Biggest Loser Season 15 Finale - And The Winners Are...

 

 

 

After a long season with a winter break, the finale is finally here.  And with it comes a record-breaking, controversial weigh-in!

 

The opening of the show was fun and clever, with some former contestants showing how their hard work is still paying off.  Olivia and Hannah from Season 11 still look fabulous.  And Pete from Season 2 - well, check out those abs!  Bob mentions how proud he is of everyone, and how it feels like they're all his and Jillian's kids since the beginning of the series. 

 

As we move into introducing the 12 eliminated players, Dolvett says it was difficult to pick just 15 people for the season, yet empowering to those 15 that were chosen to change their lives.  All 12 of the eliminated players look amazing.  Jennifer announces that her daughter Taylor has lost 30 pounds so far and her husband lost 50.  Tanya mentions that she is no longer working in fast food, instead opening her own place which will focus on serving healthy comfort foods. And Holley tells Bob he is invited to be part of her training squad if she makes it to the Summer Olympics in Rio.  Sounds like everyone is paying it forward and making their mark!

 

 

After all 12 of them get on the scale, Tumi walks away with the $100,000 at-home prize by losing 175 pounds and over 54% of her body weight.  She's also looking forward to running her first marathon soon.

 

Ruben lost 119 pounds and looks good, but sounds even better as he performs his new single "Meant to Be" live.  Before you know it...it's time to catch up with our three finalists.

 

All I can say is WOW.  Bobby and David look amazing. I hope Rachel puts at least few pounds back on because she looks too thin.  I'm sure she lost extra to try to win - but once she starts training to swim again she'll need to eat more to stay strong and be healthy. Even Jillian and Bob looked shocked at her dramatic weight loss.

 

Bobby lost 188 pounds and 52.51% of his body weight.  Rachel lost 155 and 59.62%. (She only weighs 105 pounds now!)  David lost 222 and 54.28%. Rachel is the winner of Season 15 and takes home the $250,000 prize.  Her percentage also breaks the record held by Danny Cahill from Season 8 - who was the biggest loser ever at 55.58%.  (I can't even say "congratulations" to Rachel...she was healthy, fit and athletic at one point but now she needs help.  Becoming so frail you can't even walk up the stairs without falling is NOT an accomplishment.)

 

 

David, however, sums up the season nicely as he takes his turn on the scale.  After thanking God and his family for everything, he tells his fellow contestants that the confetti will fall on all of them and they ALL win.  And it's the truth...they all get their lives and their health back, which is what really matters. 

 

I'm looking forward to Season 16 already...and praying that nobody else becomes anorexic just to win a lot of money.  Stay tuned for future announcements on the upcoming season!

Biggest Loser 15 - Getting Into The Olympic Spirit

 

 

 



This week the contestants get to do something most of us dream of - train with Olympians. 

After last week's weigh-in, the remaining players got packed and onto a plane to Park City, Utah, to work out at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.  The first thing they noticed when boarding their flight was that they could walk down the aisle without bumping into other people already seated.  The other big victory...not only finding that seat belt extenders weren't necessary, but that there was actually room to breathe after buckling into the regular belt!

Once in Utah, Dolvett introduced everyone to Apolo Ohno, who jumped right into training and motivating the contestants.  He noticed that Rachel's mental switch was turned back on and advised her to never let it shut off again.  He also told David that his old inner athlete was coming back.  Apolo gave excellent advice for all of us - never just go through the motions in life, tap into your mental capacity and fight for yourself.  I know that's something I need to be reminded of every now and then...I'm sure we all do.

Of course everyone was worried about the weigh-in due to the travel schedule and major changes in routine...especially Bob.  Rachel proved that she was thinking ahead by preparing food from the ranch and packing it for the trip, so she wouldn't have to worry about falling into old eating patterns.  Bobby had a binge night at the beginning of the week, so he worked hard to overcome that the rest of the week - but Bob was still nervous and had a long talk with him. Bob also gave everyone a breakfast lesson to get them back on track.  Those mini frittatas look awesome, and I like how Chelsea plans to make them at home and use them as an on-the-go option before work.

The first challenge of the week is brought to us courtesy of the Women's Curling Team. They give encouragement to the contestants by telling them how hard worked at their second chance to make the Olympic team, and then Ali assigns the challenge.  Each player needs to push 100 pound curling stones into a target and land them in the red bulls-eye.  There are two heats of four, and two from each heat make it into the finals by scoring 3 points.  The person in the final round scoring 3 points first wins $5000.  Bobby and Rachel win Heat 1, David and Chelsea win Heat 2.  Rachel wins the final, and she can feel the pressure of being the number one threat/target in the group.  Now, however, she feels she can handle the pressure.

Bob puts everyone through a grueling obstacle course, which includes players riding piggyback with each other.  Marie can't jump high enough to get on Bobby's back, so she has him get on HER back and she carries him all the way.  Now that's a strong woman - she's in it to win it!

We also get an update on Tumi, who went home last week.  She's lost 139 pounds so far and is enjoying herself trying on wedding dresses, which she didn't do before at her old weight.  It's wonderful to see her reunite with her sister again as well.

Dolvett has a talk with Rachel about her dad, since they had a strained relationship after she quit competitive swimming and her parents divorced.  She was happy to report that after she told him about Biggest Loser, he's been writing her and showing plenty of support. They're on their way to mending their relationship, since they are bonding over athletic endeavors again.

The second challenge involved the bobsled track.  The contestants met the women's team of Jasmine and Lolo (yes - Lolo Jones from track and field!)  and got another lesson in second chances.  Then they all had to race UP the bobsled track, over a mile long, to win a one pound advantage at the weigh-in.  The altitude got to some of them but they all finished.  It came down to Rachel and Jay, with Rachel winning the pound advantage.

At the last chance workout, Jillian worked with Jen on her box jumps.  Jen's fear took over again, but this time Jill was able to talk her through it and get her to perform them.  I can totally relate to the fear, so kudos to Jen for overcoming it!

The weigh-in was held outdoors at night, at the Nordic Ski Jump site.  Five players lost weight, pleasing the trainers who were worried about the scale this week.  Jen lost nothing, but still stayed above the yellow line because Jay gained one pound and Bobby gained two.  Everyone voted to send Jay home, and he was a class act all the way.  I can't wait to see how he looks at the finale, which is coming up in a few weeks.

Next week is - wait for it - MAKEOVER WEEK!  I know we all look forward to this every season, and this time it will be fun to see David once he finally shaves that beard.  Tune in next week with me to see the transformations!

Biggest Loser 15 - Yellow Line Is Back, A Former Contestant Returns

It seems like forever since we last checked in on our Season 15 contestants, even though it's only been three weeks. 

So Biggest Loser provided us with a recap of the season so far in the first few minutes of tonight's show.  But that's OK - since they also gave us a 2 hour episode tonight. Seems like old times!

There are other reasons that tonight feels like a blast from the past as well.  A Season 8 favorite comes by to talk to the current contestants, and someone who was eliminated gets to return to the game.  Oh yeah...and the yellow line is back!

After the recap, we jump right into Alison bringing the eliminated players to the scale, vying for a spot back on the ranch.  She also informs them about the yellow line, which means they'll need to vote on who goes home.  The person with the highest percentage of weight loss gets to rejoin the competition.  Hap and Matt, who had just been eliminated, have already weighed in.  It looks like Matt won't be going anywhere, until Bobby gets on the scale and posts over 27 percent weight loss and knocks him back out.  Bobby is back, and Bob is thrilled since he had just lost two players...one of his favorites is back, someone who Bob thought wasn't quite ready to go home anyway.  They talk about Bobby's adventures since he was last on the ranch, then get back to work.

