Anyone who struggles with weight loss knows how hard it is to manage food and fitness at home.  The contestants take a practice run this week as they work full-time off campus.  Since this is someone’s last week on the ranch…no time like the present!   Especially with Blue’s resolve to crush Black during this week’s weigh in.

CHALLENGE

Alison announces that the players will be working the entire week as volunteers for Feeding America.   The commute and actual job hours will leave little time for workouts or meal prep.  That’s the reason they’ll be doing this week’s Challenge at the start of the week.

Each team will have to pull a 33,000 lbs semi tractor trailer down a runway strip, collecting puzzle pieces along the way.   At the end of the strip, they’ll assemble the pieces to reveal this week’s prize – free groceries for a year!  Hey, I’m one of the world’s biggest “B.J. and the Bear” fans.  But I always wanted to drive the truck with Bear along for the ride, not pull the darn thing.  Poor O’Neal.  He’s barely recovered from the stress of not knowing if Sunshine made it through elimination.   Now he’s got to pull an 18 wheeler too?!

Blue decides to have O’Neal run alongside the truck, collecting the pieces while Sherry does the same for Black.   The sheer size and strength of the Blue Team gets their truck off the starting line quickly.  Black can’t even move theirs!  Blue pulls the truck almost three lengths ahead of Black before Blue’s cab leaves the line.  O’Neal momentarily loses steam, causing Black to question whether they put him in the right spot; Sunshine coaxes him to regain focus.  Blue’s semi reaches the finish, although Sherry really scrambles making the most of Black’s opportunity.   Blue is first to assemble the pieces, thrilled to collect the free year groceries prize!

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

Black and Blue inform the trainers of their work schedule.  Jillian and Bob aren’t thrilled with the time constraints but devise their workout plans.  After some early gym time, the players head over to the Feeding America food bank.   Responsibilities include driving the forklift, making thank you calls to donors, checking inventory and stocking the distribution trucks.  They meet Steve, one of the Food Bank employees.  He’s got a family history of obesity and lost his dad at a young age.  He’s worried that he’s going down that same path.   Blue and Black share their stories with Steve, reminding all of us where they were only 2 and 1/2 months ago.   Although they enjoy the work, the players have a few glitches.  Sam forgets to bring his lunch…good thing Subway’s right around the corner!  Barely a chance to fit in a Last Chance Workout before lights out at the gym.

TRAINER TIP

Jillian explains that mixing strength training with cardio is key to weight loss.  The more muscle mass, the more calories you’ll burn each day.

WEIGH IN

Of all the weeks not to have immunity!  But that’s exactly what the contestants face when they get on the scale.   Only one person is safe on the losing team…the one with the highest percentage of weight loss.  Will Blue make good on its threat to squash Black?

• O’Neal – 5 lbs
• Sunshine – 7 lbs
• Michael – 9 lbs (his hair this week!  Need a Richard Simmons picture with his white headband, so I can do a “Separated at Birth”)
• Koli – 10 lbs
• Daris – 9 lbs
  
• Lance – 10 lbs
  

Blue’s off to a good start, with four players at or hovering around 10 lbs.  Lance finally got out of the 300s!   Total loss is 50 lbs, 2.71 %.  Did Black peel off the 39 lbs needed to win the weigh in?

• Andrea – 7 lbs
• Ashley – 8 lbs
• Cheryl – 5 lbs
• Sherry – 5 lbs
• Stephanie – 3 lbs
• Sam – 4 lbs

Ashley has a great number, following Lance’s lead into the 200s!  But it’s not enough to keep Black safe.  Sherry has immunity with the highest percentage of weight loss.  Sam’s at the other end of the spectrum.

ELIMINATION

The Black team takes a different approach in deciding which player to vote off.  It’s obvious that keeping Sam will help the team since he has a lot more to lose…and equally obvious that Stephanie won’t be voting for him.   (Awwww! Young love!)  The question becomes:  who is closest to their goal weight?   Since Sherry’s immune, Cheryl has the least amount to lose.  Sam chooses Mama Cheryl.  She votes for Stephanie, Sherry picks Sam saying he can do it at home.  Tears from Ashley as the remaining votes are cast for Cheryl.

HOW THE ELIMINATED PLAYER LOOKS NOW

Dealing with injuries, Cheryl didn’t have a great last week at the ranch.  But once home, she cleans out her closet, retains her warrior spirit by leading a fitness group and now weighs 164 lbs!  Next on the to-do list:  tackle a 5K and hit her finale goal weight of 135 lbs.

