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The Biggest Loser Season 6

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marigold:
An interview with Coleen:

Coleen Skeabeck talks about her time on 'The Biggest Loser: Families'

While many may have been surprised by the elimination of Coleen Skeabeck, a 23-year-old receptionist from Cleveland, OH, from last night's episode of NBC's The Biggest Loser: Families, don't count her as one of them.

"Walking into that elimination room I really felt kind of doomed," Skeabeck told Reality TV World in a media conference call the day after her elimination was broadcast on Tuesday night's The Biggest Loser: Families broadcast. "I felt that [Amy Cremen] was a little bit intimidated and actually bullied by her team to make a decision and I thought that when we had sat down at that table that she already had her mind made up to vote with the Blue team."

Skeabeck said she felt that that bullying continued right to the voting table, where Vicky Vilcan -- a 37-year-old anesthetist from Houma, LA and the other contestant below the yellow line with Skeabeck -- used her opportunity to state why she should remain in the competition to bash Skeabeck instead.

"I just felt like [Vicky] was trying to point out every reason why I shouldn't be in the game, and that's not what we were supposed to be doing," Skeabeck told Reality TV World. "We were sitting there to defend ourselves and plead our case [as to] why they should keep us. I said why I felt they should keep me, and then I thought that when it was her turn she had said why everyone should get rid of me instead of keeping her. It just made no sense to me why she was saying that.

However, while not happy with her answer at the elimination, Skeabeck wasn't critical of the strategies Vilcan used at other points in the show, instead telling reporters that the women had simply approached The Biggest Loser with different gameplans.

"She know's how to play the game, and you know what? Kudos to her," Skeabeck told reporters. "On the other hand, as much of a fan of the show [that] I am, I am not a gameplayer. I do not know how to play the game to my advantage like that and honestly i didn't even care... I just really truly wanted to get this weight off because it's been such a burden on me for my entire life."

"I can say that as the person that am I don't focus on a person's negative qualities," she added later. "Vicky has so many wonderful qualities that people are missing out on."

Skeabeck also said that, as she had been promised at her final weigh-in, she has remained in close contact with trainer Jillian Micheals since her departure from the show.

"I am still in touch with Jillian," Skeabeck said. "We exchange e-mails weekly, if not daily. She's behind me 100% and she has told me from Day 1 that she's believed in me to make some changes I needed to make."

"It's a very difficult, uphill battle losing weight, but without Jillian's support I don't know how I could've done it," she added.

Skeabeck also addressed some of the misconceptions she had realized while competing on the show after watching it on TV for so many years as a fan.

"A misconception by many is how hard it really is," Skeabeck told reporters. "You sit at home and you watch the contestants work out in the gym and in a two-hour show you don't see very much of the gym scenes. We would be there for hours and hours."

"When we walk back to the house, we don't even know how we're getting there because we're so sore," she added.

Skeabeck also went into details about how significant an accomplishment her ability to fit into the medium-sized "goal closet" tank top she had tried on during Tuesday night's broadcast had been.

"I was showing two of my friends this top that I bought that I hoped to fit into one day," she told Reality TV World. "I got it [over] of my head and got one arm in and that's as far as it would go. I couldn't even force my other arm into the other arm hole, that's how small it was on me!"

"Putting that top on [during Tuesday's show] I was like "Oh my God, I'm doing this! Things I never thought I could do.' I'm wearing a medium top! I had worn 2XL and 3XL before so I just felt so amazing and I just felt like I was shining right through."

While Skeabeck's picks for her favorites to win weren't necessarily surprising given her alliance to the Black team, she told reporters that she had not based her favorites on what team they had been on.

"I'm really pulling for [Michelle Aguilar] or [Renee Wilson], not because it's a Black team thing, but they're just amazing women and I had the opportunity to get so close to them," she told reporters. "They're fighters and they're not gonna give up."

As for her own chances, Skeabeck said that she knew she had lost over 50 lbs. since the last time she weighed herself and was somewhat optimistic regarding her chances to win the at-home prize for The Biggest Loser. However, she insisted that she was not focusing on winning any prize.

"You know, there's a great big chance that I can [win], so what I'm gonna do is just work every minute that I have until the finale. And what comes at the finale is the final product," Skeabeck told reporters. "The prizes mean nothing to me really, what I care about at that finale is standing on that stage and feeling like a superstar."