Bob also puts David through a tough circuit workout over and over again, and David responds by beating his time each round and showing great improvement. Bob asks him about his current wife, since so far most of the story had been about the first wife who passed away.  David talks about what a gift Melissa has been in his life for the past 9 years, and how strong she is coming into a grieving family, helping them move on while also allowing them to remember the wife and mom who is no longer here.  Bob arranges a video chat so David can tell Melissa how much he's learned on the ranch and how much he loves and appreciates her.  He vows to love her even better, since now he has really learned how to love himself so he can spread more love to his family.

Jillian works Tanya out, noticing how she always starts out strong in her workouts but waivers near the end.  Tanya tells Jill about her mom's abuse, and how her mom always pointed out what was "wrong" with her.  Jillian teaches her how to embrace her potential, and Tanya sees how she needs to "parent" herself instead of looking for approval from others. 

When we check in on Matt and Hap, we discover they've continued their friendship and support at home.  Hap travels a lot for work, so he shows us how he eats healthy on the road.  Hmm...I'm going to have to take a grill on the road with me as well.  It's such a great idea, and keeps you away from the greasy fast food when traveling.

Everyone meets Ali at the beach for the challenge.  They have to dig kettlebells out of the sand and carry them up the hill and hang them on a post. Each is worth one point, and the first to get to 10 wins a $25,000 home gym from Planet Fitness.  The person coming in last gets a one pound disadvantage at the weigh-in.  There is one golden kettlebell worth five points, which Marie finds, but it isn't enough to beat Jay for the top prize.  Tanya is last and receives the dreaded pound, but she vows to overcome it.

Season 8's Abby Rike comes to visit, and all of the contestants remember her story of losing her family in a car accident and struggling to find her way back.  She tells them not to compare their journey with anyone else's, and that it's necessary to deal with your own hurt to become whole again.  She has remarried and is approaching her 2nd wedding anniversary.  She also kept the weight off until suffering a back injury, and is working her way back to her previous fitness level with the help of the Biggest Loser Resort.  (I hope I can make a trip to one soon!)  She mentions how sweat and tears are healing waters...and David can definitely relate.

Dolvett takes the players to the race track, where they work out with driver Carl Edwards.  And what a surprise...they all have Subway for lunch!  The step workout looks brutal but they still all have fun doing it with Carl.  Back at the ranch, Rachel tries on her old size 8 jeans that her mom sent...and they fit!  As she celebrates her accomplishment, Marie meets with Jillian to let her know she's decided that she's in this competition to win it.  Jill promises to make her prove it - and delivers.

At the weigh-in, Tanya and Tumi fall below the yellow line.  Everyone votes to send Tumi home, since they consider her a bigger threat and feel she'll do well at home.

Next week the remaining contestants go to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Park City, Utah, where they'll train with Apolo Ohno and other athletes.  But will the scale be kind?  Tune in and find out!

Biggest Loser 15 - Fiery Fall Finale

This is a first for The Biggest Loser.

This season, which began in September, will not end with the usual December finale, which gave past contestants some room to relax over Christmas.  Their seasons were done, so New Year's truly began the next chapter of their lives.

The Season 15 contestants won't have that breathing room.  Tonight was the fall finale, with the next part of the season to start again in January.  So if they want to keep their eyes on the prize, they need to keep the Christmas cookies and eggnog out of sight.  Their season begins in one year but continues into then next.

On tonight's episode, we get an update on Bobby, who was eliminated last week.  He's lost over 90 pounds so far, and had the courage to speak with his father about coming out.  He was pleasantly surprised to find out that his dad supports him all the way no matter what and is proud of him.  But being Biggest Loser, this may not be the last we've seen of Bobby...

Alison informs the players that the game is now moving to singles, and they each receive shirts with their new individual colors.  They then participate in the "Ring of Fire" challenge - each of them must support a rod that weighs 20 percent of their body weight in the middle of a ring to determine their endurance.  If they waiver and the rod touches the ring, it bursts into flames and they're out of the challenge.  The last one standing gets a 1 pound advantage at the weigh-in.  After over an hour and a half, Rachel wins the challenge along with the coveted advantage.  There is a double elimination this week, so this pound might make all of the difference between staying and leaving.

Ali also mentions a special challenge for those who make it to the last week on the ranch...they will participate in the first Biggest Loser triathlon, where the winner will earn an automatic spot into the finals.  Rachel really wants to make it to the tri - especially because she wants to show what made her a champion swimmer in the past and reclaim athletic glory.

The trainers are enjoying this switch to singles, because they now get to work with all of the players instead of just their own teams.  Dolvett is proud of Matt for how far he's come in the past 10 weeks, and Jillian has another talk with David, who gives himself permission to let go of the past and become who he's always known he's supposed to be. 

Bob works with Jennifer, who has trouble getting over her fear of the box jump.  (I have to admit...that would be an intimidating move for me as well!)  Afterward when she's recovering from the workout, she is angry with herself for failing and bursts into tears, worried that she will revert back to old habits and negative self-talk.  Bob tells her not to beat herself up, and to congratulate herself for confronting the fear and moving past the negative to the positive.  Jen feels somewhat better and throws herself into the remaining workouts.

Jay and David decide to exact a little "revenge" on Rachel for beating them in the challenge, and she suggests a pool race.  They give themselves a head start to win, knowing that she's an excellent swimmer and they probably wouldn't be able to best her in the pool.  Rachel is a good sport though, and she delivers them breakfast in bed...from Subway, of course!

When it's time for the moment of truth on the scale, both Hap and Matt fall below the red line and are eliminated.  Alison, however, tells them they may not be leaving just yet.  The two of them, along with all of the other eliminated contestants, will compete to win back a spot on the ranch and back into the game.  With that announcement, all of those already eliminated march back into the gym, ready for another chance.

What will happen in this new twist?  Tune in on January 7th to find out.  I already can't wait to see who makes it back onto the ranch!

Biggest Loser 15 - A Long Trip Home and a "Double Elimination"

 

 

After Holley was eliminated at the end of last week's emotional episode, Alison told everyone that someone else would be going home.  They thought it might be a double elimination.

 

It turned out that they were wrong...but in strange way, there was still a double elimination - so to speak.

 

Ali was right about someone else going home, but only for a week with their trainer.  After a spin of the wheel with each player's picture on it, it landed on Jay.  Jillian would be going home to Missouri with him, and his weight would be the only one that counted this week for the white team.  The other teams would still count everyone's weight.  Jay was thrilled...Jillian, not so much.  She worried about leaving Marie and Tumi without a trainer, and of course all of the pressure on Jay to pull a big number to keep them all safe.  She needn't have worried TOO much.

 

On the ranch, Dolvett put his team through an NFL training camp style workout to motivate them.  On top of that, he had Ruben's old high school football jersey sent over to for extra inspiration.  They were both thrilled that it fit again now, and Ruben worked hard to remember the athlete he used to be years ago.

 

Speaking of former athletes - Rachel was a state champion swimmer in high school, and had received scholarship offers from many different colleges.  She chose her boyfriend over that opportunity, and regretted it ever since, especially when they broke up and she was left all alone to think about what she had given up for him.  That was when she turned to food for comfort.  Dolvett got her back into the pool to swim laps and timed her.  Her first results was decent, but nowhere near her times in the past.  The competitor in her came out, and she kept going until she improved her time over and over again.  Dolvett was happy to see her get some of her old fighting spirit back.  (Hmm...I wonder what ever happened to that old boyfriend?  I'm glad Rachel is choosing what's best for HERSELF now!)

 

Bob trained both the blue team and the white team, saying that Jillian would have done the same for his team if he'd had to go home with one of his players for a week.  Tumi and Marie were worried about keeping up with Bob at first, but realized they were stronger than they thought.  I love that Bob had Jill's back this week!

