Well, we made it. Tonight we will crown a new Biggest Loser. I have to admit, I'm a mixed bag of emotions!! It's going to be awesome and I hope you all tune in.

Remember last week when I told you I had a surprise? Well, most of you may not know that each season finale all the past Biggest Loser alumni get together for a special dinner to celebrate. Now, this is not just any dinner mind you. It is a FEAST provided by the beautiful chef Devin Alexander, who writes all the amazing recipes found in the famous Biggest Loser cookbooks. So, although it was an amazing spread, I didn't leave the dinner having busted my calorie budget for the day.

I already said the food was amazing, but I have to tell you that she makes these brownie bites... O-M-G!! To die for... and they are only 50 calories each. Talk about having your cake and eating it too. :) All the recipes used can be found in the BL cookbooks!! Anyway, it was a lovely night, and to get to spend time and catch up with past contestants was amazing. We are a CRAZY bunch that's for sure.

I took some special pictures to share with you from the evening... I hope you enjoy them. Don't forget to tune in tonight for the LIVE season finale of The Biggest Loser on NBC!!!

Health & Happiness,
Olivia xo

Can you believe we have almost crossed Season 12's finish line??? This is so exciting!!! Okay, so we started out the episode with the at-home packages for the Final Four. I don't know about you, but I love seeing the contestants go home and reunite with their families. It's such a celebration and a victory. I loved seeing John with his children again... it was so clear how much he loves those children. Antone... wow... just wow. Watching him bench press every one of his children literally brought tears to my eyes. Then we had Vinny... who didn't love seeing him up on stage in his element?? I mean the confidence just poured off him... AND a proposal for his longtime girlfriend Lori?? Are you kidding me?? Romantic. Lastly, we had Becky. I can't even put into words how proud I am of Becky. I will tell you that The Biggest Loser is a man's game... and I can say that because I WON! The women have to work 10 times harder than the men to keep up, and let me tell you, Becky has represented. When she was working out with Bob, she had that look in her eyes! I know that look very well. :)

Next, was the moment we have been waiting for... the marathon!!! Woohoo!! It was so amazing to see everyone again. It brought us back to Day 1, as viewers meeting these contestants for the first time... broken, sad, unhealthy and unhappy. NOW, we see a group of hopeful, happy and healthy people, who have battled to get their lives back and won. This marathon represents so much... it is the ultimate race. We have watched many seasons of contestants run this race, but never have the stakes been so high. Alison told the contestants that in addition for the possibility of solidifying a place in the Final Three, there would be cash prizes given out as well. Hello incentive!! All the contestants gave a HUGE effort, but in the end, Ramon was the victor AND now a member of the Final Three, who will battle it out on the scale for the title of The Biggest Loser! Courtney ran her heart out and came in a close second, followed by John in third and Jessica rounding out the winner's circle in fourth place. I have to admit I just LOVE the idea that the winner of the marathon gets to be a part of the Final Three. What a great way to EARN your place back in the fight for the finish. I have always felt Ramon deserved to be a part of that group! So happy for him.

On to the weigh-in. Let's not forget that we have two more people to add to round out the finalists. Everyone did a great job on the scale, but in the end, Vinny and Becky were eliminated, and Antone and John will join Ramon. It's going to be a testosterone fest next week!! Um, did I just say NEXT WEEK?? Why yes I did!!! Next week is the LIVE finale of The Biggest Loser Season 12, where we will be crowning a new winner. I'm so excited to pass on the torch to the next victor!!

SOOOOOOOOO... who do you think is going to take it all? I have NO idea!! I can tell you that it's anyone's game. No one EVER thought I would win, but like I said, anyone can take it! Let me know who you think will win?? I'm dying to know what you think!

Also, I have a little surprise for you next week... check back Tuesday. ;)

Health & Happiness,
Olivia :)

Yep, it's finally here ladies and gentleman... it's like Santa came early! It's Makeover week!!! Woooohoooo! I don't know about you, but I look forward to this episode every season. Don't get me wrong... I love all the special beat downs by Bob and the crazy challenges given by Allison... BUT... let's be honest, I love a good makeover. Not to mention, these men were starting to look like lumberjacks.

