The Biggest Loser Show Series on NBC: Production Blog

WEEK 18

2009-05-06T15:38:28Z

The final four contestants are back and ready to take part in a piece of BL history. For the first time ever, the remaining contestants must participate in a full marathon -- 26.2 miles through the hills of California! Before the sun has risen, the final four, along with special helpers, are milling about, fueling up, and trying not to be intimidated by the monumental task in front of them.

On Alison's go, all four of them take off at a good pace, excited to meet up with their running partners in a few miles. Tara and Helen are neck and neck, with Mike and Ron bringing up the rear at a steady pace. Each contestant is being followed by a van that contains medical supplies, snacks, and anything else they might need along the way.

Everyone's running buddies meet up with them at mile four and keep them company for a while. Russell, Helen's husband, runs with her for a bit, and Mike, a friend of Tara's from back home, helps her keep her steady pace. Meanwhile Max has met up with Mike, and together they walk, covering the miles slowly but surely.

Tara and Helen continue to keep the pace, and have an off-camera surprise when Dr. Huizenga "Dr. H" (BL's doctor extraordinaire) and JD Roth, (executive producer) join them both and run with them for several miles. The halfway point brings them a couple of surprises, the first being that their path has taken them directly past the BL campus from Season 4 (CSU Channel Islands) and an even bigger one when they come upon Michelle Aguilar, winner of Season 6! Michelle joins the women on their run for awhile, and they meet up with Heba Salama, Season 6 at-home winner. Familiar faces from BL continue to "hand off" the runners to each other, with all the competitors running at times with not only Michelle and Heba but also Ali Vincent, BL's first female winner; Bernie Salazar, Season 5 at-home winner; and Jim Germanakos, Season 4 at-home winner. With each new face, the runners break into a smile and get re-energized.

Tara in particular has a smile on her face the entire time, and chats animatedly with whomever she is running with. Helen is not far behind, and at different mile markers, whoops out, "I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" Meanwhile, the Morellis continue their pace, with Ron using a cane to help him stabilize himself on the many ups and downs of the course. Mike, who is struggling with an injury, also keeps a steady walk going. Today's challenge is more about finishing a journey as opposed to having a specific winner; everyone who completes it will be able to donate $10,000 to a charity of their choice.

Eventually the course brings them to the beach, and so begins a downhill swoop to the finish line. Jillian meets up with Tara with a mile left to go, and runs with her as she finishes her first marathon in a remarkable 4 hours and 55 minutes! A little under an hour later, Helen crosses the finish line with her husband and her trainer at 5 hours and 48 minutes. While Tara appears to be unfazed by the whopping distance she's just covered, chatting with Bob and Alison and munching on snacks, Helen's body is feeling the pain, and she has the set medic wrap her in ice and stretch her out. She is just glowing though, and is all smiles as she goes into the trailer reserved for the cast to rest with her husband.

Three hours pass, and Helen and Tara continue to mill about the set, chatting with everyone -- the pressure now over for them. Tara, Bob, and Alison take a few Facebook pics, while Jillian leaves to run errands in Malibu for a bit. Jillian meets up with Mike for his last mile and as they laugh and joke, Mike steals the 26-mile marker, being egged on by Jillian, who says, "If I ever finish an entire marathon, I'm taking EVERY sign!" At 8 hrs and 58 minutes, Mike and Jillian cross the finish line, both with big smiles.

After Mike's finish, everyone breaks again for a bit, as Ron is still trucking along the course with the rest of the BL guests. Jim, Bernie, Ali, Michelle, and Heba have all joined him, and they keep him company along the walk. Soon, Tara, Helen, Mike, Jillian, and Bob all go out to join Ron for his final mile. As Ron comes upon the beach, everyone in the area is cheering -- bystanders, crew, and everyone walking with Ron. At 13:15:49, everyone is screaming as Ron crosses the finish line, holding hands with Mike.

Tears are everywhere, and it is a moment where all the competition has been pushed aside, and everyone present takes a moment to celebrate the accomplishments of the final four players! After the checks have been presented and the cameras have wrapped, group pictures of Alison and all the past and present BL contestants are taken, and everyone is exhausted, but happy.

