NBC.com

come be ON the Biggest Loser! we're traveling to several cities NEXT WEEK. Follow this --> LINK <--for more info on our destinations.

so, OMG. seriously, I just wrote a whole long blog about last night's episode and when I went to upload a pic, it totally deleted my whole blog. I'm SO ANNOYED. grr. anyway, this blog is so not going to be as good as the first one was. :-|| grr.

I loved Bob's interaction with Michael. It's scary to be going home for all the contestants - no matter how confident they've become in the lessons they've learned, how much progress they've made... in some ways, ironically, 'home' is a whole new world! Or at least, hopefully it is... a new world because they are going back to the same basics, but will approach everything differently now! And Michael still has so much left in his weigh-loss journey, that it is so understandable that hew as upset/scared/nervous/angry/frustrated... all of the above?!
It was great to have Helen & Eric there. Sharing their successes... and shortcomings. How they won the show, advice & excitement, but also their concerns about where things can go wrong... what did you think of Eric's input? I was so impressed by his forthright acknowledgement of what he's going through - and his strong appeal to them to not put themselves in his situation, of having to lose the weight, again.

SunShine is such a fabulous woman. I was so moved by her bond with her dad from day 1. I loved seeing how close they were, especially at that coin pop challenge... O'Neal lent her his support & strength all just by standing by her side. he was her rock. And she squared off against Michael that day for what seemed like ever. it was amazing. And after O'Neal left, Sunny really came into her own. Her beautiful transformation during make-overs - both physically & emotionally - it was so inspiring. I totally love SunShine. I had a big goofy grin on my face watching her throw the first pitch at the Twins game.
[I'm SO not posting the pic again.]

We're now at the Final Four. they're going home... but they'll be back. We're still two weeks away from the LIVE FINALE!!. May 25th! it's going to be spectacular. and you need to see the transformations. truly breathtaking.

time to go make home-made pizza with Ben. I have chicken breast & veggies for me. oh to be 5 again.
.

As I said in the episode, Makeovers are my favorite. I love being a part of the moment when the contestants get to sit back, take a break from the game, from the working out, from everything, to really appreciate what they have accomplished.
They all looked so fantastic. In fact, when i came to shoot their family reveal, I saw Michael, Koli & Sam hanging out behind the crew trucks I was telling them all how great they look and chatting with them when I realized they were kinda chuckling. And that's when I realized I had walked RIGHT PAST Daris, that I hadn't even recognized him! He said it had been happening all day.
Ahsanti was so wonderful. I loved meeting her, and hearing her perform live. She was great! And man we got a show. She sang a bunch of songs and was even taking requests. We all got up and were dancing, rockin' out to her music. It was a really fun night.
and YES. it was FREEZING... the whole episode it seems. How incredible was that challenge? Daris & Koli squaring off for 2 hours? it was so intense. Only for all of us, watching, we were so cold!
Sam's elimination totally got to me. After we shot it, I tweeted about it. People always ask me how i manage not to cry, well, listening to everyone talk about Sam, hearing Sam tell Koli how he felt, and actually Koli had a lot to say to Sam to, all of which was so emotional and sincere, it totally choked me up. And Sam & Stephanie couldn't be cuter. I love them together. They are so sweet & in love. I'm so happy for them. I loved Steph's comment "i have a case of the Sams." Ha. adorable.

One thing I've learned in my seasons - anyone can win. Age, gender, size... none of it matters in comparison to the will to do it. so... who do you think is out? who's your favorite right now to win it all?

a few new pics at the end from makeovers:

My mother-in-law told me at Christmas, she was giving me a 'vegetable garden' as my gift. and this weekend... wow! she delivered!!! Everyone chipped in , and now we have this fabulous veggie garden growing in our backyard and I'm so looking forward to the best part - a summer of enjoying home-grown veggies.
Saturday, we laid out the soil, and built a raised bed for the garden. And today they planted (and I snuck away to the Lakers game with my brother!!). How lucky am I??!! We have green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, Sugar snap peas, and loose leaf lettuce. Plus, Dave is going to get an artichoke plant. It's all going to be so fun to watch it grow with Ben & Megan... last time we had a veggie garden, I had to stop Ben from picking tomatoes early and eating them like an apple. right there in the garden.

It's been such a fun, home weekend with the family. Megan learned to say 'baby'... she was looking at a picture of me holding her when she was a newborn. I told her that was her when she was a baby, and sure enough, she said 'baby'. Ben really wants her to say 'Ben'. it's so cute, he keeps trying to teach her. He says she's close - it kinda sounds like the 'B' and the 'E'... she just needs to learn the 'N'. He is so sweet to his little sis'. Now if only he wouldn't snatch toys from her. we're working on it! :)

So amazed and impressed by all the former BL contestants running in the Boston Marathon this weekend. WOW. Ali Vincent, Mark Kruger, Rebecca, Tracey... and a few others. I'm so inspired by their incredible athletic skills!

Right now we are shooting scenes at Days to celebrate 'Alice Horton'. Frances Reid passed away a few months ago now, and the show wanted to take the time to design a story to pay tribute the best way we could. There will be several episodes dedicated to the story of Alice, airing in June. And so many wonderful Days cast alum are returning to be a part of it. Missy (Jennifer), Bryan (Lucas), Jaime Lynn (Laura) and I had scenes together last week. I'm working with Christie (Carrie) coming up, and I'm really looking forward to seeing Roark (Mike) and a few others. I hope the scenes do justice to such an amazing, talented, woman. Frances will live on in all our memories. She will be missed.

I just had such a fun family afternoon. I started SO early in Salem this morning at #Days that I was done filming by 11am! I was so happy to be done in time to go pick Ben up from pre-school. it's my favorite task! he gets so excited when he sees me... today he chanted 'Ma-ma! Ma Ma!" over and over.
we hung out at the park for a bit, before his soccer class. It's so much fun to see all the kids playing together. And Ben definitely has mad soccer skills. After soccer, Megan and I had a date for Mommy & me Yoga. So fun, and I got some good ab work in there too! Megan loves the singing and all the fun baby yoga moves.

Now she's down for her nap, Ben's playing with tanks while I catch up on some work and (try to) memorize my lines for tomorrow.

check out my latest tip on family dinner:

I have had such a crazy busy, fun day. I started doing radio interviews at 5:45am this morning. Then, after changing a diaper, getting Megan fed, I had to run off to do an interview of Good Day LA to promote my guest appearance on Mercy tonight.

