across and 100 feet in the air. The winner will win a $25000 kitchen makeover and a complete restock of their fridge with healthy foods courtesy of Jenni-O.
They don their gear and Alison calls them into position. After 40 feet, Ron calls it quits because of his knees. Filipe takes the early lead, behind him is Mike. Tara loses her grip and falls off her cable. She works hard and finally gets back on the cable. Filipe maintains a long lead, still followed by Mike in second place. Tara regains her composure, gets her rhythm, and begins to catch up. She passes Mike but Filipe sees her coming and increases his speed. Tara continues to gain ground on Filipe. At 100 feet they are neck and neck. Tara passes Filipe with only 10 feet left and wins her 10th challenge of the season.
Alison then announces that it is makeover week to the delight of all the contestants. Filipe remarks that if they shave his head for makeover week, he won't have to worry about the weigh-in because that will be five pounds.
Our contestants arrive at Macy's for their makeovers. Tara spies a well dressed, stylish gentleman in a pin-striped suit at the counter and thinks he is one of those "perfume sprayers"... then realizes it is none other than Tim Gunn! Tim welcomes them to Macy's and congratulates them on their new bodies. He tells them they will be dressing for a Hollywood movie premiere. They squeal with delight. Kristin remarks that this just doesn't happen to people from the Midwest.
Helen confides to Tim that she looks around and sees so many things that were once untouchable for her and now it's really happening. She tells Tim that it has been so long since she got dressed up. Once their outfits have been chosen, Tim tells them that they will each receive a $1000 Macy's gift card. Then it's off to Warren Tricomi for new hairstyles with Tabitha Coffey and Brandon Martinez.
The Reveal Russell, Helen's husband, is waiting inside as Helen arrives in a limo. Inside she descends the stairs in a purple satin dress to find her husband waiting. He begins to cry and says she looks so beautiful. She says him telling her that she actually feels beautiful and she hasn't felt that in a long time. He says they will have a new life together - a long one.
Cheryl, Tara's mom is waiting for Tara who arrives descending the stairs in a green satin dress. They both tell each other how good they look. Tara's mother has lost 40 pounds while she has been away at the ranch. Cheryl says Tara is an inspiration to everyone. Tara notices that the premiere is "The Biggest Loser - The Movie", changing lives and inspiring a nation.
Filipe is greeted by his wife. Filipe is wearing a maroon jacket, lavender shirt and striped tie with jeans. Filipe's wife runs up the stairs to greet him with tears in her eyes. She tells him he looks so good.
Kristin wearing a black v-neck dress with a large collar is greeted by her husband, Nick. He tells her she look fantastic. Kristin tells him she has lost 115 pounds. She has a new hair cut and looks really good.
Laura is greeted by her friend Monica. Laura now has red hair and wearing a red dress. She looks fantastic. Monica says she is hugging half the person she used to and tells Laura she looks unbelievable.
Ron is greeted by his wife and son, Max. Ron no longer has a beard and looks great. Max looks very sad. Ron tells his wife and Max that they will be amazed at Mike. Mike then comes down the stairs, half the person he used to be and hugs Max. His mother says he looks like a movie star. Max begins to cry and says he is the big one. He says he feels left out because he is so big. Mike tells him that he and his Dad are coming back and they are going to work with him to get him to be like them too. He sits down on the steps with Max. He tells Max he understands how he feels. Max continues to cry. Mike tells him he has the ability to change. Max says he wants to be like him and wants to be seen as normal. Mike tells him he will be amazing, that he has the drive and he and his Dad will be working with him, give him the tools to help him lose weight. Max says it gives him hope.
We are treated to scenes of our contestants walking the red carpet and having their photos taken. Then into the theater for the movie. The film features highlights of their journey towards a healthy life. It's amazing seeing the difference in what they looked like when they arrived at the ranch - we have watched them each week, but have forgotten how big they actually were on day one. It is truly amazing to watch them morph from day one to present - truly amazing.
The Last Chance Workout Bob arrives to gather his team for the last chance workout. He is amazed at how good they look since their makeover. Then it's off to the gym. Bob concentrates on Kristin because she is still the biggest in the house and therefore the biggest threat. He encourages her to work harder. Bob has them visualizing the scale with their third eye. He works Filipe and tells him he doesn't want them to take him out like they did Sione. He says he will work them out until they bleed. Kristin realizes that she will have to give it everything she has.
Jillian was concerned about Laura and her complaints about pain in her hip. She sends her to Dr. Huizenga for a check up. Jillian holds her hand as she receives the news - she has a stress fracture in her hip. He tells her they can not take any remote chances with her, because if it fractures all the way, she will have to have surgery. Dr. Huizenga tells her no impact running for 3 months. He tells us she will be unable to perform any significant calorie burning exercises during that time. Laura is obviously upset as she is so close to the finish and worries that now everyone will just pass her by.
Jillian makes up the exercise time they missed while having their makeovers. She pushes Helen, Mike and Tara. Tara says she welcomes the challenge and she knows she has to be pushed. Helen says she is tired as hell but she will do it. Mike says it's the first workout they have had in the last few days. Jillian pushes them to their limit.
The Weigh-In Our contestants arrive for the weigh-in. Alison announces that Mike is only 5 pounds away from breaking the record set by Roger (144 pounds in 15 weeks) of the most weight ever lost on campus.
Pink - Helen -7 4.14% Green - Tara -4 2.15% Brown - Mike -5 2.02% (Mike has broken Roger's record - 145 pounds in 15 weeks.) Blue - Filipe -5 1.98% Brown - Ron -6 1.95% Purple - Kristin -2 0.82% Green - Laura +3 +1.46%
Filipe and Mike have carried Laura to the scale, then after the weigh-in, carry her back to the bottom of the steps. Jillian can't even watch and begins to cry. There's not a dry eye in the gym as Jillian tells Laura how well she has done, she got hurt but everything is going to be ok.
Back in the house, our contestants sit down to discuss the pros and cons of who will be going home. Laura tells them that she wants to be at the ranch and will do what she can to lose weight. She says she thinks she is in denial about it. Tara begins to cry. Laura says she wants them to vote as if she was not injured, she will be ok no matter what. Kristin tells them that there is a huge gameplay there, they know that Laura will be weak. She tells them that she is not there to win the money, she is there to get healthy so she can start a family. She tells them not to take the cowardly way out, not to be afraid of her because she may be the bigger threat. She begs them to keep her there.
After they leave the room, Ron says Laura can not get the help she needs at the ranch, she is in denial. He says it is not about keeping Laura to support her, it has to be about fixing her and what the best thing is for her. Ron says it will be a disservice to her to keep her there - she needs rest and rehab everyday. Ron says from a game-play point of view, Kristin would be the one to go. He also says he would never write her name down. Mike says to keep Kristin in the house could be the worst thing for him. Filipe says that if Laura stays he knows she will work out and could injure herself even more. They leave Tara alone with her tears to work it out for herself.
The Elimination Our contestants arrive in the elimination room. Alison tells them that Kristin and Laura are below the yellow line and it will take 3 votes to eliminate one of them.
Tara votes Kristin. Ron votes Laura. Mike votes Laura. Helen votes Kristin. Filipe votes Laura.
Alison tells Laura she is dealing with a sports injury. She tells her that she is not going home alone, they have doctors that will be taking care of her and she is still in it for the at-home players. Laura hugs Kristin, then Tara, says goodbye and leaves.
We catch up with Laura. When she arrived she weighed 285 pounds and she now weighs 208. She says the hip fracture will not stop her from reaching the life she has been dreaming about. She says she has a new confidence and a new respect for herself. She says the next time we see her she will be pain free, injury free and living the life she always dreamed of.
Laura looks fantastic and has been meeting with doctors to see how her bone is doing. The doctors tell her that everything is going as planned. She is attending rehab and is on the road to achieving her goals. She tells us the fact that she is maintaining the weight loss regardless of her injury has been a huge accomplishment. She has lost 77 pounds and despite her injury, she is committed to her goal of losing 100 pounds before the finale.
Next week on The Biggest Loser: A confrontation between Mike and Ron on why he got so big and didn't try to change for Max and him.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 16, 2009, 08:25:07 AM
The Biggest Loser's Laura Works Through Injuries
When Dr. Huizenga told Laura Denoux she had the worst injury he had seen in seven seasons, she knew she was in trouble. The 24-year-old fractured her hip and was forced to restrict her workouts, leading to a 3-pound weight gain and being up for elimination. Although she wanted to stay, Laura was sent home to recover from her injury and continue her progress on her own. TVGuide.com checked in with the former plus-size model, who has been able to maintain her 77-pound weight-loss, on how it felt to be made over by Tim Gunn and what she really thinks of Ron.
TVGuide.com: How did it feel to get the makeover this week? Laura Denoux: The makeover felt amazing. I was crying a lot when they were doing my hair because I've been blonde my whole life, but I love my new red hair, I'm used to it now, I've been getting so many compliments on it and I love it. It was just great to feel all made-over with new clothes, especially after being in sweats all day long and T-shirts and sports bras.
TVGuide.com: Did Tim Gunn give you any good pointers? Denoux: He did. He let us know we had been hiding behind big, baggy, black clothes all the time and he wanted us to feel comfortable wearing color now that we've got new bodies. We shouldn't be hiding behind black all the time since that's what makes us look thinner, but play with color and really flaunt whatever body part is something that we should be flaunting.
TVGuide.com: Your relationship with Jillian changed from her humiliating you in Week 9 to being emotional over your elimination... Denoux: The relationship really changed when we went from Black and Blue to singles. I realized that I needed her and it was a little bit harsh, but she was doing it with good intentions. When I got over the fact that she called me the weakest link and was doing it to open my eyes, and it was at that point when we went to singles, that I realized she's doing this for me, to help me, and it was really a beneficial thing looking back on it now.
TVGuide.com: A lot of our readers have taken issue with Ron. Do you have any thoughts about him you can share? Denoux: Ron is probably the smartest person on the show right now. He knows how to manipulate everybody and he's doing this so his son [Mike] can win. I think people were a little bit scared of him and you're always afraid if you vote off one, the other one is going to hate you later. So he definitely has learned how to manipulate this game. Ron's an awesome person, but he influenced people. It was almost like he had everybody hypnotized or something. It's very hard to explain.
TVGuide.com: So how's your hip doing? Denoux: My hip is still fractured, but is doing much better. I actually have some lesions of a pre-stress fracture in my knee. I'm still having some restrictions with my workouts and what I can do.
TVGuide.com: What's your daily routine like? Denoux: I'm really just trying to focus on losing the rest of the weight that I want to lose for the finale; my goal is 100 pounds. Since leaving the ranch, I've really just been able to maintain my weight, lose a couple pounds here and there, but it's a little more difficult. My workouts mainly consist of going to physical therapy, and when I do cardio, it's really limited to the spin bike. So mainly just weights, upper body, the rehab to my leg, cardio with the bike and swimming, since there's really no impact on my hip. But I prefer being in a gym, being able to listen to my music, so the bike is great, especially spinning classes. I love that.
TVGuide.com: Is being home this time around very different from those first 30 days you were home? Denoux: Well, the first time I went home for the 30 days I really didn't know what I was doing. I was on the ranch for a week and then they're like, "Okay, you're going home for 30 days," and yeah, they gave us support going home, but it wasn't the same as being on the ranch. That's why so many of us were unsuccessful at home, compared to the people who stayed on the ranch. You really realize that being on the ranch you learn so much, it's priceless what you learn there, and nobody can teach you. Just being in everybody's space and Bob and Jillian's especially. It's hard to learn it just by being told, you have to experience it to really make sure it stays into a pattern once you get home.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 16, 2009, 08:46:31 AM
Biggest Loser Recap: Laura Leaves with an Injury
In an episode filled with rewarding joys (makeovers for everyone!) and tough luck (Laura getting a stress fracture in her hip bone), the most profound moment came when Max, Ron’s son and Mike’s brother, saw Team Brown in their new slim state and just crumbled. No matter how encouraging Mike’s words were to Max, you felt Max’s self-realization, envy and emotion all at once and you wished producers would have just whisked him off then and there to work out with Bob and Jillian. Instead, the trainers continued to focus on the final seven. Although there was some anxiety over a weigh-in on the heels of a shortened week, the injured Laura Denoux, 24, was sent home in an anticlimactic ending to a dramatic show.