NEXT WEEK

Jillian doesn’t like to lose.  In fact, she really, REALLY hates it.  Look for some serious butt-kicking in the gym!

Michael’s personality is starting to grate on me.  I started feeling ambivalent about him during the last two episodes, but this one put me over the edge.   Is it the humor?  I used to love his fun expressions, especially the “I can see my abs” after the first weigh in.  The in-your-face jumping around after each win?  Not so much.  Looking out for yourself is much, much different then trying to SCREW the rest of the players.  Isn’t there a happy medium somewhere?

CLIFFHANGER:  LAST WEEK’S ELIMINATION

When we last left our Dynamic Duo, Cheryl and Darrell were balancing the faux Olympic torches on their heads.  Cheryl pulled a Tara.  Supreme confidence and focus.  After more than 10 minutes, Darrell’s torch tumbled, sending him home immediately.

HOW THE ELMINATED PLAYER LOOKS NOW

Broke my heart to see Drea so sad about her dad’s departure.  But when you meet Darrell’s wife, it’s clear that he has the support team at home to continue dropping the weight.

TEMPTATION CHALLENGE

Cookies!  And lots of ‘em, in addition to other calorie-laden treats!  It’s the time we deliciously anticipate all season:  Blue vs. Black.  Before announcing the actual challenge, Alison explains the prize – the winner will choose the teams AND the person who gets immunity this week.    Alison asks who will participate.  Some players don’t want the power because they know it will cause drama in the house.  Others, put off by the sheer volume and smell of the cookies, don’t see the wisdom in potentially eating thousands of calories.  Drea and Michael are the only two who decide to play.  The game is a big old Concentration board.  They’ll pick two boxes at a time, hoping to match the items behind the cards.  No match = picking player has to eat a cookie.  Match = opponent eats whatever’s inside the box.   They’re looking for the Golden Tickets.

Drea’s on an early roll, racking up matches while Michael stacks up the calories.  But as luck would have it, Michael ends up matching the Golden Tickets after eating over 2000 calories!!!  Michael takes the power very seriously, saying it’s the first time he’s put his own well-being ahead of others.  What that really means?  He wants to stay in the game as long as possible.  And boy does he stack the deck!  The smaller women (Cheryl, Stephanie, Drea, Ashley, Sherry) and Sam end up with Jillian on the Black Team; the larger men (Lance, Koli, Daris, Michael) join Miggy and Sunshine with Bob’s Blue Team.  Michael selects O’Neal for immunity and because there’s an uneven number of players, he’ll train alone this week.  After the weigh in, he’ll join the losing team the next week.

The Black Team players are really pissed.  They don’t like the perception that they are the weaker team.  They know Michael is playing the game.  He asked them who they wanted to train with, then did the opposite in most cases.   Stephanie feels betrayed, as seen in this confrontation that didn’t make it to air.  No one’s more angry than Jillian.  She calls Michael’s actions completely unfair and unprecedented, then apologizes, saying it resurrects her inner “fat kid” pain.    But remember:  no one does underdog like Jillian.

TRAINER TIP

Time to get out that Brita!  Bob reminds us that clean water is instrumental in weight loss.  Filter with the Brita pitcher to improve water quality, then put the water in a washable, reusable container to reduce waste.

TEAM CHALLENGE

The teams have to hoist their team banners up the side of a Burbank building.  The prize – letters from home!  With the exception of Sunshine and O’Neal, the players haven’t heard from home in almost two months.  The Black Team gives it their all, working handily as teammates but they are easily outmatched by the pulling strength of the Blue Team.

LAST CHANCE WORKOUT

Bob warns the Blue Team not to take anything for granted.  Yes, they have sheer size on their sides.  However, Bob knows that without complete mental and physical focus, anything can happen at the weigh in.   Meanwhile, Jillian is on edge.  She’s got to get the most out of her team to prevent disaster on the scale.   And a funny thing happens as her team starts working out.  They are completely in sync.  They seem to be channeling their anger at Michael into impressing Jillian with their determination.   It works.  Although she’s beating them up, she’s dishing out the praise after every workout segment.

WEIGH IN

O’Neal has immunity, so he’s the first to weigh in, followed by the Blue and Black Teams.

• O’Neal – 9 lbs
• Michael – 15 lbs
• Sunshine – 7 lbs
• Miggy – 4 lbs
• Koli – 10 lbs
• Lance – 5 lbs
• Daris – 7 lbs

Blue loses 2.7% and 48 lbs.  Black needs more than 39 lbs.   Is it possible for them to pull the upset?