Days was also intense today - some fun scenes, some intense stuff... Chandler and I have had some interesting scenes lately. Ben, Megan and I had a great time tonight, making dinner, bubble bath, stories... now finally so happy to sit back, watch Mercy with Dave and then catch up on our dvr. LOST!! I am still desperately trying to figure it all out. It's getting ridiculously complicated and I need like a flow chart to keep up.

Last night, Tara (BL7), Hollie (BL4), Brittany (BL5), Rebecca (BL8) and 1 BL9er and I all met up for an awesome candlelight spin class. It was so nice to hang out with them, appreciate the chance to catch up and also bond over doing something healthy. it was cheaper, more fun than movies & popcorn. healthier too! :)

Hi everyone! happy March. Hope you all are having a great 2010 so far. This is has been a super busy year for me... and it's just getting started. eek! :)
Today I am visiting @BonnieHuntShow it will air tomorrow, March 2nd. because..... BIGGEST LOSER IS BACK!! Brand new ep Tues night! yay! everyone's been asking me about when BL is coming back... so find me on Twitter tomorrow night and let's tweet about the ep - using hashtag #BL9. see you there!
Then on Wednesday night, tune in for my guest spot on Mercy 8pm on nbc. It was a really fun role, and I really enjoyed working with James LeGros. don't forget to watch!
I was so proud of the photo in Shape Magazine (March issue). Megan & Ben look so adorable (if I do say so myself) and it was such a fun shoot to do. Ben is getting so big! he just turned 5. and he loves it when I ask him how old he is. lol. he shouts "5!!!" Megan has taken her first few steps, but is still cautious about the whole thing. It's so cute to watch though. And she LOVED the bouncy house we hired for Ben's party. At first she was a little intimidated, but by the end, especially with the big kids in there jumping, she was having a blast. It's totallly a younger sib thing, isn't it? They so desperately want to keep up with their older sibling. awww. I remember that feeling. I'm just glad they get along so well - Ben isn't annoyed by her yet. (I can hear all you parents thinking "just you wait". ha. i know, I know.) So anyway, check out Shape Magazine, there are tons of great tips and interesting articles, and of course, Ben & Megan. :)

Days is CRAZY good this week! these scenes were so good... BIG THINGS HAPPENING in Salem. Believe me, you don't want to miss a day. :)

I'm off to spin class!
XO
ali

i hope this link works. lol. have a great weekend everyone. I am getting ready for Ben's 5th birthday party tomorrow, and then Sunday I am attending two fabulous charity events. First, I get to hang out with my friend Jeff Probst, and I am really looking forward to supporting his charity. Then in the evening, Dave and I are going to Craft LA for @Tom_Colicchio and @FEEDprojects for @FeedingAmerica.

Let's start by talking about the Red teams good luck at the pop challenge?! I mean, it's a combination right? they were busting their butts to get around the lap to have as many chances as possible, but, they picked the right cards too. But man, what an impossible position to be in.. no one would have understood being assigned the '2 lb penalty'. that was so tough.
For me, I really got to know several teams better at the challenge this week. to see how emotional they were about phone calls home... it really got to me hearing Sam talk about his family. And Koli explaining why he assigned certain teams the chance to call home too. Another tough decision. In fact, I saw that Stephanie was really sad not to have been chosen, though, i think she completely understood why they made the choice they did, it was hard for her. I spoke to her a bit, and that's what she meant on the scale when she hugged me and said 'thanks for everything' ... we had a good talk. :)
The final version of this week's episode didn't even begin to cover how uncomfortable that weigh-in was. for everyone. the green team weigh-in was just tense. I mean, emotions always run high on the scale, which is completely natural. BL ranch is a place where emotions/feelings run high for most people anyway. But that was a pretty harsh exchange. And certainly that elimination was unbelievably frustrating. I am always sad to see people get eliminated, but I imagine my feelings were running similar to what the contestants felt with Migdalia. Her behavior made it seem as if she didn't care about being there, and that is really difficult to hear when I meet people every day who want the opportunity so badly. When she finally explained that she felt her mom needs it more, it made a lot more sense and I'm glad she took the chance to share her thoughts with everyone. And I hope she really kills it for the finale!
check out some behind-the-scenes photos:
http://whrrl.com/x/gVc93

check out these behind-the-scenes photos from BL... at challenges and stuff. I will be adding to this story photos from tonights episode too!

Yup, the 'theme' of the upcoming season of Biggest Loser is 'Second Chances'. (and yes, I do get a DOOL related smile every time I talk about it) but it is a very emotional season. When you meet this amazing group of contestants you will see why this group has been so inspiring, and so unique.
As Bob says at one point this season, EVERYONE deserves a second chance, if not more chances... especially when you're talking about another chance at a healthy life. And wow, are Bob & Jillian better than ever.

Omg. Last night was such a good ep. We (Bob, Jill and I) hosted an event with Feeding America to honor the Pound for Pound challenge. Celebrate its accomplishments and encourage people to become aware of such an amazing organization. The pfpchallenge has generated over 3 million pounds of groceries for people at risk of hunger. And over 180,000 people pledged. Really amazing.

First of all, I LOVE Tim Gunn. Isn’t he just so awesome?? I loved watching him help everyone shop, Mike not liking pink (lol) and Helen being so affected by all the pretty dresses she can wear now – and seriously? She looked phenomenal. I loved the look on her husband’s face. Tara looked so incredible too – uh yeah, cover of OK magazine!!!! LOVED IT!!

Ok, so I have to say, I was SO thrilled to hear Megan’s name mentioned on BL last night. Dave and I tivoed back to listen to Ali V announce her birth like 3 times.

I’m so cheesy like that. But … on to the show:

How great does Mike look? Could you believe Mike’s old shirt? Isn’t it just incredible how far they’ve all come? It was such an emotional start to the show – all the contestants, but especially Kristin and Aubrey were so affected by surviving to ‘singles’. And Jillian was right – having to choose between Bob & Jillian, and announce it in front of them, was like choosing between mom & dad. An incredible tough, emotional decision in some instances. And you could see the instant he said it that Mike regretted leaving his to a coin toss. And I don’t mean that he wouldn’t have picked Jillian, I don’t know… I just mean, we talked about it, and I think he regretted leaving such an important decision to a coin toss. Sione’s words about wanting to make his family proud obviously affected everyone – the BL campus is tough on everyone, and the experience impacts everyone in different ways – it was really moving to hear him say that no matter what happens, he is thinking of his family, and his true goal – to be healthy for them.

