And the winner is….

As a Biggest Loser finale always is, last night’s season-ending show was an edge-of-your-seat experience. 

Without further ado (because I realize where the importance of this post lies)…

The Winner (aka- The Biggest Loser):

Danny Cahill

Dude… he transformed into a member of the lolli-pop guild!!! 

    

The 39-year-old from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma lost an astonishing 239 pounds to beat out the other 15 contestants who started Season 8- Second Chances with him.  Cahill is a self-proclaimed former stud/rock-star who now works as a land-surveyor.  He said before the final (live) weigh-in that he “feels like a million bucks.”  And now… the man sits $250,000 richer, has added years to his life, and has been dubbed THE Biggest Loser of Season 8.  Bravo!    

Now for the juicy stuff…

 

Close your eyes and think of the most yummy juice you can imagine.  For me, it’s gotta be Sunny D.  This seasons transformations blew.my.socks.off.  If you didn’t watch, be prepared to say “Wow” and “Oh my gosh” about 127 times in the next 5-6 minutes.  These pictures are going to floor you!  (All photos © NBC.  Source.)     

Abby Rike: lost 100 pounds exactly (started at 247, ended at 147)

Abby Rike, 35, went from depressed and overweight to alive and smokin' within a 13 week time frame

Alexandra White: lost 91 pounds (started at 309, ended at 218)

Alexandra White, 20, not only found herself through her weight loss journey, but found a love in one of the other contestants, Antoine Dove.

Allen Smith: lost 116 pounds (started at 325, ended at 209)

Allen Smith, 44, says that for him, the show was about saving his own life.

Amanda Arlauskas: (finalist) lost 87 pounds (started at 250, ended at 163)

Amanda Arlauskas, 19, made her dreams come true by following through with her goals after leaving the Biggest Loser campus

Antoine Dove: lost 152 pounds (started at 367, ended at 215)

Antoine Dove, 23, slimmed down on his own after being eliminated early on in the season

Daniel Wright: lost 111 pounds (started at 312, ended at 201) this season.  Last season he started at 454 pounds. 

Daniel Wright, 20, has lost a TOTAL of 253 pounds- the most ever by a Biggest Loser contestant

Danny Cahill: (finalist- Winner) lost 239 pounds (started at 430, ended at 191)

Danny Cahill, 39, was named the Biggest Loser of season 8, with an amazing 239 pound weight loss. He says that people literally do not know who he is when they see him.

Dina Mercado: lost 79 pounds (started at 253, ended at 174)

Dina Mercado, 28, kept her end of the bargain when she left the ranch in the middle of the season, and lost 44 pounds at home.

Julio Gomez: lost 180 (started at 407, ended at 227)

Julio Gomez, 40, vowed to himself and his family that he would be "fit by 40" and kept his promise! His biggest joy is that he can now play with his kids.

Liz Young: (final four- voted off by viewers) lost 91 pounds (started at 267, ended at 176)

Liz Young, 49, a grandmother of 9, says she has never been happier. "I got my life back. That, to me, is priceless."

Mozziz DeWalt: (Coach Mo) lost 92 pounds (started at 355, ended at 263)

Coach Mo DeWalt, 56, continues to inspire and mentor children, especially since his success on The Biggest Loser

Rebecca Meyer: (AT-HOME WINNER) lost 139 pounds (started at 279, ended at 140)

Yes, this is the same person. Rebecca Meyer, 25, (who I will now refer to as Tinkerbell), won $100,000 for losing the most weight post elimination.

Rudy Pauls: (finalist, runner up) lost 234 pounds (started at 442, ended at 208)

"Big Rudy" Rudy Pauls, 31, says that he gets mad at himself on days when he cannot run 8 miles. He also says he continues to work 70 hours a week and be a great father and husband. Nick name change: Super Rudy

 Sean Algaier: lost 155 pounds (started at 444, ended at 289)

Sean Algaier, 29, and his wife just welcomed a daughter who they named "Jillian"

 

Shay Sorrells: lost 172 pounds (started at 476- the biggest contestant ever- ended at 304)

Shay Sorrells, 29 was invited back to next season finale, where Subway has pledged to pay her $1000 for every pound she loses.