Link: http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/coleen-skeabeck-talks-about-her-time-on-the-biggest-loser-families-8044.php

marigold:
An interview with Coleen:

Biggest Loser: 50 Lbs. Lighter, Coleen Reveals Turkey Day Tips

She lost her dad and teammate in the first week’s individual elimination, but she persevered on her own for many weeks after. But on Tuesday’s Biggest Loser: Families, Coleen Skeabeck, whose dimpled smile and positive attitude made her one of the most popular members of the house, was eliminated. The 23-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, who managed to stay far away from the hostilities in the house between Vicky, Heba and Phil, talked to PEOPLE about her tips for staying on-plan at home — including her Thanksgiving Day trick! — and reveals that she’s lost over 50 lbs. since joining the show.

You said you were on the Biggest Loser ranch to change your life, while Vicky was there to win the cash prize. Do you think that’s true for her?
Vicky definitely knew the game better than anyone this entire season. She’s one of the biggest fans of the show. She knows how to play the game. Kudos to her [for that]. On the other hand, I’m not a game player. I did not know how to play the game to my advantage. I didn’t care about playing the game. I really and truly wanted to get this weight off because it’s been a burden on me my whole life. I just feel blessed to have been given the chance to go through the process.

What are you doing at home to keep moving forward with what you learned at the ranch?
I am working with a personal trainer. I joined two gyms — one is open 24 hours a day. The gym is a 45-minute walk down the road for me. I’ve been [doing] as much cardio as I can. That’s really it. I’ve just been focusing on the finale, and I just want to stand on that stage and [have] my moment to shine.

During your emotional exchange with Jillian during the weigh-in, you both promised you’d stay in touch. Do you lean on her now for support?
I am still in touch with Jillian. We exchange emails weekly if not daily. She’s behind me 100 percent. She told me from day one she believed in me to make the change I need to make. Without her support I don’t know how I could have done it.

Thanksgiving is coming up. What will you do differently this year?
I was considering hiding! This Thanksgiving I am excited to say my sister, a bunch of my friends and my dad are all getting together Thanksgiving morning and running the Turkey Trot, the annual race here in Cleveland. I’m looking forward to it. When it comes to the food, because it’s so close to the finale, I’m not going to be coming to eat when everyone else is eating dinner. I’ll be coming a little bit later, and I’ll be eating at home. I am reserving calories for my boyfriend’s grandma’s pumpkin pie. It’s calories in, calories out. As long as I burn it off, [it's okay]. And I’ve been going to the gym. I deserve a piece of pumpkin pie!

You were concerned about continuing your weight loss when you left the ranch. How have you handled being back at home?
When I arrived home I was terrified. I just cleared my head and said, “You worked so hard to get where you are.” I took a moment to think about what I had to do each day to keep the weight off and to keep losing it. To me motivation is a huge problem. I tell myself, “This is how you live — and how you live happy.”

Are you avoiding all temptation?
I have a very big weak spot for Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups, so I’ll allow myself to have that if I want it. Jillian taught me that you don’t have to completely give it up. You do have to factor it into your calories for the day. You don’t want to completely cut yourself out from it. To avoid temptation when I’m out with my friends, I realize it’s not worth the wasted calories for me. If I do [give in], I have to make adjustments for the next day and burn them off.

What’s the biggest change in our routine now compared to before you went on the BL?
I actually wake up, have my breakfast and I get moving. Before the ranch, I would get up whenever, lounge around the apartment all day long and not really be active. The biggest change for me is I’m very active, very much on the go and [doing] things with people.

Link: http://tvwatch.people.com/2008/11/20/biggest-loser-50-lbs-lighter-coleen-reveals-turkey-day-tips/

marigold:

November 20, 2008

NFL SUPER BOWL MVPS STEVE YOUNG AND JERRY RICE – AND CELEBRITY CHEF ROCCO DISPIRITO – GUEST STAR ON A SPECIAL THANKSGIVING EPISODE OF NBC'S 'THE BIGGEST LOSER: FAMILIES' ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 (8-10 P.M. ET)

NBC Press Release

It's Thanksgiving week at the "Biggest Loser" ranch, and contestants will be celebrating with turkey, football and special guests Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Rocco DiSpirito on Tuesday, November 25 (8-10 p.m. ET).

It's down to the final six contestants – trainer Jillian Michaels' last two black team members, mother and daughter Renee and Michelle; and trainer Bob Harper's four blue team members, Amy, Vicky and husband-and-wife Ed and Heba.

No Thanksgiving celebration would be complete without football, so NFL superstars Steve Young and Jerry Rice stop by to put the contestants through some fast-paced NFL-style drills. Then it's off to a football challenge that will give the lucky winner a trip for four to Hawaii!