Well, before we could get into the fun stuff we had a challenge... and not just ANY challenge... it was the Put-the-Weight-Back-On Challenge. If you watched last season, you know that was NOT my finest moment. I had to carry 109 pounds, and about 100 yards into the challenge my back went out... I'm talking full-blown back spasm. That weight took me down like a ton of bricks!! I will tell you it is so hard physically, but what I didn't expect was how hard it was emotionally. Here you are being forced to put back on the weight that made you so broken. It's such a real reminder as to what you actually allowed to happen to your body. It's heartbreaking.

As if just completing this challenge wasn't hard enough, Allison sweetened the pot. The contestant who finished this race first got a one-pound advantage on the scale. So, let me just break this down for you. Okay, these contestants are getting small... really SMALL. It's hard enough to pull good numbers on the scale each week when you're still big, but at the end, it's like trying to squeeze water out of a rock. Also, let's not forget this weigh-in was crucial because it determined the Final Four!!! I remember last season Jay from the Green Team said, "Listen, it's great to win and all, but really, if you make the Final Four, you win too." Really, he was right. Everyone remembers the Final Four from season to season.

Anyway, the race started, and for pretty much the first half of the course, it was Sunny, John and Antone side by side. The three of them were pushing each other hard. About three-fourths of the way up, John and Antone pulled ahead, leaving Sunny behind. It was a fight to the finish, but in the end, John won the one-pound advantage and first place in the challenge. In true Allison style, there was a surprise. The contestants were told that it was Makeover Week, sponsored by Progresso soup. They each won a year's supply of soup and $5,000!!! Awesome! The quote of the day HAS to go to Sunny... "Who has two thumbs and loves soup and money? THIS girl!" Hysterical.

We started off the makeovers with some good old-fashioned pampering... Beverly Hills style! Believe me, at this point this was just what the doctor ordered for these contestants. They've earned it!! Celebrity stylist Jeannie Mai was introduced. She took the contestants on a NO-BUDGET shopping spree... while Ken Paves (hairstylist to the stars) gave them new hair glam! Jeannie looked like a ball, but I can tell you from experience, Ken Paves is the master... love you, Ken!!! Anyway, after much primping and shopping, the contestants walked the red carpet in true style at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Little did they know, their loved ones waited inside. One by one, each contestant reunited with the loves of their lives. Awesome. I have to say, of all the makeovers this season, Becky won the prize!! I might just be a little biased because she went very short with the hair, and you ALL know I love a good short haircut! :)

The rest of the episode was more getting to know the contestants' families. Bob took time out to meet each family member and have a conversation to get them up to speed on the progress. It was only days before these contestants were to face the challenges of home. Next, we had the Last-Chance Workout, and before we knew it... it was time to weigh in. Moment of truth.

I'll give you a little inside info... although Makeover Week is fun and so worth it, it usually brings low numbers on the scale. The schedule is so packed with shopping and primping, there's little time to work out... Hello stress!! Most of the numbers this week were pretty good on the scale. I was sad to see Sunny only lose one pound, which put her under the yellow line with Antone. In the end, the contestants chose to send Sunny home. Sunny, you did amazing, and I have to say you represented the girls of BL proud!!!! I can't wait to see you at the live finale!!

Did I just say LIVE FINALE?? Yep, I did. It's almost time... can you believe it? We're about to crown another Biggest Loser!! Who do you think is gonna take it all?? Leave your guesses in the comments... I want to hear what you think!! Until next week...