I loved seeing everyone with their families. How cute are Sione’s kids? And Aubrey’s? So sweet. It’s funny, I’ve heard so much about them, all their loved ones, and so it was so cool to see them all. To see how excited they were to see the cast. Isn’t it amazing how different, how fantastic everyone looks after only 10 weeks? 5 people tonight close to losing 100 lbs at the weigh-in? and Mike’s at 118!! Really everyone is just so incredible. I hope that Max was inspired by Mike’s success. Mike told me that he helped Max quit his job at a fast food restaurant (which is where Mike used to work, with too much access to all that crap food) and put him on a fitness plan. So I am so hopeful to see Max on the right track at the finale!

First, lets talk about those ‘wall sits’. They are HARD. I mean, seriously hard. I’ve had Jillian stand on my legs as she took forever to count down before I could stop. And believe me, it’s brutal. And… Tara won. 4 minutes?! That is really impressive. No wonder Tara’s legs wouldn’t hold her up after. She needed to sit on the stairs to figure out what to do. And she spent forever making that decision, I’m not sure if it was because it tough working out all the numbers, or if it was because she needed to rest.
Obviously tonight’s theme was ‘FACE OFF’! And the face-offs set up at the Pop Challenge made everything about this week so intense...

Okay, I've been accosted by three co-workers already this morning. - "did Mike lose it? Are they safe??!!" I've been threatened and guilt-tripped, wow - what a cliffhanger!!
Wasn't the challenge at the Food Bank amazing? Everyone was busting their butts out there... Helen hustled bagging those groceries, the black team was really working as a team. While the blue team wanted it, they just didn't have that same cohesiveness. And Jillian made a really good point to Laura after, so much of this is mental.
And when Mike gave his reward to Aubrey? Wow. I was so moved when they told me. It was just such an amazing gesture. Obviously the groceries will make such a difference in Aubrey's family's life. What a wonderful thing to do.

P.S. I'm on facebook now! come check it out, I downloaded it onto my bberry, so I'm gonna try to figure it out and update it from set and stuff.

Wow. How intense was that challenge? I mean seriously! 24 hours. That bike looked so cool – but man, all night long was not easy. And I could totally understand Mandi wanting to take a break, especially as they knew they were falling behind. Even without Ron struggling to participate, it had to be hard squaring off against a team with Sione, Fileipe, Mike AND Tara. But still, how great was Sione – saying he wouldn’t quit, that he wanted to finish what he started no matter what. And Aubrey totally jumping on board with him. I think that was a defining moment in the season. Deciding to keep going, no matter what.
The up-downs were so brutal. And I don’t just mean the mud. And you couldn’t have asked for a stronger motivation. Bob and Jillian are both such incredible trainers, and they both have such a strong connection with their teams, it’s no wonder they didn’t want to risk losing that bond. It was so emotional to see them say goodbye – Bob talking to them outside the gym, was heartbreaking.
And of course, saying goodbye to Dane was tough. Obviously, in a week where they had to say goodbye to their trainer, it seemed as if ron, cathy and Kristin stayed united.

Curtis Stone was our celebrity chef to start off this week. Tara and Kristin had been asking me when they were going to get cooking lessons! Having seen the show, they look forward to some of the surprises we set up, though it’s never quite how they expect it. In honor of the Super Bowl, the whole cooking challenge was centered around Tailgating snacks… buffalo wings, 7 layer dip and chili. Curtis took on the seemingly monumental task of remaking these dishes into healthy options… and they were delicious. I snuck a few extra Rosemary Chicken Skewers home for my family. Ben and I split them at dinner.
Helen, Tara and Mandi were all loving the idea of sending Curtis home to their teammates – for more than just the nutritional education purposes. Helen loved imagining Shannon’s reaction to a hot Australian chef showing up on her doorstep! And, Curtis couldn’t have been sweeter. He was so interested in everyone’s stories, and really enthusiastic about helping everyone make a positive change. He even brought a few gifts – he gave me a cutting board from his own line of cookware. I was so psyched!

Let’s talk about that challenge. 2 hours and 19 minutes??? Pretty much everyone acknowledged that Tara was going to be tough to beat at that challenge. She proved her strength and competitive spirit last week, charging past Blaine for victory. But I think we were all unanimously impressed by Kristin challenging her for so long. She definitely made Tara work for that immunity. What a huge success for Kristin – to go from not being picked by any of the teams on the first day, to completely proving how capable she was by lasting until the end in the week 3 challenge. She outlasted Dane, and of course everyone teasingly made sure Blaine and Dane knew they’d been beaten by BOTH girls.

Who knew what drama Bob would find himself in the middle of in Detroit? I heard some of the fall out from what happened there afterwards, but it still didn’t prepare me for actually seeing them square off like that. In the gym, In the middle of a work out. Yowsers. You all were probably doing the exact same thing I was doing, asking myself why Carla chose to go home and leave Joelle on the ranch. I am still, to this day, totally unclear about how that decision was made.

The whole silver team situation has made me love Bob more than ever. I mean, last week, when he finally lost his cool – I mean, when the Zen master loses his cool, you know it’s serious, right?! – and then dealing with Carla and Joelle duking it out in Detroit, not to mention you know he flew both ways with Joelle, and still had to give everything he had to the rest of his players when he got home. And through it all, he was able to have a sense of humor and perspective about his own reaction, as well as what he was dealing with. Yup, I love Bob.

Everyone was heartbroken to see Damian lose only 4 pounds. I love how he talks about Nicole, the smile it brings to his face, and it was sad knowing we wouldn’t have Nicole’s bright personality back on campus in 2 weeks. She is a truly beautiful person, and so sincere in her love for Damian and her dedication to getting healthy together. Don't they look amazing?!

p.s. A couple people posted asking about where Dan (orange team) was during the temptation at the beginning of the episode. Dr. H does regular check ups on all the contestants, and he had a few questions he needed to follow up with Dan. So Dan chose to excuse himself from the temptation so he could get some tests done. It all turned out fine, and he came back after a few hours, but with so much else to cover with the busy episode, there just wasn't room to squeeze in the whole explanation of Dan's absence.