• Andrea – 5 lbs
• Cheryl – 4 lbs
• Sherry – 6 lbs
• Sam – 8 lbs (the power of the black nail polish!)
• Stephanie – 8 lbs
• Ashley – 10 lbs

CELEBRATION!!!  Wow.  Congratulations to the Black Team.  Michael laments “It should have been us.”  Good realization for him, since he’s got the highest percentage of weight loss on the Blue Team, ensuring his own immunity.    When Blue Team gathers to discuss their elimination decision, the obvious choice is Lance or Miggy, simply based on the numbers.  Lance can’t vote for himself and most of the others question whether Miggy’s stress level will hurt or help the team in the long run.  Survey says, “HURT!”  Miggy gets the boot.

HOW THE ELIMINATED PLAYER LOOKS NOW

Miggy looks refreshed and happy!   The power of meditation.  And an at home visit from your new Biggest Loser family.

NEXT WEEK

The Black Team may have won the weigh in….but they didn’t make any friends on the Blue Team.  Goliath’s out to get them with a vengeance!

Since I’ve been out for a few weeks dealing with a medical issue (no worries, everyone’s on the mend), I’m not quite caught up with my Biggest Loser recaps!  Gail, Paula and Season 2’s Pete Thomas aptly fill the void.

Quick thoughts:

• Delighted to see individual competition.  It’s the whole reason each person is there…for him or herself.
• If you want a trainer, stick with Bob and Jillian.  The Olympians aren’t mean enough!
• Biathlon challenge was my favorite so far this season.  Reminded me of paintball, dodgeball, all the fun games.  Plus, some insight on how the players think strategically.
• What a bizarre elimination cliffhanger!
• Completely bewildered by Melissa.  Was she intimidated by the game?  Or is it a team approach to win both the at-home prize and grand prize?

HOW THE ELIMINATED PLAYER LOOKS NOW

She’s done quite well at home.  Not at all surprised to see her boxing!  But I think Jillian’s initial assessment at the ranch was correct.  Something doesn’t add up here.

NEXT WEEK

Who folded under the faux Olympic torch:  Cheryl or Darrell?   Teams reform…into Blue vs. Black!

Married with two young children, Lance and Melissa live in Aspermont, TX.  Lance, 38 is a rancher and Melissa, 39 an attorney.   Lance loves to eat and has a hard time leaving food on his plate.  His increasing weight caused him to lose his job as a commercial diver.  Quite active in her teens and twenties, Melissa began to gain weight after she married and had the kids.

Health and fitness have taken a back seat to the stresses of everyday life.  Strong in their career lives, Lance and Melissa admit they need help in getting the weight off.  They also want to set a better example for their kids, as their nightly routine consists of takeout, lots of television and hours of video games.

PINK TEAM – Mother and Daughter

Sherry and her daughter Ashley hail from Knoxville, TN.   Sherry, 51 is an administrator for a non-profit organization.  Her most significant weight gain occurred after the sudden death of her husband.  Embarrassed to meet new work colleagues and worried that she will not be around to see her grandchildren, Sherry is ready to make immediate changes in her life.

Ashley, 27 has battled weight for most of her life.  After having her tonsils and adenoids removed in early childhood, her weight increased quickly.  She wore a size 14-16 in high school and has gained more than 100 pounds since her teens.   Ashley dreads running into old friends, shocking them with her size.  But it’s her manager job at a spa that causes her the most anxiety.  She knows her body contradicts the health/wellness image of the spa.

Full of cheer – and determination – mother and daughter hope to change their own lives, as well as impact the lives of friends and family.    Reminds me of another Pink Team, Helen Phillips and Shanon Thomas!

ORANGE TEAM – Mother and Son

Cheryl and her son Daris reside in Ardmore, OK. Cheryl, 50  is the owner of Sears Hometown Store.  The pounds piled on after she had three kids in three years.   Her family loves to socialize frequently around food, another contributing factor to her weight gain.  As many mothers are, she’s always the last priority on her list.   Is it too late for Cheryl to put herself first?

Daris, 25 is a deliveryman/salesman.  Always the biggest member of his athletic teams, Daris’ size was an asset in football, the shot put and discus.   His outgoing, humorous demeanor and wild curly hair bring him plenty of attention, but he’s self conscious about his size.  Never having had a girlfriend, he wants to lose the weight, fall in love and live a long, happy life.