Tracey Yukich: lost 118 pounds (started at 250, ended at 132)

Tracey Yukich, 37, nearly won the $100,000 at-home prize, until Rebecca took her out of the running.

 

  

 

   

It’s a jungle out there kitties- (have a very fruitful day)

Episode 12:

 

This was kind of a heavy week.  Not only were we exposed to the 4 remaining contestants going home, we were also made privy to some of their ‘at home’ issues that enabled their obesity in the first place:

Just a quick rundown

Rudy suffers from a feeling of being alone, of being responsible for everything.  This, as he acknowledged, was triggered by the death of his older sister when he was 12 (she was 14).  After being diagnosed with leukemia, she was sick for a year before the disease took her life.  A part of Rudy went with her, and as he says, he has never been the same:  “Everything changed for me… [this] started my battle with weight,” he admitted, saying this is when he began to rely heavily on food as a source of security and companionship.  During this episode, they show a really sweet moment between Big Rudy and his wife.  As they sat by their backyard pool, she asked him, “What did you need back then?  A hug?”  “Maybe,” he said.  He knows he still has a long way to go.  I think that’s beautiful.

Liz is in a marriage that is at a crossroads.  She came home from the ranch to an ordinary scenario; one that fostered her unhealthy life style for years and years.  Liz is a smart woman, who knows herself very well.  But as she points out, it isn’t enough to simply know yourself.  Knowing yourself isn’t worth as much if you don’t honor yourself.  Another sweet moment captured on camera this week: Liz and her husband took a walk on their [gorgeous] property.  The sun was shining, the weather was free and clear.  And so was Liz: “Things are going to be different,” she told her husband.  She told him she wanted fun and adventure back in their marriage.  He concurred.  Again, beautiful. 

Amanda is one determined woman!  She has been overweight, and ashamed of it, all of her life.  She has never known what it felt like to be skinny.  Well girl… how does it feel?!  Rock on, sister!

Danny is shown taking a drive, which he says “helps him focus.”  He said that he has been back and forth with his weight all of his life: Overweight as a youngster, thin as a young adult, obese as an adult, and now back to being thin again.  He is terrified that he’ll go back to being fat again, falling in line with his life’s “pattern.”  He is still in search of where his emotional attachment to food comes from.  On another note, Jillian came to visit Danny, and found out that there was a new problem that had developed since he had been home: His wife is feeling left out/left behind while Danny is in pursuit of his physical and emotional well-being.  Jillian told her it was time for a change.  “Look within yourself.  Your own emotions are a compass for you.”  I LOVE that!

Let’s get this show on the road

In true Biggest Loser form, each contestant received a package containing a DVD for their viewing pleasure.  It was a trip down a painful memory lane for all four of them, as they were given the opportunity to see their entrance interviews that were taped during the first week of the show.  Immediately following, each player received a phone call from either Bob or Jillian, both of whom were calling to tell their pupils that they would be running a full marathon (a total of 26.2 miles) in a few days.  And, last but not least, immediately following the not-so-impromptu phone calls, Bob and Jillian paid an unexpected visit to each contestant:  Bob visited Amanda and Rudy, and Jillian visited Danny and Liz.

The Marathon was hard to watch.  Especially with Danny and Amanda, who both expressed being in severe amounts of pain at certain points during their run.   At one point, Danny was in so much pain, he thought he was going to give up.  But with the encouragement of his wife, and the support from his teammate, Liz, Danny decided to push past his discomfort and finish strong.  All four contestants did just that!  Big Rudy was the only one to run the entire marathon, and he crossed the finish line first.  Amanda was next, who finished with Tara (Season 7) and her best friend by her side.  An hour later, Danny and Liz were accompanied by Bob across the finish line.  And a very familiar finish line it was: The last mile of the marathon was the first mile that the contestants ran on the season’s premiere.  What a way to wrap it up and remind each of them just how far they have come in 12 weeks time.

