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Biggest Loser Families Recap: Live Weigh-In Finale

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:00:00 -0800

After watching all the contestants sweat and cry almost every week this Fall on The Biggest Loser Families, we finally got to meet the biggest loser. The live finale show began with an exciting reveal, the host Alison Sweeny is pregnant, something my husband and I began wondering in the last couple of episodes. She was glowing, as were all the contestants.

The contestants all looked skinny (a few maybe too skinny) and fashionable. The first big "reveal" of the night was that America voted Heba out of the final three, even with Ed's pleas to keep his wife active in the contest. He's a likable dude and his entrance was definitely the most rock-n-roll - two thumbs up punch through the image of him from the show's first episode. Ed's got some style.

I am very proud of Jerry, the sickest contestant to ever join the game. He lost 30 percent of his weight and looked so alive. Amy P. beat her husband Phillip by a pound, but unfortunately lost the at-home prize to Heba. Heba won $100,000 for all her at-home hard work.

To see who won the title of the biggest loser as well as before and after shots off all the contestants, read more.

The energy of the crowd was infectious and the three finalists looked amazing. It was amazing to hear Vicky admit that advice from her once nemesis Phillip (remember how she cackled when he was voted of the show) helped her push through. On a group conference call, he reminded her to live in the moment, which I believe is sound advice for us all. Michelle, the youngest of the finalists, lost 110 pounds to win (when she only needed to lose 100) the biggest loser title and a quarter million dollars. She looked fabulous. Not only did she have age on her side (the younger you are the easier it is to lose weight), it appeared that her only job was to work out. We saw shots of both Ed and Vicky working and none of Michelle.

I am really happy she won. Are you? What did you think of the finale? Are you excited for the upcoming season of the Biggest Loser Couples?

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Biggest Loser Families Recap: The Final Four Hit the Track

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:59:59 -0800

This week's episode of Biggest Loser Families is all about looking back and moving on - often quite literally. For their challenge, the four remaining contestants come together at a racetrack - not the sort of track we're used to. Ali instructs Ed, Heba, Vicky, and Michelle to suit up by strapping on the amount of weight each contestant has lost; they then had to run the track, recalling what that weight felt like.

The racetrack runners also learn a lot about healthy eating this week and reflect on how far they've come. For the rest of the details and a video with some smart eating tips,read more.

In the track challenge, 11 pit stops signify the number of weeks the contestants have spent at the ranch, so they remove the appropriate amounts of weight along the way. Ed crosses the finish line first, winning $10,000 and a home-delivered meal plan for a year.

Speaking of meal plans, Bob spends some time talking about healthy eating with his team, reminding them that diet is key to not gaining weight back. The four watch their transformation videos to remind them how far they've come and then get a special delivery: a giant box full of the clothes they wore before they lost the weight. Looking to the future, the gang burns the clothes in a bonfire.

Despite winning the racetrack challenge, Ed discovers in the weigh-in that he has gained two pounds. Michelle, who starts the episode feeling rather bummed out, is thrilled to find out she has shed nine. As for who will end up on next week's live finale, that's up to the viewers: You can vote for the third finalist online now. Meanwhile, check out trainer Bob's tips for adding flavor without adding calories below.

Photos courtesy of NBC

Biggest Loser Families Recap: NYC Makeovers

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:00:00 -0800

The competition on the Biggest Loser Families should be heating up, but last night's show was surprisingly free of drama. Well, not quite. There was Vicky's moment of paralyzing fear, verging on a tantrum, during the physical challenge, but even that little episode struck me as placid. Maybe because everyone involved, blue teammates included, seemed "over" Vicky's antics.

This week all the contestants were treated to a makeover in NYC. Their trip to the Big Apple included new hair fancy and flattering styles. The highlights from the salon: Vicky dyed her hair red and Ed got some highlights himself. Then all five contestants were treated to a shopping trip at Macy's lightly supervised by season-four winner of Project Runway Christian Siriano (didn't he often comment on how he loved the super-skinny models?). This was followed by a "live" reveal on The Tyra Banks Show, complete with a reunion with a friend, spouse, sibling, or parent. The reunions, full of lots of emotion, were pretty sweet watch.

Upon returning back to the ranch, the five remaining players competed in a physical challenge with a two-week spa vacation as the prize. The contestants had to wedge themselves in bottomless boxes suspended 12 to 15 feet above a pool of water. Vicky was first to call uncle, but refused to drop into the water. Heba, Ed, and Renee eventually followed dropping easily and gleefully into the water below. Michelle won the prize and was a disappointed to have her victory celebration marred by Vicky's attention-stealing freak-out.

To see who was eliminated and how they look today read more.