Presto, Change-O!: After Tara won her 10th challenge, a zipline high-over-the-canyon race where she was rewarded with a kitchen makeover, Alison Sweeney announced to the final seven that they would all, in fact, get makeovers. Filipe joked that if he got a haircut, he wouldn’t have to work out for a week because “that’s three or four pounds right there!” Tim Gunn helped style the finalists on a fashion fix at Macy’s; Tabatha Coffey and Brandon Martinez then cut and colored their hair. Helen, who had not bought a dress in 10 years, said, “I saw a new life for me, and a new future.” Among the makeover highlights — Kristin had those awful blonde streaks taken out; Mike looked like a 90210 extra in his blue vest and blazer combo, and Tara radiated confidence in a bold green gown.
That’s Hollywood: Told that they were getting dressed up to go to a Hollywood premiere, the contestants found themselves at an L.A. theater seeing a movie of their own highlights from being on The Biggest Loser. Of course, they were surprised by visits from family members. Tara’s mom Cheryl lost 40 lbs. herself; Kristin’s husband Nick just grinned with pride. Ron’s wife saw her beardless husband and said, “I was shocked he let them shave it and he looks great.” But Max Morelli could only respond in tears. “Seeing them was absolutely phenomenal,” he said of his father and brother. When Ron asked him why he was crying, Max lamented, “I’m the big one.” Mike told him, “Dad and I are coming back and we’re going to get you like this too.”
On Her Literal Last Leg: Back on the Ranch, the trainers ramped up the intensity of their last-chance workouts. Unfortunately, Laura, who had been improving in her attitude and weight loss, continued to feel pain in her hips. Jillian encouraged her to see Dr. Huizenga, who diagnosed her with a stress fracture at her hip bone. It was the “most severe sports-related injury that I’ve seen,” he said. Without being able to do heavy aerobic training, Laura gained 3 lbs. at the weigh-in, a result that made even tough-as-nails Jillian cry. Jillian apologized to Laura and said, “You are amazing and you have come so far. Never quit. You got injured and there’s nothing you can do about it. Everything is going to be okay.” Alas, everything would have to be okay off the Ranch, as Laura was voted out when she and Kristin both fell below the yellow line.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 17, 2009, 02:12:06 PM
Looking at Old 'Biggest Loser' War Injuries with Laura Denoux
Now that the weight loss field in The Biggest Loser Couples has been narrowed, it's nail-biter time as the players hit the scales to inch closer to the title of Biggest Loser. But it was the long awaited makeover week on The Biggest Loser Couples, as Tim Gunn schooled the finalists on a fashion stint at Macy’s before Tabatha Coffey and Brandon Martinez grabbed scissors and color accessories to whip The Biggest Loser players' hair into new, less weighty shape.
But the high profile festivities weren't over as all of the remaining ranchers headed to Hollywood for a premiere, which turned out to be an unexpected highlight reel of their journeys on The Biggest Loser Couples, which made for pounds of reflective emotion. And the drama only continued when the ranchers were joined by their families, which then made for pounds of tears when Ron's son Max couldn't contain his emotions at seeing how far his father and brother had come in their journey to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle.
When things got back down to Biggest Loser business, Laura was still nursing a bad hip, which she eventually sought medical attention for at the urging of trainer Jillian. The final diagnosis indicated a stress fracture at Laura's hip bone, which forced Laura out of the exercise aspect of the show this week. As a result, Laura ended up gaining 3 pounds. And it's not too often that you see the steel chomping, tougher than leather Jillian shed a few tears either.
Unfortunately, due to her fractured hip bone, the ranchers felt compelled to send Laura home, with Filipe casting the final vote.
The next day we stepped on the scale with now ex-Biggest Loser Couples rancher, Laura Denoux, to get an update on her hip injury, the previous plan to throw the final weigh-in with Tara, and when she first started to notice her Biggest Loser weight loss and healthy transformation.
THE DEADBOLT: How did you injure the hip?
[Biggest Loser Couples NBC] LAURA DENOUX: Really, I think it was just a combination of running on the treadmill. It was an athletic injury. From what I was told from the doctors is a common injury that a lot of athletes get, especially when they run a lot. From the constant pounding on the bones, there’s that pressure on the femoral neck of my hip. So it was just constant running that we were doing. And then I think the different challenges, like the Rose Bowl stadium, just made it even worse. So I can’t really tell you one particular thing that caused my fracture.
THE DEADBOLT: So it was basically just wear and tear?
LAURA: [laughs] Basically, wear and tear. I mean I know they only show a few seconds of us working out, but we’re working out six to eight hours a day, and they can’t show all of that in the two-hour show once a week. I mean, you’re doing lots and lots of running, lots of pounding, and that’s what causes these types of fractures.
THE DEADBOLT: So what was that canyon wire-walk challenge like?
LAURA: Oh, my God! That thing was so scary. I mean you’re over a hundred feet off the ground and you’re just looking down, holding onto a wire, and you’re standing on a wire, and you have to walk across it as fast as you can. So not only are you afraid of falling because you might get disqualified - Or who knows? Maybe you might plunge to your death - but just being as high as we were ... I mean, the camera didn’t do any justice to it. It was high. It was extremely high.
THE DEADBOLT: It looked really cool.
LAURA: Yeah. I was super confident going into that challenge. I was like, ‘I’m gonna win this challenge and I’m just going to fly across it. I’m not afraid of heights.’ But then once you’re up there, the wind is swaying you back and forth and you’re like, ‘Oh, my God! If I fall off of this wire I might be disqualified.’ So you are kind of cautious.
THE DEADBOLT: Without relying on the scale, when did you first start to notice the weight loss? Was there one day where you were like, ‘Oh, great! Look at this.’?
[Biggest Loser Couples NBC] LAURA: I think once I started to see the fact that I started at like a 3X t-shirt and then all of a sudden I was down to a 1X, a large, the clothes. And the fact that the people who are giving us our clothes, the t-shirts, The Biggest Loser t-shirts, they’re like, ‘That’s too big for you now, you need another one. Here are your smaller shorts.’ You know, all of our clothes, and even our bras, weren’t fitting us anymore. You had to just get new ones. And that’s really where, I think, because you don’t really see yourself change unless you are looking at your clothes changing.
THE DEADBOLT: Last week, when you won the golden ticket, how long did it take to sink in that this thing might be a curse?
LAURA: [laughs] I think once I actually had to make a decision on who to send home. And I think everybody was getting a little bit insane with the workout, the last chance workout, the night before. You know, me having all of this stress, like, ‘Oh, my God! What if it’s this person that falls below? What if it’s that person that falls below? What am I going to do?’ Actually, what if it was two people that I loved just as equally, especially if it was Tara and Helen? That, I didn’t want to live with, sending home Helen. You know, she was one of my best friends on the show. So that was a lot of pressure.
THE DEADBOLT: Were you surprised at how emotional the whole journey was?
LAURA: Yeah. You know, I knew that I was an emotional person, but I didn’t realize that I was going to be crying so much on the show [laughs]. I mean, not only are you emotional for yourself but you’re emotional with all of the other contestants, because you’re seeing how much it’s affecting their lives and yours. And you don’t really realize how impactful to the people watching until you’re off the show and you’re in the real world, and people are coming up to you telling you how you inspired them and how they lost fifty pounds because they’ve been watching you. So being on the ranch, it’s emotional because you’re tired and you’re realizing how far you’ve come, especially towards the end . You’re like, ‘Oh, my God! I can’t believe I made it this far.’ But then when you get home and start to interact with other people, and see how much you’ve inspired them, that’s really big.
THE DEADBOLT: During the golden ticket episode, can you explain your reasoning behind the plan to get Tara to throw the weigh-in?
LAURA: Yeah. There were a couple of reasons why that came into our minds. Well, first off, we knew that if one of us got that ticket - You know, we’re also playing with water. I don’t think a lot of people realize that when you workout you can kind of conserve water for yourself for the following week so that if one of us threw the weigh-in, it was on purpose. So we could drink water, and then that way the next week have a huge week. But then there was also the fact that if she fell below the yellow line with somebody, it would make my job to vote somebody off even easier. And we were kind of hoping the person that did fall below with Helen was somebody we wanted to go home.
[Biggest Loser Couples NBC] But then there was that risk - What if Tara fell below with Helen? I don’t want Helen to go home either, so you were taking a lot of risk. And then it’s like, ‘Well, what if I fall below with Tara? Then Tara is going to go home.’ I know that everybody was really scared that we were going to throw the weigh-in. And that three pounds that Tara lost that week, people still thought that we were trying to throw the weigh-in and she really wasn’t. It came across our minds but that was definitely not what we were planning on doing. She really did lose three pounds because that’s all she lost.
THE DEADBOLT: What was your favorite challenge?
LAURA: I really loved the week five challenge when we were tied to ropes and had to jump over and under that metal pole. We were just laughing at the end. We were frustrated. But at the end we were just laughing at how silly we were because of how we got this rope tangled up. And really, that was the only challenge that Tara and I got to participate in as a team, because in week one we were running. But obviously Tara was way faster than I was and then I was home for thirty days. Then week five we got to that challenge once I got back. And then week six, I believe we were already into black and blue, so it was the only challenge that Tara and I got to do together. It was fun for us, and the tangling was just hilarious.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 17, 2009, 02:24:30 PM
Alison's blog:
Ron shaved!!!
First of all, I LOVE Tim Gunn. Isn’t he just so awesome?? I loved watching him help everyone shop, Mike not liking pink (lol) and Helen being so affected by all the pretty dresses she can wear now – and seriously? She looked phenomenal. I loved the look on her husband’s face. Tara looked so incredible too – uh yeah, cover of OK magazine!!!! LOVED IT!!
That challenge was so intense. From my angle, there was no way Tara was coming back to beat Filipe. I mean, he had it in the bag! And the way she came back from behind to win again was just incredible. I didn’t know who to root for! I love Tara’s competitive personality (get to know me, lol) but I wanted a victory for Filipe too!!! It was so close, so intense! I was freaking out! And I was so impressed to see Mike and Kristin both overcoming their fear of heights to get through it. It was intimidating being way up there! I can’t believe it’s Thursday – one more day of vacation for me, and then I am back to work at Days on Monday. But I’m a total workaholic, Ari even teased me as we were getting ready to leave before the hiatus – she asked if I was going to go out and get another job for the break. Lol. Being with Ben and Megan has been so great. I was making dinner the other night and I heard her cry out from the other room. But as I was grabbing a towel to dry my hands, she stopped crying… I went in to see what happened, and Ben had given her her pacifier, he was saying “its okay, Megan, I’m here. I’m here megan” in this adorable high-pitched voice. It was so cute. Oops. Megan is awake. Gotta go!
http://blog.nbc.com/alison/the_biggest_loser/
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 18, 2009, 11:18:57 AM
Biggest Loser’s Laura Talks Fractured Hip & New Boyfriend
When a fractured hip contributed to her elimination from The Biggest Loser, former plus-size model Laura Denoux’s exit brought trainer Jillian to tears. But Laura, 24, is happy now, leaving makeover week with a new hairdo, new-found confidence, a new career and a new boyfriend. Back in Miami, Fla., Laura spoke to PEOPLE.com — between rehabilitating her injuries and exercising to maintain her weight loss — to talk about emotional eating, her life now and her killer spicy shrimp recipe! – Rebecca Gross
How is your hip feeling and what are your workouts routines like? I’m much better. My workouts mainly consist of going to physical therapy and cardio, which is limited to spinning on the bike or doing sit-down cardio because I can’t put any pressure or weight on my hips. My hip is still fractured. … So mainly, it’s just upper body weights, the bike and swimming, but I prefer being in a gym and listening to my music.
How did you enjoy the makeover and did you get any great advice from Tim Gunn? It was amazing! I’m still a redhead and I love it. They didn’t show this, but I was crying a lot when they were doing my hair because I’ve been a blonde my whole life, but I love my hair and I’m used to it now. It was great to feel made over with new clothes, especially after being in sweats all day with T-shirts and sports bras. Tim Gunn let us know we were hiding behind big, baggy black clothes all the time. He wanted us to feel comfortable wearing color now that we have new bodies.