Ali, Tara, Liz, Amanda, Danny, Rudy, Dina, Mike, Helen are forever connected after both finishing and helping to finish the Biggest Loser Season 8 Marathon

Get on that scale

It was now time to weigh the contestants in one last time before the finale.  As always, there was a yellow line under which no one wanted to fall.  The yellow line, throughout the season and especially now, symbolized safety.  The two people above- safe.  The two below- not safe.

Liz started the ceremony.  She ended up losing a total of 16 pounds in 60 days at home- a great number, she acknowledged, though she was hoping for more. 

Amanda, like Liz, also lost 16 pounds.  A terrific achievement by any standard. 

Danny was next on the scale.  He lost a jaw-dropping 59 pounds in 60 days at home.  A hair away from a pound per day.  As he exclaimed, he “KILLED IT!”  This was enough to secure him a spot in the final 3, and a real shot at $250,000.  His weight-loss however, pushed Liz below the yellow line.

Finally, it was Big Rudy’s turn to weigh in.  He lost an amazing 43 pounds!!  “I worked for every one of them, but I still have a lot of work to do before the finale,” he said, as he stepped off of them podium.  His shedding of poundage was enough to secure his spot along side Danny in the live finale, next week.  Ladies and gentlemen- Let’s get ready to rrrruuuuummmmbbbblllleeee!!! (said in my most authorizative of voices).

So here’s the deal:  Amanda and Liz are in the bottom two.  Each of them still has the opportunity to be in the final three.  But their fate is in the hands of The Biggest Loser viewers.  Who should it be?  Amanda, a young woman who has so much to experience and do and learn?  Or Liz, a woman who hopes to gain back the person she used to be?  Either way, I have faith that each will achieve their goals- both physically and emotionally.  Either way, they have each, as Liz said “gotten [their lives] back.  And that is pricelss.”

Vote here for either Amanda or Liz!

Dude. Where’s My Trainer?

This was it:  The 5 remaining contestant’s last week on campus.  The 4 that survived the week would be leaving The Biggest Loser Ranch along with the eliminated player, heading home to fight this battle sans trainer.  Sans lush accommodations.  Sans With work, children, bills, responsibilities, life.  Let the REAL games begin!!

Episode 11:

 

The Fruit

Week eleven kicked off with a special guest: Suze Orman.  Ever heard of her?  Suze (pronounced Suz.eee) is a world-renowned, highly acclaimed personal financial guru.  (Say that ten times fast).  She was there to help the contestants “balance” their financial responsibilities with their committment to staying healthy, or as she puts it “the balance between health and wealth.”

A little tip:  A consumer can check their FICO score as many times as they want without their credit scores taking a hit.  Many people believe that a consumer is penalized every time they check their credit scores.  Not true, says Orman.

After meeting with each contestant individually, Suze was there to present them with their first challenge/quiz of the week, combining two of the most tedious tasks known to man:  Multiple choice questions and treadmills!  As the players walked on treadmills, Biggest Loser host, Ali, asked them a series of questions pertinent to the information that Suze had just provided them with.  The players logged in their answer for each question using a device installed on the treadmill.  Those who got the correct answer won $1000/question.  Those who did not get the correct answer had to increase the intensity of their workout.  I must say, the questions were relatively easy, as they all are during Biggest Loser quizzes.  But, having to answer while walking/jogging/running on a treadmill… not as simple as it looks.  In the end, Big Rudy, Allen, Liz, and Danny won $4000.00 a piece.  And Amanda, who got two questions wrong, only won $3000.00.  (Only).

The second challenge brought another influential personality into the picture: Hall-of-famer and football legend Rod Woodson #26, 17-year NFL superstar, who shines on and off the playing field.   If I begin talking football, I won’t stop.  Visit the link above for information on Rod.  Amazing athlete, amazing man. 

For this challenge, the contestants “put back on the all the weight [they] lost so far” in the season.  Each contestant carried a bag of weighted footballs.  Each football in the bag was equivalent in poundage to each players weight loss per week on the ranch.  (Stay with me here).  With the bag in tow, they had to run across/around/up-and-down a football field, and distribute/shed the weight at appropriately marked stands representing each week.  (It’s easier to just watch the show.  And a lot more fun.  Trust me).