Since the contestants spent much of the week away from their trainers, Bob and Jillian packed in some serious workouts in two days' time. So it wasn't a huge surprised that the amount of weight-loss in all the players was low. Renee and Vicky both lost four pounds, Michelle lost five, while Heba lost seven but her husband Ed only lost three. Ed and Renee fell below the yellow line, and there were no surprises in the voting. Teams voted on their party lines, and Renee was sent home and she looks great. She is a mom with grown kids and a tremendous amount of energy.

Watch this video to see how she looks today.

Who do you think will make it to the final three? Did you see the surprise ending twist? Viewers will get to pick the third contestant to make it to the final three. Who do you think will win the whole shebang?

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Biggest Loser Families Recap: NFL and Thanksgiving Week

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Nothing screams November like football and turkey with stuffing. It was NFL and Thanksgiving week on The Biggest Loser Families last night. Celebrity visits spiced up an otherwise drama-free show. Former 49ers Jerry Rice and Steve Young (go Niners!) came onto campus to train the contestants football style, and Rocco DiSpirito taught the contestants how to lighten up traditional Thanksgiving dishes. The spirit of "friendship" at the T-day table felt a little forced to me.

Once again the two-hour format and repetitive editing almost killed the show for me. After watching another tip involving Extra gum I feel I should buy some stock in it because that gum is what America will be chewing. But back to the actual details. Vicky won both physical challenges, as she continues to fly under the radar. Michelle and Renee are onto her game and the mother-daughter team complained openly that they wished Amy used her swing vote in the previous week to vote Vicky off the show. The saddest part of the episode was Amy's naivety, for she truly believed that Vicky was on her side.

To see if Vicky had Amy's back and who was eliminated last night, read more.

After being the biggest loser on campus week after week, Amy fell below the yellow line along with Heba. The black team voted for Heba to leave, while Ed and Vicky voted to eliminate Amy. Since Amy lost the smallest percentage of weight, a still impressive five pounds, she was voted off. Not much of a surprise, really. The alliance of Ed, Heba, and Vicky is strong. It was difficult to watch the voting and not blame Amy for putting herself in this situation. But it was heartwarming to see Amy's makeover and homecoming party once back in Detroit. She looks beautiful and confident, and watching her work out on the Michigan State campus, you can see how strong she has become. Go Amy!

Bob sent Amy home with a present. Sounds sweet, no? Watch this video to see what the gift truly is.

Is Vicky going to win this thing? Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

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Biggest Loser Families Recap: '80s Week

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Life on the Biggest Loser ranch was a little tense at the beginning of the week, since Amy voted Brady off the show. To lighten the mood, someone decided to celebrate the '80s, complete with teased hair, leg warmers, and lots of blush. Bob and Jillian treated their teams to '80s-style workouts. Jillian's group did some "break dancing"(I put that in quotes since the only thing they did resembling break dancing was a group wave) and Bob, wearing short shorts, led his team in a step aerobics class.

The physical challenge was an '80s health and fitness trivia quiz, performed with the contestants holding 50 percent of their weight in large water buckets placed over their heads. If they answered a question wrong water was added to their bucket, and when the contestants let go, they were doused with water reminiscent of the famous scene in Flash Dance. The prize, won by Michele after bribing her mom to let go by offering her a designer purse, was either $5,000 or giving another contestant a one-pound penalty at the weigh in.

The show heated up as we edged closer to the weigh in, to see who was sent home and how they look now, just read more.

Toward the end of the week, the blue team met in private and Amy offered Vicky an apology as well as loyalty at the next round of elimination. Michele chose Vicky as the recipient of the one-pound penalty, which proved a good strategy since Vicky and Coleen, with only a three-pound weight loss for the week, both fell below the yellow line. It was tense in the elimination room, while waiting for Amy's swing vote to break the tie of two to two. At this moment, I think I even yelled at the TV like an overexcited sports fan. I was extremely disappointed that Amy voted Coleen off the show. Not only would I have been beyond pleased to see the super manipulative Vicky voted off the show, but strategically Vicky poses more of a threat to Amy's chance of winning.

Coleen was devastated to leave but now she practically glows. Just watch this video to see what I mean.

Were you as surprised as I was that Amy didn't vote Vicky off the show? Do you think Amy is going to win it all?

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Biggest Loser Recap: High Drama and Single Play

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Last night, The Biggest Loser brought the drama. Watching the show last night, I was nearly as tense as I was last Tuesday during the national elections. Now that the show is down to the final seven, it is heating up. The two-hour format didn't seem to drag as in episodes past because the tension and taunting were high. The junior high antics of the blue team began early in the show as Vicky and Heba could not control their delight at Phillip being voted off the black team. Although Michelle, Coleen, and Renee, of the black team, were not surprised by Vicky and Heba's antics, they were still hurt by the blatant rudeness.