 

Meanwhile, Jillian met Jay's family and friends, then took to torturing him in the barn using various farm equipment and his body weight to get good workouts.  He showed her around the family farm, then explained how not long after his parents got divorced, the family home burned to the ground.  He's been trying to move forward without ever taking time to grieve, but Jill got him to admit that it felt like he had died along with his parents' marriage and home.  They really bonded, and Jill was finally glad that she made the trip with him, acknowledging that everything happens for a reason.

 

The two of them got back in time for the weigh-in, where it was revealed that Jay lost 12 pounds and definitely kept his team safe.  The other two teams had weird numbers, but in the end the red team had to send someone home.  Ruben fell below the red line and was eliminated, making it a double elimination for him.  He was sent home for the second (and I believe final) time, and next week we'll learn how he's been doing at home.  (As for Holley, things are going well and she's starting to compete at weightlifting again...lifting even more than she did before!)

 

Next week also promises to be interesting on the scale, and with a possible Jillian meltdown.  I wonder why?  I guess we'll find out in a few days!

 

 



 



Biggest Loser 15 - Ruben Comes Back, Bob's Team Is Blue

What a difference a week - or six - makes.

This week the contestants revisit their old selves, along with having Ruben revisit the ranch due to Jillian's "cheating".  When Jill meets with her team after the weigh-in, she sincerely apologizes to them for putting them in this position, saying that what she thought was helping them backfired.  They all agreed that they have her back and want to move forward.

Ruben is impressed with how great everyone looks now, as they are with him since he kept up the hard work while he was at home.  I'm glad to have him back but feel bad for Craig who went home.  (although in the update we see Craig's lost 110+ pounds, so he's doing well!)

In this week's challenge, the teams have to transport balls to a trampoline, then bounce them to a teammate who bounces them to a target with point values on it.  The first team to get to 30 points wins, and each team member receives $1000.  David really steps up for the red team, helping them gain the victory and the cash.

In the gym, Dolvett wants to keep the momentum from the challenge going and works his team out hard.  Rachel expresses how happy she is that they are all like family now; she works from home and feels isolated, so having the connections and contact with other people is good for her.  (Being someone who does most of my work from home, I can vouch for that...it really is good to get out and get connected!)  Jillian gets the white team to step up, while Bob's blue team is a little nervous after losing their first challenge.

Each team is surprised with a DVD to watch, which shows each member as they were at their initial interviews six weeks ago.   All of them are shocked at their beginnings, but really proud of the way they've changed over the course of time.  David's clip is especially moving, and it's wonderful to see all three teams bonding together without any thought of competition at this point.  This is as is should be:  all of them supporting each other no matter what color shirt they wear!

Last season's winner, Danni, stops by for a visit with - what else - sandwiches from Subway.  (What a shocker...right?)  She gives them advice as they move toward the finale, which isn't really all that far way now.  And of course she tells them all about Subway's Fresh Fit menu!

Ruben and Dolvett head over to Ruben's record producer David Foster's house to hang out in the recording studio.  (David Foster?  Yes...I'm just a bit jealous!)  David is proud of how far Ruben has come on his weight loss journey, and gives Ruben a new song to try out that fits what he is going through.  I have a feeling we may hear this song in its entirety at the finale - just a hunch!  And they even get Dolvett to sing...he actually sounds pretty good!

At the weigh-in, the blue team loses for the first time and Matt falls below the red line.  After a few minutes pondering, Bob decides to use the save on Matt, so nobody is going home.  This, however, means that there are no saves left. 

Next week the contestants celebrate Thanksgiving Biggest Loser style, and not only is one person definitely going home, but we learn there will be a double elimination.  Who will it be?  Looks like we'll find out next week!

Biggest Loser 15 - Jillian Breaks The Rules, White Team Pays The Price

 

 

 

In the past, we've had contestants break the rules and suffer the consequences of their actions.  But this time, it's a trainer's mistake - and it costs her team dearly while giving another player a second chance.

 

More on that after we recap the rest of the week.  The red team is coming to grips with losing Ruben, who they describe as the light that inspired them.  They know it's time to regroup and get focused, and Dolvett knows it too.  That's why he takes them to meet the ladies of Beat Cancer Bootcamp.  These women have all been through cancer or supported someone who has, and they work out HARD to stay healthy and strong, both physically and mentally.  David is especially moved, since he lost his first wife to cancer and made her a promise to take care of their girls.  The workout became a source of healing for him (for me as well, since I've lost my mom and several family members to cancer).  the bootcamp ladies show all of us what it means to never give up - and are the inspiration Dolvett's team needs to move forward.

 

Ali leads the players to this week's challenge, which is to cook a healthy meal that not only pleases White House Chef Sam Cass, but all three of our teen ambassadors from last season.  Sunny, Lindsay, and Biingo are judges along with Sam...and Biingo still hates vegetables so the teams have their work cut out for them.  The blue team wins by making a delicious quesadilla that disguises the veggies enough that Biingo goes back for more!  The prize is a year's worth of groceries for each team member, which really pleases Hap...he can't wait to share all of the fresh produce with his family.

 

While the teens are there, red team member Jennifer has a talk with Biingo and his mom about how they became a healthier family.  Jenn really wants to help her daughter lose weight and get the whole family on a better path, and she got some wonderful advice to take home with her when it's time for her to leave the ranch.

 

This week's workouts got very interesting.  Dolvett informed his team that Tanya was sick in bed and they would have to work out without her.  Later in the day, she was able to get up and still get some exercise in - the bootcamp ladies had made her realize that she needed to get back up and get going again.  Bob worked his blue team hard, hoping to still save their "save" and keep their progress.  Jillian worked the white team out in the pool, and discovered that Craig didn't know how to swim.  She got him to overcome his fear of the water and start swimming...shades of Maria from Season 9! 

 

Before the weigh-in began, Alison made a surprising announcement.  Jillian broke the rules the week before by giving her team caffeine supplements without a doctor's permission.  Because of this, the white team would be penalized this week with a 4 pound disadvantage.  And...the blue team's immunity would carry over, keeping them safe again this week.  Furthermore - Ruben would be brought back after the weigh-in to compete again, since the previous week's numbers became invalid.

 

Jillian's only apology was that she stands by the supplements, and she's sorry that her team was going to suffer.  I feel that if it was in the rules, then any supplements should not be given, no matter what kind they were. I also understand that these types of supplements have been used in past seasons without any issues, so Jillian may not have done anything wrong or unusual.  Being a reality show edited for television, we don't know the whole story or what exactly is set in the rules.  But I do feel badly for the white team members who were caught in the middle of this.

 

The white team did lose the weigh-in, and Craig fell below the red line, which automatically sent him home.  I'm really glad he had the chance to face some of his fears before he left, and that Jillian used the save on him so he could have those 4 extra weeks on the ranch.

 

Next week Ruben is back for his second chance - and their are more surprises in store for all.  What do you think of Jillian's supplement debacle?  Please share with me in the comments, or on Twitter or Facebook!

 

 

 

 

 



Biggest Loser 15 - Tricks and Treats

After missing last week's Biggest Loser due to work and catching up on it a few days ago, I was more than ready to watch tonight's show when it aired.  And I'm definitely glad that I could - because there was a lot of action this week!

We begin where last week left off...with Tanya, who had just been saved from going home by Dolvett.  She feels the pressure to step it up this week, since the team save was used on her and the next person to fall below the red line would go home.  She wants to do her part to make sure the red team is safe from elimination.

