(Original Air Date 12/1/2009)

This week’s show begins with a look at the remaining 4 contestants and how far they have come on their journey at the Ranch.

Alison announces that it is now time to leave the ranch for the next 60 days. They will be on their own, without trainers and the Biggest Loser Ranch. They will be surrounded by all of their old temptations and then have to return to face the scale one final time before the finale.

While at home the contestants each receive boxes from the Biggest Loser which contain videos of them at the beginning of their journeys. It’s really amazing how far each of them have come.

Bob and Jillian then call each of them to inform them that they will be taking part in a Biggest Loser rite of passage…running a marathon! Doh!

Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone arrives at Danny’s to show him and his family some healthy cooking tips. (This was a previous prize that Danny had won at the ranch)

Bob and Jillian then pay a surprise visit to each of the contestants at home to check in on how they are doing and talk to them about how they are dealing with old issues.

Race Day:

Alison announces that each contestant that crosses the finish line will receive a $10,000 donation to the charity of their choice.  And they’re off…

Tara joins Danny and Liz while they run. Rudy’s original Biggest Loser partner, Dina catches up with him to run. At the halfway mark, Amanda’s best friend Brian begins running with her and when she is in a lot of pain we see Tara catching up with her to show some support.

The contestants are all really hurting during the race but they all do manage to finish with Rudy coming in first place. Wow! Great job!

Alison then announces that they now have one final thing to do…face the scale for one last weigh-in.

The Final Weigh-In:

At the final weigh-in, the two contestants with the highest percentage weight loss would automatically advance to the final, while the two below the yellow line would plead their case before America in the hopes of being voted the 3rd finalist.

Weigh-In Results: (pounds lost during 60 days away from Ranch, total lbs lost to date, current weight)

Amanda: 16 lbs, 80 lbs total, 170 lbs
Danny: 59 lbs, 201 lbs total, 229 lbs
Liz: 16 lbs, 85 lbs total, 182 lbs
Rudy: 43 lbs, 189 lbs total, 253 lbs

*Danny is one of only 4 players to ever lose over 200 lbs while at the Biggest Loser Ranch.

Danny and Rudy are automatically advanced to the finale, while Liz and Amanda must now plead their case before America for a vote to keep them in the finale. America will now vote and we will not find out the results until the live finale next week.

Next Week on the Show:

The live finale! One person will become the Biggest Loser and win $250,000. Yay!

(Original Air Date 11/24/2009)

Week 11 begins with Amanda talking about how sad she was to see her ally Rebecca leave the previous week.  She is forced to realize that she is now truly playing for herself.

Bob and Jillian discuss the fact that Rebecca was a huge thread and they really felt that if she were to fall below the yellow line, she would be sent home. They were not surprised by this at all.

A Revisit to the Fitness Levels of The Early Days:

As the contestants work out in the gym, they revisit those early days at the Ranch and we see clips of just how far they have come in their physical abilities. Yay!

A Surprise Guest:

The contestants meet with Alison and she announces to them that she has someone for them to meet that can help them at home to not only be fit physically, but financially as well. They meet with Suze Orman who talks to them about the connection wealth and health. Personally I thought this was a bit odd. 😉

Pop Quiz:

Based on the information that they learned from Suze, the contestant had to answer questions while running on the treadmill. For every right answer, they would get $1000 into a special Save Yourself Account. For every question that they answered incorrectly, they had to increase the treadmill one level in speed and one in incline. There were no losers in this quiz and the results were as follows:

• Rudy $4000
• Danny $4000
• Liz $4000
• Allen $4000
• Amanda $3000

Yay! Biggest Loser!

Jill meets with the contestants to talk about it what it will be like for them when they go home.

We see Amanda on the treadmill in the gym by herself. She knows it is all up to her now…if she falls below the yellow line, she will be certain to be voted off.

Bob talks to the contestants about how much they have changed and how they will deal with going home.

Amanda pulls Bob aside to tell him that the most difficult part of her imagining leaving is missing him. (as a friend, not just a trainer)

Liz and Danny have a heartfelt chat about how much the support of one another has meant to each other.

Definitely a night of hugs and kisses all around!

Weekly Challenge:

The contestants meet Alison in a football field for a challenge that will have them carrying all of the previous weight that they had lost.

They have to drag footballs that weigh as much as they lost for each week they were at the ranch across the field. For each week, they could shed the football with that week’s weight loss.

Special guest, Rod Woodson arrived to cheer them on and it was announced that the winner would receive tickets for 2 to the Pro Bowl as well as a $5000 donation of athletic equipment to the school of their choice.