Health & Happiness,
Olivia xo

Can you smell the turkey, gravy, and pumpkin pie??? Are you checking the TV to make sure you're watching the right show?? Oh, that's right, this is the making of one of Alison's famous temptation challenges... and boy is it a doozie!! We see in front of the contestants rows and rows of Thanksgiving delights. We're talking all the good stuff... which we all know is PACKED with fat and calories. The way this challenge is set up is pretty simple. Each plate of food has a number on it between one and 100. The person who gets the lowest number wins first prize. The kicker is the more plates you eat, the more numbers you can collect. Alison tells the contestants there are three prizes which are a three-pound advantage, a 25K Cybex home gym, and $500 for each pound lost on the scale. Now, I have to tell you I had a cardinal rule about temptation challenges and it was pretty simple... DON'T DO IT! EVER! That being said, I think I would have probably gone back on that rule for a chance at a three-pound advantage! Heeeeeeeeello turkey! To my surprise EVERYONE ate... the only person who even hesitated was Sunny... and even she ended up giving in! In the end Vinny ate only one plate and won first place giving him the three-pound advantage at the weigh-in. Becky chose the Cybex home gym for coming in second, and Antone won $500 for every pound he lost.

The workouts this week seemed to have a different feel. I can tell you from experience that as the group gets smaller and smaller the heat gets turned WAY up in that gym. You really have to FIGHT for your spot each week. This was very evident this week, not just for the contestants but also the trainers.

My absolute favorite moment of the episode was the Thanksgiving dinner with the contestants and the trainers. This to me is why I have always watched this show. I love not only hearing people's stories, but watching these amazing contestants share their lives and struggles with us as viewers is so inspiring! I loved hearing Bob share about his family and his sister. I will tell you Bob Harper is one of the most caring and loving people I will ever have the honor to call friend. I'm so glad the viewers got a glimpse of his "insides." He is truly a blessing to the contestants and the show.

The next challenge was a physical challenge, and let me tell you... this was the challenge I feared the MOST during my time on the ranch. THE JACOB'S LADDER. The contestants were each given a Jacob's Ladder and were told it was a basic race. Hahahahaha! Basic??? Funny. It was a one-mile race straight up. I think Sunny said it best... Satan himself makes these machines! Once again, Alison explained there would be three prizes. I can tell you this just looked painful. In the end, John came in first, followed by Sunny and finally Ramone. John chose the one-pound advantage which came with a one-pound disadvantage "gift" he got to share with someone. Sunny chose the six-month Biggest Loser meal plan, and she gifted Bonnie with the same prize... Awwww... GREAT choice Sunny! *High Five* Ramone won $2,500, and gifted Vinny with the same prize! It's all about sharing the love!!

The Last-Chance Workout was less about the beat down and more about the drama. Man, we're really starting to see the cracks in this household!! It seemed like the whole house was against John, right? Not sure exactly what was going on there, but John better have hoped he put up a big number or it looked like he was going home!

At the weigh-in, John had to decide who he was going to give the one-pound disadvantage to. He chose Sunny. Um, what? It seemed like a really cheap shot to me... and I got the feeling all the contestants felt the same way. Sunny overall hasn't been a scale crusher, and with all those big boys left it just seemed like an odd choice to me. Anyway, I guess what goes around comes around, karma, and all that jazz, because John put up a very low five pounds. He seemed shocked. I will give you my guess... there was major game play in that five pounds. I don't know what, but that man has been tearing up the scale ALL season and the ONE week he has an advantage he mysteriously has a low weight loss. Hmmmmm. Anyone serving fish for Thanksgiving... 'cause something smells fishy to me. Again... just my two cents. In the end Sunny and Ramone fell under the yellow line and Ramone was sent home. S-A-D!! Not that I wanted Sunny to go home, but not Ramone!!!!!

I will say that Ramone's Where Are They Now? video was one of the BEST ones I have ever seen. I just love him and Jess together... they are soooooo adorable!!! I can't wait to see them together at finale. Wait did I just say finale?? Yes, I did. Can you believe we're in the home stretch? Wow.

Well, don't forget to tune into the The Biggest Loser Thanksgiving Special: Where Are They Now? There are some amazing past contestants that will come back and visit!! I'll give you a hint on who will be there... you might just see some Purple Team sisters!!! Woooohoooo!!

Have a HAPPY and HEALTHY Thanksgiving!!!

xoxox,
Olivia :)

First off, I can't believe how far we are in this season!! It feels like it is flying by. I don't know about you, but I am so excited for the Season 12 finale! I know I'll be there cheering these amazing contestants on... with bells on.