With Jillian’s help, were you able to work through the emotional issues and get to the bottom of why you gained weight? Yes, one thing was my father passing away from cancer when I was 15. I was filling that emptiness with food. My parents were divorced since I was 5 and being on my own as an only child, I was always looking for food as a comfort. I always related food with my emotional self and now I’m learning that I can’t use food as an emotional crutch anymore.
What are you up to these days? I’m sitting in my office at my new job. I’m doing something very exciting that I’m extremely passionate about. Since being on Biggest Loser: Couples and changing my lifestyle to diet and exercise, I’m now the Heart Walk Director for the American Heart Association in Miami.
How else has your social life changed since you’ve lost weight? I have started to date somebody and so far everything is looking pretty good. I’m just a happier person and I think that everybody is seeing that. I go out and have fun. I like to shop. Before I would make excuses not to go out. I’m more comfortable and have more confidence and I know who I am now, whereas before I wasn’t so sure.
What is the biggest lesson you learned about food and diet? Before the show, my diet consisted of eating out a lot and you never know what the restaurants are putting in the food, if they’re using oil or butter or salt or sauces. Now I’ve learned to cook my own food and I’ve really been able to cut down on my calorie intake by not eating out as much. Something that I like to eat that I made up at the Ranch is this spicy shrimp dish. Shrimp is extremely low in calories. I just use Cholula hot sauce, Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray, and it’s [like] something you’d get at a restaurant!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 22, 2009, 11:16:33 AM
Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Week 16"
t's the sixteenth week on The Biggest Loser campus, and the claws are coming out. Tara lost her partner, leaving the Brown team as the only pair intact, and Tara's scared and upset that Jillian advocated for Laura to be voted out. The two talk it over, and after Jillian yells at her not to be so selfish and realize it wasn't right to keep her there with an injury, the two move on. On the other side, Kristin is also terrified that there are only three weigh-ins left and that the moment she declares how badly she wants to win, it will get yanked away.
The contestants were treated to a fitness and food trivia game this week with Rosemary Ellis, the editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping, as the host. The questions are somewhat tricky. (Who knew that ground chicken wasn't a great option since it includes the skin?) The last question asks how many calories a fried fish sandwich with tartar sauce contains, and Mike is only 5 calories off from the correct answer of 640. I'm always amazed at how well they all learn calorie counts. Kristin is pretty bummed when Mike wins the three-day trip for two to New York City and even asks him, "Are you even old enough to go to New York by yourself?" Someone's a little bitter.
Next up is the challenge where the contestants' future literally hangs in the balance. Are there ever any challenges that aren't metaphors for the BL contestants? Each person hangs in a cage suspended 45 feet above the ground, and each one holds the rope that keeps them in the air. Once they let go, the cage falls and they're eliminated. Everyone freaks out about the height, and Mike and Ron are the first two to drop. Everyone starts bickering to cause each other to lose focus, but it doesn't really work for anyone. I love that Helen called Tara out for her diss that sounded more like something a 10-year-old would say. After an hour, only Tara and Helen are left. Helen tries to bargain with the powerhouse but to no avail. She lets go of the rope and Tara wins... again. Yawn. She gets a choice between $10,000 and a one-pound advantage to be decided at the weigh-in. Which would you choose?
Bob watches the video journal he had instructed his team to make so that he'd get a sense of their eating habits. Surpisingly, he's upset that they're not eating enough. Even their dinner is one serving split between the three of them. We all know that on the ranch, when you eat too little it ends up backfiring.
During the last-chance workout, emotions were running wild. Bob pushes Kristin to her limits and gets her to run at 10.0 for 30 seconds. Pretty impressive I think. Jillian forces Mike to evaluate his anger and resentment towards his father, and he's finally able to ask him why he allowed his sons to get as obese as he did. Mike tells Ron that he's been so frustrated but never expressed it His dad tells him that it's okay to be mad, but that he couldn't drill it into his family while he wasn't on track himself. But now that Mike and Ron are on their way, they can return home and show Mike's overweight brother Max how to get there too.
At the weigh-in, Tara reveals her decision from winning the challenge, and takes a risk by going for the $10,000. As she steps on the scale — with Jilllian scared to look — she learns she lost five pounds and 2.75 percent body fat, which is a great number considering she passed on the one-pound advantage. Next up is Ron, who loses four pounds, 1.32 percent, and is under 300 pounds for the first time since his early teens. Helen weighs in and only loses one pound, .62 percent. She's not so thrilled. Mike, yet again, has a great week and loses eight pounds — he's down 153 in total — and 3.29 percent. Filipe is up next and only loses three pounds and 1.21 percent. The shocking number of the night is Kristin, who actually gains a pound, +.41 percent, despite her intense workouts this week. Both she and Bob are stunned and confused.
With Kristin and Helen below the yellow line, Jillian calls it the worst-case scenario, as these are two players who do not deserve to go home. Helen pleads with her fellow competitors that she is not ready to go. Kristin is flat out angry that she worked so hard and this is how her body reacted. She speaks to Ron alone in hopes to guarantee both his vote and Mike's. Ron tells her that he's keeping his word to never write her name down and will talk to Mike about doing the same. But, of course, that's not what happens. Ron and Mike shadily discuss how they plan to vote, and since Kristin is Mike's biggest threat in the house, he votes for her causing a tie. That means the person with the lowest percentage is out — Kristin's going home. She sees past Ron's claim that he didn't know Mike would vote for her and calls him out for taking the easy route to victory. I guess I'd be upset too, but then again it's a game and everyone is going to do what they can to win the $250,000.
Kristin goes home, but she's ecstatic that she's gone from 360 pounds to 244 in just 16 weeks. She tells the world in her exit interview that she's going to walk back into her house and restart life as a brand-new person. Upon her return she's welcomed by her husband, mother, Biggest Loser partner Cathy and the rest of her family. Like she said earlier in the episode, it may have taken 16 weeks, but she's realized that she deserves this new, healthier version of herself.
Do you think the Brown team did the right thing or stabbed Kristin in the back?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on April 22, 2009, 11:37:02 AM
thanks for the recap. I missed the show. I really need to set the dvr!!! I knew when Kristin fell below the line that Ron would vote her out. I am still shocked that they kept him all this time as he has expressed he is only worried about his son. Not even himself. I hope he falls below next week.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 23, 2009, 10:57:20 AM
Inside the Cage of Health with Kristin Steede of The Biggest Loser Couples
As The Biggest Loser Couples narrows the field in another healthy season of weight-loss transformations, the competition is still as competitive as ever. This week saw the editor of Good Housekeeping magazine arrive to give The Biggest Loser players a multiple choice quiz on counting calories in which Kristin and Mike went head-to-head in a tie before Mike won a trip to New York for his food and calorie prowess. Next on The Biggest Loser challenge docket was a cage suspension test where each had to hold their weight where challenge champ Tara came out the winner for a fifth time to land a $10,000 prize for her efforts.
After a "last chance workout," The Biggest Loser competitors stepped on the scales for the final weigh-in where 3-pound loser Felipe appeared to be the next Biggest Loser to leave the ranch before an over-confident Kristin shocked herself by gaining 1-pound for the week. Although Kristin made a last ditch plea to Mike to keep her in the game, at The Biggest Loser deliberation table it was Kristin who was sent packing from the ranch.
The next morning we hopped on our weekly Biggest Loser conference call to chat with Kristin Steede and walk back in Biggest Loser time to find out how she gained weight, whether she knew Ron and Mike were going to vote her out, how she's changed both her workout and eating routines, and what's in store for the future now that Kristin has undergone a healthy transformation on The Biggest Loser Couples.
THE DEADBOLT: How did you manage to gain weight before the last weigh-in?
[Biggest Loser Couples NBC] KRISTIN STEEDE: It came to me the day after the ranch. You know, there’s a certain time of the month for a woman where her weight tends to fluctuate and I didn’t recognize what was happening at the time until after I had left. I think it’s just hormonally in combination with the stress and everything else, because diet and exercise-wise I couldn’t have had a better week. I was running farther and faster than I have ever run in my entire life. So, I mean, it really didn’t make any sense to me at the time but I kind of realized afterwards what was going on.
THE DEADBOLT: Oh, [so] it was a "female" thing going on.
KRISTIN: [laughs] Yes, exactly. And you know, it also expressed [other factors] because I was very emotional that week. And I think the emotions came from not only falling below the yellow line the week before, but it all made sense after I left. I was like, ‘That’s why,’ and everything kind of came together.
THE DEADBOLT: So I guess I can’t call you blueberry anymore.
KRISTIN: [laughs] You big blueberry. I think that’s one of the funniest things. Some of my friends actually joke around and will say that once in a while. I think that’s such a great clip, because Filipe and I are such good friends.
THE DEADBOLT: Now that you’re home, how much do you work out with your mother?
KRISTIN: You know, I do not work out with my mother all that much. We try to get together whenever we can, but I have a philosophy: ‘Do it for yourself, by yourself.’ My mom and I had tried so many diets and exercise programs together in the past and the moment my mom didn’t feel like going it was easy for me not to go, and vice versa. So now the way that I structure my exercise routine is like - I’ll let her know where I’m going and what I’m doing and when I’m doing it, and if she wants to join me - I would love for her to do it, but I don’t wait for her. I don’t depend on her. And now, actually, when we work out together it’s a treat and an enjoyable thing to do. But we are on two different schedules, two different work schedules, so we’re always on the go.
THE DEADBOLT: Did you have any indication that Ron and Mike were going to pull that voting routine?
[Biggest Loser Couples NBC] KRISTIN: You know, I wasn’t quite sure. I mean, obviously the week before Ron and Mike had both voted to keep me in the house and eliminate Laura, so there was a chance. Knowing that it was a game atmosphere, knowing we were so close to the end, I knew that it was a possibility. And as far as I’m concerned, in the game of The Biggest Loser you are in control of your fate. You can’t fall below the yellow line otherwise your fate is in someone else’s hand and I knew that from the beginning. So, because of my body and what had happened I had given them that opportunity. So I really don’t feel like it’s fair to blame them for elimination, because I fell below the yellow line and they did it and that’s how the game works.
THE DEADBOLT: In terms of the game, what was your favorite aspect of the gameplay?
KRISTIN: It was so terrible, like the whole gameplay aspect of it, because TV will never do justice to the relationships you form with people on the ranch. You know, you wake up every morning and you have breakfast with those people and you change your lives with all of the contestants. So there’s really nothing about the gameplay that's [there]. Like even Tara, Tara is an amazing person and an amazing competitor, I have so much respect and admiration for her. I mean, no matter what, it’s a hard game to play. And for me personally, and who I am, there wasn’t really a part of that that I enjoyed.
THE DEADBOLT: Before you got involved with the show, what was your biggest weakness, junk-food-wise?
KRISTIN: Oh, boy! I would say anything chocolate related. Anything, you know? I really had a craving for sweets and I’ve actually come to the realization now that I kind of call myself a food addict. You know, when I was heavy and before I went on the show I would get a craving, or an idea of something that I wanted, and it would basically be in my head until I acted it on that craving, much like an addict would. So it was really powerful to recognize that and actually admit that to myself and then learn and work on dealing with it.
THE DEADBOLT: Does that still affect you or can you eat a bit of chocolate and be okay?
[Biggest Loser Couples NBC] KRISTIN: You know, I still do. I think it’s something I’ll battle with all of the time. But now I really do look at food differently. I really believe that if I want to have a cookie, I need to eat that cookie, enjoy that cookie and not feel guilty about that and maybe just compensate for it, because losing weight is all about calories consumed versus calories burned. Now am I burning more calories than I’m eating?
So if I’m maintaining my weight, I’ll eat that cookie and enjoy it, and I understand I’ll have to have it in moderation. But then maybe I have to run a little longer or walk on the treadmill. I think in the past I would associate some guilt with food, because I was heavy and I believed, ‘Oh, I shouldn’t do that or I shouldn’t eat that.’ I just want to live normally. I understand I’ll eat things that aren’t the healthiest and I can have them occasionally as long as I eat them in moderation and compensate for it.
THE DEADBOLT: At the end of the show I was surprised to see you speaking to 200 people. How did that come about?