Powerhouse Allen won the challenge, beating out Big Rudy, who was right on his heels.  His prize was a donation from the NFL of $5000.00 to the school of his choice.  Not surprisingly, he chose for it to be disbursed to his daughter’s school, St. Peter’s Lutheran, in Columbus, IN.

The rest of week eleven followed the normal sequence: brutal last-chance work-outs, sentimental moments/flashbacks of how far each person has come, and of course, the weigh-in. 

It was with a sad heart while I watched Allen, who fell below the yellow line with Liz, be voted off the ranch.  Powerhouse Allen was a strong player who I personally routed for.  I expect he will do well at home, and at the show’s finale, which airs December 7, 2009 at 8:00 EST.

The Juice

This is the point in the season that I really enjoy: As the group of players dwindles down, they begin to grow closer and closer to one another, putting stock in the support they can offer and receive, rather than focusing solely on the competition itself.  The bond and understanding between the few remaining contestants gets more profound and more substantial.  Therefore, there is no real need or basis for “the juice;”  “the fruit” and “the pit” are plenty.

The Pit

As Allen said, “If you want to take care of others, you HAVE to take care of yourself.”  This is a revelation that each contestant has had at one point or another during the competition, most notably upon elimination.  For the remaining contestants, though it is not the end of their Biggest Loser run yet, it is the end of their stay on The Biggest Loser Ranch- a place where they sought and received solace, coaching, guidance, and counseling.

I am not directly involved with, nor have I ever been directly involved with, The Biggest Loser.  I cannot put myself in the shoes of those who have experienced such a dramatic weight loss program, such a drastic change in life style.  But I can say, at certain points in my life, and especially now, I have had the same realization: In order for me to take care of my loved ones, I have to take care of myself.  In recent weeks, this has been a concept that resonated with me more than ever before, due to a personal tribulation. 

We all have rearranging to do.  None of us are ever done learning about ourselves.  To say “I’m done” is to assume perfection.  To assume perfection is to claim an exemption from modification.  To be exempt from modifying is ignorance at best.  Ingorance is fear.  And fear… is simply an ally that we’ve mislabeled as a foe.

You know you want to…

A new episode of The Biggest Loser airs tonight at 8:00pm EST. Tune in to see what all the hub-bub is about.

Also, NBC is airing a special this Wednesday, November 25, at… yep you guessed it- 8:00pm EST. This is quite the special indeed- a Where Are They Now show, highlighting past cast members journeys, successes and failures after their reailty TV highs wore off.

Watch it. You know you want to…

More on Rebecca (and Daniel, too)

ETOnline Post Elimination Interview:

Rebecca Meyer (25) appeared on Jay Leno’s primetime show, immediately following The Biggest Loser episode 10 premiere. She looked FAB-U-LOUS! And buff!

Rebecca Meyer has lost a total of 105 pounds, and has no intention of stopping there

She also revealed that her and fellow Biggest Loser contestant, Daniel Wright (20), are in a romantic relationship.  “I fell in love with my best friend,” she announced. 

Daniel Wright, 20, has had quite a journey, a startling transformation, and has found a new love in Rebecca Meyer

Best of luck to you both, Rebecca and Daniel!!

Makeover Week! The Glitz, the Glam, and the Grime

This is the week we have all been waiting for: Let us rejoice and be glad!

Episode 10:

 

The Fruit

They did not mess around and make us wait until the second part, or the end of the show, to reveal the made-over contestants (compliments of Tim Gunn and Tabatha Coffey).  And WOW!  The transformations were nothing to snub.

Allen Smith- Before and After

Amanda Arlauskas- Before and After

Danny Cahill- Before and After

Liz Young- Before and After

Rebecca Meyer- Before and After

Rudy Pauls- Before and After

Each contestant had the opportunity to share their journey on stage in front of a 300 person audience.  It was a compelling segment to an already fascinating show: 

Allen- “I put my life on the line to save others.  Yet I feared for my own life.”