Of course, the next item on the Biggest Loser agenda is the first temptation of the season.  Alison leads the players to a pumpkin patch, informing them that the pumpkins are filled with tricks (candy and pumpkin pie) or treats (cash or immunity for the team).  If someone's pumpkin contained food they had to eat it, or else their team would not be allowed to continue on to play for the immunity.  Several rounds went by before immunity was discovered, causing thousands of calories to be consumed by all three teams.  The blue team, however, took in the least amount of calories AND found the immunity. 

Bob was happy that his team would be safe at the weigh-in, as long as none of them gained weight.  He was also inspired by his team member Holley, who is trying to get back into the Olympics as a weightlifter - just in better shape than the last time.  He wanted her to see women in the 165 weight class lift, so she would realize that she would be even stronger and able to lift more as she lost weight.  Holley also got the chance to lift, proving to herself that she is gaining muscle as her weight goes down and she will still have the power she needs to get to the Olympics. 

In the meantime, the white and red teams worked out furiously to stay away from elimination.  Only the blue team has a save left, so this week someone would definitely be sent home.  At times some of them felt ready to pass out or throw up, but after a short rest they were able to get back to the workout and keep going.  Nobody wanted to be the 2nd person to go home this season.

We also got to catch up with last season's teen ambassador Biingo, who has lost even more weight and kept it off.  His mom is thrilled that he's so active now, because he doesn't sit as much in front of video games anymore. And Biingo's whole family has lost almost 300 pounds with his motivation and encouragement.  It's great to see the whole family become healthier!

Finally, it's time for the moment of truth on the scale. The blue team goes first, and since all of them lost weight they keep the immunity.  All of the teams' numbers are on the lower side (it seems like this season the numbers are much lower overall) but the red team is the one with the lowest percentage of weight loss.  The person below the red line is Ruben, so he automatically goes home.  I'm glad Tanya squeaked by again, but I'm also disappointed that Ruben's time on the ranch was up.  He vowed to continue the hard work at home so he would be soulful AND sexy by the finale.

Next week, it looks like Tanya has a critical breakdown...and it also appears that someone will finally have a big loss on the scale.  I wonder who it will be?  We'll find out in a week!

Biggest Loser Season 15 - The Dreaded Week 2

It's Week 2 on the ranch...also typically known as The Week From Hell each season to both the contestants and the trainers.  Weight loss seems to slow down tremendously, causing all sorts of problems and wreaking havoc on the team percentages.  And as it turns out - this season is no different.

Well, at least number-wise it's not different.  The twist this time is that only one player's weight loss from each team will count.  The trainers will roll dice with their players' faces on them to determine who it will be.

The advantage comes to the team that wins the first challenge of the season.  Teammates are tied together and must lug buckets of water to a tank.  The team that fills the tank first gets a second die to roll...and their trainer gets to choose which one of those two people whose faces show up will be the one whose weight counts.  Dice play a role in the challenge as well, as rolling them determines how many buckets of water a team can carry each time. 

It was a close race between the blue and red teams, but red edged out blue for the win, giving Bob a choice at the weigh-in.  That's the other kicker: nobody knows until the dice are rolled at the scale who it will land on, so everyone needs to work hard!

I really wish we still got to see 2 hour episodes, since it's hard to cram it all into an hour. I'm sure we miss a lot this way.  We get to see Ruben's visit to Dr. H - where he learns he has diabetes.  I'd like to see what the other players learned from the doctor as well, so hopefully that will be woven into future episodes.

The tear-inducing moments of the show came from Craig, who feels responsible for his father's death because he, as a kid, didn't realize that his dad wasn't just fooling around...and from Hap, whose wife gave birth to their 3rd child (and 1st son) while he was on the ranch.  He met his new son over Skype - and vowed right then and there that he was going to do his best so he could be around for his family for a long time.  Again...I hope we get to see more of the personal stories, which are hard to fit into the shorter episodes!

We also got to catch up with Lindsay, one of our teen ambassadors from last season.  She looks amazing and HAPPY, and she has inspired her whole family to lose weight, especially her older brother.  It's so good to see her continuing her healthy lifestyle and passing on what she's learned.

At the weigh-in, the roll of the dice gave Tanya the responsibility for the red team and Fernanda the honors for the white team.  Blue had the choice between Hap and Chelsea, so Bob picked Hap to represent.  Everyone's numbers were lower than Week 1, with some players doing better than others.  Unfortunately for the white team, Fernanda only lost 2 pounds to put them at the bottom.  Since Jillian had already used her save, when Fernanda fell below the red line she was automatically sent home.

And it looks like we have to wait until the beginning of next week's show to see how Fernanda is doing since she went home.  Way to keep us in suspense NBC!  I'm looking forward to seeing her progress as well as the new episode, where it looks like someone will have the first zero of the season on the scale.

Who will it be?  Tune in with me next week to find out!

Biggest Loser Season 15 Premiere - Second Chances

Can you believe it's the 15th season of The Biggest Loser already?  It still seems like Season 1 wasn't all that long ago...but here we are at #15!

This season, the theme is Second Chances - which is more than appropriate.  We have people who've weathered a variety of tragedies, lost weight before but gained it back, and even former world class athletes and American Idol winner Ruben Studdard.  It sounds like most of us...well, except for the world class athlete or American Idol part.  But the stories are something we can all relate to.  We have all made mistakes and/or have dealt with devastating circumstances.  We ALL need that second chance.

In this first episode, we learn about two major changes to the show.  First of all, the trainers got to interview potential contestants and choose the final 15.  Then after the initial workout, Bob, Dolvett, and Jillian were able to pick their teams.  I feel this is a good thing; it enables the trainers to connect better with each player, rather than be thrown together with people they may not get along with.  Oh, I'm sure there will still be conflicts.  (This is reality TV, after all!)  But each trainer already feels some sort of connection with their team members.  And that can only help in the success department.

The other big change is the trainer save.  Each trainer gets to save one player on their team this season, when they feel it is best to do so.  Bob commented that strategy will come into play with this, but that's not the only issue.  It has to be hard to worry about a player feeling that you thought they "weren't worth being saved" when saving people's lives is the premise of the show.  It will be interesting to see how each save is used.

On a personal level, a couple of things really stood out for me tonight.  One is, of course, the whole Second Chance theme.  I know I've been through a lot in life, and there are some people who look down on me who don't even know the whole story.  I suspect this is also true for the contestants and all of my friends at home.  There are so many things we keep buried inside that need to be let out.  We all have those inner scars that we've let hinder our progress in life, and we've let people that barely know us determine how we feel about ourselves.  Well - no more of that!  It's time we all look inside of ourselves and realize just how special each of us is...how each person has a unique set of issues yet is worthy of a second chance.  We all deserve that, no matter what.

My second revelation came from Ruben's statement to Dolvett about always being called Big Ruben, and that it's time to lose the "big" part and just be Ruben.  Think about the labels we've let other people put on us - big, fat, weak, stupid, lazy, etc.  (I've even known someone to call me or others untalented or unprofessional - false labels, given just because the person was jealous of some success any of us has had.)  It's important that we don't let these adjectives define us, because we are more than what some misguided soul thinks of us.  What labels to you need to shed in order to be the best you can be?

For the first elimination, Jillian's white team came in last, leaving one player below the red line.  He was supposed to automatically go home, but Jill used her save because she knew how hard he had worked and wanted him to have more time on the ranch.  So we still have all 15 players going into next week.

What are your thoughts on trainers' input and the save?  Please share with me, along with the labels you're going to rid yourself of on your journey.  Looking forward to an amazing season!

Biggest Loser 14 - Finale Thoughts!

It was a shorter season than usual...but packed with much more inspiration than the last one.

Last night, Biggest Loser's Season 14 contestants had their big finale, showing off amazing transformations and astounding numbers on the scale.  And determining the winners came down to the last second and tight margins.