WEEK 17

2009-04-29T20:59:30Z

Both Bob and Jillian are upset to learn that Kristin has gone home, and they try to remind themselves that for some of the contestants, it is strictly a game. Ron tells Bob that he had no knowledge of Mike decision, but Bob is not sure he believes him. Ron tells Bob that he just couldn't convince Mike to change his mind, to which Bob responds, "That is so strange to me, because you can always convince your son." Bob tells Filipe it is necessary to make it to the end of this game, and that he will do everything he can to help him.

Later Ron tries to draw Helen into his alliance. He looks at her and says, "Who do you think is running this game?" as he confesses that he has been masterminding every move the entire season. Ron goes on to say that he had to do something to occupy his mind -- so he controlled the game from the beginning to amuse himself and get Mike to the end. Ron tells Helen over and over to remember, "This is just a game. Just a game like any other game." He also goes on to tell Helen that, "The benefits from losing weight are just a plus." Helen vehemently disagrees, saying, "This has changed my life," while Ron advises her to keep the two separate. Ron's strategy makes it clear that he would like Filipe to be the next to leave, as Filipe is the only one standing in the way of Mike becoming the next Biggest Loser.

Meanwhile Mike is letting off steam by dressing up in a raincoat that is far too small for him. He goes down to the kitchen and parades in front of Tara with an umbrella, while she laughs hysterically. To further alleviate the stress of this last week -- it's finally "train the trainer" day! Jillian is notorious for hating this, and today is no exception because train the trainer day is also her birthday -- and she doesn't quite get the treatment that a birthday girl would expect! She allows her people to train her, and both she and Bob are soon dripping with sweat -- promising revenge to their players.

Soon enough playtime is over, and each contestant is more determined than ever to make it to the finals -- with some seeing it as a final destination on the journey to change their lives, and others seeing it as a chance to win the ultimate prize in a game.

WEEK 16

2009-04-22T18:43:44Z

At the start of the new week, Jillian takes her team members into the gym and lets them know it is now do or die. She says, "I have almost killed every single finalist that has ever been on this show and I'll be damned if I don't try to kill every one of you...when you go home as a finalist on this show, you need to be exceptional." She tries to instill into her team that they need to face their fears, and only then will they experience success.

During the workout, Tara confesses that she is really upset that Mike wasn't there for her after Laura was eliminated. Helen laughs, saying, "He's 18, Tara!" Jillian trains Mike and Tara together, having them do pushups and reaching out to slap each other's hands in between. Helen continues to heckle them, yelling, "Now's your chance Tara! Right across the face!" Jillian encourages them to communicate better to help their friendship, and after they work it out, they decided they need a group hug with Jillian. Jillian screams, "No!" and tries to run away from them as they chase her around the gym in their sweaty workout clothes. As Jillian runs around the gym screaming, she trips and falls to the ground, and they all end up in a sweaty heap on the floor, laughing, with the tension finally gone.

Meanwhile, Kristin and Filipe get together in the Blue Room to discuss their fears about the upcoming week. Filipe reiterates to Kristin over and over how much they need each other because "even though Ron trains with Bob, he's with Jillian's team...I have a strong feeling that they are coming for me." The two of them speculate that they believe Ron is out to get the both of them, because if it is Mike up against Helen and Tara in the end, he will no doubt become the next Biggest Loser.

During this week's challenge, it seems as though the stress has finally gotten to Filipe as he acts out erratically, doing his best to distract everyone into dropping their ropes. He heckles everyone, even as his own rope slips further and further through his hands. Helen calls out, "How many calories does fear burn?" as they all dangle in the 28 degree weather. Filipe boasts that he can juggle while doing the challenge, and Tara yells, "Shut your pie hole," while Kristin cracks, "I'm at the end of my rope Alison!" For a few moments everyone tries to distract themselves while singing the Biggest Loser theme song... but they soon find that they need all of their concentration. After almost an hour, Filipe is bent completely in half, and is having trouble breathing. He drops, followed by Kristin and Helen. Once again, Tara proves she is a force to be reckoned with as she wins yet another challenge without breaking a sweat.