So, first things first… I had my baby!!! Megan Hope. Born January 12, 2009, 6 lbs 7 oz. I’m going to write about that in a separate blog (nothing too graphic, lol) , so stay tuned. For now – here are my thoughts on tonight’s episode! ☺
I got the WORST sunburn during the challenge this week. Lol. Only because I stupidly forgot to put sunscreen on my chest, so, my face and neck are fine, but there were the most awkward burn-lines along the neckline of the shirt I was wearing. Oops. But how incredible was that challenge? We shot it on Catalina Island. About an hour (by ferry) off the coast of LA. Oddly, it’s sort of famous (infamous?) for being the home to a huge population of Buffalo. Apparently a movie production shot a western there in the 40’s or something, and left the buffalo behind. Now, they are an attraction. It is really cool to see them roaming around. Anyway, while we were waiting for the Challenge Dept to set up the paddle boats for the challenge – the contestants and I were hidden away around a cove waiting. Fillipe, Jerry, Helen, Blaine, a bunch of people were all skipping stones along the water. Is it weird that I’ve never tried to skip a stone in my entire life? Well, if we were playing “I Never” I’d be drinking right now. (especially since I’m not pregnant anymore! Of course how many people are playing I Never in a maternity ward? Nevermind. I’m out of it.) Because they all got me going, trying to teach me how to skip rocks. I wouldn’t say I was good, but one time I got the stone to skip three times. That’s something, isn’t it?
It’s so inspiring to see Jerry accomplish so much in such a short period of time – from fainting on day one, to climbing up that hill two short weeks later… it’s truly remarkable what he has accomplished. And it was also such a great example of what a great group of people we have this season, to see them all going back, even though they were exhausted getting to the top, they went back to help their friends make it too. Such an awesome display of camaraderie.
The crew, everyone there had the same strong reaction to seeing Jerry lose only 2lbs. It was truly heartbreaking. The emotions we see on the scale effect me a lot. I get that question all the time – “how do you not cry every day at work??” But mostly, I try to keep my own reaction contained because they are all experiencing so much, that I don’t want to in any way distract from what each person is going through. Does that make sense? But Jerry’s gut reaction to seeing his weight loss, it was impossible not to be affected by. It was clear how difficult it was for them to decide to vote for Jerry. And how impossible the decision would have been if Jerry hadn’t made the plea he did to keep Dan on campus. I know Dan has no intention of letting Jerry’s sacrifice go to waste.

Was I right or was I right? Seriously – this season is just incredible. Filled with amazing people, incredible stories and true courage. We started shooting in September. Right after my birthday, I shot the visit to the hotel where I told them they were going to be part of the next season. And truly, it was such an emotional day. Meeting Joelle and Carla in person!! They are truly bigger than life personalities. Right from the moment I saw Tara and Laura sitting there waiting to hear the news, I knew Tara was tough. She means business. Nicole couldn’t stop hugging me. Her is so forthright about her love for Damien, and their relationship is so wonderful to see in person. I loved them right from the start. Sione and Filipe did this amazing Tongan dance for us in that tiny hotel room, it totally got everyone ready for their battle – Biggest Loser style!

What an amazing finish. Everyone looked so fantastic last night, didn’t they? I was really touched by Jerry’s journey, and how he’s regained his health. He was really affected by Dr. H’s words, and the truth is, it’s all due to his own hard work and commitment. It was also so moving to see how Coleen reacted to hearing the news about her dad. From day 1 on campus, she talked a lot about how concerned she was for him, and now look at them both – that’s what I love about this show!

Tonight was the last episode before the LIVE FINALE!!! And the final 4 already look so fantastic. I can’t wait to see how they look next week. There are going to be so many incredible transformations. One contestant even said to me on the phone yesterday that they don’t really get recognized that often, because they look so different! It’s going to be spectacular.
In tonights episode, I loved their bonfire with their old clothes. though it obviously lit up more than expected!!! They looked fantastic, and have obviously changed in so many ways. it was so interesting to hear all their comments about the clothes, and their memories, and Michelle's red dress.

Meeting Jerry Rice and Steve Young was so cool. They are both really nice guys, and so enthusiastic about being part of the show. Steve introduced me to his wife, and she is a really big fan of BL. Steve said when he mentioned to her the opportunity to appear on BL she immediately demanded he do it! It was really cute.
But of course, being from LA I don’t know a lot about the NFL. So, before I met them, I was texting and IMing with Kyle Brandt (former Philip) and Bryan Dattilo (Lucas) about Jerry and Steve. I asked them all sorts of questions, and got tons of info about their careers. They both helped me out, and of course, couldn’t believe I was going to be meeting them. Better than that – I brought Ben with me that day. We were shooting that challenge on a Saturday, so Ben came to enjoy the afternoon on that beautiful campus with me.

And Steve Young taught him to throw a football!!!! How cool is that? Someday, I bet he’s going to love that story. I got a couple cool shots of them in action too. But all in all, it was a pretty spectacular day.

How hilarious were those 80’s outfits???!!! Hideous, right? I mean, the teasing, the crimping, the rubber bracelets… it was all working. And I loved Bob’s step class. Jillian’s team break-dancing?? All of it was just fantastic. Ed and Bob in competing short shorts. And Jill’s leopard stretch pants were stand-outs for me. And I gotta admit – I was sent back in time getting to drive that Delorian. Because who doesn’t LOVE that movie??? A side note, is that my hair was teased so high, that I literally had to scooch low in the seat so as not to ruin my hairstyle by rubbing it against the roof of the car.

Wow. Talk about drama, huh? I thought that was just part of my day job! Having now been through several seasons I am often reminded how important it is to put things in perspective. Bill, Julie, Neil (season 4), not to mention the emotion we saw from the boy s in blue in Season 5, all talked about how extraordinary this journey is. Being a part of the Biggest Loser is such an overwhelming experience.

That “Eat This, Not That” book is SO interesting!!!! I swear, you find yourself reading every page learning all about all your favorite restaurants. Some calorie counts are so horrifying!!! It’s such a conversation piece. A must read.