KRISTIN: I’ve obviously been home for two months now and it was something that a lot of people have been coming up to me to talk, that had wanted to hear about my story and hear about my experience. And just being from a small community, and the show’s 'Where Are They Now?’ segment, which I think is a fabulous part of the show, it’s all about what people want to do. You know, some people want to run marathons and some people want, like, Mandy with her children. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to potentially speak to people and help people with what I’ve experienced and learned on The Biggest Loser, which is kind of how that whole segment kind of came about.
Kristin Steede was the largest woman in "The Biggest Loser" history to compete on the ranch for as long a time as she did. When she began, she weighed 360 pounds. Today, she is 140 pounds lighter -- and an inspiration to all.
On this week's episode, Kristin gained one pound and fell below the yellow line, and when the vote tied -- Filipe and Ron voted for Helen to go home; Mike and Laura voted for Kristin to go home -- the default went to her as the person with the lowest percentage of weight loss.
How did you manage to gain weight before the last weigh in?
Kristin Steede: It came to me the day after the ranch. There's a certain time of the month for a woman where her weight tends to fluctuate. And, you know, I didn't recognize what was happening at the time until after I had left.
I think it was just hormonally in combination with the stress and everything else because diet and exercise-wise, I couldn't have had a better week. I was running further and running faster than I had ever run in my entire life.
After your elimination, you said how you kind of felt that everything happened for a reason on the ranch. You didn't go say it, but did you think that Ron and Mike had been up to something?
Kristin Steede: I always knew that aligning myself with them would be risky. The one thing that I can say about Ron is he never hid the fact that he was there for the best intentions of Mike. And from a pure numbers standpoint, it was obvious that on a weight loss basis that I was Mike's biggest competition there.
I'm not the strongest. I'm not the fastest. But for the amount of weight that I could have lost or needed to lose to compete with him, I think I would really have given him a run for his money.
You talked a lot about how much you wanted to win because you didn't want to fail and you were just struggling with those feelings. Where are you with that now? Are you more comfortable where you are now?
Kristin Steede: I am absolutely amazing. You know, I came to the realization that win or lose, "The Biggest Loser" would not define who I was as a person. And I love the lesson that it taught me in life. I wanted it, I worked so hard for it and I didn't get it.
[The fact that I didn't win] is not going to stop me from achieving what I wanted to achieve because in reality, I went there with the intention of changing my life and I know I've done that. So I got more out of this than I ever expected I would.
Now that you're home, how much do you workout with your mother?
Kristin Steede: You know, I do not workout with my mother all that much. We try to get together whenever we can. But I have a philosophy: Do it for yourself by yourself. My mom and I had tried so many diets and exercise programs together in the past. And the moment my mom didn't feel like going, it was easy for me not to go and vice versa.
So now the way that I structure my exercise routine is I'll let her know where I'm going, what I'm doing and when I'm doing it, and if she wants to join me, I would love for her to do it.
But I don't wait for her. I don't depend on her. And actually, now when we workout together it's a treat and it's an enjoyable thing to do.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on April 28, 2009, 10:00:49 PM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Week 17"
It was an emotional last week on The Biggest Loser ranch, filled with a lot of reflection and happy man-tears. After saying goodbye to Kristin, Mike is convinced that his dad has won the game for him. "My dad is playing chess and the others are playing checkers," he says.
The contestants walk into the gym where Alison is there to take them on a trip down Memory Lane. Tara admits that it's hard to watch herself and wonders why it took her so long to get where she is today. Filipe just laughs when he sees how he looked and how exhausted he was during the first week. Helen is horrified by her disastrous hairdo and to see Mike then and now is incredible.
Alison informs everyone that it's officially their last week on campus and sends them off for a workout where the trainers re-create some of the stuff they watched on the video from Week One. Afterwards, Helen, Tara and Mike try on their "goal" outfits and are amazed that not only do they fit, but they look fabulous. That Mike has really become a cutie.
Next it's off to Dr. H.'s to check in on their health progress. He reminds them that they were the sickest group ever accepted onto The Biggest Loser but today, you'd never know it. Helen, at 48, was biologically 60 years old when she entered the ranch. Today she's down to 50. Tara sees her stomach from Week One and shouts, "Oh, dear God," but then sees her stomach today and says, "That looks a hell of a lot better." Filipe has lost 15 inches around his stomach and Mike, who was the youngest and perhaps sickest contestant, has lost over half of the area around his waist. Ron couldn't even fit into the MRI machine the first week and now not only has he been able to stop taking most of his medications, but the fat pad that was around heart is almost gone.
It's time for the last challenge and the players have to lose the weight they've lost all over again. The task is for them to carry the amount of pounds they've shed over the last 16 weeks, and each time they make it over a hill, they can drop the number of pounds they lost in that corresponding week. Mike starts off struggling with his 153 extra pounds but soon picks up the slack. Tara also has trouble, but passes Mike to gain the lead and win. She gets to make the choice, yet again, of winning $10,000 or a one-pound advantage at weigh-in. Mike comes in second and gets whatever she doesn't choose. As each person finishes, they throw the empty bag that they carried over the mountain, to symbolize that they're getting rid of that old self for good.
Next it's train the trainer day and Jillian is not excited. "I didn't come here 400 pounds, so why am I getting my ass beat?" she says. Bob, on the other hand, loves it. But soon enough, he gets beat down and even has to yell at Filipe to shut up — in the friendliest of ways, of course. Afterward, it's payback time as the trainers hand out an intense, last-chance workout. Everyone gives it their all, determined to pull a good number in the final week. Filipe shows his confidence by saying, "There are four jackals in the house trying to take me down, but it's no problem. They're going against a lion."
Time for the final weigh-in to determine who makes it to the finale. Alison tells the group that the five of them came in with a combined weight of 1,733 pounds, but today they have lost over 600 pounds together. Pretty astounding. Tara announces her decision to take the one-pound advantage, leaving Mike $10,000 richer. Nice chunk of change for a college kid to pocket. So here's how the final numbers fell:
Ron: loses 9 pounds, 3.02 percent, to get down to 289 pounds. 141 total pounds lost in 17 weeks. Filipe: loses 10 pounds, 4.10 percent, down to 234 pounds. (Yells his signature "wooo.") 130 total pounds lost. Helen: loses 7 pounds, 4.35 percent, down to 154 pounds. 103 total pounds lost. Mike: loses 11 pounds, 4.68 percent, down to 224 pounds. 164 total pounds lost. Tara: loses 8 pounds, with one-pound advantage, 5.08 percent, down to 169 pounds. She's Jillian's only original contestant, has lost a total of 125 pounds, which is the most any woman ever lost on campus.
So Filipe and Ron are below the yellow line. Has the final week ever been full of such high numbers?
During deliberation, Filipe gets emotional as he talks about why he wants to be a finalist. He feels that in order to be the best, you got to beat the best but ultimately the decision will be in Helen and Tara's hands. Since both Filipe and Ron had previously placed votes against her, Helen feels no loyalty toward either person. But she does feel powerful and soaks it in as she and Tara are deciding the final four.
During elimination, Mike obviously votes for Filipe. Helen then also votes to eliminate Filipe as he's the bigger threat to her. But Filipe says he can't leave sad, as everything he's ever wanted to accomplish, he has.
So now it's 30 days at home for the final four — Tara, Helen, Ron and Mike — before the finale weigh-in. Who do you think will take home the grand prize?
It was clear to Filipe Fa that if he fell below the yellow line on Tuesday night's "The Biggest Loser" he would be going home -- and just miss becoming one of the final four. But when his weigh-in showed a loss of 10 pounds, he had a fleeting thought that he was safe.
That was until he saw that everyone else was making big numbers, too. After all was said and done, Filipe was below the yellow line with Ron Morelli. And when it came time to vote, it was a no-brainer that Ron's son Mike would vote for Filipe. Then, when Helen Phillips, too, cast her vote for him, the fate of 26-year-old from Arizona was sealed.
ET: When you look back at the show, do you think there is anything you could have done differently that would have put you in the final four?
Filipe Fa: No. I killed it that week. In fact my regimen was even tougher than before. I made a goal to wake up every morning at 4:30, finish breakfast by 5 a.m., and workout from 5 to 7 a.m. I basically worked out eight to 10 hours a day that last week. I have no regrets. I gave it my all.
ET: Helen said that since both you and Ron voted for her previously when she fell below the yellow line, that she had no loyalty to either of you. So do you think if you had not voted for her earlier, it might have changed her vote, or was she really into the game by then?
Filipe Fa: I think she was really into the game by that point. I don't know why she would have felt that I would have voted otherwise. I would never write Kristin Steede's name down. I was closer to Kristin than to Helen. I know that it made her upset, but I had to vote for my friend. Whether I voted for her or not, I don't think it would have changed the outcome, because this week everybody was playing the game. So when I fell below the yellow line, I knew I was gone.
ET: Going back to your blow-up with Jillian Michaels. Did that have anything to do with the fact that she was a woman? Was that part of your issue with her, or was it that you really felt she wasn't working you out?
Filipe Fa: No. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was a woman, or that she wasn't working me out. I think we just had bad communication that week. I didn't really mean to blow up on her, and she didn't mean to say some things, as well. In fact, off-camera we talked about it and made up. We are really good friends right now. I haven't talked to her since I have been off the show, but I have no ill feelings toward her. She is probably one of the best trainers out there.
ET: Have you lost any more than the 13 pounds we saw last night since you have been home?
Filipe Fa: I am still the same. I am around the same range.
ET: Do you have a favorite from the final four to win the competition and the $250,000?
Filipe Fa: Tara Costa. That last week on the ranch, Tara and I were able to get close. We had some great conversations. By nature, she is a tough competitor. Because she is so consistent in being so tough, she deserves it more than anybody else.
ET: You mentioned that you had problems when you first got home. Why do you think your routine stalled?
Filipe Fa: When I first got home, I had the hardest time trying to adjust back to normal life. Going from having a routine on the ranch, where I knew I could wake up every day and do this, and then I had to incorporate family life into that. I still worked out every day, I just I found myself plateauing. Then my father had his stroke. I had to tend to that while my mom worked. I had to be there for my dad. There was a lot of family drama I had to deal with before I could get back on track. [Note: Filipe's dad is doing better and has improved his eating habits and has lost 18 pounds since his stroke.]
ET: How is your relationship with Sione since you have taken this journey with him?
Filipe Fa: I think for the most part it has drawn us closer. Sione has always been there for me. He was always a close cousin to me. Being able to make the journey with him has been amazing. We still work out together every morning. As much as it is a competition, we still workout together every morning.
ET: After losing large amounts of weight, what happens to all the stretched skin?
Filipe Fa: That has been the struggle with me being home is dealing with this excess skin. The advice I got from Bob was just a lot of cardio. It is going to take a lot of intense cardio to take it off. I am dealing with it. I have gotten more off since I have been off the show. Hopefully, by the finale I will look as good as I want to.
"The Biggest Loser" returns next week for the penultimate episode, when we will see the competitors after they have spent 30 days at home -- and, in addition to the weigh-in, they will be tasked with completing a marathon. Then the finale airs Tuesday, May 12 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 01, 2009, 01:25:10 PM
A New Lease on Weight-Loss Life with Filipe Fa of The Biggest Loser
After watching his cousin, Sione, leave The Biggest Loser ranch in week ten, Filipe Fa of Arizona was left to fend for himself in this season of The Biggest Loser Couples. Outgoing and fun, Filipe entered The Biggest Loser at 360 pounds with a goal to be an inspiration to his family, all of Tongan heritage, who have an organic cultural predisposition to being heavy. When Sione left the ranch, Filipe gave it his all to become the final "Biggest Loser" but soon found himself on the other side of the weight-loss scales, at a disadvantage to the still remaining father and son team Ron and Mike, without the votes to continue his Biggest Loser journey.
When the votes were counted, Filipe gave a heartfelt and appreciative final speech before the remaining team members, surprised and confident after losing 140 pounds to set himself on a new path to a happier and healthy life without all of the extra weight.
The morning after Filipe left The Biggest Loser ranch, we stepped on our weekly conference call scales to learn more about Filipe's time on The Biggest Loser Couples, his run-in with Jillian, how he's dealing with the extra flab left by so much weight-loss, and why his health routine stalled somewhat when he returned home from The Biggest Loser.
THE DEADBOLT: What was your time on the ranch like after Sione left?