Later, in his confessional, Mike acknowledges that Kristin is his biggest threat, and reiterates how glad he is to have his dad in his corner fighting for him every step of the way. Ron says almost the same thing in his own confessional, noting that he is thankful that he has life experience over almost everyone in the game, therefore giving him an advantage that will allow him to continue to play smart and hopefully make it to the end.

WEEK 15

2009-04-15T18:09:44Z

It's makeover week on The Biggest Loser, and all of the remaining contestants are excited to see what's in store for them. Initially, the contestants are excited to get a break from the never ending hours of working out -- and as everyone is participating in the makeovers -- they feel that they finally have a chance to breathe and relax for a day or two!

They have to be up early at the crack of dawn to head to Macy's, where they are excited to spend individualized time with Tim Gunn, as he talks to them about making the correct fashion choices for their new bodies. During breaks in filming, the girls run around the store, eager to buy new clothes for their shrinking selves, as various crew members and both Ron and Filipe try to talk them out of it -- reminding them that they will continue to shrink and shouldn't spend money now! Tara in particular is thrilled that she can finally wear designer jeans, and fights the urge to purchase a pair. The contestants don't often leave the ranch, so the urge to run amok is high -- and everyone is in great spirits.

The fun continues when they arrive at Warren Tricomi Salon in Hollywood to get their hair and makeup done -- even the boys! Everyone oohs and ahhs at the new hairstyles they are receiving from Tabitha and Brandon -- both Bravo favorites, while the others mill about, drinking tea, coffee, and speculating about what the premiere will be like that they are about to attend. Helen has talked a crew member into getting her some nail polish, and as Kristin gets her hair re-colored by Brandon, Helen sits in a corner and paints her nails.

Everyone is having a great time, and the stresses of the ranch seem to have left them for a bit. However, they don't count on Ron who, during the visit, spends most of his day walking up and down Melrose Avenue outside of the salon in an effort to keep his calorie burn going! Laura in particular is worried about this, as her hip has been bothering her quite a bit, and is on crutches when the cameras are not rolling. She takes time out from the makeovers to go see Dr. Huizenga and get an MRI. Both Ron and Laura are distracted for a bit when they see their drastic makeovers -- Ron has lost his beard and needs makeup! -- while Laura has gone a dramatic red.

Once everyone is fully made up with hair and makeup -- they take off for downtown LA, where they will take part in the most lavish makeover reveal yet -- and see exactly what type of premiere it is that they will be attending!

WEEK 14

2009-04-13T19:01:36Z

This week has the contestants refocusing their efforts on making it through to the end of the game. When they are faced with a temptation, the likes which have NEVER been seen before on BL, the results are shocking. With the exceptions of Helen and Kristin, everyone goes crazy with the trays, shoving the food down as fast as they can -- with everyone looking for the Golden Ticket that will give them some additional power in the game. Even as they start to look nauseated, they keep going, with survival being first and foremost on everyone's mind. Tray after tray gets uncovered, and with each food item, the contestants get more and more upset at what they have to eat -- yet they press on. Later, after seeing the damage in the gym, Bob and Jillian are NOT pleased. The contestants don't have much remorse over the exorbitant amount of calories most of them just consumed... and it is clear that they are all very much involved in the game play at this point.

Filipe and Sione remain concerned about the control they feel Ron has over the game -- referring to him as Papa Smurf. They both realize that if either one of them falls below the yellow line -- they will be out. They also talk about how sick they feel from all of the food. Sione says, "I can't even drink water -- I'm so full." Filipe chimes in with, "Spit for lunch and dinner!" Meanwhile, Tara and Laura talk strategy, with Laura telling Tara she would be stupid to not gain weight this week, as Laura will send home whomever falls below with her. Helen comes in and they talk about the temptation and it reminds them of being in the Chocolate Room in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory -- especially with Laura winning the Golden Ticket. All three of them sing, laugh and hug at their good fortune.

Jillian's trainees are surprised when Jillian takes them off of the ranch to Subway to talk about balance in their diets - and even more surprised when they see that Coleen and Jerry from Season 6 will be their sandwich artists! Jerry jokes that even though he is a police officer, that standing next to Jillian Michaels with a bunch of knives is even scarier! Jillian talks to all of them about eating realistically in the real world... and they laugh about how a few weeks prior, Mike busted Jillian with Subway sandwich wrappers in her car! Jillian tells them that she knows it's not always going to be possible for them to eat organic foods... and that sometimes they will be forced to grab something on the go. She tells them that she often eats Subway on Sundays after her radio show, and that she will grab a veggie sub, scoop out the insides of the bread, and eat a modified sandwich on her way to see her horses. Coleen and Jerry share stories about life after Biggest Loser, and say goodbye with Coleen calling after them, "Don't let her kill you!"