I brought my family to that challenge – Ben told me to “be careful up there”. And I’m not really afraid of heights, but man, that cherry picker was a bit wobbly. And we were REALLY high up there.

Weren’t those fieldtrips cool? I loved Bob’s team out there doing that crazy Cirque Du Soleil stuff, and learning self-defense. And Coleen making that huge break through, dealing with her fear of heights. It’s so incredible to see how much they’ve changed. Especially when they talked to Dr. H. In 6 weeks, the flashbacks help you remember what they looked like on Day 1… how much they’ve changed their bodies in 6 short weeks. And, not just on the outside – Dr H had such amazing news for all of them. It was obviously so encouraging for Heba, Michelle, for Phil & Amy, for everyone to know that all their hard work was paying off on the inside too.

I was so nervous and excited to share my news with Bob, Jill the contestants and crew of Biggest Loser. I didn't tell the producers or anyone I was going to do it! I talked to my husband about it - we both agreed that I wouldn't be able to keep it a secret much longer - so he helped me figure out how to say it, and I surprised everyone at the weigh in! It was so sweet - Bob swears he knew it all along, and Jillian was like "no way!"
You can even hear my friends on the crew freaking out! My make-up artist, Corina, has been doing my make-up since I started Days in 1993. She's the one who screamed in the background! :) It was a really special moment.

Tonight’s temptation was crazy wasn’t it? I really didn’t expect all the drama that unfolded from it. And the tension between Heba and Amy really amped up. I often wonder – watching this stuff later on tv, how the contestants feel about it now, looking back on it. If they would have done things differently if they had a do-over.

How much did you love Bob ripping up that ‘yellow line’ in the middle of the gym. Seriously. He’s awesome. And I have so much admiration for Jerry – sticking it out, given everything he’s up against, medically, he is so dedicated.
And didn’t those water slides seem like so much fun??!! 200 feet?!

The hike up was so brutal, but the ride down a total blast. I’m so into challenges like that. But man, it was so physically challenging on everyone. Doubly so for Coleen and LT who had to go twice as often on behalf of their dads. It was so intense to see them go at it.

I hope you all are having a fantastic summer. It has been fun, exciting and certainly jam packed for me. I am typing this blog while sitting at a lovely tea shop in Martha’s Vineyard, MA, on vacation (finally!).

Both shows are on hiatus right now, so I headed out to the east coast to get a little r&r with the family.

Hey everyone!!! Hope you all have been having a great summer. I'm in my second trimester now, and feeling great again (knock on wood) because I have a lot going on! We are just now wrapping up Biggest Loser, which will premiere on Sept 16th, can't wait for you to meet the new contestants. But - even sooner than that - I have an event coming up in New York City that I wanted to let you all know about.
Come visit me on Tuesday, August 26 at 10 a.m. EST in Times Square for the “High Profile Pair in the Square” auction of jeans worn and donated by celebrities. All proceeds benefit the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation. The lucky auction bidder awarded the first pair of jeans will also receive the new GE Profile Frontload Washer and Dryer with SmartDispense Technology (approximate value: $3,500). For those unable to attend the event, a separate sweepstakes for a washer and dryer will be held at www.washingmyjeans.com, and the celebrity jeans auction will be available at www.clothesoffourback.org immediately following the live auction. I'm getting all my friends on board to donate jeans, so definitely check out the auction!!! Hope to see you there!

XOXO
Ali

WOW!!!! What a night. And our first Female Biggest Loser. And it couldn’t happen to a better person. Ali is so incredible, and genuine and hard working… I am so thrilled for her. I love all the contestants. So proud and impressed with their transformations – Bernie is so hot! Brittany, steamy hot! Jackie looks fabulous?! How cute is Jay??!!! And Roger is so handsome!

We all went out after the show to celebrate. I loved meeting everyone’s families. Mark & Jay’s sister explained to me that Jay used to watch Days when he was younger, so that’s why he couldn’t talk to me without blushing for the first several weeks! Lol. And I have my very own ‘Bern-dana’ now. I met Kelly’s incredibly supportive and funny family. They were all so fun to hang out with.

So there you have it. The final episode on Campus. It’s always sad to say goodbye, but especially this group – they’ve been through so much, fought so hard, and accomplished so many amazing things. They are true champions. All of them. And it was an honor to share this experience with them.

I can’t begin to describe how fantastic Australia is. Not only is it a beautiful country, the people are SO nice, everything about it … just blew me away. I can’t wait to go back, it was the most spectacular place, there are so many things to say about our trip, I don’t even know where to begin.
The Bridge Climb was just incredible. In the gift shop, they have a wall of photos of celebrities who have climbed the bridge: Robert DiNero, John Travolta… Drake Hogestyn, Deidre Hall!! So I knew I was in good hands. I talked to Dee, Drake and Thaao about traveling to Sydney – they went to promote Days last fall – and they couldn’t stop raving about it. Thaao grew up there, so he had many recommendations for us, including suggesting that I call (flashback to 2002) Justin Melvey (he played Colin on Days). Justin spent an hour on the phone with me, recommending places, and offering all sorts of advice. He was so nice about everything and it was the perfect way to get ready for our trip.

Seriously, he was so amazing. What a fantastic person, he was so genuinely enthusiastic about helping the contestants. And so committed to making their ‘make-overs’ the best experiences possible. I just love how he embraced Dan’s rock-and-roll side. His haircut is so FAB! And showed Roger a fabulous suit, right off the rack. And ultimately, the best moments were when they all saw their make-over clothes and how small they are!

Last night, Dan protecting his slice of cake was cracking me up. He is so funny – and that cake sitting on the treadmill was classic. It reminded me of that classic high-school project where the kids have to carry an egg around with them, and take care of them like a baby.

How cool was that, seeing everyone back??!!! Wasn’t it so amazing to see how well everyone has done at home. Curtis blew me away – 100lbs, in 10 weeks, after only being on campus for 2 weeks. Ali, I was so thrilled that she won a chance to come back to Campus. She obviously has succeeded at home (how HOT is she!!), and made such a huge change in her whole outlook, but it was so awesome that all that hard work paid off, and that she gets to come back and compete again.