Okay, onto business. This week we are in singles. I can tell you from experience that going to singles is scary!! It's like the mother bird kicking the babies from the nest, your first day of college, and all that jazz rolled into one. You are on your own... no help from teammates. To add to the pressure cooker, Alison announced to the contestants that this week they will participate in a pentathlon. Um, what?? This was definitely a first. So, there would be five events throughout the week and each event would award points. The person with the most points at the end of the week wins and wins BIG! What's the prize you ask?? Immunity. Yep, the golden ticket in Biggest Loser land. BUT... yes, there is always a but... don't act so surprised this is Biggest Loser after all! Okay, so the person who finishes last has a one-pound disadvantage on the scale... yes, you read that right.

Throughout the episode, we watched the contestants go head-to-head in a wide variety of events that work the mind and the body. Two events really stuck out to me. First, was the trivia event. Basically, it was Jeopardy, Biggest Loser edition. I'm such a sucker for the mind challenges... remember last season?? I proved I'm a grade A nerd over and over. :) Anyway, Antone reigned supreme with the most correct answers! I have to brag... I got all the questions right. How did you do?? My second favorite event was what I have named the peanut water float race extravaganza! (Say that 10 times!) I know that challenge was hard! The challenges that look the easiest are usually the ones that are killer. In the end, Sunny raced across the pool and smoked the rest. I just love to see the girls win... have I said that before? ;) The overall winner of The Biggest Loser Pentathlon was ANTONE!! I know it might be too early to predict, but I think he could possibly win the whole show!! Unfortunately, it was Bonnie at the bottom earning a one-pound disadvantage. I love Bonnie and that made me so sad.

There were some really special moments this week. My favorite was hearing some of Dolvett's back story. Hearing about his childhood and being adopted by foster parents was very moving. I feel like we always hear so much about the contestants that it really is a gift to get a glimpse into the trainers' lives. I love that Dolvett used the pain from his past to fuel his inner "fight." It's so easy in life to become a victim of your past. Those chains are so incredibly heavy to carry, and I love the idea of not dragging the past around like chains, but to overcome and fight. So awesome!!

Another amazing moment was none other than a visit from Olympic Gold medalist Apolo Ohno!!!! Wooooohoooo!!! A little side note... Hannah and I actually met Apolo two weeks ago at the New York City Marathon, and he was truly great. He was so nice and genuine and chatted with us for at least 30 minutes... AND he comes with Subway sandwiches. WIN!

The weigh-in went down like this:
Antone: 9 pounds
Bonnie: 5 pounds
John: 9 pounds
Vinny: 10 pounds
Sunny: 9 pounds
Becky: 4 pounds
Ramon: 7 pounds

The contestants had to vote between Becky and Bonnie in the elimination room. After all was said and done, Bonnie was sent home.

Soooooo???? How would you have done in the pentathlon?? Who do you think is going to win it all?? I want to know what you think! Leave it in the comments. :)

Health & Happiness,
Olivia xo

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK... and just in time, too!! Guess who came to the ranch this week?? I'll give you a hint... you know her VERY well. Give up? It was ME!! Yes, I made a guest appearance on last night's episode of The Biggest Loser and let me tell you it was awesome... but more on that later. Okay, let's break down what happened last night, shall we?

We started the episode with what I like to call "airing out the laundry." I can tell you from personal experience that those elimination situations can be extremely brutal. As much as everyone tries to do the right thing in the beginning, things start tearing at the seams as the game comes into play. It's different every season as to when that happens, but let me tell you, lines get drawn in the sand and alliances form. It's clear in the beginning of this episode that for Season 12 contestants the play button on the game had definitely been pushed. Everyone begins to sound off about the elimination of Jessica... especially Ramon. Watch out people... the dude is mad... and I totally understand - it broke my heart to see her go. We quickly transitioned to Alison telling the trainers about the weekly challenge. This week the trainers would have ALL the power... yes, that's right, the trainers! They picked only one person to weigh in for their team, and only that person's weight counted. Now this was definitely a Biggest Loser first!!!! I mean this could be a huge game changer!