Allen won this challenge! Go Allen!

Biggest Loser Tip (Rod Woodson):

1 in 3 kids in America are obese. Wow! To help combat this, encourage children to get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day. Make it fun for them!

Danny’s Debut:

Danny pulls out his guitar and we get to hear him play and sing while the contestants reminisce about how much they have changed and what exactly they have been doing here at the ranch.

Last Chance Workout:

Grueling workout in the gym with Jillian and Bob per normal.

Trainer Tip:

Bob and Jillian: Drink Brita filtered water to save money, reduce waste and enjoy cleaner water.

Weigh-In Results: (pounds lost this week, total lbs lost to date, current weight)

Amanda: 7 lbs, 64 lbs total, 186 lbs
Allen: 8 lbs, 95 lbs total, 230 lbs
Danny: 16 lbs, 142 lbs total, 288 lbs
Liz: 5 lbs, 69 lbs total, 198 lbs
Rudy: 12 lbs, 146 lbs total, 296 lbs

*Danny breaks a Biggest Loser record with his 7th week in a row with a double digit loss!

After the weigh-in, the two below the yellow line are Liz and Allen.

Eliminated Contestant:
Allen

Allen’s transformation since leaving the ranch:

Allen has lost a total of 105 lbs since he first arrived at the ranch. His new mindset has changed his whole world in that he has a very positive outlook on his future now.

Allen has inspired 275 people to start a Biggest Loser competition at his gym.

Next Week on the Show:

Down to the final four! America’s vote will decide who makes it to the live finale!

Special “Where Are They Now” episode airs this Wed. (Nov. 25)
Find out how past contestants have been doing since their stay at the ranch.

(Original Air Date 11/17/2009)

The week begins with Alison meeting with the contestants to let them know that this week they will each be giving a speech to a live audience to help inspire them just as they had been previously inspired by past Biggest Loser contestants.

A fancy car then pulls up and….drum roll – out steps Tim Gunn (Project Runway) and Tabitha (Tabitha’s Salon Takeover) along with the big announcement from Alison that it is MAKEOVER WEEK! Yay!  My favorite week on The Biggest Loser!

They are whisked away to stay at the Four Season hotel, shop with Tim and get their hair done with Tabitha at a posh salon.

The Makeover Reveals and Speeches:

Everyone looks fantastic and they are met with a big surprise when they are greeted by their loved ones as they get ready to give their speeches.

They each speak to their own journeys and how they got to be overweight and where they are now.

Many tears are shed as children speak out about their parents and how happy they are that they are getting healthy.

Makeover Week Challenge:

The contestants meet with Alison to hear about their challenge.  In honor of Makeover Week they will be making their way over a canyon. They are each suspended 200 ft in the air and have to use a pulley to make their way 700 ft across the canyon to the other side.

The contestant that makes it across first will win a 2 week trip to The Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge in Utah. Wow! I want to go here myself! 😉

Rudy has the early lead in the challenge and he finishes strong for the win.

At the finish line, high above the canyon, there is a picture of each contestant at their starting weight. All at the same time, each of the contestants drop their new made over picture down over the top of the old one. Very inspiring!

Trainer Tip (It’s NBC Universal’s Green Week):

Jillian says to reduce the amount of paper and plastic being you use, bring your own mug to the coffee shop when purchasing your coffee.

After the challenge and Rudy’s second win in two weeks, Bob confronts Allen to see why he is not winning the challenges as Bob considers him to be the strongest contestant. It seems Allen is working a bit of strategy here. 😉

Last Chance Workout:

Grueling workout in the gym with Jillian and Bob per normal.

Jillian confronts Rudy about the fact that he had never mentioned that his sister died of cancer at age 14. (Rudy had shared this during his speech earlier that week) Jillian pushes him to feel the emotions and Rudy does end up saying that he thinks it did help to talk about it.

Trainer Tip:

Bob says that to reduce your carbon footprint, buy fruits and vegetables from local growers. (Buying organic is always better)

Weigh-In Results: (pounds lost this week, total lbs lost to date, current weight)

Rebecca: 3 lbs, 73 lbs total, 206 lbs
Amanda: 9 lbs, 57 lbs total, 193 lbs
Allen: 5 lbs, 87 lbs total, 238 lbs
Danny: 12 lbs, 126 lbs total, 304 lbs
Liz: 3 lbs, 64 lbs total, 203 lbs
Rudy: 16 lbs, 134 lbs total, 308 lbs

After the weigh-in, the two below the yellow line are Rebecca and Liz.

