Last week at the ranch!   The five remaining contestants fight to make it to the final four.

POST ELIMINATION

A jolt for Amanda – Rebecca’s gone and she’s truly alone.  She has to start worrying about herself and no one else.  If it works out that America made the right choice, cool.  Getting to the Final Four is her responsibility.  The rest of the team discusses what they’ll have to do this week to stay – take advantage of every second with Bob and Jillian.

Bob and Jillian are more surprised by the “whys” of the vote than the fact that Rebecca’s gone.  They tell the remaining five to admit it – Rebecca was a threat!  Game play aside, it’s the last week on the ranch.  Everybody’s going home.   The trainers pile it on in the gym – it’s the last chance they have to make sure that the players leave the ranch prepared to do it at home.   Rudy is able to laugh at how easy the workouts are now, compared to what they were at the beginning.  Allen, Danny, Amanda and Liz are exercising like pro-atheletes, focused and strong.

MINI CHALLENGE

Ali introduces a surprise guest, financial expert Suze Orman.   Suze asks the players if they’ve ever made the connection between wealth and health.   It’s expensive to be overweight!   After reviewing their personal finances in detail (no big deal to talk FICO scores after the entire country knows how much you weigh, I guess!), Suze gives the players a chance to make some cash while they burn off a few calories.   The players hop on treadmills and answer a series of money questions.   Right answer means $1,000, wrong answer bumps up the treadmill speed.   Amanda collects $3,000 while Rudy, Liz, Danny and Allen bring home $4,000 each.

SPOT IN FINAL FOUR

The players evaluate each other and their individual chances to stay in the final four.   Amanda makes peace with herself and what she’s already accomplished.  She knows the others will vote her off if she’s up for elimination.  Rudy and Danny think they’re each other’s biggest competition.   Allen’s wondering if he can stay above the yellow line.  Percentage-wise, he’s smaller than the big guys.  They have more weight to lose.  Liz has to fight like she’s never fought before.

Bob is trying to figure out where everyone is mentally.  He insists that he won’t be accepting any Miss America answers; he wants an honest admission that they are afraid.   And they are.  They know it will be hard.   Danny thought he had won the battle years ago but the weight still came back.  Will they be able to keep it off?  Amanda, overwhelmed by tears, says this is the happiest she’s ever been.  She’s not going back to the person she was before.   Amanda later speaks privately to Bob and thanks him for getting her on track.   He’s convinced that America chose her for a reason and he counts her as his biggest success this season.  Danny and Liz also have a heart-to-heart.  They each recognize their partnership was instrumental in getting them to the final week on the ranch.

CHALLENGE

The team mets Ali at a football field and are surprised by Biggest Loser fan (and NFL Hall of Famer) Rod Woodson.  Each contestant runs up and down the football field, harnessed to a barrel containing 10 footballs.  The balls equal the amount of weight lost while on the ranch.  Rod cheers them on as the players move the footballs out of the barrel and down to the other end of the field.   Allen takes the early lead and despite a challenge from Rudy and Amanda, maintains the number one position.  There’s no immunity this week, but Allen wins two tickets to the 2010 Pro Bowl.  The NFL also donates $5000 worth of athletic equipment to his daughter’s school.  Ali congratulates the players and tells them to enjoy the rest of their time on the ranch.

TRAINER TIP

Rod Woodson joins the NFL in its effort to eradicate childhood obsesity, encouraging kids to exercise at least 60 minutes a day.

LAST CHANCE WORKOUT

Is Biggest Loser looking for a new theme song?  Danny’s been flexing his musical muscles and debuts a song he wrote about his time on the ranch.   Jury’s out – heartfelt or cheesy?  You decide!

Bob and Jillian are all about the tough love during the last Last Chance Workout.   Rudy and Danny battle it out on the stair climber, while Allen throws punches for Jillian.   Bob reminds Amanda that the Pink Team has had it good at the ranch.   He wants her to continue the streak.    Liz ups the intensity by adding Jillian to her routine, dragging her across the gym and doing pushups as the trainer sits on her back.  They are fighting for it!  No one wants to be the one who doesn’t make it.

TRAINER TIP

Bob and Jillian say drink up!  Water, Brita filtered water that is.   The Brita filter is an inexpensive way to make sure that your water is as clean as possible.

WEIGH IN

Ali reminds the final five – no immunity tonight!  However, the winner will win a healthy cooking lesson at home visit from Curtis Stone.   Each player has earned this second chance and now it’s all about staying above the yellow line.   Rudy ends up setting a record – the most weight lost of any player on campus.   Danny also breaks a record – most weeks of double-digit weight loss.  And overall, it’s Danny who ends up on top and wins the home visit from Curtis!  Hope the Danny trend continues at the finale.  Results are:

• Liz – 5 lbs, 2.46 %
• Rudy – 12 lbs, 3.9 %
• Allen – 8 lbs, 3.36 %
• Danny – 16 lbs, 5.26 %
• Amanda – 6 lbs, 3.63 %

So it’s Liz and Allen below the yellow line!   Liz and Allen figure that Amanda will be the swing vote…and they’re right.   Liz has voted for Amanda in a past elimination, and Allen speaks to Amanda privately, reminding her that this is a game.  Allen has not been able to get the percentages each week; Liz is more of a threat to Amanda.

ELIMINATION

Danny votes for Allen, Rudy votes for Liz and Amanda casts the tie-breaking vote for Allen.  Amanda explains that she wants to see another woman in the finale.  Will that prove to be a good decision?  Only America knows for sure!

HOW THE ELIMINATED PLAYER LOOKS NOW

Before Allen leaves the ranch, he vows to be a smoking hot fireman!  Judging by his wife’s reaction, he’s more than  fulfilled that promise.

NEXT WEEK

Finalists from last season cheer on the Season 8 finalists as they prepare to run a marathon!