[Biggest Loser Couples] FILIPE FA: You know, it was kind of rough. In fact, the next day I don't think I said a word to anybody. I was so devastated. I went on a hike. I ran for a little and everybody gave me my space and respect\. But it was kind of hard because we had a routine together. We would wake up every morning, eat the same thing, and workout together. So when he left, it's like back to that square one where I was when he left the first time, except this time I wasn't able to bring him back. So it was kind of hard.
THE DEADBOLT: How often do you talk to Bob?
FILIPE: I talk to Bob once a month on a rare occasion. He's very busy and we're busy. But the great thing about him is that he'll check in once in a while on everybody, and when he does call he gives us the words of encouragement and advice. And then he needs to do what he does best, and that's help people lose weight [laughs].
THE DEADBOLT: I thought it was funny when he kept telling you to shut-up during the workout. What was it like to be Bob's trainer?
FILIPE: Oh, my God, I had so much fun with that. You know, they showed probably one percent [of that]. I talked so much trash that day. There was a part where he was on the Stairmaster and he was breathing so hard he was whistling. He was like, [wheezing sounds]. He was gasping for air and I was like, "Oh, do you need air?" And he goes, "Shut up, Filipe!" I loved it. I loved the fact that we had "train a trainer" day and that he admitted that I killed him. So that was good.
THE DEADBOLT: What's your relationship with Jillian like now?
[Biggest Loser Couples] FILIPE: You know, I had that little blow up with Jillian, I think it was week ten. I haven't spoken to her but I have no ill feeling towards her. You know, we just had a miscommunication that week. In fact, we talked about it over and over while I was on the ranch and my relationship right now is - I love Jillian. I think she's a wonderful trainer, actually, an amazing trainer and I wish the best for her.
THE DEADBOLT: I was wondering about something that no one has mentioned yet. After losing these massive amounts of weight, what happens to the stretched skin?
FILIPE: You know, that's something. In fact, that's been a struggle with me being home, is dealing with this extra skin. So the advice I got from Bob was just a lot of cardio, and so it's just going to take a lot more intense cardio to take it off. I'm dealing with it pretty well. I've gotten a little more off since I've been off of the show, and so hopefully by the finale I'll look as good as I hope I do.
THE DEADBOLT: So they are just toning up exercises, I guess, to tighten up everything?
FILIPE: Yeah. A lot of it's less weight, more reps. So we have more intense workouts where we go high intense cardio for a half hour, hit the weights for a good hour, then go back cardio and just bring the heart rate down.
THE DEADBOLT: What do you currently weigh, and what do you ultimately want to get to?
[Biggest Loser Couples] FILIPE: Well, I've only lost 13 pounds since the show, so currently now I'm in the 220-219 range. So I'm hoping to drop another good 10 or 15 before the finale and I'm working hard on that and things are looking good for me. So we'll see how things go.
THE DEADBOLT: You also mentioned that when you got home your routine kind of stalled. What happened?
FILIPE: Yeah. When I first got home, I think my routine kind of stalled a little bit because I think I had a hard time trying to adjust back to normal life. You know, going from having a regiment and routine on the ranch, where we knew every day I'm gonna wake up and do this and then turn a corporate family life into that.
So I was still working out every day, I just found myself plateauing from here to there. And my father having a stroke and me having to attend to that while my mom worked, you know, long hours. So I had to be there for my dad, and so it was just hard. I still worked out every day but there was a lot of family drama at home that I had to deal with before I could get my schedule back.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 04, 2009, 09:59:43 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples It's Official: American Will Vote!
Can you believe it? We are down to the final four of The Biggest Loser: Couples and we still have an actual team intact so close to the finale. While I wasn't a Filipe fan, I was secretly hoping that he would stay. He and Mike did so well on the challenge this week - and yes, I was surprised that Tara pulled off her 12th win of the season. That's not to say I wanted Ron to go home either. I have to agree with Bob, Ron has played this game basically with one shoulder and one leg - not easy to get to the final four with those odds. But, hey, the green team may have hung in there to the end had it not been for Laura's fracture.
Coming up this week, our contestants learn that their final challenge is to run a full marathon - cheered on by past season winners of The Biggest Loser. Unfortunately, I can't see Ron winning this one - but you can bet he will give it all he has. Will Tara make it to a first-place finish and win her 13th challenge of the season? Tara, Helen and Mike had excellent percentages of weight loss last week... they were the Top 3 out of 5 losers last week! Will the stress of being at home take away their momentum? The last time Tara went home, she only lost 2 pounds to Ron's 10, Mike's 8 and Helen's 7. That said, Tara did have the best time in the Half Marathon and lost to Sione only because Helen ate a cookie... but that was 6 weeks ago, everyone has gotten stronger and more athletic.
Hooray! It's official - America will once again determine who will be the third finalist in the season finale. So warm up those voting fingers devoted fans. Last time America could vote online or text in their choice. We'll be sure to post the necessary voting information immediately following the show Tuesday night.
For me, this is must-see TV... well, it is if you love watching The Biggest Loser as much as I do... There are so many different scenarios, all of them exciting: Ron is the last remaining member of Bob's team - can he lose enough weight during his 30 days at home to push either of the ladies below the yellow line? Can Mike and Ron loose enough weight to take the top 2 spots and push both ladies below the yellow line? Will an intact Brown Team make it to final 2? Will the youngest contestant make it to the final 2? Or could it be that Jillian just might have all three of her remaining team members make it to Finale night? If Helen stays in the top 2, could it be that Jillian will once again have a Pink Team member in the Finale. Will Pink once again represent in the final 2? Will Jillian's only remaining original team member make it to the final 2? I can't wait to find out!
Join us when most of these questions are answered on Tuesday, May 5, at 8/7c on The Biggest Loser Couples 2 - only on NBC! I know if my favorite falls below the yellow line, I will be voting till my fingers bleed to make sure my favorite makes it to Finale night... how about you?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Texan on May 05, 2009, 09:05:54 PM
OMG I cried when Ron was doing the marathon! I have to say all along he has not been my favorite, but I was really impressed with him finishing that race. That is incredible.
Who is everyone voting for?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Rob on May 05, 2009, 09:13:57 PM
I want Mike in the F3....if he is, he will win, and he deserves it!!!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: Snooky on May 05, 2009, 09:31:48 PM
It was great to see all of the contestants do the marathon! It would have been cool to see Mike run though! I can't wait for next week!
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 05, 2009, 10:05:39 PM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap "Week 18"
We're finally down to the final four, and the episode opens with a look back at each of the remaining contestants from 17 weeks ago. Wow, what a difference. The contestants embark on their journey at home for 30 days, but will be back for their final weigh-in on campus.
Each player is excited to get home, but the contestants are all nervous about keeping up their new lifestyles in their old surroundings. And what happened to saying goodbye to the trainers and seeing the blow-up, life-size version of themselves that we've been treated to in past seasons?
At home, it's warm welcomes all around and speeches galore. Looking back at Mike is astounding. He was a closet eater who ate fast food in his car, and now he spends his days in the gym. His father Ron feels responsible for his kids' weight and now needs to get his other son Max on track. Helen pulls her old clothes out and starts crying. "I can't believe that I thought this was okay," she says. Tara, meanwhile, gets to see how her mom's new kitchen looks — the reward she won in week 15. Not only did her mom get a kitchen makeover with all new appliances, but it's stocked with Biggest Loser products and Jennie-O everything.
Just as everyone is settling in back at home, a Biggest Loser box arrives at their doorstep. In it is a video of Alison explaining their last — and perhaps toughest — challenge: 26 days from now, they will have to complete a full marathon. But before that, the trainers make at-home visits to their trainees. First, Jillian visits Mike, who admits he's not doing OK. He tells her he is stressed about the marathon, and even Jillian says she's never even competed in a marathon before. Mike wanted to come home and teach Max to get on track, but he knows he needs to focus on himself. So Jillian refocuses his mind and gets him in touch with his power. They go back to the house where Mike says doesn't want to see Max fat anymore. Mike admits it brings up his own pain and suffering, and Jill tells him he needs to feel the depth of that pain before he can come through on the other side.
Next up, Jillian heads to Long Island to surprise Tara. Jillian immediately notices that Tara's room is a disaster, and Tara unravels as she tells Jillian that she's afraid to move back in because she doesn't want her life back. She even opened up a bag of chips in the grocery store after six hours of working out. Jillian tells her that she can't live the rest of her life about pita chips. Tara has gone from overeating to compulsive exercising, and Jillian shows her she needs a balance by working out, and then taking her for a drink to catch up.
Bob goes to Ron's house, where he trains both him and his other son, Max. Afterwards, Bob wants to talk nutrition and tells Ron to go out and get whatever he'd get on weekends. This, of course, is a double cheeseburger, fries and milkshake. Bob cuts the burger to demonstrate exactly how much of it he'd eat to consume the 600 calories he needs, and then he takes him to Subway so that they can get more nutritious food for the same amount.
The last at-home visit is with Jillian and Helen. As soon as she walks in on her and her hubby at breakfast, the waterworks begin. Can we ever get through a scene without Helen crying? Helen and Jillian go back to the house, where Helen is going nuts trying to make Jillian happy, just as she does with the rest of her family. Jill tells her to sit down, have a glass of wine and take a breath. "Oh my God, Jillian I'm so tired," Helen confesses. She's made it so far, and she doesn't want to let anyone down.
Time for the marathon in Malibu. During his training, Mike hurt his hip and now he has to walk the entire 26 miles, according to his doctors. Tara and Helen start off running, and at mile four, they're joined by Tara's friend and Helen's husband Russell. Once Mike and Ron reach mile four, they're joined by Max and one of Ron's friends. But by mile five Ron is in trouble with his knee pain. He wonders if he'll be able to continue. Contestants from seasons past show up as Ali Vincent is there to run with Tara and Michelle is there to encourage Helen. Bernie is with Mike, whose mind is set on the fact that he's not really completing a marathon because he's not running it. But Bernie insists that he needs to give himself credit — that it doesn't matter how he crosses the finish line. Jillian is waiting at mile 25 and Tara is the first one there. Together they run (Jillian put your hair up!), and Tara finishes in 4 hours, 56 minutes. About an hour later, Helen completes the race at 5:48. Mike then finishes at 8:58. Apparently the contestants taped messages to themselves in week one, though I'm sure they never believed they'd come this far.
Only Ron is left, and although he's not looking so good at mile 16, he's sets his mind to finishing. With the help of previous at-home winner Jim and Michelle, Ali, Bernie and Heba, he gets going again. Bob joins at mile 21 and then Max, Helen and Tara do as well. Mike is waiting for his dad at the finish line in tears, and at 13 hours, 16 minutes, Ron & Co. cross the finish line. All four of the finalists receive 10,000 dollars for the charity of their choice.
It's now the final weigh-in, and Ron is up first. He began the competition at 430 pounds and is now down to 279; so, he lost another 10 pounds and 3.46 percent body fat at home. Even Jillian is impressed. Next is Mike, who began at 388 pounds. He loses 10 pounds and 4.46 percent at, bringing his weight to 214. He's certainly not thrilled with this percentage of loss while at home. Helen weighs in next. She started week one at 257 pounds, and after losing another 7 pounds at home, she's down to 147. "Look at what I've done, what I've accomplished here!" she says. Tara started off at 294 pounds and today, she is 159. She lost 10 pounds and 5.92 percent at home. "I have bigger things to go to now, a life to finally live," she cries. She also has the highest total percentage of weight-loss in the competition and has stayed above the yellow line for every single weigh-in thus far.
So Tara and Helen are definitely finalists, with America deciding if either Ron or Mike will join them. They plead to the camera why they should be chosen, and Ron says his son Michael gave the trip he won to his parents and the groceries reward to Aubrey. Ron says Mike deserves the opportunity to finish the competition, and I couldn't agree more.
Who do you want to join Helen and Tara in the finale? Who is your pick to win the grand prize?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 06, 2009, 06:19:01 PM
'The Biggest Loser' Winner to be Revealed Next Week
click on link below to view video
Next week, "The Biggest Loser" will crown this season's winner of the $250,000 prize. But first, ET has your sneak peek at the final four.
On Tuesday night's episode, Tara Costa and Helen Phillips made it to the finale on the basis of their life-changing weigh-ins. Tara has lost 125 pounds since she first weighed in at the ranch, weighing 294 pounds; while Helen has lost 110, down from 257 pounds.
