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 12 Challenge: Finale Weigh-In!

Let the confetti fall on me! Well, let's at least pretend it's falling on me...today is the final weigh in for the #BL12Challenge and I have reason to celebrate!

Let's start with this week loss, which was only a .4 pound loss. I'll take it, since I'm just finishing up with my "gift" for the month and sending it away with that crazy lady that Mother Nature uses to present it to me. (I know - my imagination runs wild with that lovely commercial.) She can keep it until next month!

But it's also time to look at the bigger picture...or, if you really want to think about it, the SMALLER picture. Over the course of this season, I've lost 16.2 pounds. I'd set a goal of 25, which I did not reach - but I still lost over 16 pounds, and this challenge helped me get there. Since I started the season at 216, that means I'm now in...

...ONE-DERLAND!

That's right, my total weight loss for the challenge puts me at 199.8. I know that's just squeaking into this much dreamed of territory, but it's still One-derland. I will not be going back to the 200's, so this is a major reason to celebrate.

Since I plan to rock Hannah's & Olivia's Christmas Challenge, there will be no backsliding...not into old habits or the terrible 2's. Only more progress from here!!!

So how did you wrap up my challenge? Drop me a comment here, or tell me at #BL12Challenge on Twitter. I want to hear your successes for the season.

And I can live with the virtual confetti shower. This way I don't have to vaccum up the real thing!

The My Fitspiration Christmas Challenge - Are You In?

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, but not quite like the ones I used to know...

OK, I just want to wear these fabulous dresses. They also remind me of summer and playing tennis!

Maybe I'm really dreaming of a purple Christmas...

As you might be able to tell by now, Olivia and Hannah, last season's Biggest Loser winner and runner-up, really inspire me. And now they're looking to motivate all of us during the holidays!



A few days ago, the sister act know as the Purple Team posted a Christmas Challenge on their blog at My Fitspiration. The idea is to make sure we don't undo all of the hard work we've done in the last few months over the holidays. All you have to do is post a goal that you will achieve between now and New Year's Day. It doesn't have to be super difficult. The goal can be any type of healthy change that you will make during the Christmas season so that you can start 2012 on a positive note. Olivia and Hannah are all about positive changes, and want to help all of us achieve are goals and dreams.



My goal for the Christmas Challenge is to lose 5 pounds...along with limiting sweets and staying away from the diet soda. These are things that I'm already working on, but at this time of year I've always given in to too many Christmas cookies and desserts. 'Tis the season when I've always made the backslide into drinking diet soda again as well. This challenge will keep me on track and conscious of my choices. I can still enjoy the holidays without falling back into old habits. Since I have my final weigh-in tomorrow for the #BL12Challenge, I will use that as my starting weight for the Christmas Challenge.



So - are you in??? Just go over to My Fitspiration and watch the video under Christmas Challenge. (And watch the bloopers too...they're a hoot!) After watching, post your seasonal goal in the comments. Together we can make this a REALLY Merry Christmas!


Now...off to spin I go!!!

Biggest Loser 12: There's Something About Hannah & Injury Is Not An Excuse

This week was special for the Biggest Loser contestants...and also for those of us at home.

Three favorites from past seasons came back to the ranch to help the players out. While I adore Marci and Adam and am very motivated by them, the third person in the group inspires me the most.

There's just something about Hannah.

What is it about her? Well, I think so many of us can see ourselves in Hannah. She had once been a fit athlete, but she let an injury force her to the sidelines - not only on the volleyball court, but in life. She let the situation with her back keep her down, long after the healing process had taken place. Her fears kept her from making a comeback...that is, of course, until last season's Biggest Loser.

Little did she know that when she had her breakthrough moment with that backbend, she was causing a breakthrough for others, including me. Just because you've been injured in the past doesn't mean you have to sit out the rest of your life. There may be some recovery time, but after that you can do much more than you think.

It really resonated with me last night when she told the Black team that she felt as if she had unzipped her fat suit and stepped out of it. I've often sensed that the thin person I once was is waiting to come out and play - participate in life. Every couple of weeks feels like I've peeled off another layer...not just a layer of fat, but a layer of insecurity. I get out and do more than I used to, and I feel better about myself while doing it. I'd love to have Hannah's BL Success poster hanging by my treadmill and elliptical as a visual reminder of where I'm headed. But even without that, her influence is burned into my mind.

