Biggest Loser 14 - Makeovers and Motivation

It's that time of the season again, one of our favorite episodes...MAKEOVER WEEK!

Tim Gunn and Ken Paves were on hand once again to transform the contestants with new clothes and hairstyles, and it wasn't just the adults having all the fun.  Our three teen ambassadors got their own makeovers!  It was so wonderful to see Tim let Lindsay and Sunny look through the clothes and teach them how to put together stylish and flattering outfits, so they would know what to do at home as well.  And it was pretty funny when he tried to get Biingo interested in fashion...I know the feeling, having a 14 year old son myself.  With my son, it's always T-shirts and shorts, unless he's wearing his tux for choir - which he actually enjoys wearing!   And I do think Biingo finally appreciated the clothes Tim picked out for him...even if he still prefers his usual T-shirts.

As for the five adults, all of them had really great makeovers that affected them on both the outside and the inside.  The one that hit me the hardest was Gina, since we are so close in age and I see a lot of myself in her - having to get over fears and confidence issues, and sometimes doubting when you've already proven you're getting stronger.  I can relate the most to her this season, so watching her try on clothes (size 10 now instead of 20!) and reveal her new haircut really got to me.  She's making such great strides that I can't help but be proud of her, and inspired to keep making strides in my own life!

Everyone was flown home to show off their new looks to family and friends, and they got to stay home for two weeks.  Alison had a couple of challenges for them during this time.  First of all, every player who lost at least 5% of his or her body weight when they came back to the scale would have immunity and stay for the final week on the ranch.  And secondly, each of them needed to lead their hometowns in a workout, in order to inspire their communities to get healthier and pay it forward.

This was an excellent challenge for them, because we know how hard it is every season for the contestants to be in their old environments and keep doing what they've been doing on the ranch.  Going out to favorite restaurants proved to be extra hard this time, looking at foods they used to order and that their loved ones still eat in front of them.  Jeff really showed great restraint, eating a salad while all of his friends were eating wings, potato skins, ribs, and other unhealthy stuff.  Gina had to send her food back...she's learned that being gracious doesn't mean not speaking up for yourself when something needs to be addressed.  I wonder about her server though - she told Gina at first that she gave her what she ordered, then finally said she might have brought the wrong plate out.  There was such a MAJOR difference between the two dishes that it almost seemed like she'd brought the wrong food on purpose.  But Gina still passed the test with flying colors!

The community workouts really got everyone involved, and some past contestants even came in to assist, including Olivia and Marci from Season 11.  It's really important that all of us, whether we are on Biggest Loser or not, share what we learn about nutrition and fitness with others to we can all live better lives.  Getting our health back is much too important to keep to ourselves...we need to share the wealth.  And believe me - health IS wealth!

At the end of the two weeks, the five adults came back to the ranch to face the scale.  Every single one of them hit or surpassed the 5% goal, so they all get to stay for the final week.  But next week, the people with the top two percentages of weight loss will automatically be in the finale...and the person that comes in last will automatically go home.  The ones in 3rd and 4th place will be subject to America's vote for the third spot in the finals, which will be revealed at the finale.

Who will be guaranteed spots in the finals, and who will go home?  I can't wait to find out next week!  How about you???

Biggest Loser 13 - Makeovers Part 2, First Lady Fitness

Since we got to see the actual makeovers last week, you'd think this week would be anticlimactic.

And in a way, you would be right. After all, the best part of Makeover Week is the transformations. Once you see those there's usually not much else to the episode...but Biggest Loser found a way to give us some excitement anyway.

It was really great to watch everyone exercise with Michelle Obama, and especially fun to see how nervous Bob and Dolvett were to lead her in a workout. The one thing I really like about Mrs. Obama is her commitment to fitness and helping kids get and stay healthy. So the fact that she issued the contestants her own challenge was pretty cool. If you go to the Biggest Loser website you can sign up for this fitness challenge, and support your favorite remaining player by signing up under his or her name. Whoever gets the most sign-ups will receive a new gym in their community to help others get fit. I predict a lot of votes for Kim, and possibly Buddy or Mark. But who knows, we may be surprised!

Our dilemma for the week came from Chris. She talked to her husband at home, who was having a hard time without her and wanted her to come home. After she hung up, she literally ate away her feelings. There were all kinds of weird food combinations going on there - right in her room on the Biggest Loser campus. (How do you get that kind of junk up to your room there? Just saying.) Her mind was definitely not on the game, which Bob picked up on right away. He got her back in the right frame of mind so she wouldn't backslide into the old Chris anymore.

Have you ever done something like that? I know I have. I haven't eaten those kinds of foods mixed together...usually my binge of choice was something sweet and/or filled with chocolate, but I have gone the fast food route as well. It's important to stop that slide as soon as you can. Or as Bob said, if you're going to make a mistake like that you need to learn from it so the mistake was worthwhile. We all make those mistakes, but if we learn and do better next time then something good comes out of it. I know for me, realizing how crappy I feel after a sugar rush/crash/burn makes me choose a different, more productive way to deal with problems or stress. It's all a matter of perspective.