Lynn told me that he didn’t go home right away ready to change his ways. That it was a struggle for him at first. And actually, it was seeing the season 4 finale that ended up making the difference for him. That when he saw all the successes of Phil, Jerry (they’re the same age), Neil, etc, he felt that he could do it too – and now he’s on his way! He is helping Jenny and they are making great progress.

Bernie’s reaction to the temptation was hysterical. He told me after that he felt so vindicated getting all that money out of the vending machine after putting money into a machine like that for so many years. Lol. It was pretty shocking to me that everyone participated, but with so much time before the weigh-in, I guess they all felt it was worth the calories. No one seemed to much enjoy the snacks they got. Watching Kelly forcing herself to eat those candies, was like that movie when the little boy gets caught smoking, and his dad makes him smoke until he gets sick to teach him a lesson. She hated every minute of it.

That zip-line challenge was SO COOL. The first thing I said when I saw it was “I want a turn!!” lol – that is so my thing. The whole time we were up there shooting it was so windy. Seriously, we were being sand-blasted up there. But it was so worth it for the coolest challenge ever. Jay and Kelly both had to face major fears to accomplish the task. And they succeeded. Everyone was so proud of them for doing such a great job.

Jay put up such huge numbers on the scale last week! Not only did he help lead his team to a resounding victory last week, but he won Biggest Loser of the Week. And what a great reward! It was so cool seeing all those boys in blue head off to Vegas for a night. They really have bonded – and are just as tight as they seem on the show. And they had an awesome time – who doesn’t have fun in Vegas? Gotta admit, I’m impressed by how much they worked out while they were there, not sure how many times I’ve worked out while in Vegas.

What is crazier than those tattoos? I told Dan I don’t envy him having to show his mom that ‘guardian angel’ on his arm. I guess I’ve never been much of a tattoo person. It’s not really my thing. A bunch of the actors I work with at Days have tatts. It’s such a pain for the make-up dept to have to cover them up in scenes, and you can always sort of see them anyway. So I guess I’m biased. Lol.

This week started off with a bang. At the end of the last elimination I warned them that this week things were going to change – and that only one person was going home, no more team eliminations. They had a ton of questions… which would be answered at the challenge.

I have to say, I was shocked by Jillian’s reaction to the news that we were going to black and blue teams. I’m not sure what I expected, but as Bob claimed Orange, Black and Grey teams as the new blue, the tears running down Jillian’s face said it all.

The Yellow Team

Wow. What a turn around. Last week they were below the yellow line, and in one week the Yellow team turned it around to win the weigh-in. And on the heels of that success, they get the majority of the votes from the other teams as the team they would most like to vote out right now.

Now, a word about that. Let’s all agree that BL isn’t the kind of show that would just send another team home for no reason. So each team had to go off by themselves for a couple minutes, and speculate about what we were going to do to the team they picked. I would have done the same thing, trying to outwit the game. But sometimes you can think to much. I mean, I sort of assumed the teams would vote for the Black Team. And, actually, I don’t know why they didn’t. Everyone likes Mark and Jay, they are great guys, but they’ve been the obvious threat from day 1.

Clearly, the teams of two are diving into the strategy of Biggest Loser early on. Jackie and Dan selected ‘Gameplay’ as their reward for being Biggest Loser Team of the Week with barely any hesitation. And then they asked me if I would reveal what their prize had been. I said it is their prize to share, or keep to themselves if they wish. But that, the other teams would definitely find out what they’d won at the next elimination. So, they must have re-thought their story, because I was working out in the 24 hour gym on campus when Dan and Jackie rejoined the group. And they announced that there were three envelopes, they explained what they’d won, but they chose to mislead everyone and claim that the envelopes were not marked. That it was a blind choice. It was definitely an interesting maneuver on their part. But I love how they work out as they scheme!

The challenge led to some interesting discussions and certainly was revealing of all the early alliances that have crept up. I was surprised by the reaction of the other teams to the interaction between Mark and Jay. I must admit, I was standing 15 feet from them and I didn’t find their argument to be so out of line. I guess I have brothers, and I’m extremely competitive as you can clearly see Mark is. So I guess it seemed like a moment of frustration to me, and it caught me off guard the way that it was interpreted by Brittany and some of the others. I did catch the by-play between Jackie and Jay. Again, I just think that challenge brought out a lot of strategy and emotion that people weren’t quite ready to admit to? And in the end Gray won. Who would have guessed that? They seem like such an obvious ‘threat’ to me in this game. While the black team is more in the ‘limelight’ the Gray team has a tremendous amount of weight to lose, and the numbers they’ve been putting up are impressive. I was surprised that no one thought of them as a threat to take out early if possible. How long they will succeed in staying below the radar.

The challenge this week looked like so much fun – obviously not for 100 ups and downs, but I really wanted to try the giant see-saws and see what it felt like to be 12 feet up in the air. I was so bummed not to get that chance. Next time!

Anyway, it was impressive to see Mark and Jay, again dominate the challenge. Their communication skills kept them going as they got tired, and again Blue team was making the Black team fight for victory, but in the end the outcome was clear. Black team wins again. But most of the teams wanted to keep going, to reach the 100 mark. Bette-Sue wasn’t as excited to keep it up as Ali, but Ali kept her going. Purple team were closest to me, so I got the chance to see how well Maggie and Jenn support each other. They were great at inspiring each other, when it was needed, or giving a verbal kick in the pants, when that was what’s called for. That’s what friends are for, right?!

Biggest Loser, Season 5 is here! It seems like just yesterday I was saying goodbye to Bill, Holly, Julie & Isabeau. (oh, right… the finale was only 2 weeks ago.lol) And here we are again. A new ranch again this season. With 20 new contestants. 20!!! I mean, that is a lot of people.

Right from when we first started discussing the possibility of doing teams of two, I loved the idea. To have a teammate with you, going through this experience, would add so many interesting dynamics to the show. First of all, you have a built in support system. Some one who will love you no matter what happens on campus. But, then in some ways maybe it’s harder too. And gotta love Jillian’s comment – they may be bringing their ‘enabler’ with them…What’s harder: getting on the scale in front everyone in America, or getting on the scale in front of your husband?