After the vote, Ali came to the ranch to tell the contestants that team play was over and that the game was now every player for him or herself. This announcement was followed by an even bigger twist. All the players returned (but Coleen's father - he had to work) for one last chance to return to the ranch. Most of the contestants are looking great and have lost a considerable amount of weight. We were treated to some of Vicky's very public taunting of Phillip. The prize of the physical challenge, open only to returning players, was not only to return to the game, but also to have immunity at the weigh in. The returning player to step 1,000 onto a classic aerobic step first would win.

To see who won the challenge and who lost at the weigh in, just read more.

Heba's husband Ed beat Stephanie (of the first team to go home) by the skin of his teeth to return to campus and increase the power of the blue team; Vicky's plan to keep blue strong, even though the game is now singles, seemed to be coming to fruition.

Both teams worked out all week and worked out hard. The ladies all pulled in decent numbers, with Vicky being the biggest loser of the week. Love her or hate her, she is a consistent weight-loss machine. Too bad the same cannot be said for her husband, Brady lost considerably less than everyone else on campus and he was pitted against Michelle for elimination voting. In a dramatic first on the show, the voting followed immediately after the weigh in so there was no time for scheming (read Vicky's scheming). The tension mounted as former team members voted to protect their own. The final former blue-team vote was Amy's, and in a moment of clarity, she voted for Brady, bringing the votes three to three. In a tie, the contestant with the smallest percentage of weight loss is eliminated. Brady took the loss graciously, but the in the previews for next week it looks like Vicky goes on some kind of rampage against Amy. Looks like the only game play Vicky can handle is her own.

To see how Brady is doing these days, check out this video:

I was certainly excited to see Amy venture out from under the blue team's (read Vicky's) shadow. I am hoping she goes all the way to finals and as the game heats up the show is definitely getting more exciting. I am curious what you all thought of the show?

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Biggest Loser Families Recap: Game On!

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

By the end of last night's show the number of contestants on The Biggest Loser Families had been whittled down to seven. With dinnertime confrontations, backstabbing, and trash talking, the show reminds me a bit of junior high, minus the unicorn stickers. Early into the episode we learned that Bob finds Vicky's scheming to be downright Shakespearean, and that Phillip really did confront Brady on the basketball court during the last episode in attempts to create an alliance late in the game. I admit, I thought Brady and Vicky had made up the entire event.

The blue and black teams squared off for a couple of competitions before their last chance workouts. First they played a version of "Eat This, Not That" from the popular Men's Health magazine feature turned best-selling book. The blue team won the game giving them a 40 pound advantage in the next physical challenge.

For the physical challenge players were suspended high in the sky where they had to hold the equivalent of their own weight via a pulley system. The black team having lost the previous game had an additional 40 pounds to hold. With the weight advantage the blue team easily won, and they won yet another advantage. Prior to the weigh in, the blue team would get to pick a member of the black team to be excluded from the final numbers. This advantage seemed to fuel the game-playing aspect of the competition.

To see what went down at the weigh in and who was eliminated, just read more.

The last-chance workouts were grueling but tear free. Bob introduced his team to running outside and Jillian trained her team like athletes with lots of plyometrics.

The black team all pulled in extremely low numbers losing only a total of eight pounds. The blue team, on the other hand, all lost large amounts of weight. Especially Brady - he lost 13 pounds. So far, Amy has lost the largest percentage of weight and is the biggest loser on campus. After a serious amount of deliberation, the black opted to send Phillip home. He seemed completely homesick and ready to go. Phillip looks healthy and happy now. Check out the video to see how he looks today.

Phillip looks great and happy. So who do you think is going to win? I am starting to see Amy as the big the winner, what about you?

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Biggest Loser Families Recap: Alliances Prevail

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

There is always a point in the Biggest Loser where you are reminded repeatedly that this is a game with prize money involved. The show starts to seem like a character study to see what the possibility of winning $250,000 does to people rather than a weight-loss show. I know editing has a lot to do with it, but how many times did Vicky smirk right into the camera after brokering deals, stirring up tensions, and judging prizes not worth her effort.

Even while the gaming is on, both teams were treated to unorthodox workouts: a challenging ropes course for the black team and circus arts mixed with a dose of self-defense for the blue. This show really hammers home the power of physical metaphors, and watching Michelle and Renee, the last remaining parent/child team meet in the competition, meet each other halfway while balancing high above the ground was rather sweet.

The challenge, with the prize of a video from home was upgraded to a live video chat - almost as if to spite Vicky's lackluster attitude toward the reward, involved stability and concentration. "Take it one step at a time" was the mantra as the team walked circular balance beams placed over water that challenged balance as well as focus. Renee rose to the challenge finishing the last nine laps solo after Phil fell into the water. Before competing in the challenge, all the contestants were treated to a midpoint checkup with Dr. Huizenga and everyone was quite pleased with their results - all the contestants are considerably healthier after six weeks of lifestyle change.

