Topic: The Biggest Loser Season 7

[marigold]

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.

[marigold]

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.

[marigold]

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

[marigold]

"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."

  Yay Nicole is a fan of TAR

[marigold]

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.

[marigold]

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/

[marigold]

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.

[marigold]

Biggest Loser 7 - Episode 4 - Behind The Scenes

This week we answered some of your questions

[RealityFreakWill]

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.

[ohsweetjebus]

I thought i was the only one loved those behind the scenes! Did you watch the blooper reel yet? Bob is ****ing hysterical!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eij_VZcGyKI&feature=channel_page

[marigold]

  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.

[marigold]

  Jillian Michaels on Rachael Ray, 01.27.09

[marigold]

.... continued Part 2

[RealityFreakWill]

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%

Blaine           365             323                  312             11                  53                    combined/
Dane            412             360                  345             15                  67                         3.81%

Filipe            364             324                  311             13                  53                         4.01%

Tara             294             264                  252             12                  42                         4.55%

Kristin           360             324                  312             12                  48                         3.70% 

Mandi           263             237                  227             10                  36                         4.22%

Daniel           454             406                  394             12                  60                         2.96%

Joelle            309             288                  278             10                  31                         3.47%

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.

Bob still has 5 teams left

RON/MICHAEL
FILIPE/SIONE
JOELLE/CARLA
HELEN/SHANON
KRISTIN/CATHY

Jillian still has 3 teams left

BLAINE/DANE
TARA/LAURA
MANDI/AUBREY

[RealityFreakWill]

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   

[RealityFreakWill]

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.

[marigold]

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.

Link: http://tvwatch.people.com/2009/01/28/biggest-losers-biggest-contestant-100-lbs-lighter-and-still-losing/

[marigold]

  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!

Link: http://blog.nbc.com/alison/the_biggest_loser/

[marigold]

  love this girl

Coleen Skeabeck - Biggest Loser Recap Season 7 Episode 4

[marigold]

Awwww she is so darn cute Coleen <3

Coleen Skeaback Answers Your Questions

[marigold]

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.

Link: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Biggest-Loser-Dan-1002229.aspx

[marigold]

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/

[marigold]

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.

[RealityFreakWill]

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.

[RealityFreakWill]

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?