The FINALE – where to begin? First of all, I gotta admit I was pretty nervous to do a LIVE two hour finale. My first real experience hosting live tv. But, as soon as we started talking about the contestants, Jim, Phil, Nicole, B, Amy… seeing their successes, everything else just faded away. It was so thrilling to be up on that stage with everyone – and hearing their families cheering from the audience. And weren’t their transformations just unbelievable?! I was blown away by everyone – how great they looked and how confident and proud they seemed – as well they should! They all clearly learned so much from Bob, Kim and Jillian, and they took it home and have transformed their lives.

Kae looked fabulous and adorable in her sleek little black dress. Amy totally rocked in her fab short hair cut and sassy dress. I could go on and on about everyone and how great they looked – how hot did Phil, Neil, B… how hot were all the boys! Jerry, ripping his shirt off?? That was definitely unexpected! Lol. But man, he worked his butt off, and he deserved a moment to show off. I’m so glad I got the chance to ask Neil about those 17lbs. seriously – how do you tell your family about that? “see, mom, dad… what happened was…” But, Neil is a really great guy, and everyone in the house – even the black team – loves him. That’s when you have to remember it’s a game, too… Honestly, if I didn’t’ have a million things to concentrate on I would have been crying with everyone with pride over all 18 of them.

Okay, so I gotta say, that Trampoline challenge was SO tough. I tried it after we were done, and when they started raising those bags up higher and higher?? It was impossible to get a rhythm going. I was so impressed with how Hollie seemed so comfortable up there – here cheerleading background obviously gave her the edge! And once again, Neil didn’t win the challenge. I mean, he is so jinxed! But that one round, when Bill knocked him out? It was neck and neck the entire time. I was calling out their numbers, so they would know how close they were… that one of them was going to have to step it up to beat the other. And in the end, it was all about the timing of when that bell sounded. A second earlier and it could have been Bill knocked out. Seriously, it was that close. But ultimately, the Black Team girls had that challenge locked up. They were smoking past the guys up there.

The Extra-Long Lasting Challenge had a tiny over-bite. Nicole took on-going teasing about chipping her two front teeth by diving into the shallow end of the pool with a great sense of humor. In fact her jokes were just as good if not better than everyone else on the crews. Have I mentioned that Nicole does a hilarious impression of me? Well, I should clarify that she does an impression of everyone on set, the crew and other competitors. So I am just one of many… and she’s really good, and very funny. So, even though she’s totally making fun of you, you’re totally laughing right along with everyone else.

I found a fellow Harry Potter fan in Hollie. We shot that challenge right when book 7 was released, so I snuck a copy in to Hollie. After that it was impossible for the production team to get us to be quiet because we were whispering back and forth for days about the characters and the story. And what you may not know, is being on a reality show is exhausting – All the players are up and working out with their trainers early, all day every day. So, it took Hollie forever to get through HP, and I was seriously dying for her to have time to read so we could talk about it. As you all know who’ve read it – there is just SO MUCH to discuss… but that is for a different blog. Lol.

Anyway, I was sad to say goodbye to B this week. And the red team. It was a really hard time for Kim as well as B. He has done an amazing job on campus and it was so sweet to hear him talk about how being a part of BL has changed his life.

How AWESOME were the make-overs??? Didn’t you just cry with each reunion?! And how fantastic everyone looks?! I was so excited for everyone! Even though I had to shoot Days at the same time, I was running back and forth to the wardrobe area and I got to see Hollie, Kae and Isabeau trying on their new clothes. They all looked so great – and happy to be out of work-out gear! But Kae surprised me the most, she was all giggly and so excited to be girly – I guess I’m just so used to seeing her so focused, she is ‘Bob’s soldier’ after all!

It was also fun for all my Days’ friends to come over and meet the contestants. Kristian was SO sweet – she brought a necklace from her jewelry line, Hope, Faith Miracles (www.faithmiracles.com) for each of the ladies. They were all so touched! Also, they were excited meeting their first fans! Because I’ve spent so much time talking about them – without giving anything away! – with my castmates, that Martha (Belle), Brandon (Shawn), Julie (Billie) and Jay (Philip) couldn’t wait to go over and meet them because they are such huge fans of Biggest Loser. Talk about world colliding! I was all over the place that day – making introductions, learning lines for both shows, changing wardrobe, sneaking in to watch the ‘loved-one surprise’, not to mention hosting a dinner party!

Finally, a challenge close to home! First of all, I work out at 24 Hour, so that was familiar, but then it was weird showing up to a gym, and then getting my hair and make-up done in a locker room, to look nice, rather than getting all sweaty and gross. The other nice thing about shooting locally, is I was finally able to invite my friends and family to come watch. My mom and dad came with my brother and his new wife (they were married last Christmas) and Dave came for a little bit. As well as Bryan (Dattilo, Days) and Kyle (Brandt) stopped by later in the evening.

We didn’t start shooting until after 9pm, which definitely made for a late night. I think we wrapped around 3am the next morning. A long day – given that I had been shooting at Days since 6:45am that morning. But never mind my schedule – I can only imagine how brutal it was for everyone competing in a triathlon until 2am. But, man did Hollie kick butt in that swimming pool or what?

This was such a great idea. Ever since my character on Days had a “Green Wedding” I have been even more aware of all the little things we can do to help the environment. I now incorporate some of the things I learned during that storyline when I’m throwing parties or just in everyday life. So, I was really excited that Biggest Loser was doing something for the environment too! And happy to see how everyone embraced the theme this week. A little grumbling from Bill (justifiably afraid of going back into the desert with Jillian) aside, they all were enthusiastic about learning ways they can be more eco-friendly.

This has been the craziest week. There has been a lot of drama with the contestants...talk about game play! All the strategy and the different emotions has wreaked havoc on everyone.

When everyone started this game, it was much easier for them to vote out their teammates, knowing the first few really had changed their lives. Jerry, Phil, there is very little doubt in anyone’s minds that they will continue to lose weight at home, and have really committed themselves to a healthier life. But, now as we are down to 10, the decision have become more difficult. Add in the alliances, the team colors, and wow – nothing but drama and heartache.

This week I had to do a photo shoot with the trainers. Ben came along with me to hang out while we took the pictures. He ran around on the grass and kicked a ball that I brought with us.

After we took pictures, Ben and I sat in the kitchen with the contestants and hung out for a bit. As Kim said, it was a bit of “kid therapy”. Ben did his part to entertain his audience! He smiled, laughed, gave out high-fives and generally had a good time. Julie and Nicole asked him questions about his morning – there just happened to be a dog show taking place nearby and Ben told them all about the dogs ‘jumping high’ and going “up, up, up! And down, down, down!”