To add more spice to this week's drama we had a cooking challenge! You all know how much I LOVE a cooking challenge... remember I won the cooking challenge in Season 11 with my partner Moses. Okay, the coolest part about this challenge was that the trainers got to participate with the contestants. The teams were presented with a pantry of ingredients, and they had to come up with a low-calorie, healthy entree worthy of going into the new Biggest Loser cookbook! The prize you ask? Well, it was a big one... a one-pound advantage on the scale, the winning recipe goes in the cookbook and a lunch with ME! The contestants didn't know it yet, but I was so excited about sitting down with the winning team... how fun is that?! Oh, how could I forget... in addition to me, we had the beautiful chef and author of many of The Biggest Loser cookbooks, chef Devin Alexander! Wooohooo! Let me tell you, before I knew it the three teams were cooking up a storm in the kitchen... the catch... of course, there's a catch... Devin and I couldn't watch the teams cook, so it was a blind tasting! After a short 30 minutes, the three dishes came out and we began my favorite part... the tasting! First, we tasted the London Broil... it was a little on the rare side... No actually, it was still wiggling on the plate! It was paired with some sweet potato mash and asparagus. Although the asparagus was just plain, the sweet potatoes were amazing! The second dish was chicken fajita cups. They were also very tasty and very creative, putting it in cabbage cups. The taste was there, but it wasn't very creative in my opinion. I mean, how many diet books have you seen some sort of fajita dish? Tons! Lastly, we had pork medallions with an Asian slaw and cranberry chutney. WOW, just typing that makes my mouth water! It was by far for me the clear winner... it was so yummy and beautiful to look at! I always tell people that you eat with your eyes first, and I think when we are all dieting we forget that. I think this dish proved that healthy food doesn't have to be boring! Love that!! The thing that tipped the scales... the pork dish was the lowest in calories!! What??? Winner. Done. Then it was the moment of truth... which team prepared the winning dish?? Alison announced that the Black Team prepared the pork medallions, so they were the winners!! Well, it was no surprise I was thrilled!! Black Team forever yo! :) It was so great to sit down for lunch with the Black Team and give them some love from their families and encouragement for the last portion of their time on the ranch. It was an amazing day! I can honestly say I really love all the contestants from this season... I'm so glad they are part of the BL family!

On to the weigh-in! I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see who each trainer picked. For the Red Team it was John. Bob chose Becky to represent the Black Team, and Anna put up Joe for Blue. I don't know about you, but I had John pegged to win this weigh-in hands down. So was it John who stood victorious?? NO! It was Becky! I was jumping up and down in my living room! I have to say it makes my little girl heart way too proud when the girls beat the boys. Not to mention that it was another win for team Hot Bob and his Black Team. I know people in the beginning just thought Bob was winning because he had strong contestants. Um, no. Now the game's switched up, and the man still dominates! I can tell you from first-hand experience that Bob Harper knows his stuff and is unbeatable. Period. Can you tell I love the guy?? I do... I owe him and Jillian my life. ;)

The Blue Team had the lowest percentage of weight loss, with Ramon as The Biggest Loser on his team, which meant Sunny and Joe were on the chopping block. In the end, Joe was sent packing. I'm telling you this is getting gooooooooood!!!

Okay, so tell me... which dish would you have picked? What contestant would you have chosen to weigh in for each team?? I wanna know!!! Tell me in the comments... let's chat!!

Until next week...

Health & Happiness,
Olivia xo

Olivia's blog will return next week; please leave us any questions or
comments about this week's episode!

Okay everyone, after last week when Sunny went home to Texas and Courtney went home, we knew this week's episode was going to really take the cake. But what we didn't know was that it was going to actually take the candy - the Halloween candy that is.

The episode starts off with the cast walking through spider webs (okay fake Halloween décor, but you get the idea), and I'm immediately thinking metaphor: Biggest Loser, oh the web you have weaved and now here you are.