WEEK 13

2009-04-01T22:49:18Z

The cast is in for a week of surprise visits to the ranch. After Nicole rejoins the game, they all get to spend some time chatting with Ali Vincent, season 5 winner. She recounts some of her own memories on the campus, and warns them to stay away from the peanut butter! She tells them, "During my season, anyone who ate peanut butter ended up eliminated!"

Nicole spends one on one time with almost every contestant, and tells some of them about her experiences at home. She confesses to Helen that her treat every week was a coffee from Dunkin Donuts, but that she would just stare at the actual donuts and be thankful she wasn't eating them! Everyone continues to try to get some of Nicole's time, but Nicole tells everyone that she really doesn't want to be involved in the drama, and is just thankful to be back and have the advantage of the trainers' expertise.

Having Nicole back in the house has thrown everyone for a loop, with Mike and Tara being especially bothered by her high numbers. Nicole mostly keeps to herself for the week, running hour after hour on the treadmill, while the rest of the contestants continue to stress about the game, alliances, and how on earth they can keep up their accelerated pace of weight loss.

Everyone is glad to see Alison Sweeney rejoin them at the weigh-in, and they all take a few moments to coo over pictures of newborn Megan -- with even Bob and Jillian gushing over the baby. When the weigh-in time comes around, it is hard to tell who is more upset -- the contestants or the trainers, when Nicole actually gains weight and comes up for elimination. Even though both Ron and Laura gain weight as well this week, it is no surprise when Nicole is ousted from the game, having lost her immunity and only being able to enjoy the benefits of the BL ranch for one week. The remaining contestants regroup quickly, as now the game has resumed from where they were one week prior -- with all the familiar faces intact.

WEEK 12

2009-03-25T16:18:59Z

Many of the contestants never thought they would make it to this -- the third and final stage of the game: Singles. In a BL first, they are allowed to choose whom they would like to train with as well. Perhaps not surprisingly, Filipe and Sione immediately go back to training with Bob, with Filipe saying, "Get me out of this Black shirt." However, some players have a more difficult time choosing. When Helen chooses Jillian, Bob is surprised, but he is not at all prepared when Mike announces that he too, will be sticking with Jillian. He tells his players that it was like "a punch in the stomach."

The decision weighs heavily on Mike -- and the youngest player left in the game is clearly stressed, as he takes break after break during his first workout with Jillian to run outside and vomit. Later, in a private conversation with Kristin, he tells her he feels as if he has betrayed Bob. Kristin comforts Mike with a surprising admission, telling him she almost made the same move based on Jillian's track record, and that "game-play-wise, you made the best decision."

Meanwhile, Sione and Filipe tease Tara about how she must be happy they are no longer training with her -- singing to her and telling her jokes as she makes her dinner. Sione wonders, "If a group of vegetarians were left alone on an island... how long would it be before they started eating the cows?" in a nod to Bob's vegan lifestyle. Tara takes it all in stride and lets them know she is on her own team -- as she has been from the beginning.

When Tara beats Sione yet again by winning another challenge, he does not take it well, perhaps because of an earlier conversation with Bob in the gym. As the original Blue team has now appeared to regain some of its original intensity, both Sione and Filipe have reverted to the oft-heard BL mantra, "To be the best, you have to compete with the best."

It seems as though the stress on the ranch will continue to be present as each player strives to stay above the yellow line. How will their choices in trainers and their alliances affect them throughout the rest of their time on the BL campus?

WEEK 11

2009-03-18T16:45:41Z

This week put the contestants to the test as they went home to experience the real world for one week. Everyone has mixed reactions coming back to campus with Tara, Mike, and Helen thrilled to be back in their comfort zone while others, like Laura and Aubrey, had a hard time leaving their family and friends. Everyone comes to the consensus that losing weight in the real world will be very difficult indeed, as they have changed, but their environments have remained the same.