I was going back and forth between this finale and the Dancing With The Stars season premiere, so I didn't live tweet or blog last night for fear of missing anything important.  Now I can collect my thoughts on BL and look back at a wonderful night that capped off an even more wonderful season.

What made this finale extra special was having the teen ambassadors ot only come out all dressed up, but also fulfilling some of their dreams on the stage.  Lindsay performed with the cheerleading squad...and was the top of the pyramid! Sunny looked amazing and she is taking her role as ambassador seriously.  And Biingo was surprised on stage by the coach letting him know he made the baseball team.  We need kid ambassadors every year!

Looking back on everyone's journeys was inspiring, and as all of the at-home contestants weighed in, the leader kept changing.  How awesome is it that Gina was the last one standing for the $100,000 prize?  She really was a big threat in the game!  I've heard some people say they wished someone else had won, while others see what I see in her and realize that reality shows are edited...meaning you might get to see mostly good moments from someone and hardly any bad, and vise versa.  What you see on TV might not be the only side to each person!

Jackson won America's vote into the Final Three, which is exactly what I thought would happen.  He, Jeff, and Danni all got on the scale for the grand prize, and all of them really did an amazing job.  Danni wound up winning - beating Jeff by one pound!  I would have been happy with any of the three winning, as they all were worthy of the title.  But I'm so proud of Danni!

Hopefully we won't have to wait quite so long for another season, but if Biggest Loser can get another set of people on the show like this group - it would be worth waiting for!

Now...let's all get moving and work on our own transformations!!!

Biggest Loser 14 - A Look Back and a Wild Ride to the Finals!

It's all come down to this.

Eleven weeks on the ranch; plenty of blood, sweat, puke, and tears; emotional roller coasters for both the contestants and the trainers.  (Not to mention those of us watching at home!)  During the last week on the ranch before the finale, we looked back at the beginning all the way to where they are now...and added some more pivotal moments to the mix.

I was very happy to see that our teen ambassadors got to join the Final Five adults for the last week on campus.  Our look back began with them, as Sunny, Biingo and Lindsay sat with the trainers and watched their journeys on film from where it all started through all of their ups and downs.  All three kids have done a tremendous job, and the trainers were right when they said these three have set the bar high for kids who participate on the show in the future.  I really hope they have a set of kids each season from now on...they inspire people of all ages and really motivate their peers.  Just look at ten-year-old Breanna, featured tonight as a girl who lost 72 pounds at home with the help of her mom.  Now that's inspiration!

The teens also visited again with Dr. Joanna, who was able to give them much better news than she did the first time she met with them.  Lindsay is no longer pre-diabetic and Sunny's cholesterol is now normal.  Biingo lost 25% of his body weight...and his mom has gone down five dress sizes while doing this along with him!  Dr. Joanna mentioned to me on Twitter how gratifying it was to work with the three, and how proud she is of them for all of their hard work.  She also said that it's amazing how well kids do without doing anything drastic (no drugs or deprivation) - and just by changing their eating and exercise habits, they are able to regain their health.  This is a good lesson for our kids...and for us as adults as well!

Dr. H got to give his own good news to Danni.  Over just 11 weeks she gained 19 pounds of muscle.  They sure played the right song for her segment, because Danni IS a girl on fire!  The adults also got their trip down memory lane with their trainers, and it still hits me every season when each player's "before" self is speaking to the "new" self.  You always have to remember where you started, in order to realize how far you've come and to keep yourself motivated to never go back.

The familiar "put the weight back on" challenge had a new twist.  Each contestant pulled a sled up a mountain, starting at their current weight and adding the pounds back on in reverse order to the sled so at the end they were at their starting weights to reach the finish line.  The prize was one pound advantage, which Joe and Danni fought for until the end.  Joe wound up just beating Danni for the prize.  He hoped he wouldn't actually need it on the scale, but was glad to have it just in case.

The kids said goodbye to the trainers and other adults before the weigh-in, and it was heartwarming to see not only how much the teens bonded with the adults, but how the adults all bonded with each other.  What a difference from last season, with all of the backstabbing, nasty remarks, and claws coming out.  This season, Biggest Loser came back around to what the show is all about.

This was proven at the last chance workout, when Jeff continued the conversation he had with Bob earlier in the week about Bob being a father figure to him since Jeff's own father isn't here anymore.  In the gym, Bob had to compose himself and took Jeff outside to tell him how much it means to him, and that he was happy to be that father figure.  He told Jeff that he loved him and how proud he was of him...and mentioned that he could relate to Jeff because he always wanted that fatherly approval himself.  There was a lot of crying, not only between them but here at my house as well.  I'll bet it was the same for you.  I'm so glad the show is back to being about inspiration amd motivation.

At last it was time to face the scale.  Joe and Jackson each lost 5 pounds, but with the advantage Joe was ahead.  Gina only lost two pounds, perhaps due to her foot injury even though she still worked out really hard all week.  It was beginning to look like everyone would pull low numbers...until Jeff weighed in and lost 11 pounds.  Then Danni stepped up and also lost 11 pounds!  Jillian was so happy and proud and we had another warm moment between trainer and student.  Danni and Jeff came in 1st and 2nd, guaranteeing themselves spots in the finals.  Joe and Jackson fell below the yellow line, so America must vote on which one will get the 3rd spot.  Gina fell below the red line and was automatically eliminated, but she took it graciously and has now lost 100 pounds since we checked in with her at home.

So Danni, Jeff, Joe, or Jackson will be this season's Biggest Loser, depending on America's vote and the numbers on the scale.  Make sure to cast your vote at the Biggest Loser website and tune in on Monday to see who wins the at-home prize and the grand prize.  I know I can't wait to find out who it is!!!

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 14 - Red Lines, Trust, and Self-Sabotage

We should have known there would be a red line this week.

Oh, I know...last week's teaser showed that if the entire group lost a certain amount of weight, everyone would be safe for one more week.  But what they didn't tell us, until tonight, was that if they didn't lose enough, there would be a red line and the person below it would automatically go home.

No pressure, right?  Alison even gave the contestants chances to lower the amount - originally set at 70 pounds - through a pop challenge and a physical challenge.  The teen ambassadors took the pop challenge, so they could help the adults lessen their burden for the week.  They answered nutrition questions, getting 4 out of 5 correct to decrease the amount by 4 pounds.  Then they revisited the fitness tests they took the first week, and if they could beat their old numbers would help the adults even more.  The three kids split up the tests and blew their old numbers out of the water, lowering the weight loss amount by 5 more pounds.  And Sunny told us that when she gets stressed, she goes running...instead of eating like she used to do.  That's real progress!!!

So now the group had to lose only 61 pounds instead  of 70.  You would think that working together toward a common goal would bring about teamwork, wouldn't you?  WRONG!  Joe and Gina clashed; he antagonized her and she got upset.  Jillian challenged Alex on the treadmill and Alex kept stopping, saying she couldn't do it.  Jill then challenged Gina to prove to Alex that it could be done...and Gina did the same thing Alex did.  As Jillian wondered aloud what was wrong with everyone this week, Gina stormed off and went back to her room.  Bob, Dolvett, and Jillian got into a heated discussion about people taking the easy way out and not pushing themselves. 

Jillian went over to the house to talk to Alex, where she discovered that Alex has been hearing her whole life that she's not good enough (complaints that she "only" got an A instead of an A+, etc.) and hearing Jill tell her she wasn't doing enough set her off.  And when she hears she's not good enough, her thoughts turn to "Why should I even try at all?"  Bob had a similar talk with Gina, who is still having issues drowning out the negativity other people throw her way.