Alison comes out right off the bat, spitting out scary Halloween statistics about how much money is spent on candy, how much candy is eaten, etc. All of the hard facts that are unfortunately true. Then to make everything just that much more impactful, she shows the contestants candy hanging from a scale in a caldron and tells them they can have a pound advantage for every pound of candy they eat, BUT they have to lose a total of 100 pounds together in order to be safe or someone will go home. The idea is all for one and one for all. The contestants then start training with different trainers for the week. Jennifer was noticeably missing Bob as her trainer when she was working out with Anna. I mean, who wouldn't miss Bob? No candy and no Bob Harper? This "holiday" was really the week of no treats. Dolvett, on the other hand, was psyched to work out every contestant and was cheesin' hardcore about the opportunity.

In between workouts was another challenge for this week that involved a maze, pounds of apples and pound advantages. The challenge was only 10 minutes though (now that's a treat). I remember challenges on the ranch lasting hours, and I mean hourssssss! The teams ended up working well together and won a 10-pound advantage for the weigh-in.

And then they worked together to play a trick on Bob Harper. Before they worked out. I mean, that's just dumb y'all. If you play a joke on your trainer, you're just asking to get the crap beaten out of you, and Bob gave it to them with a cardio workout with him, tennis court drills with Anna and a prison yard workout with Dolvett.

Also this week, John had a heart-to-heart with Dolvett; Vinny had a heart-to-heart with Bob; Jessica and Ramon were still adorable and are in love; and then it was on to the weigh-in.

Nobody ate any candy, but the biggest shock was that Sunny somehow gained five pounds this week! Everyone else was just happy to have lost some weight, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough; and all-for-one week turned into everyone for themselves when Ali sent them to deliberate because they now had to vote someone off.

All the players pleaded their cases to each other, and Vinny called out Jennifer for not surrendering completely to Dolvett's workout during the week. Once they were in the elimination room, Jen received six votes, and three were from her own Black Team. The players who voted for her said her negative energy was affecting their performance, and they needed to put themselves first; and she was eliminated. It was heartbreaking to see Jen go, but she looked genuinely happy in her Where Are They Now moment, and every girl knows there aren't too many heartbreaks that can't be mended with a new fabulous dress.

Speaking of dresses, I think I have some online browsing to do now... Pilar, do you have any more of those wrap dresses? In purple? ;)

Until next week!

Health & Happiness,
Olivia xo

This week we jump right into the action with a pop challenge. I know I have said this 10 times already, but how cool is it that the trainers are participating in some of these challenges?? I LOVE that. It was always so annoying to have to come back from a challenge and give Bob and Jillian the play-by-play as to what happened. This way they're already there and part of the action. Bravo NBC, bravo.

Okay, moving on. Now, I imagine my best "Price Is Right" voice... "Come on down for a fun game of... wait for it... PLINKO!!" Did anyone else notice that this pop challenge was PLINKO?? So. Much. Fun. The rules of the game are simple... it's just plain chance. The prize however could be a major game changer. Alison tells the contestants that the player who wins will be going home for a week to spend time with family AND take their trainer with them. There is however a catch. Duh, this is Biggest Loser after all! Not only do you get to go home, but your weight will be the only weight that counts for your team. *Cue record scratching sound effect* I was so fascinated to hear the contestants reactions to this prize. As expected, it was really all across the board. For me, I would have wanted to avoid this prize like the plague!! Anyways, the contestants all place their names on the playing board and Alison releases the game piece. It bounces down the board and lands on Sunny from the Black Team. She immediately starts running around screaming in complete excitement. All this celebrating is going on, and I can't pull my eyes from Bob Harper. He has steam coming out of his ears! He immediately explains to Sunny that there is no reason to celebrate, AND basically she isn't getting a vacation because he is going to KILL her in Texas. Awesome.

The rest of the episode really focused on Sunny and Bob in Texas. I loved seeing Sunny's family and their excitement for how well she has done. We got a mix of workouts... lots of Bob killing Sunny in the gym. The highlight of the evening was Bob on a mechanical bull. Yes, that happened.