Bob and Jillian have their work cut out for them, and spend a lot of time in the gym with their players. As Bob trains Ron he says gleefully, "Hope you had fun at home Ronnie... cause now you're back in my house," while Jillian has a similar conversation with Helen, saying, "Hope you had fun at home -- you're my bitch for the next two months." As Helen and Ron, along with everyone else, moan and groan, Jillian laughs, "Yep -- a lot of love in this room!"

The contestants are all nervous about how the week at home may have affected them physically and mentally. Aubrey misses her family terribly, saying, "As I came back, I thought I would be okay. But when I got here, I felt really lonely. And I kinda felt like I don't have anybody." Kristin has found more strength in herself, telling Bob in a private conversation that, "Going home put everything in perspective. I'm in that mind frame now. I'm completely serious."

When the Blue team loses yet another weigh-in, emotions are high. Kristin tells her mom, "You are a good-hearted person and you can't handle the lies and betrayal of this house." Against Ron's wishes, Kristin and Cathy decide that Aubrey needs to stay and that Cathy should be the one to go home.

WEEK 9

2009-03-08T20:38:30Z

This week is going to be all about the food: from the pop challenge, to the actual challenge, to the weigh-in. During the pop challenge, the cast reflects on their old eating habits. With Filipe admitting he would eat a bucket of fried chicken at a time and Tara confessing her weakness for chicken parmesan, Mike pretty much sums it up when explaining to Rocco DiSpirito what he used to eat for breakfast, admitting, "I'd look at the menu and say yeah." The Black Team wins the pop challenge by preparing healthy versions of fast food, with Aubrey making everyone laugh as she says, "America, meet the Mexican that can't make a burrito." As the Black Team enjoys their meal prepared by Rocco, Ron takes matters into his own hands and sprays the dining Black team with water from the sink, and they all have a good laugh.

The Black Team also wins this week's challenge at the food bank, and receives free groceries for a year from General Mills. Mike does something that is quite surprising when he gives Aubrey his prize, noting that she needs it more for her family. Aubrey cries and says, "When you're eating Ramen, I'll think of you." Even though Mike has done a great thing for Aubrey, he doesn't realize that in a matter of hours, the fate of the house will be resting on his weight loss. Did he lose the double digits necessary to keep them all safe?

WEEK 8

2009-03-05T23:07:47Z

The teams have split to Black and Blue this week and there are mixed feelings in the house. Immediately after the pop challenge, while speaking to his new "Blue" team Ron jokes, "I'm putting a stripe down the middle of my room," referring to Mike being on the Black team.

Helen says, "We are so happy coming into the gym, we are going to be crying coming out of it." If she only knew how true that would be! The challenge lives up to its name as the longest challenge in Biggest Loser history, and the contestants fight to stay awake. Filipe sings about being Tongan and dances as he pedals, energizing himself with his culture. Kristin eats an apple to keep herself alert while pedaling at 3:00 in the morning, but Mike on the other hand has his hands tucked under his armpits and his eyes closed, at least pretending he can be sleeping. In an effort to not fall asleep, Mike and Kristin begin playing rock, paper, scissors, trying to work themselves mentally as well as physically. Meanwhile, Dane tells Aubrey in the midst of his own misery, "I feel like the number one criteria so far with these challenges is that we have to be miserable." After their new times are revealed and the Black team is ahead of the Blue team with only hours left in the challenge, the Black team yells in excitement and in contrast to what he was feeling before, Filipe says, "If I was wearing Blue now... I'd probably want to switch to Black." Aubrey is clearly upset at the outcome as she tells Mandy, "It's a good thing I'm here to lose weight and not win challenges... my optimism is gone... as far as winning... just going to focus on working myself out. With that attitude, Mandy refers to her sister as "Negative Nellie," but minutes later she is the one saying, "I hate winners... I want to punch them all in the face." With a lot of laughing, goofing around and playing games while on the bikes, and getting themselves through it with phrases like, "I am just going to keep pedaling the pounds away," the challenge finally ends. But as Aubrey admits the next day, "I started to freak out during the 24-hour challenge... I thought it was never going to end." Aside from a difficult week and even though almost everyone is on a different team, the contestants stay united, as is evident in some fun basketball they play.