I know firsthand about Never Good Enough Syndrome.  It didn't come from my parents when I was growing up, because they always loved and supported me whether I got an A+, A, A-, or the occasional B+.  Never once did they chew me out for not being perfect.  But to other kids in junior high, I wasn't good enough - not pretty enough, not thin enough, not cool enough...and it ate away at my self-esteem.  Then in adulthood, I began to deal with some people who never thought I did enough.  I could work two jobs, clean the house, give time to help others...but if one day I had to rush out leaving a single coffee cup in the sink to wash when I got home from my second job I was being lazy and not doing enough.  (By the way, this attitude did NOT come from my husband...he was always appreciative and never critical.)  I started wondering why I was even bothering to ry so hard when I was still going to be criticized no matter what.  Over time those people weren't around anymore, but then a few others took their place.  When I'd have success, I was told I didn't go about it the "right" way so it didn't count.  Or if I didn't take up what was considered an "appropriate" career or occupation, I was a failure or letting everyone down.

I tell you this because I want you to realize how low self-esteem causes self-sabotage.  If you continually accept into your mind the garbage that other people tell you about yourself, you're going to be depressed and start thinking they're right.  And when you do start having some success, you do something to sabotage it - to fulfill what the others said about you.  This is what Gina and Alex are dealing with.  I've learned - and I'm still learning daily - that YOU CAN'T LET THE NEGATIVITY OF OTHERS AFFECT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF.  Prove them wrong!!!  Show them just what you are made of...that they don't know who they're dealing with and are a force to be reckoned with, not doubted.  Realize that when they criticize you, it's more about themsleves than you...and go be awesome!

Back on the ranch, Alison gave the players another chance to lower the amount of weight they needed to lose in a treasure hunt of sorts, digging through sand dunes that led to a flag.  If they completed the course in time, which they did even with some not trying to help very much, they could knock another 10 pounds off.  So the final total for the group to lose was 51 pounds.  Still, the trainers were nervous because they knew that most of the contestants were having a bad week.

In an attempt to build trust among each other, there was a high wire challenge that paired two people together to hold each other up and walk the wire together.  Bob and Dolvett went first to show how it worked.  Jillian paired up with Alex and succeeded in building some trust between them.  Of course they put Joe and Gina together, who managed to do all right even though they didn't really seem to get the trust thing down.

The weigh-in was filled with tension, wondering if the group would reach their goal.  Gina managed to make Jillian's head hurt, Bob and Dolvett's jaws drop when she said she was going to stay positive on the scale.  Her emotions are like a roller coaster, so I don't blame them!  I hope she can break through the major roadblock in her mind to finally be her best self. 

Danni lost 7 pounds...but everyone else's numbers were low.  They weren't even close to reaching the 51 pound goal.  The red line came down to Jeff and Francelina (who are a couple) with Francelina going home.  She's really rockin' it at home though, and I predict that at finale she will be at her goal weight!

Next week looks to be just as emotional as the final six work toward reaching the finals...and have to face their worst fears!!!

Biggest Loser 14 - Temptation in the Dark Leads to Drama at Elimination

The teaser at the end of last week's episode let us know that the Biggest Loser contestants were going to singles - breaking up the teams with every man or woman for themselves.  It always gets more interesting when people aren't bound to a team anymore.

And this time, it got VERY interesting.

Alison gave each player a shirt, each having an individual color.  You could see in their eyes the realization that they could only rely on themselves, which I believe brings out their strengths.  Teams are wonderful at the beginning for the players to encourage each other while they're still new to the process, but when it's time for singles each person gets to show what he or she is made of.  Gina started really believing that she was a threat (although she did backslide into a little meltdown later on with Dolvett) and most of the others decided they needed to step up their game in order to keep above the yellow line.  Of course, Danni has already been in singles for a while now!

Yes...for the first time this season, there is a yellow line.  And of the remaining eight contestants, two would fall below and the others would vote who to send home.

And another thing - temptations are BACK!  The first temptation of Season 14 was a doozy.  All kinds of Valentine's Day candies, cupcakes, and other assorted sweets were placed on tables in front of each player.  Whoever ate the most calories would get a two pound advantage, plus they would get to give a two pound advantage to another player of their choice.  The kicker was that this would take place in the dark, so nobody could see what the others were or weren't eating.  Ali had night vision goggles so she could observe what all of them were doing.

A variety of things happened in the darkness.  Three people ate something, while the other five did not.  Everyone kept calling out Gina, assuming that she was eating a lot to win the advantage because she would be too unsure of herself to rely on her own abilities.  One thing I've learned so far this season:  DON'T UNDERESTIMATE GINA.  She ate nothing, also noting that with her being diabetic she could make herself extremely sick if she ate all of that sugar.  As she listened to them talk smack about her, she played along, acting as if she was eating and making noises to lead them to believe it.  The other really smart person here was Danni...not only did she skip the sweets, she got on the floor and exercised to burn calories and keep herself busy during the temptation!

In the end, Jeff only ate a little over 200 calories, so it came down to Alex and Francelina...who both ate more than 1100 calories.  Francelina won by a small margin - it came down to the fact that Alex could only choke down half of her last brownie.  If she'd eaten the whole thing she would have won.  But in the end it didn't matter, because Francelina gave the second advantage to Alex.  It seemed like a strange strategy to me...wouldn't you give it to someone else, hoping the person who ate just about as much as you did would have a bad week on the scale?

Anyway, all of the trainers are now training everyone, so they each took turns with groups.  Jillian took the three sweet eaters first, really pushing the girls to their limits in order to work off that sugar.  She also worked Jeff hard, which really bothered him.  He felt she was putting way too much pressure on him.  Afterward they talked, where Jill learned that Jeff's dad passed away when Jeff was 17...and right before he died he told Jeff that it was his responsibility to take care of everyone now.  Jeff was carrying that load around with him for eight years, which is why he felt pressured even more by Jillian.  She told him it was OK to realize that his dad should never have put him in that position, and that it was also OK for him to take care of himself.

When we checked in with our teen ambassadors, their trainers challenged them to take things to a new level.  Biingo finally got the boot off of his foot, so now he can train for baseball tryouts.  Lindsay started practicing with a cheereading squad, including the two girls who helped her earlier in the season.  I'm so proud of those girls for encouraging her and taking a stand against bullying.  And Sunny started a Bollywood dance class.  She was frustrated at first, but once she realized that the others in the class were once beginners like her she started to blossom and enjoy herself.  (Sunny, can I join you in class?  I've been wanting to try Bollywood for years!) 

Back at the ranch, the adults took part in a challenge.  They all had to run toward the spotlight in an indoor arena, with the last one to reach the spotlight in each round eliminated.  The final round was down to Francelina, Joe, and Danni.  Danni won, receiving a 24 hour visit from a loved one for Valentine's Day, along with another visit she could give to another person.  She gave her second prize to Gina so she could see her husband.  Then she gave up her own prize to Mike so his wife could visit.  Danni shows good sportsmanship and compassion...she is not just a hero in the competition, she's a hero all around.

Gina had a picnic with her husband, where they talked about the changes in their life together and how everything was going to be better now.  Mike spent time with his wife and adorable little son, and Dolvett joined them on a walk to get to know them better and encourage the whole family on this journey. 

The last chance workout was brutal as usual, with Gina beginning to fall apart on Dolvett and Alex disrespecting Bob and not taking her workout seriously.  Gina and Dolvett talked and worked it all out, but Alex told Bob to leave her alone.  Bob was seriously teed off - and rightly so - at the way Alex acted.

At the weigh-in, the two ladies with the two pound advantage got on the scale first.  Alex lost more than Francelina, and with each of them having the advantage, you know Francie was second guessing her decision to give that advantage to Alex...who didn't work out nearly as much as she did!  Danni's weight loss wasn't that great either, even though she worked out harder than ever.  She was in danger of falling below the yellow line with Francelina...until Mike fell one pound short of being safe.