Eliminated Contestant:
Rebecca

Rebecca’s transformation since leaving the ranch:

Rebecca’s transformation video shows her running a half marathon! Since arriving at the ranch she has lost a total of 107 lbs and intends to be the biggest at home loser during the finale.  You go Rebecca! Love this quote from her while she is running:

“I just became the girl that I wanted to be.”

Next Week on the Show:

Only 2 weeks to go! The countdown begins.

Special “Where Are They Now” episode airs next Wed.
Find out how past contestants have been doing since their stay at the ranch.

(Original Air Date 11/10/2009)

Week 9 begins with clips of the contestants sharing their experiences about how it feels to still be on the Ranch at week 9 and what they have ahead of them.

The contestants meet with Alison who announces that 2 people will be eliminated after the weigh-in this week. There will be the usual yellow line which will involve a vote between 2 contestants but in addition to that, the person with the lowest % of weight for the week will fall below a red line and be eliminated immediately.

Pop Challenge:

The contestants each have a board with 50 tennis balls and a container with their name on it. The players have to jump up and get one of their tennis balls and then run to put it into their basket. The person who collects all 50 balls the fastest wins the challenge and a 1 lb advantage at the weigh-in.

It comes down to a close race between Allen and Rebecca and Allen ends up winning the challenge.

The contestants tell Jillian and Bob about the new twist for the week with the red line elimination and they are a bit shocked as they’ve never been faced with this before.

Jillian pulls Bob aside to share her thoughts about Shay and how strongly she believes that Shay needs to remain at the Ranch. It is obvious that both the trainers want to see her remain in the game. (for her health, not necessarily the game aspect)

Jillian then works the contestants out in the gym, dealing with Danny who is not having an easy time and being particularly rough on Shay. (in a good way, of course!)

Trainer Tip:

Bob’s trainer tip involves the importance of monitoring the calories in beverages. He uses the example of a fruit juice which contains 30-40 grams of sugar per serving, more than what is found in a soda.

The contestants are really feeling the pressure this week and it shows during their training sessions.  Rebecca has a moment with Jillian similar to the one that Amanda had earlier. Jillian says that she is always so black and white and she needs to learn how to find a middle ground.  She ends up frustrated and then talks it out with Amanda.

Bob has a heartfelt talk with Danny about what it is he wants out of this experience.

Challenge for Immunity:

The contestants walk into a circus tent to receive Alison’s instructions for the weekly challenge.

They each had a hoop with their name on it and the challenge is to jump through the hoops of the players that they want to be eliminated from the challenge. As each player gets 100 jumps through their hoop by the other contestants, they are done with the challenge. The last person remaining wins the challenge and immunity during the weekly weigh-in.

Rudy ends up really disappointing Shay as he doesn’t keep to his word about a verbal alliance they have during this particular challenge.

Rudy ends up winning the challenge and immunity for the week. Go Rudy!

Last Chance Workout:

Bob stays with the circus theme for his last chance workout with the contestants, taking them for a trapeze workout. The players can really feel it when it comes to holding their own body weight during these exercises.

Jillian then immediately does her last change gym workout with them when they arrive back to the ranch – a double whammy! She also makes fun of Bob and his circus workout! 😉

Weigh-In Results: (pounds lost this week, total lbs lost to date, current weight)

Rebecca: 10 lbs, 70 lbs total, 209 lbs
Amanda: 5 lbs, 48 lbs total, 202 lbs
Allen: 10 lbs, 82 lbs total, 243 lbs (had 1 lb advantage)
Danny: 17 lbs, 114 lbs total, 316 lbs
Liz: 12 lbs, 61 lbs total, 206 lbs
Daniel: 5 lbs, 56 lbs total, 256 lbs
Rudy: 8 lbs, 118 lbs total, 324 lbs (had immunity)
Shay: 17 lbs, 100 lbs total, 376 lbs

**Shay breaks a Biggest Loser record in losing 100 lbs among the women the fastest in wk 9! (previously held by Kristin of Biggest Loser 7 who lost 100 lbs in wk 12)

After the weigh-in, the two below the yellow line are Shay and Amanda. (crazy that Shay is below even after losing 17 lbs this week!)