I think my favorite out of all the Texas scenes was when Sunny had a breakdown at her local gym. She shares with Bob that in the past she had come to the gym and a group of college-aged kids laughed and made fun of her. She continues to break down and tell us that after that incident she never returned to the gym because of embarrassment. I think so many people feel that way at the gym. Sometimes it feels like a fishbowl, and everyone is looking at you. I really applaud Sunny for facing a VERY real fear and overcoming it. What a great example for so many of us.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Dolvett really tried to drive home that losing challenges and weigh-ins is "not funny." He felt like his team wasn't taking things seriously, and there was way too much joking. I can say based on the workouts this week... all joking came to a stop. Then over on the Blue Team, issues came head to head with Bonnie and Anna. Anna really feels like Bonnie has always had to put on a brave face in sight of hardships and now that repression is surfacing. On the flip side of the coin, Bonnie says that Anna always tries to blame Bonnie's frustrations on her past, but that is not it at all. Bonnie said that it is an issue between her and Anna. Throughout the episode, we never really got to the bottom of that issue. Now I'm SO curious as to what's going on there... hopefully there will be some light shed in the weeks to come. Lastly, the rest of the Black Team really feels the loss of Sunny and Bob. There seems to be some major tension between the guys and Jennifer. That was another bag of problems that was surprising.

Finally, we had our weekly physical challenge. This time we got big barrels of orange soda (yuck) that the contestants have to carry in drinking glasses through a bungee maze to a cylinder on the other side. The team that fills their cylinder first wins. The prize: each team member will get to gift a family member with a two-week stay at The Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge. Let me tell you, having spent a lot of time at Fitness Ridge - that is an AMAZING prize! As usual, it was neck and neck between the Black and Red Teams. In the end, the Red Team was able to solidify their first challenge win!

The weigh-in was great. We saw pretty good numbers across the board, but everyone was DYING to see Sunny get on the scale. Not to my surprise, she got on the scale and SMASHED it!!! Not only did she save her team from the elimination room, but she helped the Black Team win the entire weigh-in!!

The Red Team was forced again to eliminate one of their own, and unfortunately, it left Courtney on the chopping block. I was surprised at how sad I was to see her go. I didn't realize how much I liked her. It really felt like her journey was cut short, but based on her "Where Are They Now" piece at the end of the episode, I can't WAIT to see her at finale!

Well??? What did you think?? How about Bob on the bull?! TV gold?? Share your comments below!! Until next time...

Health and Happiness,
Olivia xo

This is the episode I've been waiting for... I know I say that every week... but really this week was jam-packed with awesome! We had past contestants, emotional breakthroughs, letters from home, Skype time with family, and the most amazing moment yet, a shirtless Bob Harper... Yes, you read that right he took his shirt off. Lawsy!

We start off this episode with some familiar faces to help encourage the contestants. Who are those familiar faces you ask? Well, they are former contestants Marci Crozier, Adam Hurtado, and the lovely and ever inspiring Hannah Curlee (love ya BananaPants)!! I can tell you that having past contestants come and spend time with you at the ranch is priceless. They not only can empathize with what you're going through, but they provide a sort of "light at the end of the tunnel." I remember in my season when Tara Costa and Ali Vincent came to visit, I just wanted to pick their brains clean. Here were two amazing women that not only were incredibly successful on the show, but they continue to be such amazing examples of health and fitness.

Anyway, each of these returning guests was assigned to a team for the day. Hannah was with the Black Team. Marci worked with the Blue Team, and Adam hung with the Red Team. I really enjoyed seeing each of these past contestants really mentor and encourage these teams. Paying it forward is EXACTLY what BL is ALL about!