Later, celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito makes a return appearance to the ranch, showing contestants how to prepare a tasty and healthy Thanksgiving dinner with far fewer calories than the traditional turkey day feast. And since nothing says Thanksgiving better than family, the contestants will be surprised with home videos from their loved ones.

At the weigh-in, one family fights to stay together and remain in the game for another week. Then after another contestant is sent home, host Alison Sweeney surprises the remaining players with big news.

marigold:

.... some pics for next week:

         

marigold:
An interview with Coleen:

"The prizes mean nothing to me"

You were one of the favorites. Do you think you'll win the At Home prize?
Coleen: You know what? There is a great big chance that I can. I'm going to just work every minute that I have until the finale. And what comes at the finale is the final product. But you know what? The prizes mean nothing to me really. What I care about in the finale is standing on that stage and feeling like a superstar.

Whereas your chief competitor, Vicky, seemed to be in it for the prizes.
Coleen: Vicky definitely knew the game better than anyone this entire season. She is one of the biggest fans of the show. She watches Biggest Loser Australia! I, on the other hand, as much a fan of the show I am, am not a game player. And honestly, I didn't even care about playing the game. I just really, truly wanted to get this weight off because it's been just such a burden on me my whole life. And the most important thing was to get healthy.

How is your dad and partner, Jerry, doing?
Coleen: My dad is a superstar. He is amazing - he really is truly changed. We're definitely keeping each other motivated. We'll meet up at the gym and work out and, you know, just kind of make sure we'll both still going good, and give each other a sanity check once in a while. And my dad is probably my biggest fan. So it's really great that he's gone through this process with me.

Yet you're kind of competing against him for the final prize.
Coleen: Well, no I wouldn't say so. I would say more like making sure we're both just working really hard towards the finale. The prize was never something we cared about. I mean it's definitely an incentive, but I told him if he wins the $100,000 that he owes me $90,000 of it. And he goes, "Really, why?" And I said "Hello, I stood in the line for the open casting call!" I told him he should at least take me to a nice dinner or get me a nice pair of earrings.

As a fan, what was the biggest misconception that you had about the show?
Coleen: How hard it really is. You sit at home and watch the contestants work out in the gym and in a two-hour show you see, not very much of the gym scenes. We were in there for hours and hours. And another thing is - that you can't get as a viewer is how painful the workouts are and how, when we're walking back to the house, we don't even know how we're getting there because we're so sore.

On the show you talked about the joy of being able to buy clothes off the rack. Have you been buying a lot of clothes, even though you're still losing weight?
Coleen: Well I was at Macy's for my follow-up shoot and I did get some clothes while I was there. I got enough to last me for this size that I'm in now. And after that, I'm going to be donating those to friends. But I'm looking forward to trying on smaller sizes soon. I'm getting a whole new wardrobe. My boyfriend is not going to like that because I'm just going to be shopping nonstop! But hey, it's something I've never been able to do before. And it feels pretty amazing to go to a rack and pick up a size medium or a size small and be like, "This fits me."

Your boyfriend must be happy with the results of all that shopping.
Coleen: He loves the results. He couldn't believe me in a dress. I think the only dress I had on around him was a bridesmaid dress two years ago, and that was a size 24 dress. And the dress I was wearing when I saw him again was a size 10, so he was pretty shocked.

Are wedding bells in your future?
Coleen: Wedding bells are definitely in the future. We're kind of just taking it one day at a time. But I'm happy to say that we've been together for over five years and he's really an important part of my life and he's helping me go through this process. He's getting healthy with me and everything.

How much weight have you lost as of now?
Coleen: I honestly haven't weighed myself in about two weeks, so can I just say I'm over 50 pounds down?

How will you handle Thanksgiving?
Coleen: I was considering hiding! Actually, this Thanksgiving I'm very excited to say that my sister, my dad, a bunch of my friends are all getting together Thanksgiving morning and we're running what's called the Turkey Trot which is an annual race here in Cleveland. Not only is it my dad's first race, but it's my first race since I was in middle school. And when it comes to the food, because it's so close to the finale, I'm going to be not coming to eat when everyone else is eating dinner. I am reserving calories, though, for a piece of my boyfriend's grandma's pumpkin pie. There's no way I'm missing out on that! And you know what, it's calories in, calories out, so as long as I burn it off, right? I've definitely been to the gym so I think that I deserve a piece of pumpkin pie.

"The prizes mean nothing to me" I'm going to just work every minute that I have until the finale. And what comes at the finale is the final product. But you know what? The prizes mean nothing to me really. What I care about in the finale is standing on that stage and feeling like a superstar.

Link: http://www.intouchweekly.com/2008/11/biggest_loser_9the_prizes_mean.php

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