The elimination was tense, as it was difficult for the others to decide between Mike and Francie.  Mike had two votes and Francie had one - one more vote would send Mike home.  It came to Jeff, who made a promise with Mike the very first week that they would never vote each other off.  The problem was, Jeff and Francelina had also become close over the last few weeks, and Mike was a bigger threat.  Mike was hurt when Jeff voted for him, which I completely understand.  But I also understand Jeff's dilemma, and now that he's finally learning to take care of himself he made the right decision.  This is why contestants should NEVER make those promises the first week on the ranch.  Things change over time, and situations change.  Even the players themselves change.  You don't know where your journey is taking you on Day 1, or who will be your best friend or a bigger threat than you anticipated.  So those pacts shouldn't be made...and if they are, don't hold each other to it if the situation changes and they can't keep that promise.

Mike's doing all right at home though...he's lost over 140 pounds so far, and gotten his whole family involved in being healthier - including his mom!  I can't wait to see him at the finale, and I agree with him that he's a top contender for the at-home prize.

Next week promises more drama and surprises, with the group needing to reach a joint goal to keep everyone safe.  I can't wait to find out what's in store!

Biggest Loser 14 - Overcoming Fear and Bullying at the Halfway Point

Here we are at the halfway point of the season with the remaining contestants, and thankfully I'm way past the halfway point of getting over the flu so I can recap this week!  Since we're in the middle of the season, you know there will be even more twists and turns. 

The main twist this week involved the weigh-in.  Dice were presented, one die for each team with their faces on the sides.  Each trainer would roll the dice, and the player showing on top would have to represent the team on the scale.  Only his or her weight would count.  This would not happen until right before the weigh-in, so nobody would know who it was going to be...except the white team, because only Danni is left to represent.  Jillian was nervious about this, since Danni had pulled a big number the week before and they didn't know if she could do it again.

This twist caused anxiety and fear to come out in some of the players, particularly Gina and Jackson.  Gina cried, which set Bob off.  He really laid into her about all of the tears and why she always thinks the worst about herself.  Eventually he took her outside to have a calmer discussion, letting her know that he sees her as a major threat in the house and she's capable of much more than she gives herself credit for.  She's always afraid that she'll let people down.  She vowed to start seeing herself the way Bob sees her.  Jackson had a similar talk with Dolvett about always feeling like he wasn't good enough, and Dolvett made him repeat over and over that he IS good enough.

Fear is an interesting thing.  I know I've talked before about it, but I can't drive the point home enough.  Fear makes you doubt yourself.  When you doubt you can do something, it messes with your head so that you can't do it...which only makes you doubt yourself more and fear the next challenge in your life, whatever it may be.  I've been there.  I STILL struggle with it.  But I've begun to break that vicious cycle, putting myself out there more to try different things and push myself harder.  I have to block out those who don't believe in me and prove them wrong - in fact, I have to prove that old negative inner voice wrong and just go for it.  And as I build up small victories (and larger ones) my courage and confidence grow.  That's what the contestants on the ranch go through, in front of the world for all to see.

Speaking of challenges, who in the world comes up with the ones for the show?  As my friend Shannon on Twitter said, it looked like the set of Wipeout.  Walking on a beam, dodging swinging objects and getting plates to the other side...back and forth several times...just looked so cruel.  I would like to see the people who designed this challenge have to do it!  And on top of that, they had to correctly put the plates with calorie counts on them with the right pictures.  Finally Danni won...proving that this one-woman show can rock anything.  She got to hear from her family, which had to be especially sweet since she has no teammates to lean on at this point.

The teen ambassadors had their own challenge, thankfully a much nicer one.  They had to find ways to set an example for other kids around them.  Biingo started his own fitness club.  Sunny led her classmates in a circuit workout she created.  Her parents really want her to be a doctor, but I think she has a future as a trainer.  She would still be helping people get healthy!  Lindsay bravely spoke in front of her school about bullying - what it did to her and how it affects others.  She made them pledge to stop bullying altogether.  Then she was surprised by pop star Cody Simpson, who also spoke and gave a little concert for her school.  I'm really proud of her...I don't know if I could have stood before my school (including my bullies) and spoken so eloquently.  Maybe she will stop some of these kids from turning into adult bullies; we know that adults are also still ridiculed by those who never grew up.

The last chance workouts were brutal.  Jillian actually made Danni's fun, but she did have to get over her fear of heights to jump from a wall into a pit.  Once she did, she wanted to keep on doing it!  It's always good to mix it up to keep from getting bored, and use those muscles you didn't even know you had.  Dolvett invited Laila Ali to lead his team in a boxing workout.  It would be so cool to have a lesson from her.  (And if she brought her former Dancing With The Stars partner Maks with her to gave me a cha-cha lesson...all the better!)  She actually struggled with her weight as a kid, so she could relate.  For Bob's team, it was basically a beating in the gym, making all of them work until he thought Alex was sweating enough.  And then he even took a picture of her after she collapsed over the treadmill!

The time to face the scale arrived, and the trainers rolled the dice.  Joe represented red, Jeff blue, and Danni white (of course).  Jillian was worried about Danni beating Joe's percentage, but she did.  I have to say she's my favorite this season!  It came down to blue, and Jeff didn't lose enough to beat Joe.  The blue team went to their first elimination of the season.  I pretty much expected that they would send David home, considering that he has a leg injury and even when he give it his all he doesn't burn as much as the others.  But seeing him at home, he's really making progress!  He looks amazing and is a much better police officer now that he's fitter.

Next week, everyone goes to singles!  The teams are dissolved and it's every player for himself/herself.  It also looks like Jillian helps Jeff get to the root of his problem and they bond.  I can't wait to see what happens next...how about you?

Biggest Loser Season 14: Teen Ambassadors Rock - And Why Jillian Calling You Out Can Be a Good Thing!

Welcome to Week Four on the ranch. Well, some are on the ranch, some are off the ranch...

I know, it sounds confusing.  Just like when last week's preview had us believing that three players were going home this week.  Alison had said that three people would be leaving the ranch, scaring the contestants (and us at home) into thinking it was them.  What she meant was, the TRAINERS were leaving the ranch for the week to visit our teen ambassadors at home.  Real smooth, NBC.  You just about gave all of us heart attacks!

So the teams were on their own for most of the week, other than some directions that their trainers gave them before they left.  Jillian's white team really worked together and pushed themselves, and with only two of them remaining they really had no choice but to step it up even more.  Jackson stepped up as the leader for the red team, which helped him as well because he was able to focus on something other than being sick and was able to do more for himself.  Bob's blue team seemed really lost.  They all kind of  fell apart without him there and sometimes went through the motions.

I was impressed when Bob got to the restaurant where Biingo's family was having dinner and discovered that Biingo's mom was following the plan along with him.  She's lost 27 pounds so far, setting a great example for him and her family.  And speaking of their family, they are living in a relative's basement because the economy forced Biingo's dad out of a job and they had to sell their house.  They said they've had their moments of crying (which is totally understandable!) but they really pulled it together and are staying positive, doing whatever they can with what they have at the moment.  I'd call them great role models for the whole country.  And Biingo got to train with a pitcher from their minor league baseball team, which only fuels his fire to get in shape so he can play the game he loves again!

Dolvett got to Lindsay's school and surprised everyone, then he talked with her at her house about the bullying she had gone through when she tried cheerleading in the past.  I love that he said there is no excuse for bullying, and Linsday can do anything she really wants.  He took her to the high school to meet some of the cheerleaders, who were very encouraging and promised to help Lindsay all they could.  You could see her confidence building, all because Dolvett made her face her fears and try again.