Amanda- “I have struggled with my weight my whole life.  It has held me back from opportunities… I am done running away from my problems.”

Danny- “A turning point for me was when… my daughter told me ‘Daddy, I want a belly just like yours.’”  He heavily credits his daughter for pushing him to where he is today.

Liz- “For years, I tried to blame me being fat on everything and everyone besides myself.  I tried to be everything to everybody, and somewhere along the way, I lost myself.  From now on, I am going to take time to take care of me.”

Rebecca- “Since I was 10 years old, I have struggled with my weight.”

Rudy- Unknown to anyone on campus, his sister died of cancer when he was 12.  Her wish for him was that he “make a change and get the weight off.”

After their poignant proclamations, the contestants were thrust back into their usual brutal workouts, beginnning with a challenge:  They set up a zip wire across a canyon.  “Your stay at the ranch will take you to new heights – and so will this challenge,”  Ali tells the 6 remaining contestants.  They had to go across the canyon on the wires using a “pulley-” 200 feet off the ground.  The always important prize was a 2-week trip to The Biggest Loser Resort and Fitness Ridge in St. George, Utah. 

All of the players made it across (even Liz, who was trembling at the mere thought- she kept her eyes closed the entire time).  Big Rudy won the challenge for the second week in a row!  Big man has made a name for himself!  And as I am sure you have noticed by now, I have as well— Big Rudy!  I like it. 

At the weigh in, there were some BIG numbers:

• Amanda Arlauskas lost 9 pounds
• Danny Cahill lost 12 pounds
• Rudy Pauls lost 16 pounds

On the lower end, Allen lost 5 pounds, which ended up being enough to keep him above the yellow line.  Below the yellow line sat Rebecca and Liz. 

After deliberation, Rebecca was sent home, with Rudy having the final say: “I didn’t trust this person.”

The Perfect Segway!

The Juice

The juice this week didn’t come out until the very end.  With everyone on cloud nine from being made-over, week ten was very Kumbaya.  But sometimes, the thicker the juice, the longer it takes to emerge.  (We’ll call it tomato paste).

Rebecca, upon falling below the yellow line, realized that she needed to sit down and talk with Allen and Big Rudy: These were the two players who sit “on-the-fence” in the elimination room when it comes to alliances.  She pleaded with them, “I have never been in the bottom two.  Liz has 3 times.  She’s had her second chance.  I want mine.”

Liz, at the advice of Danny and Amanda, did the same:  “Guys, “I’m here to fight.”

When it came time for elimination, Rudy (who voted 3rd in the line up), voted Rebecca off, saying he knew 5 weeks ago (with a specific instance in mind) that he did not trust her.  Devastated, Rebecca sobbed as she told him that he should have talked to her about this ”5 weeks ago when it happened.”  (The two were close friends on campus).  His response: “You should have been honest 5 weeks ago.” 

She left without saying goodbye to him.

The Pit

While I agree with Rudy’s reason for voting Rebecca off, he also was dishonest by continuing a [fake] friendship with Rebecca whilst harboring this animosity toward her.  

The truth!?  Trust!?  It works both ways in a relationship.  When trust is broken, it’s usually on both sides.  Trust is not some magical level on which a couple sits.  Trust lies in the steps it takes to get there, by both parties involved.  Trust is many little things jammed into one word: honesty, openness, willingness, loyalty, affection, faith, love, balance.  It is not a one dimensional concept.  Nor is it one sided. 

If there is someone you are having trouble trusting, ask yourself:  “Do they trust me?  Should they trust me?”

A Speedy Gonzales Post for Episode 9:

(Disclaimer- I am feeling very latino today.  That tends to happen when I wear my hair curly). 

Okay folks.  I am determined to catch up with this season.  I have consistently been a week behind, and it’s just not cool anymore.  It’s time to “¡Andale! ¡Andale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba! ¡Yii-hah!”