The challenge this week was just plain cool... AND to add to the awesomeness was the prize: LETTERS FROM HOME!!! Yes, I am yelling... Why? Well, I can tell you that when you receive letters from home while on the ranch, it's like you're being given solid gold. Seriously, I craved letters from my husband. I would go back and reread them when I needed comfort or encouragement, and I can truly say they kept me going every day! Okay, so the premise of this challenge was to pass a clear box of letters from contestant to contestant through an obstacle course. The team that completed the course with their box won! This was not just any old obstacle course... No, no... it was through the elements. There was wind, mud, water, snow and rain. Not to mention a mountain to climb at the end! It was once again a close finish between the Red and Black Teams, but in the end, the Black Team was victorious. Seriously, they are unstoppable!!! Alison had an extra bonus prize for the winning team... Skype time with their loved ones. Awwwww... bring out the Kleenex! Who else LOVES seeing these contestants talk to their families? I have to admit, it's always my favorite part of each season. We hear these contestants talk about how much they love their families, and now we get to put faces with names. I cried at the first hello... so good for the heart!

Okay, so like I said, there were a few breakthroughs this episode. One of the breakthroughs that really struck a chord with me this week happened with Joe on the Black Team. It was at the end of a Black Team workout, and Bob told his team that this week they were going to concentrate on nutrition. This seemed normal until he said they were going to take a close look at the emotional side of food. Bob goes on to tell the team that food will no longer be "taboo" in their lives. No longer will they continue to eat in private, or be ashamed of eating a piece of pizza or a scoop of ice cream. In that moment Joe broke down. What I loved is the sheer honesty in his willingness to admit that he had been "cheating" on his family with food. Wow. How many of you have felt like that? It really hit home for me. I used to be so ashamed of what I used to eat. Joe spoke about eating in his car and throwing away the evidence before going home. Bob told his team that it's okay for these foods to be in your life, but it's not going to be a daily indulgence. He continued to explain that as you are able to incorporate food into your life in a healthy way, you are literally getting your power back, one bite at a time! Such empowering words to live by.

Another breakthrough moment that really stuck out was with Courtney. Dolvett noticed that Courtney had been struggling mentally, and to help her gain confidence he took her out to the basketball court for some one-on-one. As she began to shoot hoops you could literally see the self-doubt melt from her mind one hoop at a time. I really loved this moment not only because of the mental breakthrough, but we really viewed a special moment... we watched Courtney become an athlete. It was so awesome to see her insides and outsides shake hands and become friends.

Last-Chance Workouts were extra special this week. The Black Team had a pool workout with Bob where he really killed them by doing exercises... Wait, who cares about the workout... BOB TOOK OFF HIS SHIRT. I don't remember anything beyond that moment. Seriously, that man is beautiful. The Blue Team received a special gift... a tennis court! I have to agree with Becky on this one... a tennis workout with a professional tennis player... so freaking cool! Dolvett was out for blood, and gearing for a win this week. There was no doubt in this workout that he was taking no prisoners and setting up the Red Team for a strong win.

The weigh-in was not incredibly exciting. In Week 4, you are really struggling for strong numbers. At this point you have lost the "easier" initial weight, and we begin to see the real fight on the scale begin. The Black Team brought strong numbers, and once again won the weigh-in. Again, duh. In the end, Ramon pulled an incredibly impressive 11 pounds to keep his team safe. We really are seeing a new Ramon now... and I have to tell you I'm diggin' it! Once again, the Blue Team headed into the elimination room. After a tearful decision, Bonnie's final vote sent Coach Mike home.

Whew!! See, jam-packed! Okay, now it's your turn... what did you think?? Any predictions yet as to a Final Four?? Tell me below in the comments!!

Question from last week:

Heather Linn asked: How do you stay motivated?
I get asked this question all the time. I wish I could say I figured this out on my own, but this I learned directly from Bob. You know life is full of tons of choices... from what am I going to wear today, to the harder stuff like am I going to love myself today? That being said we make choices all day long... some good, some not so good. Motivation is simply a choice. Bob taught me to wake up daily and ask myself a simple question... Am I going to make good choices today? It takes five seconds, but sets my mind for the whole day. I literally choose to stay motivated and make good choices for ME! You can't do it for anyone else. So, I encourage you to ask yourself that question each day... the choice is up to you!

Health & Happiness,
Olivia xo