"I absolutely want to be 'The Biggest Loser' now," Helen says. "I never thought I could come this far. Now that I have, there is no stopping me. I know that everything I have inside of me ... the drive that I have ... all of a sudden I am competitive."
Helen's major competition is Tara, who has the distinction of never having fallen below the yellow line all season. "Eighteen weeks ago, if you had told me I was going to make it to the final four, I don't think I would have believed you," says Tara. "I took it week-by-week. I never wanted to take a week for granted, because being here is just so special. Every week you are here, you learn something new about yourself and you grow as a person."
That said, the father-and-son team of Ron and Mike Morelli won't learn until next week which of them will go on. The decision is up to America. Voting is taking place at nbc.com until 6:50 p.m. PT/9:50 p.m. ET tonight, but Ron made it clear last night that he wants everyone to vote for his son, even though last season, a similar plea backfired.
"My son Michael has worked very hard and he deserves this opportunity," Ron says. "He has been a giver his entire life. He won a couple of prizes. His trip to St. Augustine he has given to my wife and myself, and his [year-long supply of] groceries he gave to Aubrey.
Even though his dad wants more for him, Mike says, "I have accomplished every single thing that I wanted to in this competition. I have lost 174 pounds [The most weight ever lost on the ranch.]. I set out to change my life. I have done that."
Tune in on Tuesday, May 12 at 8 p.m. for the three-hour "The Biggest Loser" finale, when all the contestants return for one final weigh-in, which will also determine who will win the at-home prize of $100,000.
It's an understatement to say that Joelle Gwynn didn't exactly have the easiest time on the Biggest Loser ranch this season. During her six-week stay, she endured confrontations with just about every other contestant, and most notoriously with her trainer, Bob Harper, who often lost his temper in frustation with the 41-year-old.
But for Joelle, looking at herself now — 75 pounds slimmer, with 75 more to go before achieving her goal of losing 150 pounds by October — it was all worth it.
We understand you had some medical complications before arriving at the ranch. I found out three weeks before I started the show that I was diabetic. I had to go to the emergency room, and they were yelling at me, "You have to fix your life!"
How much did you weigh when you started the show? I was 309 pounds; a size 28 was tight. I like shopping, but I could no longer even shop at plus-size stores. It was a bad time for me.
What kept you going after you left the ranch? At the ranch, there's a mantra to believe in yourself, trust the process and change forever. It took me a long time to believe in me. This is proof-positive that it works.
What was a piece of clothing you couldn't wait to get into? There was an old pair of jeans. I let out this scream of jubilation when those pants were too loose.
What's a typical workout for you? A lot of cardio. I do intervals on the treadmills. I kickbox and I work out with a trainer. I found a trail around my neighborhood, and I'm starting to get that runner's high. It feels good.
Does Bob know how hard you've been working since you left the show? About six weeks ago we had to go back to campus for a boot camp. He was really impressed with my growth and I was really pleased to show him that I had improved. He said, "Oh, you look like you have a shape now!"
Are you dating anyone? There is a gentleman who has been absolutely fantastic and supportive of me from day one. Is there a Biggest Loser finale wedding for me? No! [laughs]
Who do you think is going to win The Biggest Loser this season? I think it's between Tara and Mike. She's defied odds for a woman, but Mike is strong and determined and has more weight to lose. Whoever wins would be a wonderful example of leadership and what Biggest Loser should be about.
http://www.okmagazine.com/news/view/14206
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 10, 2009, 12:18:24 AM
Below the Yellow Line with Mike and Ron Morelli of The Biggest Loser Couples
Another season of The Biggest Loser is almost set to crown a new "biggest loser," as the competitive weight-loss field has been narrowed down to four, with the father and son team of Ron and Mike Morelli falling below the yellow line before the season finale of The Biggest Loser Couples. However, the most intense drama leading up to The Biggest Loser finale came when the competitors went home for 30 days but received word that they'd each have to run a full marathon before the final weight-in to prove their newfound physical fitness, a feat that even Jillian Michaels has never attempted.
After running 26 miles, Tara finished first, Helen crossed the line in second place, and Mike in third. But it was Ron who had the toughest time, as his knees and state of cardio health took the punishment that forced him to nearly pull out of the marathon. In the end, Ron picked himself up and walked his way to the finish line to prove to himself that anything is possible.
When the final weigh-in went down after the competitors spend 30 days at home to test their will-power, Tara and Helen held their lost weight above the yellow line while Mike and Ron fell below when the scales revealed they'd only lost 10 pounds each. Now, as The Biggest Loser Couples prepares for its three-hour finale on Tuesday, May 12 at 8pm on NBC, it will be the Biggest Loser fans who will be voting to keep either Mike or Ron in the game for the finale.
The next morning we hopped on the phone to run a conference call marathon with a few outlets to catch up to both Mike and Ron Morelli to get their thoughts on their Biggest Loser progress, running the marathon, integrating back into normal life, and their time at The Biggest Loser ranch.
[The Biggest Loser NBC] THE DEADBOLT: So, Ron, when you were getting close to the marathon finish line, did you have the theme song to Rocky going through your head?
RON MORELLI: [laughs] No, I was just, 'Get me off of this damn sand.' That's all I was thinking. No, I didn't. But maybe I should've, it would've been easier.
THE DEADBOLT: I was actually humming it on my sofa while I was watching you cross the finish line.
RON: [laughs]
THE DEADBOLT: How surprised were you at how hard it was to integrate back into normal life after being on the ranch for so long?
MIKE MORELLI: For me, normal life still hasn't started yet. I mean, we're still working towards [the] finale and that kind of thing. So normal life, for me, is going to be getting back at Michigan State and getting back into school, and that's something I'm really really looking forward to. And I'll let you know how it works out [laughs].
[The Biggest Loser NBC] RON: It was pretty easy for me to slide back into [normal life]. At least as normal as my life usually was. I mean, I'm a city councilman out here in my town, so I needed to get back into those meetings and they're just twice a month. So I got right back into that, and after the meetings we'd all go up to the local bar and just sit and talk about what went on at the meeting and I would just have water, where before I would have a couple of beers. But I still sit down and have the comradery with my friends and the other people on council and the other people in town.
I mean, I come from a small town. We only have 10,000 people here in South Lyon [Michigan] and most of the town knows who I am. So going through town wasn't much different than it normally was. But once this is all over, the thing that is going to change is getting back into my normal life with my wife where we can go out and we can go to the movies and we can go to a restaurant. You know, do the kind of things where the main focus isn't getting to bed early, getting up early, working out, you know - doing all of the stuff and really over working yourself waiting to get to this finale.
THE DEADBOLT: Mike, when you were fighting those food temptations, were you thankful that you gave your groceries away to Aubry?
MIKE: Honestly, yeah, because if I had a year's supply of cereal in my house I would've eaten the entire thing.
THE DEADBOLT: How often do you speak to Bob and Jillian?
RON: I don't speak to Bob much and that's kind of my choice. I know that they're not going to be around every day like they were at the ranch, and I really need to try to focus on how I'm going to handle this past Bob. And I know that for the rest of my life, if I need him, he'll be there. But I need to make sure that I'm able to do it on my own. If I was really running into trouble, I'd call him more. But so far, I'm not. My son Max talks to him a lot, so I kind of talk to Bob through him a little bit. But other than that, I haven't talked to him much.
MIKE: As for me, I really don't talk to Jillian, or anything, or Bob either. Every once in a while, if I see Jillian is on like Rachael Ray, or she was Huckabee, I'll text her and be like, 'Good job on TV.'
THE DEADBOLT: At what point along the way, Mike, did you start to believe, 'I could win this whole thing.'?
MIKE: I think the first time I really did the math on where I was percentage weight-loss wise was when I realized I could really do it. I don't have a specific week. But the more I lost weight and the better I felt, the more I was like, 'Wow, if I don't fall below the yellow line I can get pretty far.' And I've been below once this past week.
THE DEADBOLT: So your biggest hurdle is still Tara?
MIKE: I'm actually more scared of Helen than Tara.
THE DEADBOLT: What's the most important thing you guys took away from the ranch?
RON: The most important thing I took away from the ranch was that if my mind was in the right spot, I really didn't need the ranch. Everything I learned there, I already knew, I just never did it. And what the ranch forced us to do was to do it. If you're going to play the game and stick around, you had to do the work. And it proved to me just by doing the work - you know, eating right and exercising - the weight would come off, and the weight would come off quick. And I could've done that 35 years ago.
MIKE: The greatest thing I took away from the show was that if you stick to a plan, if you just tell yourself you can do this, you'll be able to do it. If you go out and say, 'I'm not going to give up. I'm going to lose weight and I'm going to follow this diet program,' exercise and eating right, the math will work out. You'll lose weight [and] it'll work. Before, I'd try anything. I'd try any number of diets and I yo-yo'd up to 388 lbs, and I was 18. It was really the guidance and the perspective I gained from the ranch that I took away most.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 11, 2009, 09:30:11 AM
Alison's blog posted on 5/6
Pound for pound
Omg. Last night was such a good ep. We (Bob, Jill and I) hosted an event with Feeding America to honor the Pound for Pound challenge. Celebrate its accomplishments and encourage people to become aware of such an amazing organization. The pfpchallenge has generated over 3 million pounds of groceries for people at risk of hunger. And over 180,000 people pledged. Really amazing.
We screened the episode at the event, and it was so incredible to witness so many people standing around the screens, moved and inspired by what Tara, Helen, Ron and Mike accomplished. I received so many tweets last night about it too. Ron had a lot of you in tears... And certainly we all felt that way, walking that last mile with Ron. All the previous contestants participating - cheering on all four of them was so awesome. Seeing everyone walking in with Ron, shows just how special Biggest Loser is and what a family it is. Heba and Bernie and Jim... Ali, Michelle... It's so overwhelming when you think about how many lives have been changed for the better... Forever. And listening to Ron last night really spoke to me, seeing Max again, seeing him struggle... Jillian reaching out to Mikey, bob training Max...that final weigh-in, Tara and Helen's triumph, Mike and Ron speaking to America ... There were so many moments that were truly the best of what Biggest Loser is all about. I was so proud of that episode. So... Who are you voting for? Are you SO excited for the finale next week? I am!! Can't wait to see everyone.
Alison Sweeney
Pardon my typos, this was sent from my Sprint BlackBerry
http://blog.nbc.com/alison/the_biggest_loser/
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 12, 2009, 09:04:55 AM
Alison Sweeney Takes Her Role as Fitness Host Even Farther
Alison Sweeney may already be known as the devious Sami on Days of Our Lives, but these days she's taking her other job as host of NBC's The Biggest Loser one step further by challenging herself to new fitness goals with EA SPORTS Active for Wii. New mom Sweeney opened up to TVGuide.com about how The Biggest Loser has had an epic season, how the contestants have inspired her to lose the baby weight quickly and what advice she has for other busy moms trying to stay fit.
TVGuide.com: You're a busy woman these days. Tell me about the EA SPORTS Active product you're working with? Alison Sweeney: It's fantastic because it's not just the workout — it's a whole journal that you do so you really get a sense of the entire health picture. It's a trainer in a box and the nice thing about the workout is that it's interactive, so it makes sure you're challenging yourself and trying to be as fit as you can. I'm trying to get back into shape after my pregnancy so it works for me, and then it also has a lighter intensity for someone who's brand-new and has never done a workout a day in their life. So it really offers something for everyone.
TVGuide.com: I have a Wii, but I always say, "If I'm going to work out, I may as well go to the gym." Do you ever have that problem? Sweeney: With this, it keeps you on track. They're not trying to say it replaces a trip to the gym. I still do my spin class, I still do running on the treadmill when I can, [but] I don't have to go out to the gym at 9 o'clock at night anymore. If I'm exhausted after work, I can just do this, get a good fitness half-hour, burning some calories and getting some muscle tone, and then the whole day isn't shot.
TVGuide.com: Could this be featured on the next season of The Biggest Loser? Sweeney: It won't be, but it definitely has the potential. It could really be incorporated into so many people's lives, especially the people that want The Biggest Loser as guidance.