Unfortunately Daniel has the lowest % of weight loss and is the one to fall below the red line, being immediately eliminated at the weigh-in. Love Daniel! Sorry to see him go. 🙁

Eliminated Contestant (Below Red Line):
Daniel

Daniel’s transformation since leaving the ranch:

Daniel has lost 215 lbs total since his original Biggest Loser 7 appearance.  He teases that he hopes to introduce America to his new girlfriend at the finale. Go Daniel! 😉

Eliminated Contestant (Below Yellow Line):
Shay

Shay’s transformation since leaving the ranch:

Shay has a great reunion with loved ones after returning home. She vows to lose 213 lbs by the finale show, breaking another Biggest Loser record. For some reason there was no after picture of Shay at this point but she appeared on Jay Leno (with Daniel) after the show and she looks great! (says she has lost 150 lbs to date)

Next Week on the Show:

Yay! It’s Makeover week with Tim Gunn!

(Original Air Date 11/3/2009)

Alison announces to the teams that this week they are going to Washington D.C. to help empower Americans to live healthier and happier lives.

Alison Announces Individual Status:

Once they all (contestants, Bob & Jillian and Alison) meet up in Washington at the Jefferson Memorial, Alison announces that the competition is now based on individual competitions and weigh-ins. No more teams at all!

Pop Challenge:

Bob and Jillian will conduct a public workout in front of the Washington Monument. The pop challenge is that the contestants should go out to invite people to workout and whoever has the most people will win a significant advantage further in the week.

At one point, Amanda gets a whole crowd of women to back her as they recognize her from the finale of Biggest Loser 7…UNTIL they see Daniel and also recognize him from Biggest Loser 7 also!

Allen (firefighter) puts a call out to his firemen buddies and gets a lot of guys from the department to show up in support for him.

Alison announces that the contest was very close coming down to only one person separating Allen and Liz. In the end, Liz wins the pop challenge! Go Liz!

The workout begins and is a great success. Liz gets to take her group of people to Subway for lunch.

The Biggest Loser team then heads to meet with people from Congress to discuss the huge issue of obesity in America.

Challenge for Immunity:

The contestants will now compete in a challenge for immunity that involves 4 phases, the first of which is a 1 mile run. (once again!) Liz’s surprise pop challenge prize was that she could choose to sit one phase out, automatically moving on to the next phase of the contest. (contestants were eliminated during each phase)

The first 6 to make the mile would continue on and Liz did choose to compete in Phase 1. Rebecca came in first place and the other 5 to continue were Daniel, Amanda, Rudy, Liz and Allen.

Phase 2 involved running up and down steps to pick up the amount of pennies that signified the lbs lost to date on The Biggest Loser show. The top 4 to fill their bank with pennies would continue. Liz did choose to sit this one out and the 3 to continue with her were Rudy, Daniel and Rebecca.

Phase 3 takes place by the Capital. The contestants must balance on the edge of a platform while holding a pilates ball above their head.

Rebecca and Rudy are the 2 to continue on to the 4th and final phase of the contest which takes place in front of the Whitehouse. They are to take 206 steps (on a stepper) which is the total number of contestants to take part on the Biggest Loser. Rebecca ends up winning the challenge with fierce determination! Go Rebecca!

Trainer Tip:

Bob gives a great tip regarding finding way to workout while on vacation. Find a nice flight of stairs for a bit of cardio and strength training. Run up and down the stairs for 20-30 minutes for cardio. For strength training, do stair dips, side squats and push-ups along the side.

Biggest Loser is Invited to the Whitehouse:

The Biggest Loser team goes to the Whitehouse to meet with the assistant Chef, Sam Kass. They get a tour of the family garden and get to help the chef prepare and nice fresh salad in the Whitehouse kitchen.  The Chef shares that the president eats a lot of vegetables and that his kids are also great eaters.

Last Chance Workout:

We see Jillian working the contestants out on the steps. She spends some time with Tracey trying to “break” her and seems to make some headway.

Bob and Amanda discuss the meltdown that Amanda had with Jillian in the gym the previous week. Bob then goes on to have Amanda running a 9.0 mile minute on the treadmill and she does it no problem.

Washington D.C. seems to have been a great success and teams look forward to the weigh-in which takes place in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

Weigh-In Results: (pounds lost this week, total lbs lost to date, current weight)

Rebecca: 4 lbs, 60 lbs total, 219 lbs (had immunity)
Amanda: 7 lbs, 43 lbs total, 207 lbs
Tracey: 3 lbs, 44 lbs total, 194 lbs
Allen: 9 lbs, 72 lbs total, 253 lbs
Danny: 12 lbs, 97 lbs total, 333 lbs
Liz: 3 lbs, 49 lbs total, 218 lbs
Daniel: 11 lbs, 51 lbs total, 261 lbs
Rudy: 9 lbs, 110 lbs total, 332 lbs
Shay: 9 lbs, 83 lbs total, 393 lbs

**It is very exciting that Shay is below 400 lbs! A big milestone for her!

After the weigh-in, the two below the yellow line are Tracey and Liz. (I think a lot of people would be shocked if it were not Tracey to be eliminated)

Eliminated Contestant:
Tracey

Tracey’s transformation since leaving the ranch:

Tracey has lost 85 lbs since leaving the ranch. She is training for a marathon and looks pretty amazing in her video.