Sunny had a different problem.  She told Jillian that she feels pressured because she's the only child, and her parents had already decided she was going to grow up to be a doctor.  She's not sure if that's what SHE wants...and she would like to try different things to discover who she really is.  The pressure is causing her to turn to food.  Jillian took her for a crew lesson on the canal in order to start trying something new.  It was new for Jill as well, and refreshing to see her doing something outside of her own comfort zone.  After the lesson they sat down with Sunny's mom to talk.  Her mom told her that she would support her in whatever she wanted to do, since she knew in their culture it was especially difficult for women; she herself was extremely limited in what she was allowed to do.

This is a lesson for all of us.  It doesn't matter what culture you come from...there are people everywhere who feel pressured to be someone they are not.  This causes stress, anxiety, and depression, and that pressure can cause you to overeat, drink too much, gamble too much, etc.  The best thing to do is figure out who you are and be THAT person.  Life is too short to be someone you're not just for somebody else's benefit.  And I hope families see this and realize that the best thing they can do for each other is let each family member be who God made them to be, without attempting to mold them into something that doesn't fit them.

This week's challenge was a 5K, and the white team really smoked the other teams.  Danni finished first and Pam finished third, so their combined times won them $15,000 to split between them.  Pam is beginning to hit her stride and find out what she's really made of, which is a wonderful thing to see!

The trainers were back in time for the last chance workout.  Dolvett and Jillian could tell that their teams had been giving it all they had, but Bob began to worry and get a bad feeling about his group.  Bob and Jill trained their teams together outside while Dolvett used the gym.  Jillian was working with the guys on the blue team when Jeff began to give her attitude.  She could tell he wasn't even close to giving it his full effort...and even from watching at home I could see he was "phoning it in", as she told Bob.  Bob knew that she was being hard on Jeff because she cares - and he needed that tough love!  He didn't realize that in the moment...but soon he did.

That time came when everyone stepped on the scale.  Bob's team went first, with most of them pulling numbers lower than they should have.  It was certainly true of Jeff.  He was disappointed in the number, and it began to dawn on him that Jillian was right.  She explained that she knows he is capable of so much more than he's showing.  Her calling him out was the best thing that could have happened to him...he needed to be woken up, to stop sleepwalking through the workouts AND his life.  I'm sure that next week we will see a whole new attitude from Jeff...a much BETTER one!

The red team had good numbers, and the white team weighed in last.  They fell short of the other two teams, even though they had given it everything they had all week.  Pam was automatically eliminated, because there were only two of them and the person with the lowest percentage had to go.  It really stinks that just as she's hitting her stride she has to leave.  BUT...you should see her at home!  She's lost more than 50 pounds, goes ice skating with her daughter, and has even gotten her own makeover.  She looks fantastic, and it's plain to see that she feels fantastic on the inside as well.

Speaking of makeovers, the preview for next week teases that tow of the eliminated players are coming back to the ranch with makeovers.  Don't know if Pam is one of them, or if they mean two other people besides her.  The show is definitely switching things up this season, and I'm excited to see what's next!

Biggest Loser Season 14 - Good Riddance to Junk, Sad Riddance to Red

Here we are at the third week on the ranch.  Things are supposed to get better after the second week, right?

Well - not necessarily.

Oh, in a lot of ways things did get better.  Contestants are getting stronger, learning more about what got them to this point in their lives, and working harder than ever.  Dolvett began to break down Cate's walls, which were hidden behind her ever-perky personality.  I wouldn't call it a facade, because I believe she is naturally a pretty positive person, which is a good thing.  But there were some issues that she had been trying to stuff down with food...including working out with a trainer every Tuesday, and turning it into a "Fat Tuesday" by undoing all of her hard work with fast food on the way home.  (I know you might have been there too, because I have...thinking you "deserve" the treat because you worked so hard.)  When Dolvett told her in the gym that he was proud of her, you could see it affected her to the point that the walls were starting to come down and she was ready to fight even harder.

And Jillian finally got through to Pam, who usually spent time during every workout crying or breaking down in some way.  This week that improved, but Pam still had a meltdown near the end of the week.  Jillian was frustrated, wanting to know what the problem was.  Pam admitted that she still didn't believe in herself the way that Jill believed in her.  They worked together to push through that, and I love seeing the changes start to occur in Pam...it's going to be awesome to watch her grow, and to love and believe in herself more each week.

The twist this week came with a quiz about childhood obesity.  I have to admit, I got just as many of them wrong as the contestants did.  I certainly knew childhood obesity was a big problem, but obviously I didn't know how big until I saw those numbers.  The health issues in kids from age two on up are shocking - hopefully shocking enough that people will do something about it, starting with their own families!  The team that got the lowest number of points on the quiz had to spend 4 1/2 hours each and every day locked in a room filled with junk food and sit in front of the TV, to simulate what kids are doing by playing video games for hours while snacking.  I'm still not sure if the blue team was told they had to sit the whole time, or if they just didn't think to get up and move around at least every now and then.  They poured orange juice over the food so they wouldn't want to eat it, which was clever.  But Bob came into the room and caught them sleeping on the couches...and he was NOT happy about it.

To continue with our three teen ambassadors, Dr. Joanna visited each of them at their homes and spoke with them and their families.  Biingo admitted to playing video games 5 hours a day during the week and 9 hours a day on the weekends.  Sunny is a vegetarian, but her family uses a lot of rice and other carbs to supplement their diet so that wasn't helping her.  And Lindsay found out that at 13 years old, she was already pre-diabetic.  The doctor helped them all find ways to combat the problem, including cleaning their kitchens of junk food and sugary stuff.  Starting to change these patterns while you're young is so important...something I wish I'd been able to do when I was their age.

The challenge was quite a sticky one - literally.  Everyone had to walk through fields of bubble gum with balls and get them to the other side, and the team that got to 20 first won free healthy groceries for a year.  Pam and Danni were split up so there were only two teams, in oder to be fair to them.  Pam was with red and Danni with blue.  The red team won, and I'm sure none of them ever want to see bubble gum again.  I never liked it, even as a kid.  Now I REALLY don't like it!

Bob held his last chance workout in the junk/TV room with his team.  He got creative, using a deck of cards to represent different exercises and the number of times they were to be performed.  Evey time he would pull a card he told them what they needed to do.  Loved the "Ace of Burpees" - 11 of the dreaded move which everyone moaned and groaned through, yet they still did the work.  He wanted to prove that this room wasn't going to break them.  And it showed how you can be creative with exercise when you have to be!

The weigh-in came, finally without a red line.  The team that lost would have to vote someone off, and it could be anyone since there wasn't a yellow line either.  Bob's team actually did well considering all of the time they were locked in that room.  Dolvett's red team was a different story.  Three of five players on his team lost only two pounds apiece.  He was very kind to them about it, even though he was also frustrated because he knew they put in the work. 

Jillian's white team went last...they needed to lose more than six pounds to be safe.  Danni lost six, so all Pam needed was one pound.  She was so nervous - but when the scale showed a nine pound loss she celebrated.  She was so hilarious she even made Jillian laugh!  I think Saturday Night Live might be calling!

So the red team had to vote one of their team members off.  It was nice to see that they had all become close and actually hated having to vote for anyone.  It wound up being Cate, because the others felt she will do well at home.  And so far she is...weighing less than 200 pounds now.  I predict that Cate will be fit, hot, and confident at the finale...which is earlier than usual - March 18th.  And she plans to run a marathon with Dolvett cheering her on.

Next week THREE players will be going home.  That's going to be difficult to see...but with the earlier finale it makes sense.  I'm thinking it's a shorter season because The Voice begins again in March.  But so far, at least, it's a really great, inspiring season!