To hear about the drama of the last workout, the weigh-in, and the player eliminated, just read more.

Jillian seemed hellbent on making a black team member vomit. "If you are not throwing up you're not working hard enough" might just be my favorite quote of this episode, and of course this sentiment was uttered by Jillian, with a smile on her face! Bob was determined to load the leg-press machine with the maximum challenge for his team members. This left Phil to comment that he hadn't noises like that come out of his wife since childbirth, as Amy P. pressed 450 pounds with her legs. Unfortunately, Amy P.'s positive attitude and hard work did not pay off. After only losing two pounds, the alliance of Heba, Vicky, and Brady joined forces to vote Amy off the show. Aside from personal grudges, their theory is that with Amy P. gone, her husband on the black team would lose focus, making him vulnerable for elimination.

After all the subterfuge, I still have no idea who will win the game, but I do know now who I hope loses. To see how Amy P. is looking these days, check out this video.

Are you rooting for a player? If yes, tell me in the comments section below.
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Biggest Loser Families Recap: Don't Be Left in the Dark

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0700

The Biggest Loser was back to its regular two-hour format time last night and true to all the previous episodes, nearly everyone cried. Last night marked the point where the show starts to frustrate me because people lose focus on their health and start playing "the game." In other words, people get nasty.

In this episode, the contestants were faced with a rather hefty temptation as the person who ate the most calories was allowed to create the new teams and pick which the trainer for each team. To create conflict, it was completely dark in the room with the baked goods and so no one really knew who was eating what. In the end, Heba ate the most calories and rearranged the teams into blue and black - she split up the red team, husband and wife Amy and Philip, as well as Shellay and her daughter Amy. To see what the challenge was and to find out who was sent home, just read more.

For the challenge the contestants had to hike up and down a small mountain for 14 hours. Basically, they got a point for each person that went up, bonus points if they all went up together each time. The most interesting part of it to me was that in the middle of the challenge, both teams came to an agreement that they would both take a break to nap. Nap?! In the end, the black team won the challenge, even though Brady ran up and down that mountain an amazing amount of times (over 20 miles).

Michelle was contemplating heading home because she was having a hard time overcoming emotional issues stemming from her parents' divorce. It was interesting to see how much your emotions really do affect our health and ability to focus on weight loss. In the end, she made the decision to stick it out and I think it's a good lesson for us all. No matter how hard things seem to be in your head, allowing yourself to slide into a spiral of unhealthiness is not going to do you any favors. It may seem hard at times, but sometimes the best thing you can do is just work out frustration at the gym.

In the end, the black team lost the weigh-in and Shellay was voted to go home. She looked fabulous in her check-in and it's always nice to see that they are able to thrive at home, not just in a controlled environment. Check her out!

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Biggest Loser Families Recap: Tears and Even More Tears

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

After watching a politically charged reality show, aka the second presidential debate, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Biggest Loser Families would run 60 minutes instead of two hours. After watching Jillian make almost every member on her team cry in the course of the hour, I was sorely disappointed to learn that the weigh-in will take place during a second "special" episode that airs tonight. The show is really mixing things up - keeping us on our toes or rather our couches, and I am not quite sure how I feel about that.

In this episode a couple of teams "cashed" in their prizes from the hill-climb challenge from the first episode. The red team, Amy and Philip, flew to South Carolina for a 24-hour visit with their three children. It was a heartwarming and tearful reunion. The entire family went on a hike to reinforce the lessons these parents have learned on the ranch.

Amy and Shellay, the mother-daughter purple team, decided to use their prize of 24 hours with their trainer Jillian. Instead of pampering the contestants, Jillian took the purple team to the gym for a workout, and was more than disappointed with mother Shellay's attitude and laziness. Their strength-training session ended in tears.

To hear details on the challenge, just read more.

The challenge involved a slowly draining large tank of water, a trapeze to stand on, and a handle to hold. The last contestant standing would win a care package from home, as well as a VIP three-day package for a vacation to Universal Studios in Hollywood. After talking with Bob about how to burn a lot of calories without running, Vicky from the brown team held on the longest and won the challenge even with her injured knees. She was able to pick another family to receive a care package from home and she chose the purple team, which came in second place. Watching the winners read letters from home and crying reminded me to drop my own mother a line.

Leading up to the last-chance workout, we were treated to Jillian trying to motivate her team to do their cardio homework. This motivational session ended in tears.

The weigh-in is tonight and I have no idea who will be going home, do you? Will you watch? How do you feel about the split episode? I found the show ending with no conclusion rather unsatisfying. I wanted some closure, not a cliffhanger. Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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