So here’s the skinny on week nine:

In the first minutes of the episode, Ali revealed that there was going to be 2 contestants going home in week nine.  For the first time in Biggest Loser history, there was going to be a red line.  This was essentially the line of doom:  Do not pass go, do not collect $250,000.  The player who fell below this line would automatically be hitting the road, Jack.  In addition to the red line, there was (as always) a yellow line, and (as always) the two people who fell below it were up for elimination.  It was then up to the remainder of the contestants to decide who to send home, as per usual.   

Challenge Numero Uno 

Allen Smith, 34, of Columbus, IN, is pictured here in the beginning of Season 8 at 325 lbs. He weighs in now at 238 lbs.

This one was for a 1 pound advantage at the weigh in- which is, more or less, like winning the Biggest Loser lotto.  The group had to jump up to reach a total of 50 tennis balls that were velcro-ed to a wall, then run the balls over to a bucket and drop them in.  The first to get all of their tennis balls into the bucket was Allen Smith.

 

Challenge Numero Dos

Big Rudy (Rudy Pauls), a 31 year old NY native, began the season at 442 lbs. As of week 9, he weighed 324 lbs- a significant 9 week weight loss.

This one was a real circus.  No, really.  It was in a Ringling Brothers-Barnum and Bailey circus tent.  And the contestants- again, I’m being serious- had to jump through hoops to try to knock their opponents out of the challenge.  Each time a player jumped through anothers’ hoop, that player received a point.  And in this game, much like golf, points were no bueno; once a player was tacked with 100 points, they were ushered out like a bad wedding guest.  And oh yeah, did I mention the prize?  Immunity.  Cha-Ching!  Big Rudy (Rudy Pauls, 31) won the challenge and won immunity for himself. 

 

Weigh In

Daniel Wright (20), the one player in Biggest Loser history to get a literal ’second chance’ on the show, fell below the red line this week.  He graciously thanked the show for what it has done for him: He has lost, since the beginning of last season, a total of 198 pounds (in a year)!  WHHHAAAAAT!?!?  This is ca-raise-e.

The two below the yellow line:  Shay Sorrells (29) and Amanda Arlauskas (19).  To everyone’s shock and shagrin (including my own), the players voted Shay off, sending her home to fight this battle on her own.  As she says, she left with “her integrity, [I]set a record, and [I]made a lot of progress, and [I'm]walking out with all of that.”

Daniel Wright and Shay Sorrells play show and tell on the Jay Leno Show, November 10, 2009

Both Daniel and Shay appeared on the Jay Leno show immediately following week nine’s premiere. 

Shay has lost 54 pounds since being home (after losing 100 on campus), and Daniel has lost 32 pounds at home.  Both say they are in this for the long haul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More from Tracey

In a post elimination interview with ETOnline:

“Once I got home [after my elimination] and truly looked at the situation, I really felt I did everything I had to do to stay there as long as I could. I was one of 16 people that had this opportunity out of 500,000 people all over the country. I tried out for ‘The Biggest Loser’ three times. I stood in line for 14 hours in the pouring rain in Dallas, TX, and I made it on the show. Why wouldn’t you give everything that you possibly have to stay there?”

Regardless of how she was presented on the show, the 37-year-old homemaker from Allen, TX, says she now has great relationships with her fellow contestants.  “I spent a lot of time talking to them last night when the show was over,” she says. “A lot of people think I don’t, but I do. What you see is what is on TV. When people know who I am and know where my heart is … I have a huge heart.”

Tracey also says that she screened each week of “The Biggest Loser” before her four children were allowed to watch them.  “After the cupcake incident, I did have reservations and, honestly, I did TiVo it,” she tells ET. “I would watch it first and then let my kids watch it, because I do have little kids and I am their mom. I am a superhero in their eyes, so when they see someone on TV — and maybe I wasn’t completely myself — and others were talking about me, it did hurt their feelings.” -Tracey Yukich

Source

Holy Guacamole! The Biggest Loser visits the Nations Capitol(e)

 I am kind of disappointed.  No one gave me the inside scoop (months ago) when the Biggest Loser contestants were in our nations capital.  Um, hello!?  I’m a HUGE fan and a dedicated blogger.  411 please!  Biggest Loser:  Next time, have your people call my people.