TVGuide.com: Speaking of The Biggest Loser, how has this season been different from previous ones? Sweeney: We call it the biggest season ever, but it's true on so many levels. It's the longest season we've ever had. We brought in the biggest contestant, male and female, the oldest, the youngest. We brought in the most amazing people. Kristin is a great example of someone [who] got to the ranch, not just for herself, but for everyone sitting at home on their sofa watching the show. Every week she'd get up on that scale, whether she succeeded or failed, and know that people are looking at her, and she wanted to reach out through that TV screen and help them and tell them you can do this yourself.
TVGuide.com: Has the show inspired you in your own life? Sweeney: People ask me why I was so committed to losing weight after Megan was born and why I wanted to do it quickly. I felt that I owed it to the contestants, to every person that stood on that scale next to me and given it everything they had all week long to get there. I owed it to them to show them I honored what they did and how brave they are and I wanted to be a part of that.
TVGuide.com: Do you have a favorite to win? Sweeney: I love Tara; I admire her. She's so competitive like me and I admire that drive. I mean, she was like the Tiger Woods of Biggest Loser. She came from behind so many times to win those challenges and to prove she could do it and make sure she stayed in that game.
TVGuide.com: Have you started filming the next season yet? Sweeney: We start on Thursday. We don't mess around.
TVGuide.com: So do you have any advice for a busy mom like yourself to stay fit? Sweeney: The No.1 thing I would say to them is that you are worth it. You're a role model now, so spending time on yourself to get healthy, spending time to go to the gym, is actually the best gift you can give your kids. And then a little more practical would be to cook home more often and to pack snacks with you. The first step you can take to cut out unwanted calories is to make sure you know what you're eating and putting it in the food yourself.
The Biggest Loser: Couples finale airs on Tuesday at 8 pm/ET on NBC.
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 12, 2009, 09:07:08 AM
'The Biggest Loser''s Ron & Mike Gear Up for the Finale
When "The Biggest Loser" finale begins tonight, the father-and-son team of Ron and Mike Morelli, the last team on the ranch with both of its members, will find out which one of them will compete against Tara Costa and Helen Phillips for the $250,000 grand prize.
Last week, despite impressive 10-pound weight losses each, the guys were pushed below the yellow line by the two remaining women in the competition. That means that Ron and Mike's future is being decided by America, who voted on which of the two would get to move on.
"I'm okay with the fact that at least one of us is there," Ron says. "I mean we're both going to be standing there on that same stage. But Mike and I are pretty competitive with each other, and I wouldn't want to be up against him in the top three."
To determine which one of the final three is "The Biggest Loser," there will be one more weigh-in. The person who has lost the biggest percentage of their body weight gets the title and the money.
"I think the first time I really did the math on where I was percentage weight-loss wise was when I realized that I could really do it," says Mike, who reveals that he is more afraid of Helen than Tara. "The more I lost weight and the better I felt, the more I was thinking, 'Wow, if I don't fall below the yellow line I could get pretty far.' And I've only been below once and that was this past week."
Ron, on the other hand, knows that he doesn't have a chance against the final three because their percentages of weight loss are so much greater than he has been able to reach. But even for the at-home competition, which awards a prize of $100,000, he acknowledges that he only has a slim shot.
"I don't have it locked by any stretch of the imagination," he says. "For me, maybe there is a possibility there, but no possibility on the other side."
That said, both men have focused these past few weeks on the finale, rather than returning to a normal life.
"I'm pretty confident," Mike says. "I have to remain confident, because if I let myself slip down, I'll freak out and start to cry. I'm working as hard as I possibly can; I'm going to outwork everybody and, you know, if I do, then, hopefully, no one will beat me."
"The Biggest Loser" finale airs tonight at 8 p.m. on NBC.
http://www.etonline.com/news/2009/05/73785/
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 13, 2009, 08:49:56 AM
The Biggest Loser: Couples Episode Recap: "Finale"
No other show on TV has as a rewarding finale as The Biggest Loser, and this season did not disappoint. Who did America choose to join Helen and Tara in the final three? Not just yet people, this is a three-hour show!
We take our first look back at this season's journey that began with 22 contestants hoping to change their lives. At first there was struggle, but once the cheesy music started playing we got to see how far they've come. After 179 days, it's now down to Helen, our 48-year-old mom, Tara, our former model, and father-and-son team Ron and Mike, who at 18 was the youngest to ever step foot on the ranch.
So let's see our Brown team: Mike pops out first and I literally shouted an expletive at my television. That boy looks gooood. Did his father do as well? Not too shabby for a man that has tried every diet and weight-loss method out there. And America chose...Mike. Yay! He certainly deserves it.
But Mike and Ron weren't the only two battling it out tonight. We also meet Erinn, a senior at Ohio State, and Amanda, 19, from New Jersey, who are fighting for the final spot on next season's Biggest Loser. And to get a taste of life on the ranch, they're immediately whisked away to a gym where they'll start training with Bob and Jillian. Those producers don't mess around.
So let's see the eliminated contestants: First to appear are Jerry and Estella, who are certainly unrecognizable after their transformation, and engaged couple Damien and Nicole, also looking fab. But before we can weigh them in, Alison tells us about the Pound-for-Pound challenge that NBC has waged in the war against hunger. For every pound lost, a pound of groceries will be delivered to a food bank. So far America has pledged over 2,926,027 pounds. Well done!
THE WEIGH-INS Time for the first round of weigh-ins: Estella started the game at 242 pounds and has lost 83 to bring her to a 34 percent weight loss. Her husband Jerry (I'm still in shock over his transformation), started as the oldest contestant at 63 and 369 pounds. He's now lost 177, 47.97 percent. Next up is Damien of the Red team. He started at 381 and has lost 136 pounds, 35.7 percent. His fiancée Nicole, crying on the scale, started at 269 pounds and has now lost 123, 45.72 percent, and will be getting married in a size eight wedding dress.
The next wave brings out Silver Bullets Joelle and Carla and fan favorites Sione and Filipe. Oh, how I missed my boys! Joelle and Carla are certainly more civil and the Tongan cousins show us their native dance one more time. Gotta love those facial expressions. Sione steps on the scale. He began the competition at 372 pounds and lost 146 pounds, 39.25 percent. Still not enough to beat Jerry, who's in the lead. His cousin Filipe weighs in next. 364 pounds in week one, today he's lost 135 pounds, 37.09 percent. Silver is next. Carla began as the heaviest woman on campus weighing in at 379 pounds. Today she's lost 128 pounds, 33.77 percent. Her partner Joelle, on the other hand, only loses 80 (from 309), but exclaims, "That's mine!" Her 25.89 percentage lost ain't nothing to sneeze at.
Cousins Blaine and Dane and sisters Mandi and Aubrey are revealed next. Blaine and Dane have completed a marathon and Blaine now wants to be an Ironman. He steps on the scale first. He began his journey and 365 pounds and has lost 116 pounds, 31.78 percent. Jerry is still unstoppable! Dane was a whopping 412 pounds and with his 154-pound weight loss, he's down 37.38 percent. At 263 pounds in week one, Mandi has now lost 92 pounds, 34.98 percent. Her sister Aubrey started at 249 and has lost 55 pounds, 22.09 percent.
Heading toward the home stretch, mother-daughter team Cathy and Kristin enter the stage, followed by friends David and Daniel. Cathy looks fab in her eggplant dress and Kristin is sporting quite the short, platinum blonde 'do. And she's even had her own magazine cover (Life & Style). Meanwhile, Ali tells Daniel he's still got a long road ahead, but looking back at him from week one, he's come quite a long way. Cathy is up first. She started the competition at 292 and today has lost 95 pounds, 32.42 percent. Her daughter (another fan favorite), Kristin, first weighed in at 360 pounds. She's lost 167 pounds, 46.39 percent. The Orange team is up next. David was 393 pounds at the start, and has lost 43 pounds, 10.94 percent. Daniel, who was the heaviest person on the ranch at 454 pounds, has lost 142 pounds, 31.28 percent.
THE AT-HOME PRIZE Three more people weigh in for the at-home prize. Out walks Laura and Shannon, both looking absolutely stunning, followed by Ron. Laura steps on the scale. The former model started out at 285 and has now lost 86 pounds, 30.18 percent. Pink team member Shannon was 283 pounds, and has lost 92 pounds, 32.51 percent. And weighing in last is Ron. Can he pull off the biggest number? In week one he was 430 pounds and after losing 192 pounds, it's still not enough to clinch the prize. Jerry, now 64, (Remember: He passed out after only an hour on campus, and ultimately lasted only two full weeks there), has won the $150,000. Way to go, Jerry!
Time to take a look at our final three and as Jillian points out, they're "not just making a television show" but are "part of something that is magical." Mike has truly changed from a boy to man and having gone through this journey at 18, admits he has his entire life ahead of him.
Helen, meanwhile is an inspiration. The hot mama arrives on stage in her hot-pink team color. Looking at the video of her crossing the marathon finish line makes you believe anything is possible.
And then there's Tara. In 18 straight weeks, she never once fell below the yellow line. Remember seeing her cry at 294 pounds and saying, "I'm gonna change"? Did she ever.
Before the three finalists weigh in, it's time to see who America chose to be on the next season...and that person is 19-year-old Amanda. I was secretly hoping they'd say, "You're both on the show." She better start packing because shooting starts Thursday.
THE CHAMPION After two long hours and 50 inspirational minutes, it's time for the final three contestants to weigh in. Helen is up first. She began the show at 257 pounds. Today she is 117 pounds, has lost 140 and 54.47 percent. That's right, she's less than half her original size.
Mike goes next. He started weighing in at 388. He is now 181, after losing 207 pounds, or 53.35 percent. Also an impressive number.
Last to weigh in is powerhouse and front-runner Tara, who started The Biggest Loser at 294 pounds. She's down to 139 pounds, with a 155-pound weight-loss.
Despite their impressive numbers, neither can beat Helen's numbers — and America has a new champ!
Yet, regardless of who won, that entire cast of contestants should feel nothing but proud. And not for nothing, let's hear it for another Team Jillian win and another female Biggest Loser. What do you think of this year's winner?
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: pledge on May 13, 2009, 09:34:37 AM
I'm really proud of all the contestants :jumpy: They all have accomplished so much. Winner.......Helen............I thought she lost a little too much. I'm not sure how tall she is but I was thinking maybe put back on around 10 pounds. JMO
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 14, 2009, 03:03:30 PM
Eye of the Winning Biggest Loser Tiger with Champ Helen Phillips
When it comes to losing weight and transforming your life, is it the eye of the tiger or the thrill of the fight that keeps you going to victory? Fans of The Biggest Loser couldn't have asked for a better nail-biting three-hour season finale of The Biggest Loser Couples on May 12 when all of the competitors returned to give loyal TV weight watchers season ending updates, reveals, and a number of weight-loss surprises. When the finale began, father and son team, Ron and Mike Morelli, waited as fans voted Mike into the final round as one of the three season ending Biggest Loser competitors alongside former model, Tara Costa, and self proclaimed 48-year old "domestic engineer", Helen Phillips.
Although Mike and Tara proved to be stiff competition when all three stepped on to The Biggest Loser scales for a final time, it was Helen who began rising to the challenge of her rivals and walked away with the Biggest Loser crown to become the winner of the second outing of The Biggest Loser Couples. However, prior to Helen claiming victory, the night was filled with at-home reveals and transformations from the season eliminees who all won their own individual weight-loss battles. Although it was Mike, Tara and Helen in the official final weigh-in, one of the biggest surprises of the night came when 64-year old retired engineer, Jerry Hayes, walked on to The Biggest Loser stage a new man after losing a whopping 177 pounds and over 47% over his body weight to win the $100,000 at home prize. With Helen losing over 54% body weight and Jerry looking like a movie star from the Golden Age of Hollywood, The Biggest Loser Couples finale proved that age doesn't matter when it comes to transforming your body and leading a healthy lifestyle.
The very next morning we hopped on the phone scales to join a conference call with the winner of The Biggest Loser Couples, Helen Phillips, to ask a couple of quick questions and to find out when she started to believe a Biggest Loser victory was a tangible reality, what it felt like to beat out competitors half her age, and how it feels to be a weight-loss celebrity after winning The Biggest Loser Couples.
And now with the championship title of The Biggest Loser Couples in her curvy back-pocket, hanging tough, staying hungry, turning passion into glory, Helen is watchin' us all with the eye of the tiger.