My dad came by the set to watch them shoot the challenge this week on Venice beach. It was so fun getting to introduce him to everyone. I was standing near Phil, David and B when he walked up…they asked me who that new guy was, I said “That’s my dad!” My dad got a kick out of watching production, and seeing the challenge. He was pretty impressed by everyone – and certainly at how Phil managed to win for the Red Team.

Jamaica has been such an amazing experience. You really get to know people when you travel together! We stayed at this amazing resort, the Grand Lido, in Negril. It was so cool to go down to breakfast and run into the blue team coming from a work out or watch the black team working out on the beach.

Also, because the Black Team got to enjoy massages thanks to winning the reward, Jillian had time to train me. When Jillian offered, I jumped at the chance. They are such smart trainers, I couldn’t miss my chance. But then, all morning, I was definitely nervous! I mean, come on… I’ve seen how she trains. She’s hard core. And I am definitely not the type to give up easily. And she said right from the beginning that she was going to push me to my limits. And she did.

This week we surprised the teams with something a little different. A new kind of temptation – meant for their trainers! The looks on their faces said it all. They were shocked! From where I sat, the trainers seemed a little tempted at first to eat those cupcakes (you should have seen the way the crew was drooling over them!!! :) ) But on principle, Bob, Jillian and Kim all decided to stick together and ‘just say no’.

I also explained to the trainers and their teams that this was “Trainer Week’. Not only was the temptation meant for them, but they would participate in the challenge this week as well. They all seemed very excited at the prospect of joining their teams in a little friendly competition.

Yikes! This was such a busy week!!! First the temptation started the week off with some major drama. After explaining to everyone that they would have to spend time alone in a room with all that food, with one person winning a 3 lb pass at the next weigh-in, they were also told there was no strategizing amongst teammates. As people came out from the room, there was a lot of trash talk – some people saying they didn’t eat anything and others claiming the crew will have to restock the room before the next person goes.

Knowing the big twist that was going to hit the teams in Week 2, I was definitely nervous and anxious to get going. But first, the challenge. The Blue and Red teams both wanted this win, but the Blue team I think was determined to beat the Red team after their loss at last weeks challenge. And for a while it looked like it was going to happen. Blue held on to a clear lead almost all the way through, but when Phil squared off against Jerry as the final two to run the stairs, it was clear that Phil wasn’t going to give up. I totally got caught up in the moment as Jerry and Phil disappeared behind the walls and we couldn’t see them until they came around the corner towards the finish line.

I had several jam-packed days in New York City this week. It was fun, exciting and crazy.
It was hard to say goodbye to Ben and Dave on Sunday morning, but one of my close friends lives in NYC, and I was looking forward to having a fun dinner with her when I arrived too. We caught up on tons of gossip – and she insisted since she won’t be with me to celebrate my birthday next week, that we should start celebrating it early! Who could say ‘no’ to that? I have a friend who extends her birthday to last the whole month! She knows how to milk it, man, no kidding. So, I figured I am entitled to a birthday ‘week’, right??!! Monday started off with a ‘satellite media tour’. Which means you sit in front of a camera, and they direct link you to local networks around the country in 10 minute increments. But we did this at the NBC Experience store in Rockefeller center, with people shopping and taking the nbc tour passing by me. Lol… I felt like an exhibit ‘warning – do not tease the actor!’ But it all worked out, and it turned out great. After that I did a signing at quick signing at the store. It was fun meeting the Days and BL fans – some Second Chance fans came with a message, so: “HI, back!” 
We walked away from the nbc store with an umbrella in hand – being from LA, I don’t really carry an umbrella, well, ever. So this was sort of a new experience for me. And it was one of the big umbrellas, you know, like Mary Poppins style. And it wasn’t raining. Which started to make me feel kind of goofy. Carrying this major water guard around with me, into important meetings and having to find a place to stow my completely dry umbrella. I like the word ‘umbrella’. It’s fun to say. Why is that? how weird. So, finally I ditched my work (read uncomfortable) clothes in my hotel room, and met up with some friends for a few drinks and a late dinner.
Tuesday, I had to get up super early to get ready for the Today Show. Umbrella in hand, we headed over to Studio 1a. There was no rain so again, I was left dealing with this bulky thing in the make-up room and in the green room as I was getting ready to go on. I was on around 8:30am I think. Jodi Foster was on at the top of the hour, she was so poised and gave the most beautiful interview. I can’t wait to see her new movie. And Jodi just seemed like such an amazing person. I love her! Anyway, I spoke to Meredith about the Biggest Loser for a few minutes, she showed some good clips of the show – Jillian working the black team out in the desert is FIERCE, right??!!! And then we were off to the offices of Prevention Magazine. As we were walking down the streets of Manhattan it starts to rain. I look around and where is the damn umbrella??? Right – back in the dressing room at the Today Show. Now it is really coming down and I have no way to protect my hair, face, dress, from the rain because I left my stupid monster of an umbrella behind. Argh!!! Luckily they were very understanding and compassionate about my condition upon arriving! They are very involved with the Biggest Loser, and active on the website and the Biggestloserclub.com. I did some interviews for their site and magazine, etc and then back out into the rain. Wet again. But this time I didn’t care so much because I had a couple hours of down time (nap!) to get ready to go down to Rachel Ray.

to be cont...

Wow. My first week with Biggest Loser has been so overwhelming, fun, exciting and definitely inspiring. Having watched plenty of ‘reality’ tv over the years, I thought I knew what to expect, but being a part of a show like BL is way more intense than I expected. And I feel I have already bonded with the Contestants and the Trainers.

Right from the beginning, the producers are determined to keep us all on our toes this season. The Contestants and I found ourselves in the middle of the desert. It was hot and sunny… everyone was sweating!!! And we were all in for a very exciting morning. Standing closest to me was Jerry, Kae and Lezlye. Being a competitive person myself, I was surprised to see that whenever anyone expressed concern about the challenge facing them someone else would immediately jump in to motivate them. As I said, I realized right away how affecting this experience was going to be. Every single person is so motivated and determined to be here. I can see already how hard it is going to be to say good bye to people as they get eliminated.