WEEK 7

2009-02-25T01:46:43Z

Reality sets in for everyone except the Pink and Brown Teams, that they will not have access to the gym this week. Immediately after losing the Pop-Challenge, Sione comforts himself by saying, "You know what though, when I was at home I would go hiking every single say and it burns so many more calories...and it's not like being on a stupid treadmill." Meanwhile, Mandi fully admits that she is going to miss her spin bike, and Kristin shows her remorse as she sarcastically says, "Keys to the gym week, next it should be a gym lock-in."

The week proceeds, and as Mike, Helen and Shanon make their way to the gym, Sione and Filipe show some bitterness. Filipe tells Mike, "Hey Mike don't lose your key, have fun running on the treadmill, we will be running with the deer and antelope, frolicking with them." Then Sione goes on to tell Shanon, "Have fun Shanon, I hope you fall on the treadmill," and Filipe continues with, "I hope the Stairmaster eats you alive." Helen, however still has some unfinished business to take care of outside before she hits the gym. She goes out to steal a sixth chair along with some pillows for her "lounge" in the gym, however Sione and Filipe are not going to give their chair up without a fight. Helen tugs the chair from the Blue Team, and as she struggles says, "I am taking the chair, I am decorating, get off my chair... I want to go back to the gym, now get the hell of my chair." But the Blue Team will not budge. Filipe goes as far as sitting on the chair, and while Helen tries to get him off, Sione pulls her off! In the end, Helen manages to throw him off, and Filipe says to her, "You can have it, but remember your fate lies in our vote." Amongst Sione and Filipe's ticking and tackling, Helen finally gets her chair and the pillows to match! Filipe and Sione then join in the kitchen to find Aubrey, Mandi, Tara, Laura, and Kristin playing musical chairs. It's a battle between these girls, each of them fighting for a chair like it's their life. So Filipe and Sione decide to partake in the game, not as competitors, but as their DJ! As the Biggest Loser theme song plays in the background, and Filipe and Sione sing along, the girls battle it out. In the end, it's Aubrey's game, as she bumps Laura off the final chair and gains victory!

The Purple, Green, Yellow, Blue and Black teams try to find other forms of exercise without the use of them gym as well. Aubrey tries to teach them the Cancan dance, but that doesn't work too well, especially with the boys. So, they all head outside for some good old American football, burning some calories before they see what other kinds of outdoor exercise their trainers have in store.

WEEK 6

2009-02-18T00:00:10Z

The contestants try to shake things up in the gym. Aubrey, Mandi, Dane, Tara, Laura, and Shanon play volleyball in the gym with the huge yoga ball! It's obvious they are struggling with their technique, but the game in and of itself seems to be working well for them, both fun and a decent form of exercise. Thereafter, Aubrey still wants to play! She gathers Mandi, Laura, Shanon, and Tara to play some jump rope. The girls start off with two ropes, and try playing "Double Dutch," but after many failed attempts, they soon realize they aren't little girls anymore and those days are long gone. So, the girls switch back to the traditional one rope and take turns holding the rope and jumping, laughing, goofing around and reminiscing their youth, all while getting a workout. Meanwhile, Blaine and Sione joke together about going home as Blaine says, "I will only get fatter with my family so I don't want to go home." But Sione tries to convince him otherwise while also making him understand this time he is here for good as he replies, "Yeah, so you should go. I already went and I didn't gain weight... I am not leaving until February."

With the arrival of Mandi's husband and kids, Helen and Aubrey's maternal instincts come out. Helen makes healthy strawberry shakes for Remington and Dawson, while Aubrey enjoys the opportunity to see her nephews. Aubrey watches after the kids as Mandi cooks and jokes around with them when asking, "Who is tougher, Auntie Aubrey or your daddy?" Of course, the boys say their dad, who is like Superman for them, leaving Aubrey to give scenarios where she was stronger, such as fixing their bikes and toys and letting them know that if she really wanted to she could beat their Dad up, especially with the training Jillian has been giving her. Meanwhile, Tara reassures Rusty of how much fun he is going to have on the ranch, and how he will get to see the swan they have in the lake, the amenities of the gym, and even meet the notorious Jillian Michaels. After Mandi enjoys her family, it's back to the gym. Following some discussion with Aubrey about Rusty's stay, she hears Jillian about to come into the gym and tells her sister, "I am going to start jogging because I don't want to get my butt kicked."