THE DEADBOLT: At what point did you seriously start to think you could win this thing?
HELEN PHILLIPS: When I was at home and I knew I was working out so hard. I was dedicating six hours a day to my workouts and I wasn’t getting tired anymore. I was so dedicated and focused to this ... And I looked at my trainers and they looked at me, and they said, "You are remarkable." I was actually working them out at the end. [Laughs]
My trainers couldn’t keep up with me and these are big football coaches, it was hilarious. I was laughing and I’d look at them while we were working out, and I’m like, "I’m gonna win this thing." And they would just look at me, and they’re like, "We know." We would just laugh. I don’t know, I knew it was going to happen for me. I just knew it because I didn’t think anybody was working as hard as me. But I don’t know, I didn’t expect to get as low as I did. It just happened for me and my body responded well to everything that I was putting it through.
THE DEADBOLT: I’ll admit I was a little surprised myself.
HELEN: Were you?
THE DEADBOLT: Yeah, honestly, I really thought Mike was going to win the whole thing.
HELEN: Yeah, I think a lot of people thought Mike was going to take it.
THE DEADBOLT: Well, speaking of Mike, how much of an ego boost was it to take the title away from these kids half your age?
HELEN: I know, and that even makes me feel better, because - You know what I think? Being 48 and going through everything I went through just makes me a stronger person now. I have a second chance at life now and it feels good to be able to say that, you know? It feels good to say I’m 48 and I’m stronger than a 24 and an 18 year old. Well, I don’t know if I’m stronger than them, maybe that’s not the right thing to say, because - You know what? Mike and Tara certainly worked hard. I know they did and they look fantastic and I couldn’t be happier for their weight loss. But it does feel good, let me tell you [laughs].
THE DEADBOLT: What’s it like being a celebrity now?
HELEN: I guess I don’t feel like a celebrity, you know? I mean, I still feel like Helen, and what I want to do is just get the message out to a lot of middle-aged women, mothers and fathers as well out there. This is a possibility for everyone. If I can go through this and do this and accomplish this, so can they. They don’t need to settle because they’re middle-aged. You know, get on a diet, a nutritional plan, go to the gym workout and start. Do it with your family, make it a family affair.
This year's "The Biggest Loser: Couples" winner was 48-year-old Helen Phillips, a retired retail manager from Sterling Heights, MI.
Helen's journey took her from 257 pounds down to 117 pounds, for a total weight loss of 140 pounds. Now she strikes a pose for the "Got Milk" campaign, saying:
"When every calorie counts you have to make smart choices, like drinking fat free milk. It is a nutrient powerhouse. Packed with nine essential nutrients, including protein, milk helps build muscle and fuels my workouts. Now the loser wins."
Along her journey, Helen declared she doesn't ever want to go back to the way she used to live. Toward that end, she and her daughter Shanon plan on opening a spin studio in metropolitan Detroit.
"I think I was very surprised by some of the foods that I was not aware of," she adds. "I never really ate some of the different types of foods that were introduced to me."
Title: Re: The Biggest Loser Season 7
Post by: RealityFreakWill on May 16, 2009, 02:15:02 PM
Exclusive Biggest Loser Weight Loss Secrets with the "New" Jerry Hayes
At the outset of the second edition of The Biggest Loser Couples, retired Illinois engineer, Jerry Hayes, tipped the scales at 369 pounds before being eliminated in only the second week of competition. A Biggest Loser competitor that was suffering from a variety of ailments due to his inactive and unhealthy lifestyle, including gout, diabetes, and Plantaritis among others, 63-year old Jerry Hayes was on a one way track to the danger zone of life. After fainting in the weight-room and unable to adapt to The Biggest Loser regiment at "The Ranch," the prognosis for Jerry living a future as a healthy man looked grim. With his loving wife of 42 years, Estella, also eliminated from The Biggest Loser, Jerry had a near impossible road ahead of him to transform himself into a healthy winner at home while the other remaining competitors battled it out on the scales of The Biggest Loser to become the last and lighter Biggest Loser standing.
18 weeks later when the competitors returned for the live season finale of The Biggest Loser Couples that saw self-proclaimed "domestic engineer" Helen Phillips walk away the winner, Jerry Hayes stepped on to The Biggest Loser finale stage to reveal his "at home" progress. In what turned out to be a weight-loss transformation that almost trumped and overshadowed this year's winner, Jerry walked onto the stage a completely new, disease free, and barely recognizable man in one of the most amazing weight-loss reveals in Biggest Loser history.
When Jerry stepped onto the scales for one final time to take a crack at winning the $100,000 "at home" prize, the once 369 pound 63-year old (now 64) almost single handedly stole the spotlight from everyone by losing a whopping 177 pounds and over 47% of his original body weight. And when it was all said and done after all previous Biggest Loser ranchers weighed in one last time, it was Jerry who rightfully walked away with $100,000 in his pocket to share with his family. And if one amazing weight loss transformation wasn't enough in one family, Jerry's wife Estalla looked fantastic after losing 83 pounds and 34% of her original body weight.
We were so impressed (and still blown away) by the "at home" transformation of Jerry Hayes that we tracked down the new and improved Hayes 48 hours after The Biggest Loser Couples finale for an exclusive, one-on-one chat to find out how Jerry managed to completely transform his life in such a short amount of time, whether he was ever hesitant to continue his journey, how he overcame the mental mountain he had to climb, and exactly how he lost an amazing, almost unheard of, 177 pounds while at home.
At 64-years of age, now under 200 pounds and looking years younger than when he walked into The Biggest Loser Couples competition, Jerry Hayes is inspirational proof that a better life is indeed possible for anyone struggling to find an entry point into a healthier lifestyle.
THE DEADBOLT: When you were still on the show and you passed out in the gym, did you have any second thoughts about taking this journey?
JERRY: After I passed out there was an element that was never televised. I actually hurt my foot, too. Both my feet. I got huge blisters on them because I was not able to go to the gym. I was walking outside and I had plantaritis on my foot. I had orthotics in my shoes that they had me take out (not at the ranch), but my doctor did, the insole of my shoe. I was walking on my shoe, right on the base, and I got this huge blister. So I had a lot of problems with that. And if you watch the videos you can see I was walking on them real gingerly. So when I got home, I had problems with that. It took me about 5 weeks to get that solved.
But, you know, they gave us enough bases and we knew we had to do it, so we exercised. Dr. H, from the show, the doctors laid out a program that said we should exercise 2.5 hours a day, cardio and weight training and so forth, to build our muscles. And that’s what we followed, we got a trainer that followed that with us and we never missed a day of exercise. I shouldn’t say that, I missed two days because I had cataract surgery done on both eyes. But beyond that I never missed a day. Stella had sinus surgery and it took five days to clear that up, that was it. And we never missed on the food either. We never went off the diet.
THE DEADBOLT: Most of the competitors have said it’s just as much a mental challenge as it is physical. How did you find that aspect of your journey to lose weight?
JERRY: It’s probably more mental than physical. In our case, it was really mind over body. My mind was telling me, “You can’t do this. You’re too old. My body can’t take it. My metabolism’s slow." If you watch the videos, when I was leaving the ranch I said it was going to take me much longer. I won’t lose as fast because my metabolism is going to be slow, because you lose 10% a year. I meant 10% every decade and saying I was wrong. I was completely wrong. It was the limiting in my mind limiting me and not my body.
Throughout this whole process, Stella and I had not had a joint problem. We haven’t been laid up at all by our bodies. I was very slow in walking. It turns out that once I got with a trainer it started becoming obvious to her that I had a balance problem. My right side on my legs, the muscles weren’t aligned right and they started working on that and I started getting my balance. And you can’t believe how great I got, just walking! I doubled my speed in about a month. And it was really the fact that my mind was saying I can’t, and my balance was off, and I keep real fast because I’ll fall over. Once I got the balance corrected – my leg – I did a lot of exercise, which I didn’t understand because I was thinking, "How’s that going to do to help me lose weight?" I know now! That’s a long explanation but it is mind over body.
THE DEADBOLT: For those out there in their sixties that say they are too old or don’t think they can do it, what do you say to them?
JERRY: Oh, no! You can do it! Anybody can do it, you’ve just got to start moving. The more you move, like in my case, the faster you go, and you've got to move. There are a lot of people at the sports center we’re at that are in their seventies and eighties. There’s a lady that’s in her eighties who can run faster than I do right now.
THE DEADBOLT: Wow! That's fantastic.
JERRY: You know, it’s just a matter of doing it and keeping it a part of your life. Yeah, you can do this, this is not impossible. Do you do it as fast as we do? No. This was a crazy pace that we were on, but we were time limited. Can you lose 5 to 6 pounds a week? Yes, you can. But normally I don’t think you can. 2 to 3 pounds per week? Yeah, you can. Build your body and your muscles at the same time.
THE DEADBOLT: I spoke to you when you were eliminated, so I've been wondering how exactly did you lose 177 pounds? I’m sure it wasn’t just yogurt and egg whites?
JERRY: [laughs] No, no it was first of all, always doing my cardio. But it was building muscles in my body to burn fat. I was very weak. I didn’t have very many muscles left because of laying around for 25 to 30 years. I needed to get the muscles built up. And I’m not talking about weight-building muscles, I’m talking about muscles to increase your metabolism. Your metabolism then will burn fat as you just rest. And so I had to get in the weight training, which I did. I started three days a week then went to five, but kept changing muscles. That’s number one. The more important one, believe it or not, is the food with the diet. Making sure that you’re eating the right food - multigrains, very wholesome, low-fat meats like chicken and turkey and pork tenderloin. And read the labels, and so forth.
They put us in a "bod pod" to tell us how many calories to eat. In my case it was 1767, Stella’s was 1270, and it was a minimum number because you have to have enough calories for fuel. If you have less, your body will shut down and not allow the fat to leave, because it goes into starvation mode. So we tried to hit that, and at first I didn’t quite understand that. I used to try to hit that within 10 calories a day and we recorded everything we ate. We had a “body bug”. You wear it on your left arm and it records what you burn and has all kinds of censors and you download it in the computer and you upload everything you eat. And I read the labels and made sure we were getting the right calories.
That’s, I think, one of the advantages we had over the younger guys. They were exercising harder and longer than we were, but I don’t know if they were as religious about tracking their food. Another advantage is that we did it together, a married couple. We've been together for 42 years. And if I didn’t go, I was afraid she wouldn’t go. That's not to say say she wouldn’t go, but I had to go for her and she had to go for me. We went separately, we didn’t exercise together, and we didn’t make a competition.
THE DEADBOLT: Do you have any plans for the money?
JERRY: Oh, yeah! But not until I won it. It was found money. It was nothing to do with what we were doing here. I never dreamed we’d win money and never went after the money. Until recently, well, okay. The plans is to splurge! This was found money. So what we’re going to do is give some to our church. We’re going to give some of it to our great state of California, because, well, they're taking it from me, and then I’m probably going to buy Stella a car and then we’re going to have a big family vacation. I’ve already asked the kids to start looking and it’s the place they want to go and take our family.
I call this found money. I never counted on it. I never entered this thing for money. This was for a life change. I was heading for a bad end toward disability and everything like that. I never dreamed I could be here. You know how we got involved in this? We went up to open call thinking they’d never take us. Why would they take us? We’re too old. I had blood pressure problems. I had diabetes. I had joint problems. I had gout. By the way, my gout’s gone, too. I had bone spurs with the bottom of my feet with the plantaritis. That’s gone and they can’t find the diabetes. Of course I've still got it, but they can’t find it. And my blood pressure medicine is gone after 42 years.
THE DEADBOLT: You’re a completely different person.
JERRY: Oh, yeah. Do I feel good? You better believe it. Especially right now because right at the end it got very wearing. But now we got our "life change". Now instead of exercising 3.5 hours a day, I’m going to go down to 90 minutes. We eat more. Dr. Zinger wants me to gain weight to go up! Isn’t that kind of weird? Now I have to gain weight! It’s lean muscles. I have to lift heavier weights to get more muscles. I've got armpits! I didn’t know what armpits were. It sounds strange, but all this stuff was new to me.
I have to watch when I sit down on a wooden chair now because it hurts my rear end. It’s great! Tell everybody, "Go for it!" You’re never too old to do this. Let’s get the message out.