Next Week on the Show:

Two people go home next week!

(Original Air Date 10/27/2009)

After last week’s weigh-in/vote off, some members of the blue team were disappointed that Dina was sent home.

Alison Announces Face-off Week:

The contestants learn that they will go head-to-head against each other in pairs for this week’s weigh-in. The person with the highest percentage weight loss of each pair will win a point for their team. The team with the lowest score will have to vote for a team member to be sent home.

Pop Challenge:

Alison then announces a pop challenge that will determine which team will have the power to determine the blue/black pairs to go against each other.

Each team had a bar with discs hanging from each end. As a team they had to go back and forth touching them end-to-end until they scored 500 points. They were to go one at a time and each player could score as many points as they liked but each could only take one turn.

At one point the black team was way behind and Amanda did an amazing job almost catching the blue team up with the black.  In the end, the blue team won with Rebecca bringing them to final victory.

The blue team then has the power to choose the pairs that will compete against one another.
Here are the pairings:

Rebecca vs. Amanda
Tracey vs. Abby
Allen vs. Danny
Rudy vs. Shay
Liz vs. Daniel

Trainer Tip:

Jillian (trainer): Swimming is a great form of exercise to add to your workout.  You can do laps, push-ups at the side of the pool and tread water.

After the pop challenge, Bob has the blue team working out hard by the pool. Meanwhile, Jillian is in the gym with the black team watching Amanda have a melt-down while on the treadmill. They have words and Jillian pushes her emotionally as per her style on the show. (out of love, of course) Amanda ends up walking out of the gym and later when she has a conversation with Jillian, she reminds her that she was walking out on herself not her trainer.

Challenge:

The teams meet up with Alison at a baseball field to get their next challenge instructions. They are in baseball uniforms and there are baseballs all over the field as well as pictures of the contestants at their original weights.  Baseball great, Derek Jeter gave challenge instructions via video.  The contestants had to run out to collect the balls and then throw them in whichever contestant’s picture they wanted to eliminate from the game. They needed 316 balls to eliminate a player. The one contestant remaining at the end would win lunch with Curtis Stone for his whole team as well as a 2 lb advantage at the weigh-in. The 2 lbs could also be given to one or two different players on the team.

Danny won the challenge for the black team and they enjoyed a lunch of grilled turkey burgers (with portabella mushrooms instead of buns) and various toppings.

Cooking Tip: (Curtis Stone)
Make your own vegetable stock for cooking by chopping vegetables and putting them into boiling water. Strain out the vegetables after boiling and you have your stock.

Last Chance Workout:

Jillian worked her team out and has deep conversations with both Abby and Shay. Jillian asks Abby about how she is feeling regarding her goal of discovering her purpose in life. (given the sad circumstance of losing her husband and children in a horrible accident) Abby seems to be doing so well…brought me to tears once again!

Shay opens up to Jillian about her feelings regarding her childhood and growing up with a mom that was a heroin addict. Jillian presses her to really get to the heart of the matter and recognize that she played no fault in anything to do with her mother. Another sad but hopeful story.

Bob has his guys jumping up on 3 feet platforms! Go guys!

Weigh-In Results: (pounds lost this week, total lbs lost to date, current weight) – pairs below and *indicates winner of the face-off

*Rebecca: 9 lbs, 56 lbs total, 223 lbs
Amanda: 6 lbs, 36 lbs total, 214 lbs (lost 4 lbs, + 2 lb advantage)

*Tracey: 5 lbs, 41 lbs total, 197 lbs
Abby: 3 lbs, 46 lbs total, 201 lbs

Allen: 8 lbs, 63 lbs total, 262 lbs
*Danny: 12 lbs, 85 lbs total, 345 lbs

*Liz: 7 lbs, 46 lbs total, 221 lbs
Daniel: 5 lbs, 40 lbs total, 272 lbs

*Rudy: 14 lbs, 101 lbs total, 341 lbs
Shay: 9 lbs, 74 lbs total, 402 lbs

**Rudy broke a Biggest Loser record this week when he hit the 100 lb (101) mark in week 7! Previous record holder Dane shows up to watch him weigh in. (Dane’s record was 100 lbs in week 8 )

After the weigh-in, the score is Blue 5 points, Black 1 point so the blue team had won the face-off contest sending the black team to vote a player off.