WEEK 5

2009-02-10T22:54:53Z

At-home partners, Aubrey, Carla, Sione, Shanon, and Cathy are back on the ranch this week and ready to prove that they can compete with everyone else. However, it's much harder than they imagined and at the end of the day, the question everyone is asking their partners is, "Does it get easier?" Tara helps Laura get through the workouts by saying, "Toughen up cupcake," and later explains, "It's my little phrase, cause she's my little cupcake." Cathy on the other hand gives herself encouragement as she says, "Some of the small things that he had me do again made me feel like Wonder Woman. Just walking out of the gym and surviving it...makes you feel wonderful." Aside from the workouts, Shanon and Helen ease their stress by doing cartwheels and round-offs outside. But while Shanon is a professional at them, it is obvious Helen is scared and after numerous attempts tells her daughter, "I'll practice in the pool."

The contestants thus travel to Dr. H's office to discover their new "Real Age," one that will hopefully be much more satisfying, along with any other progresses they have made. Mandy learns she no longer suffers from arrhythmia, and is down to age 30, far from her first visit to Dr. H in which her "real age" was 43. Aubrey has also improved, dropping from a real age of 41 to 37 since her last visit. In addition, Mandy has dropped 28% of her excess fat and Aubrey has dropped 21%. As far as the real age of the other contestants, Carla now has a real age of 46, down two years from her first calculated age, while Joelle went from age 54 to 50. Tara's real age decreased from age 37 to 30, and Laura's age is now 36, down from a previous 40 years old. Kristin showed major improvement as well, going from a real age of 47 to 41, while Cathy's adds a few years to her life, improving from a real age of 57 to a new real age of 54. After 5 weeks on the ranch, Helen goes from being 60 to 55, and her daughter Shanon benefits from the diet and excess she had at home, changing her initial real age of 44 to 40 years old. The males also make some major improvements, as Dane decreases his real age of 43 to a much lesser 36 years old, and Blaine decreases his from 47 to 39! The Blue team makes some progress as well, while Sione shrinks down from a real age of 43 to 37, and Filipe does even better, going from a real age of 43 to 36. The youngest player in the competition, Mike, was originally estimated to be 41 years old and in a mere five weeks he improve his age to 34. Lastly, Ron, who was estimated to have a real age of 62 years old, added a few more years to his life as well, and is now a real age of 59.

Dr. H tells the there are four components in losing weight: diet, exercise, psychology AND sleep optimization. Dr. H shows Kristin the charts from when her sleep was monitored and after seeing how severe her sleep apnea is and the lack of sleep she is actually getting, Kristin swears to wear her mask. Dr. H also shows Carla and Joelle their sleep charts and at one point, Carla did not breathe for 33 seconds! She stopped breathing completely 15 times an hour because of her sleep apnea!! The Blue Team is up next, and it's discovered that Sione has, as Dr. H puts it, "a life threatening condition" because of his sleep apnea, having 140 episodes per hour and periods where he would stop breathing for up to 40 seconds. Filipe and Sione are stunned, and while Dr. H gives them praise for all the progresses they have made in their weigh-loss and health, it is all bittersweet. The Black Team is last to see Dr. H, learning about their younger "real age," decreased body mass, decreased excess body fat, along with the progress Dane and Blaine have made in their health, but also reveals some bad news with the dangers associated with their sleep apnea. Once again, the news is bittersweet, especially for Dane, as Dr. H tells him he has gained 13 pounds of muscle in five weeks, but that the lack of oxygen to his brain 79 times per hour could have taken his life if he hadn't decided to make a change in it.
The week ends on a lighter note with some girly fun before the weigh-in, for both the girls and the guys. After Carla does Kristin's make-up, Kristin and Carla decide Filipe needs to look pretty as well. Thus, Kristin applies lip-gloss on Filipe as Carla does the rest of his make-up, leaving Filipe to say, "Whatever you do, make sure I look pretty, because this is the first and last time."