Unfortunately for Chris, she did enough damage during the week to cause a two pound gain. She fell below the yellow line with Kim. The rest of the players chose to save Kim, so Chris went home. It's good to see that she has continued to lose weight in her stressful home environment and is getting her whole family involved in fitness. So she did learn from her mistakes after all!

Next week looks like the drama we've all been waiting for - the episode where the remaining contestants walk off the show. I'm sick of drama this season, but curious to find out what exactly happened. With all of the stories floating around out there the last few weeks, maybe we'll learn the truth. Well, as close to the truth as reality show editing allows!

Biggest Loser 13 - Makeovers Part 1, AKA Taking a Swing at Life

I've been awaiting this episode for weeks.

And it's not just because I always love the makeovers. This time I actually wanted a contestant to get to Makeover Week solely because she needed one SO BADLY.

It's no secret to my Twitter friends that I couldn't wait to see Chris get rid of that gray hair that made her look at least twenty years older than she really is. I mean, come on...the woman is 42 years old and looked like she'd had her AARP card for years. I bet she always got the senior discount at restaurants too!

The makeovers began with Jeannie Mai styling the six remaining contestants with new clothes. Kim was really rocking that red dress - after Jeannie made her try on her old clothes first, the ones she wore for her audition. What a difference! Kim was happy to put them on because they were way too big now, but you could tell it still blew her mind to see where it had all started for her.

Jeannie told them all that she wanted them to look Presidential for the White House. Of course, with the hair Jeremy was sprouting on his chin he was already starting to channel Abraham Lincoln. I'm happy to report that he no longer looked like Abe when Ken Paves was done with him. And nobody else, thankfully, looked like a dead President either.

Everyone looked amazing. In past seasons there have been a couple of bad makeovers with either too much change or too little, but this time everyone got just what they needed. And what they needed included having their families see their new selves, which never fails to make me cry. Buddy likened his makeover, both inside and out, to finally taking a swing at life. I really like that analogy, because its true - you just have to get off the sidelines and get into the game. We should all be swinging for the bleachers...all the time.

And as for Chris? Her makeover did not disappoint. The gray is gone and she actually looks younger than 42 now. No more senior discounts without getting carded! She literally looks like a whole new woman, and I bet she feels like one too.

Next week is part two of the makeovers, as everyone works out with Michelle Obama and celebrates their new looks. Of course there's still some drama, and I hope Chris does not have to go home before her time. She's come such a long way that I'd like to see her enjoy it. I guess we'll find out next week what really happens!

Biggest Loser 12: Makeovers and Motivation

Almost everybody loves Makeover Week. I say almost because Bob didn't seem too thrilled about it. (More on that in a minute.) It's exciting every season to watch people who've literally worked their butts off get a chance to celebrate the fitter, more confident people they've become. I think many of us also think about what we would do with an opportunity like this...we work our butts off in more ways than one at home and would love to be treated like royalty for a change- or just be appreciated.

The Biggest Loser contestants certainly deserve the pampering and updated looks they received. I have to admit, the women's makeovers are always the best part. Unless, of course, you have men who started out looking like shaggy dogs or disco kings with afros from the 70's. This season those guys got voted off before the makovers, so we'll have to wait until finale to see those transformations. (Except for Ramon, who gave us a treat ahead of time!)

Becky's transformation was the most drastic, due to the short haircut and complete air of confidence that glowed from within her. She doesn't even look like she belongs in the upper age group on the ranch! Sunny and Vinny also had amazing makeovers, because they got to wear things that they thought would never have been possible. I love seeing people believe in themselves...even more so because it's a lesson I keep learning everyday for myself.

Once everyone was back on the ranch it was all business once again. I was really touched when Sunny told Anna how much she appreciated her, since I've learned to appreciate Anna more each week. I admit to having my doubts when the season started, especially with the way everything was portrayed in the first few episodes. (I have to keep remembering - reality show editing takes some of the reality out of it!) Like Sunny, I want to get better at tennis...because I love the sport and want to be able to play longer with my family. It would be an honor to learn from Anna, and I'm glad Sunny realized it and was able to express her thanks while still on the ranch. I'm actually sorry that Anna won't be back next season. I think she was finally starting to hit her groove!

Hearing Sunny's conversation with Anna only made the weigh-in more painful. Bob went ballistic when Sunny only lost one pound and thought she didn't have much of a reaction. He also blamed it on the time spent away for the makeovers. At first it seemed like Bob was overdoing it, but when I remembered that last week Bob mentioned how much Sunny reminded him of his sister it all made sense. I'm sure Bob would love to drill those same points home to his own sister too. Everyone else did pretty well, considering the limited time for exercise this week.