Biggest Loser (Immune) From Losing Team:
Danny

The black team head back to discuss before the vote. Abby pretty much asks for everyone to vote her off. It is very hear warming as she pleads the case of why the other contestants need to be there. Go Abby…I love you girl!

Eliminated Contestant/Team:
Abby (with many tears on the part of the contestants)

Abby’s transformation since leaving the ranch:

Abby has lost 80 lbs since leaving the ranch.  She travels around speaking to schools about the power of making choices….very inspirational. She also says on her video that she feels that she is finally able to love again.

Next Week on the Show:

The teams travels to Washington DC! Stay tuned!

(Original Air Date 10/20/2009)

After last week’s weigh-in/vote off, the black team was surprised and disappointed that the blue team had chosen to keep Tracey over Coach Mo.  Clearly Tracey is still on the outs with most of the contestants and she really doesn’t seem all that bothered by it.

Team Competition:

Alison surprises everyone with an early week team competition. The two teams must find keys and the box to unlock buried deep within the ground. She did not tell them what the prize would be until one of the teams actually won, so they figured that this was definitely a prize worth fighting for.

After grueling work digging out their case, the blue team won and discovered that the prize was tickets home to spend the week with their families and friends.  Then they were notified of a catch – they could go home and forego a full week without the gym and trainers or they could decide as a team to send the black team contestants home to their families instead.

The blue team opted to give the tickets up to the black team figuring that the workouts at the ranch with the trainers and no distractions were more important at this stage of the game.

The Black Team Travels Home:

The black team traveled home and though it was great to see their friends and families, they did find it to be difficult to remain focused on their weight loss efforts.

While at home Danny was impressive in that he chose to cook healthy meals at home with his family because he wanted to have complete control over how his food was prepared.  Dina was shocked while out to eat with her friends and husband. Nothing had changed and she could not believe how poor his eating habits were. This was a big reality check for her as to how difficult it was for her to be at home. Shay took a few friends with her to Subway where she shared some healthy tips to eating out.

Jillian called her contestants while they were away to give them tips and a pep talk.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Bob was working his team hard! He was treating each of their workouts as if it were a last chance workout. He also took the blue team to the Food Bank  where they could help out a great cause. The blue team said that they enjoyed having the ranch to themselves but the black team had been missed.

Trainer Tip:

Bob (trainer): Circuit training utilizes 8-12 exercises in a row with weights and/or cardio exercises with no rest. The body tires quickly and you work out several muscle groups. He suggested adding the following to your circuit routine:

• one arm rows
• lateral raises
• step-ups (for cardio)

Do 3-5 circuits, stay hydrated, and get adequate rest for best results.

Trainer Tip:

Jillian Michaels (trainer): Sandwiches can be a healthy meal choice, but not when they are loaded with mayo and cheese. Skip the fatty condiments and spread 1/4 cup of fresh avocado on your sandwich instead for a healthy fat choice.

Last Chance Workout:

Jillian worked her team out especially hard since she had not seen them all week. Daniel had a breakdown with Jillian when he realized that his mom had always been concerned about his weight and he had mistakenly taken her concern and comments as criticism and felt that she would not accept him if he were overweight. Seemed to be a big breakthrough for Daniel!

Weigh-In Results: (pounds lost this week, total lbs lost to date, current weight)

Tracey: 4 lbs, 36 lbs total, 202 lbs
Allen: 8 lbs, 55 lbs total, 270 lbs
Rudy: 14 lbs, 87 lbs total, 355 lbs
Rebecca: 5 lbs, 47 lbs total, 232 lbs
Liz: 4 lbs, 39 lbs total, 228 lbs
Abby: 4 lbs, 43 lbs total, 204 lbs
Dina: 5 lbs, 35 lbs total, 218 lbs
Amanda: 6 lbs, 32 lbs total, 218 lbs
Danny: 15 lbs, 73 lbs total, 357 lbs
Daniel: +1 lbs, 35 lbs total, 277 lbs
Shay: 5 lbs, 65 lbs total, 411 lbs

Lowest Team for the Week:
Black Team (Jillian): 1.98% weight loss  (Blue Team (Bob): blue 2.65% weight loss)