 

Episode 8:

 

The Fruit

The Biggest Loser came to DC in week eight to kick off the competition as singles.  Yes, the time had finally come for each contestant to vie for the title- and prize- as individuals; (though there are solid alliances that remain- Danny, Liz, Rudy, Allen v. Daniel, Amanda, Rebecca, Shay v. Tracey- the lone ranger).  

As they stood in front of the Jefferson Memorial, the contestants were presented with their first challenge for the week:  Trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, who were also in DC, were hosting a public workout.  It was up to the contestants to get people to come.  Whoever got the most participants, (marked with a color-coded Biggest Loser sticker), won the opportunity to take their recruits to Subway for lunch.  The winner (by one person)?:  Liz Young.

The cast then got the opportunity to speak with Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Bob Casey, Jr, who both serve on the Subcommittee of Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms.  I love that they incorporate bits like this into the program.  With millions of people watching, it’s a powerful chance to really reach the viewers on both a political and personal level.

The next challenge was broken down into four separate ’rounds’.  In each phase, the last 3 finishers would be eliminated from the challenge and drop out of competing for the prize:  Immunity. 

In the first ’round’ the contestants ran two laps around Constitution Gardens Lake (about a mile).  Rebecca led the pack and won this first stage; Danny, Tracey and Shay all dropped out. 

Ding Ding- In round two, the contestants had to collect pennies off of the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  Whoever filled a marked-tub first won this stage.  Big Rudy took the cake on this one.  Amanda and Allen dropped out.

The third round was insane.  In front of the Capitol Building, the contestants had to balance on a 2″ thick brick while they held a Pilates ball over their heads.  To win, they had to stay on the brick the longest without dropping or lowering the ball.  Moving on?:  Big Rudy and Rebecca.

In the beginning of Season Eight, Tracey Yukich weighed in at 238 lbs. In the very first episode, which aired on Sept. 15, 2009, she suffered from a heat stroke after pushing herself to be the first to finish a mile.

The final part to the challenge was set in front of the White House.  It was time for the two remaining competitors (Big

Rudy and Rebecca) to step up… literally.  They had to take 206 (random number?  I think not!!  206 is the number of players The Biggest Loser has had on campus to date) steps on to a simple aerobic step in order to win immunity.  Rebecca, who has become extremely competitive (especially in challenges), left Big Rudy in the dust, and guaranteed her spot on the next week’s episode.

With the challenge out of the way, the last chance workout’s ensued.  As usual, it was a twisted opportunity for Jillian to take her aggression out on her pupils.  And she did (as she always does) just that.

At week eight’s weigh in, which was in front of the Lincoln Memorial, both Daniel and Shay had big numbers:  Shay is out of the 400’s and Daniel’s 11 pound weight loss brought him to a total weight loss of 193 pounds since he started in season 7.  Tracey, who lost 3 pounds, and Liz, who also lost 3, fell below the yellow line, and were therefore up for elimination.

November 2009-Tracey Yukich, 81 pounds lighter, proudly stands at the finish line of the mile she never finished in week one of this season. For her, it is not a finish line, but rather a launching pad.

Tracey, who had been digging her own grave for weeks, was eliminated in week eight. 

Upon elimination, Tracey said “I did exactly what I had to do to stay here. I played the game, and no one likes that. Unfortunately, the choices I have made through this process have come back to bite me. But you know what? I learned a lot. That old person that was so sad, she’s gone. I’m never going to see her again… I love the new me. She smiles a lot more. She’s happier.”

 

The Juice

I am not sure that there is much juice to this post.  I really feel that the contestants were on their best behavior in week eight.  Might it have something to do with the DC vibe?  Maybe they were so empowered that there wasn’t much room for any hubble bubble. 

I am okay with no juice this week.  We’ll call week eight an avocado (yes- an avocado is considered a fruit):  smooth and creamy, and extremely complimentary.