For years after my car accident, I let aches and pains keep me from getting things done. Over time, especially this past year, I'm discovering just how much my body is capable of. I'm stronger than I realized, and it's an amazing feeling to discover it on a daily basis.

Speaking of injury, have you noticed how current contestant Jennifer is rocking it...even with a major leg injury? She doesn't let it stop her from working out. She works around it and does everything that she IS able to do. The weight is still coming off even though she can't run on the treadmill and is limited in challenge participation. This week she lost 7 pounds!

I think back to all of the times when I used injuries as an excuse. Even headaches held me back at one point. It feels silly now to think I let minor hurts prevent me from exercising, especially when watching Jennifer work around something much worse. Her determination is a lesson to all of us - even when you can't do certain things, you can always do SOMETHING.

I look forward to the day when Jennifer's transformation poster is up on the gym wall beside Hannah's. No excuses - EVER!

The END of EXCUSES!!!

"Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you. Never excuse yourself." - Henry Ward Beecher

Since this blog was originally titled No More Excuses, I want to address the subject once again...for all of us. Yes, even I still find myself making an excuse from time to time. Things like: I didn't lose weight this week because my monthly gift is here", "it was a holiday", or "it's been a really busy week". I have to face it...these excuses are part of the reason the weight is coming off slower than I would like.

Getting past the excuses is essential to being fit and healthy. I'm asking God to help me with this, because it's an old habit that He will give me the strength to break. I also want to get past the excuses that other people make for me. It seems that sometimes people don't expect a lot of me, just because I'm still struggling with my weight and haven't reached my goal yet. Well, Olivia and Hannah proved all of their naysayers wrong when they expected a lot of themselves and came in 1st and 2nd on this season's Biggest Loser. As awful as it is to have people refuse to believe in you...it's just as much fun (or even better!) to do the things they said you would never be able to do and see the amazement on their faces.

As an example: this past weekend was extremely hot here in Cleveland. Our air conditioning is busted, and we are going to have to order a whole new unit because the parts aren't available anymore for the model the builders used in our house. We've had to rely on open windows and fans, plenty of ice cold water, and spending more time in the basement which is a few degrees cooler. And yes, my regular gift from Mother Nature is here. With all of that going on at the same time, I would have normally curled up in a ball and let myself feel miserable. But I didn't do that...I exercised in the basement, ate lighter foods, and turned my attitude around whenever I caught myself ready to complain. There are people who have things much worse - like those who've lost homes and loved ones in all of the recent tornadoes. I can suck it up and survive - maybe even THRIVE - if they can do the same in their circumstances. This is just another way that God is helping me find my strength.

I'll be looking through some old magazines for a certain ad...the one where Serena Williams serves a tennis ball right through her monthly gift. That is the attitude I want to keep every month, all month long. Excuses - you're outta here!!!

Sister, Sister: Purple Edition - Biggest Loser Top 2

Purple Reign, Purple Reign...

Sorry Prince, but this is too good to pass up. For the first time ever in Biggest Loser History, a complete team of two sisters are the Top 2 going into the finale. Both Hannah and Olivia are in the running for the $250,000 grand prize, and I am among the happiest of their fans.

All season, these sisters have had their share of A-ha moments and accomplishments, all of which they handled with humor, honesty, and grace. From Hannah's moment of truth backbend to Olivia's aria on the scale, we have laughed and cried with them, cheering as they accomplished what many people told them was impossible. Their detractors were many, especially at the beginning. Many people they knew thought they wouldn't last long on the ranch. They were perceived as weak, and too nice to have what it takes to reach the finals. It is with great pleasure that I can say they've truly proven the naysayers wrong...a thousand times over. They were more of a threat than anyone realized, and stronger than even they knew at first!

One of the main things I love about Team Purple is how they live their faith. It doesn't get shown much onscreen with editing, but if you communicate with Olivia and Hannah via Facebook and Twitter you know what I'm talking about. (And if you are blessed enough to know them in real life...you REALLY know.) They will be the first to tell you that their faith has sustained them throughout this season, and that their strength is not all them...it comes from God. And He is using them is amazing ways to reach millions of people. No matter the final outcome on finale night, it doesn't get any better than that.

Purple is not only the hue of royalty...it is the color of passion. These sister warriors are sharing their passion with us - for their health, family, friends, and God. I will forever think of Team Purple with this..."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13) I wish them the best at the finale, and know this strength will be with them throughout their lives. Thank you for the incredible inspiration!