WEEK 4

2009-02-04T00:18:40Z

With the absence of Blaine who went home this week to see his new baby, Dane takes some time out to help Dan in the kitchen. Although Dan was lucky to have won the Pop-Challenge, it seems he struggles with cooking himself. When he has trouble cutting some butternut squash, Dane comes over and does the honors, only to make a joke out of it singing, "Give me a break, give me a break, break me off a piece of butter nut squash." Another first for Dan this week, he learns how to skip! After doing some football drills and sprints outside, Jillian teaches Dan how to skip, something he had never really attempted before. During the week, there are other kinds of singing and dancing going on as well, like when Filipe does a cultural Tongan song and dance for some of the Biggest Loser crew. The crew is so amazed at this that they ask him to do it over and over again.

Blaine returns as the father of a new 8-pound, healthy baby boy. However, he still has his work cut out for him at the ranch, and while Blaine can say, "I wish my wife's weight loss this week counted for me," wishes don't always come true. Thus, he is back at the ranch for some of Jillian's amazing workouts, leaving him to say afterwards, "It's like the marathon day of Jillian workouts." Apparently the workouts on Bob's side of the gym were just as strenuous since when Kristin asks Mike if he had any favorite exercises this week, Mike states he had one, "When he made us take the 20-pound weights and squat with a lot of reps." But sure enough there is a reason that was his favorite exercise, as Kristin quickly responds in laughter, "Yeah, because that was the easiest thing to do... it was a vacation from the lunges."

The day of the weigh-in, Filipe and Blaine pass their time playing dominos, as Joelle and Dane intently watch. Others such as Tara and Mandy spend the afternoon putting nail polish on one another's toes, trying to calm themselves on such a nerve-racking day. Meanwhile, others like Mike and Kristin take a different approach by being comical. First, Kristin tells Mike hat she has a magical ring that helps her win weigh-ins and then goes on to try and convince him to wear a dress at the weigh-in, as she says "If you fall below the yellow line, I will not vote you home if you promise to wear a brown dress... you will look so good in it!" Although it is a tempting offer, Mike chooses not to accept and sticks with his brown Biggest Loser t-shirt. Perhaps that is his good luck charm, since the Brown team was not sent home this week.

WEEK 3

2009-01-28T00:49:12Z

With the beginning of the third week on the Biggest Loser campus, it's obvious the contestants are beginning to feel more comfortable with one another, and their feelings about Bob and Jillian. Before the arrival of Jillian for some real workouts, Tara, Mandy, and Mike have some fun training one another. They alternate tying stretch bands around one another and having the other person run, just like Jillian has them do in their workouts, but much, much easier of course. However, the fun and games are over when Jillian arrives for their workout, and in the absence of Bob off to Detroit with Joelle, all the contestants are going to experience a "Jillian" workout. The jokes are over the next day as Blaine and Filipe unexcitedly talk about the workouts and Blaine adds, "You have resistance today...that's individual, just you and her, no slacking off. That is the worst, she pulls you to the floor and it's just you and her, and that is when she pushes you. I hear my name, 'Blaine you to the floor,' and I just want to throw up, like immediately throw up." Thereafter, Jillian's teams give some advice and tips to Bob's teams about "what to do and what not to do" in her workouts in order to guarantee their survival. The main advice they give them is to not say the words, "I'm sorry" and "I can't." Dan puts it best as he tells them. "Even if you happen to drop a weight on Jillian's head, DO NOT apologize."

This week is also Tara's birthday, and it's very obvious that no matter what age Tara may be, she will always be young at heart -- and what better way to be young than with a water fight. Thus, before hitting the gym for some more intense workouts, Tara, Mike, Blaine and Mandy take a hike together and end up soaked. They chase each other, dance together, and pour water over one another until they finally reach the gym, and while they try to get serious, the jokes and laughter continue throughout their workouts, well at least until Bob and Jillian show up. But Tara isn't the only one that has been dancing around, Damien point out to Bob that Kristin is always outside, smiling and doing the Bob dance. However, amidst losing the jump rope challenge after almost two and a half hours, Kristin can't waste too much energy on the Bob dance anymore as she tried to get up from the couch and falls back laughing and saying, "I have never had so many places in my body have cramps."