 

The Pit

“One should examine oneself for a very long time before thinking of condemning others.”
~Moliere~

This is my personal lesson learned this week:

Bite your tongue.

As I saw Tracey Yukich up for elimination and, soon after, sent home, I actually began to feel guilty for faulting her in any way.  I began to retreat my judgements toward her that I have continuously made all season.  I thought, ‘Who the heck am I to judge this woman?’  Hind sight.

Sometimes, I move away from a conviction that I have: NOT to judge people; but instead, to focus on myself and what matters in my life.  I always tell myself, ‘You never know what people have going on in their lives.  Be kind.’  That goes for the ‘characters’ on a Reality TV as well. 

Opinions are one thing.  Judgements are a totally different story. 

 

 

Misfortune can be powerful

Episode 7:

I was on hiatus for a bit.  I apologize for the last post; I wasn’t my normal catchy self.  But I am slowly starting to get my wits about me, again, and I am slowly working my way back.

 

The Fruit/Juice  (I’ve had a craving for pulp lately):

I could spend the next two hours going over the happenings in week seven on The Biggest Loser.  I could tell you that each member of the blue team won the right to pick an opponent from the black team to face off against in the week’s weigh in.  I could tell you who picked who, who beat who, who talked trash about who.  I could do all of that.  But I won’t.

The week was more than numbers, and it was more than the rivalries that the cast members were fighting through.  This week had a star:  Abby Rike.  Abby, who has endured more anguish than I can possibly imagine, after losing her husband and two children in a terrible car accident  2 unbearable years ago, stood out in week seven.  She WAS the show. 

How does one bounce back from heartbreak like that?  How does life continue?  How is it possible to wake up every morning, or go to sleep every night?  How does one function on a daily basis in the midst of their sorrow and suffering? 

These are questions that Abby admits to withdrawling from.  As fast as they ran through her head, she was too distraught to even try to answer them.  They consumed her, they ruled her, for years.  She began to use food to comfort her soul, regardless of the physical side effects.

This is what brought Abby to the Biggest Loser campus.  In week one, Abby, through her tears, revealed her agonizing story to the rest of the new cast, saying “Every role I cherished was gone… but I have to believe I’m here for something way bigger.”  I am sure that I was not the only one crying with her, as it is almost impossible to hear her sadness and not be swept away by despair.  The mere thought of the nightmare that she has had to live through is enough to make me sick.  Yet Abby, as Jillian said, is doing it.

Abby, who had battled with an injury while at the Biggest Loser campus, only lost 3 pounds in week seven.  With the black team losing the weigh in, it was time to vote someone off, again.  In the hour that the show gives the losing team to deliberate, Abby asked to be sent home, saying that she finished her journey to “learn to love again,” and that she was ready to start the next chapter of her [healthy] life.  The black team, with the exception of Danny (who voted for Daniel), honored her wishes, and sent her home.  “When I came [here] I was at the lowest point in my life” she told the camera, but “I am ready to fly again,” she proclaimed, smiling. 

Abby Rike steals the cover of Life and Style's October 2009 edition. No wonder!!

Abby returned home to a gathering of people, all in support of her terrible journey and her new found hope.  But little did anyone know, Abby was done being cheered for.  Instead, she is now cheering for others.  Abby is now a motivational speaker, using her powerful testimony to touch people across the world:  “Today is your second chance to choose differently.  And I would say that to the man who killed my family if he were alive today.” WOW!!  I watched the end of this episode through the haze of my tears.  I am so proud of this woman.  She embodies the power of fortitude. 

Watch this video (from The Ellen Degeneres Show) to see her transformation and hear her talk more about her experiences.

 

The Pit:

We all go through crappy times.  We all find ourselves wondering, “Why me?!”  But, misfortune is an equal opportunity assailant; it does not discriminate, it does not pass judgement, and it never comes at a “good time.”  We cannot move through these times unless we acknowledge that they are happening; until we move away from denial and get real; until we make a decision to work through our difficulties, our sadness, our setbacks. 

Only then is it possible to heal.