Sunny wound up falling just short of the Final 4, but seeing her stay dedicated at home really motivates me. She gets up early for bootcamp, goes to the gym, takes tennis lessons...oh yeah, and teaches all week too! She proves that if you really want it you will find the time for it. I can't wait to see her final transformation at the finale.

Next week is homecoming for the Final 4, along with the marathon. It will be interesting to see who trained hard at home and wins the other spot in the finals. Can you believe it's less than 2 weeks to the finale? The season really is flying by!

Biggest Loser Makeovers - Cinderella Style!!!

Makeover time!!! Other than finale, this is usually everyone's favorite week. The contestants still on the ranch get the royal treatment...haircuts, visits from family members, and a chance to wear something spectacular and see themselves in clothes that are not purely for sweating and treadmill workouts.

Season 11 did not disappoint. Even though a couple of the makeovers were revealed a few days early in US Weekly, seeing them on the episode surpassed that...because the picture is only part of the story. Seeing the reactions of the families and the contestants themselves is even better!

It was great seeing Austin finally get his hair cut...still curly, but now you can see the handsome, happy face under the mane. His mom and Jay's son had reactions that made me cry uncontrollably, as you could feel the pride they had right through the TV screen. Jay looks at least 15 years younger now! Hannah's dad also got to me. She looked gorgeous in her mermaid gown; it was strange seeing her as a blonde but it looks great on her.

Two makeovers got to me the more than the others. Irene looked amazing and very much like a princess. She told Tim Gunn that she had forgotten how much she loved the princess stuff and dressing up. When she got heavy she dressed for comfort and stopped bothering, and now her sense of style has been reawakened. Since I've started losing weight, my love of fashion has come back and I always try to look my best. If you've been in the same rut, try some new makeup and flattering clothes or jewelry. It will do wonders for your self-confidence!

The makeover that REALLY got to me was Olivia's. She is an opera singer, but always had the sidekick roles because of her weight. She never got to be the ingenue - it was always a witch or some other non-lead role. Well, not only does she look great in her BL makeover gown, she can wear beautiful opera gowns and go for those lead roles! (And how great does her husband Ben look? He lost a lot of weight too!) I am a singer who always let my weight hold me back. I don't sing opera, but Broadway/pop/country...right now kareoke is my stage, but I'm ready to get out there and belt some tunes on a bigger stage! I bet there are other singers out there who can relate! Then Olivia hit her 100 pound goal on the scale and sang as promised. What a gorgeous voice! Everyone cried, including Bob. Even now I'm tearing up, thinking about Olivia finally getting the roles she deserves. She has inspired me more than she can ever know.

My other favorite moment came when Fairy Godfather Tim Gunn waved his magic wand and made the yellow line disappear. Nobody had to go home! Makeover Week is such a positive experience, and it was nice to end it on a high note. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to send the Fabulous Fast Five to the Royal Wedding...but then they might have upstaged the bride and groom!

What was your favorite part of Makeover Week? Who did you relate to the most? Please share your thoughts! :o)

Biggest Loser Makeovers...Inside and Out!

*photo courtesy of NBC.


Welcome to my favorite week of Biggest Loser every season, not counting the finale. It's Makeover Week! Not only do we look forward to it watching at home, but the contestants are thrilled when they finally hear those magic words and are whisked away for new clothes, haircuts, and outer transformations. It seems to me that every season the makeovers get better, because this one knocked my socks off. All six of them looked amazing, and the reactions from their families were priceless. You can see how different everyone looks now, but it's not just because of the stylists. Their inner pride and confidence shines through, giving them that extra glow after all that they have done so far on the ranch.

Speaking of inner pride and confidence, the second half of the show really focused on that. The challenge for the week involved the "dreaded" Jacob's Ladder. (Actually, I would love to have one of those...I could really take my workouts to the next level, and beyond!) Koli and Daris were each able to keep going for over 2 1/2 hours, both staying strong until Daris suddenly gave up and let go. When Bob and Jillian found out that Daris had given away the win, they were shocked. Bob told Daris that even though he's come a long way, there are definitely still some issues he needs to deal with, otherwise he wouldn't have given up. Bob not only works Daris out on the ladder again, but puts, him through several more demanding workouts. He is relentless on getting Daris to realize just how much mental strength he has. They keep doing it over and over until he meets the challenge, and focuses on how strong he is instead of the fact that his legs were hurting. Daris is now tougher than ever.

The other perfect example of inner strength is Ashley. She recalled how when she first got to the ranch, she had no confidence in herself, and didn't really think she would be able to do it. She and Jillian discuss how throughout the season, Ashley has turned on her mind so she could accomplish what she set out to do, and even more than she thought was possible. Ashley is so happy now, because she realizes how strong she really is, and that she had it in her all along.

This is something I've struggled with in my life. I can relate now to finding that confidence in myself, and the strength that was always inside of me. I see both coming out more in me every single day...and with examples like Daris and Ashley, I'm motivated even more to be my best and bring it out all the way. Thank you to both of you for the inspiration!