Biggest Loser (Immune) From Losing Team:
Danny

Eliminated Contestant/Team:
Dina

Dina’s transformation since leaving the ranch:

Dina has gone from a starting weight of 253 to 188 lbs since returning home from the ranch.
She enjoys going to the gym with her son and he supports her weight loss efforts greatly. Dina has already completed her first half marathon.  At the ranch, Dina’s biggest obstacle was her fear and this played out in her struggle to jump on the box in the training room…she could not complete this while at the ranch. Since being home, she can now do this with no problem and does not feel the same fear that she used to feel. The transformation video also showed Dina getting a makeover…she looks beautiful! Go Dina!

Next Week on the Show:

Stay tuned!

(Original Air Date 10/13/2009)

Four weeks ago the contestants came to the ranch and were partnered up in teams. Tonight they would be divided into two teams (Blue/Black) with Bob and Jillian training their competitive teams once again.

Alison introduced this at the temptation challenge where the contestants would spin a wheel choosing one of 35 silver plates. One plate contained a golden ticket and the person that won the golden ticket would be able to choose the teams and the trainers. The other plates contained either sweets that the contestants had to eat or amounts of money. The contestants were able to choose if they wanted to take part in the temptation and everyone did play except for Abby.

The contestants were in shock when once again Tracey won the challenge and the power to choose the teams.

Tracey chooses Bob as her training for Team Blue and the rest of the team consists of: Coach Mo, Allen, Rudy, Rebecca and Liz.

Jillian’s Black Team is: Abby, Dina, Amanda, Danny, Daniel and Shay.

Many contestants are upset with Tracey but none more so than Liz who is overcome with emotion that she is being split from her partner Danny. She vows to get rid of Tracey the first chance she gets.

Jillian gives her team a good workout in the gym and Bob deals with Liz who passes out while on the treadmill.

There is a big moment in the gym (and throughout the show) when Jillian is trying to get Dina to jump up onto the platform. For some reason Dina has a huge mental block about completing this task and Jillian presses her to get to the bottom of the real thing that she is afraid of…presses her to get real with her feelings.

“Your life’s not changing today, but at least your butt’s getting smaller.” ~ Jillian Michaels to Dina

Trainer Tip:

Jillian Michaels (trainer): Do deadlifts to tone and strengthen gluts and hamstrings. For an added challenge, lift one leg and then alternate with the other leg.

Bob takes the Blue Team grocery shopping for lunch to teach them more about nutrition. They sit outside and have wraps made of Jennie-o Turkey and lots of vegetables.

Team Competition: (1st Blue vs. Black Competition):

The teams needed to complete a race while carrying on of their teammates on a platform. The one being carried could swap out. The winning team would win videos from home, a prize everyone wanted.

The blue team won and everyone was very excited to watch video messages from their loved ones.

A very touching moment was when Liz went to her old partner Danny to ask him to come watch her video with her. When she started the video, he realized that she had swapped her video for his. He was so grateful and the moment was awesome…go Liz!

Last Chance Workout:

Jillian worked her team out in pairs of two so they could push one another.

Bob took the Blue Team to 24 Hr Fitness to work out as a group.

Trainer Tip:

Bob Harper (trainer): If a regular push-up is too difficult, work up to it by starting against a wall then moving down to chair or table.

Weigh-In Results: (pounds lost this week, total lbs lost to date, current weight)

Tracey: 7 lbs, 32 lbs total, 206 lbs
Coach Mo: 6 lbs, 43 lbs total, 312 lbs
Allen: 7 lbs, 47 lbs total, 278 lbs
Rudy: 8 lbs, 73 lbs total, 369 lbs
Rebecca: 7 lbs, 42 lbs total, 237 lbs
Liz: 8 lbs, 35 lbs total, 232 lbs
Abby: 5 lbs, 39 lbs total, 208 lbs
Dina: 6 lbs, 30 lbs total, 223 lbs
Amanda: 6 lbs, 26 lbs total, 224 lbs
Danny: 10 lbs, 58 lbs total, 372 lbs
Daniel: 11 lbs, 36 lbs total, 276 lbs
Shay: 16 lbs, 60 lbs total, 416 lbs

Lowest Team for the Week:
Blue Team (Bob): blue 2.56% weight loss (Black Team (Jillian): 3.05% weight loss)

Biggest Loser (Immune) From Losing Team:
Liz

It seemed the Blue Team was sure to vote off Tracey as she had made many enemies over the course of the past few weeks. While discussions were underway though, Coach Mo completely stepped up to the plate asking the team to vote him out because it was the right thing for the team since he had the lowest weight loss. Very honorable Coach Mo!

Eliminated Contestant/Team:
Coach Mo

Coach Mo’s transformation since leaving the ranch:

Coach Mo has gone from a starting weight of 355 to 279 lbs since returning home from the ranch.
Coach Mo says that the show saved his life.

Next Week on the Show:

The contestants are going home for a week! Who will be celebrating when it comes time to face the scale?

Stay tuned!

(Original Air Date 10/06/2009)

This episode starts out with a very upset Shay talking to Tracey about how she felt that she had been betrayed the week before because Tracey did not stick to her word when she chose her to represent her team during the weigh-in.

Trainers, Bob and Jillian meet with the contestants in the gym and give them a pep talk about how no one wants to leave…everyone wants to be there at this point.

Tracey gets word from the doctor that she is not allowed to exercise at all during the week and Coach Mo learns that he is basically carrying the weight for the purple team all on his own.

Big Undertaking for the Week:

The contestants meet with Alison and look around their kitchen in shock as they realize that everything is locked up. Alison announces to the group that they will have to eat out every meal during the week.

Pop Challenge:

Alison then announces a pop quiz in which the teams have to choose the lowest calorie meal of three choices. The winner would receive a 1 year supply of healthy food – huge prize that everyone wanted!

There was a 3-way tie between Orange, Pink and Brown. The teams needed to guess the amount of calories in the low-cal meal and the Pink Team of Amanda and Rebecca won the tie-breaker and free groceries for a year.

Trainer Tip:

Jillian Michaels (trainer): Swap mashed cauliflower for mashed potatoes for a lower calorie option.

Bob and Jillian take the contestants out for dinner at a Mexican restaurant where they discuss tips for making healthy choices while eating out. Jillian gives the contestants a hard time for not bringing their calorie counters to dinner with them. The first outing was very successful and the contestants are learning strategies that will help them in the “real world” when they leave the ranch.

Trainer Tip:

Bob Harper (trainer): Plan ahead when eating out at a restaurant by checking online menus when available. Avoid foods that are pan-fried and sauteed. Order your meet grilled, baked, steamed, poached or broiled and do not be afraid to ask a lot of questions about how the food will be prepared.

Team Competition:

The winning team of the challenge would be granted immunity at the weekly weigh-in.

The contestants are taken to a water park and they learn that the challenge would be holding themselves on a platform above water with only handlebars to hold up their weight. The platforms would be raised until the contestants were vertical above the water.

Daniel won for the orange team and the highlight of the evening for me was when Shay dropped from the challenge and Daniel yelled out to his partner, “I’m proud of you”. What a guy! 😉

Last Chance Workout:

The last chance workout was grueling as usual and Coach Mo suffered a temporary set-back by hurting his back. After a pep talk from Bob and an hour rest or so, he was back in the game pushing himself as normal.

Weigh-In Results: (pounds lost this week, total lbs lost to date, current weight)

Daniel: 0 lbs, 25 lbs total, 287 lbs (won immunity at the challenge)
Shay: 5 lbs, 44 lbs total, 432 lbs (won immunity at the challenge)
Amanda: 5 lbs, 20 lbs total, 230 lbs
Rebecca: 4 lbs, 35 lbs total, 244 lbs
Rudy: 11 lbs, 65 lbs total, 377 lbs
Dina: 5 lbs, 24 lbs total, 229 lbs
Liz: 3 lbs, 27 lbs total, 240 lbs
Danny: 8 lbs, 48 lbs total, 382 lbs
Allen: 7 lbs, 40 lbs total, 285 lbs
Abby: 3 lbs, 34 lbs total, 213 lbs
Julio: 4 lbs, 43 lbs total, 364 lbs
Coach Mo: 8 lbs, 37 lbs total, 318 lbs
Tracey: 4 lbs, 25 lbs total, 213 lbs

Lowest Teams for the Week:
Liz & Danny
Julio

Eliminated Contestant/Team:
Julio

Julio’s transformation since leaving the ranch:

Julio has gone from a starting weight of 368 to 299 lbs since returning home from the ranch.

Julio says that the gym has become like a second home to him. He loves being a positive role model to his kids and cooking healthy meals for his family.

Next Week on the Show:

It’s time to mix it up a bit next week as the teams become blue vs. black. There will be a competition in which one person will get a golden ticket and have all the power as they choose the teams and trainers.

Stay tuned!