So last night we finally got a dose of Biggest Loser, again. I don’t know about you, but I was craving mine badly. First we saw a recap of the last episode and learned that Darrell lost the “torch” challenge (which I thought was absolutely ridiculous) and was sent packing. Next we moved on to this week’s first challenge which involved a lot of food and calories. Only 2 contestants, Andrea and Michael, opt into this challenge of finding the Golden Key. A game of memory (I always loved that game) finds them trying to match food items or else eat a cookie. If they made a match, the other had to eat the food item. PB&J sandwiches, glazed donuts, hot pretzels, blueberry muffins, fruit pies, peanut butter cups, crispy treats and lots of cookies were consumed before Michael matched the 2 golden tickets and won the challenge. I am not sure how I feel about the food challenges, but I am sure that anyone would be sick from eating all that sugar and fat and perhaps not want to binge again for a very long time! Then again, these are seriously overweight people who probably got really good at binging, being sick and starting over again, so the eating challenges always distress me a bit.
Having won the challenge, Michael won the opportunity to divide the group into 2 teams and pick their trainers. So here we are back at black vs. blue. Michael had a choice to pick his own team or take immunity for the week and fall into a team next week, based on this week’s elimination. He chose to build a really strong blue team and place himself on it while giving immunity to Oneal. Now, along with Koli, Miggy, Lance, Daris and Sunshine, Michael and the Blue team would compete against a smaller, weaker, less weight to lose Black team consisting of Sam, Cheryl, Andrea, Stephanie, Sherry and Ashley. Here’s where I get bothered by Jillian, once again.
Instead of being a cheerleader and deciding to make lemonade out of lemons, she gets pretty upset, shouts out something which was bleeped and tells her team how bad this is that the teams are so unevenly stacked. She yells at Michael and wonders how he can do this. IT’S A GAME JILLIAN. THE OBJECT OF THE GAME IS TO WIN. Michael, being a loud-mouthed New Yorker, has no problem telling Jillian exactly that and after hearing the words, she agrees.
In a strength challenge of pulling a banner up to the top of the building, Blue team prevails and wins letters from home. Sweet, but no big deal in terms of the game. Sam reminds his team not to feeling badly. A voice of reason at such a young age, he reminds his team-mates that they are NOT there to win letters from home. Great point!
For in the end it’s the weigh in that matters. And in the end, it’s always all about heart! The poor, poor members of the small and weak Black team come out on top of the weigh in with Ashley pulling double digits and putting them over the top. Blue team has to eliminate a member and tonight that elimination went to Miggy. Though she has softened her attitude and is a strong player, I wasn’t sorry to see her go. Oneal becomes part of the Blue team and another week of BL is behind us.
I walk away from this episode hoping that this week it was Jillian who learned a lesson. It’s not the first week that I have felt this way. While she wanted to moan and whine about unfairness, she was reminded that ANYONE can be a winner if they try hard enough. Life isn’t always fair, is it?
I have always felt I have 2 purposes on this earth…to learn and to teach. Even as Jillian is the trainer and the teacher, I hope she is enlightened by what she learns along the journey.
Whatever you do today, do it with all your heart and you’ll come out a winner.
I was also quite dissapointed with Jillian’s reaction. She and her Black Team have been in this position before and have come out winners more often than not. I thought she should have laughed it off and said something about always underestimating the underdogs. She seemed to work it out, but I thought it a lesson that she should have learned from many past seasons. This is actually a position of strength for her as she does so well training the “weaker” contestants.
I am really digging on the female contestants this year. Love Stephanie, Sunshine and Ashley. I also really like Sam and Koli (Sam more b/c he is Black and I always root for Black) I find myself wanting the “moms” (Sherry and Cheryl) to go home. They don’t seem to add much to the show – they’re just sort of there.
Also – when the heck is makeover week? Is it just me or is this season really scruffy and unkempt? The beards going down the necks and getting long enough to tie in ponytails! The hair sticking out of sweatbands in neglected afros! These people are looking back and watching themselves on TV now and cringing and lamenting their lack of grooming for sure!
Regarding the binging issue, speaking as someone with some food issues, when Michael and Drea started eating cookies, I envied them. They chose to play a game and according to the rules they “had to” eat cookies and the other matched food items. I was envious right up until it hit about 1500 calories and then I felt bad for them both. For me, food with lots of fat and sugar is sort of like alcohol to an alcoholic. Once I start, I want to keep eating until I can’t eat another bite. Even knowing the consequences of my actions are weight gain, sugar cravings and lots of bathroom time, I still can’t stop after that first cookie. So for me, the lesson learned is DO NOT EAT THAT COOKIE or whatever trigger food is in front of me. I’ve learned that I don’t really have good will power, I just have good avoidance techniques. Therefor, I do what works for me.
OK – That’s enough soul bearing for one day. Sorry I hogged your blog, BL sometimes hits very close to home for me. (I guess this was one of those times)
Carol..never ever apologize! i love to hear everyone’s input–it helps me learn! you have managed your weight so well, there is much to be learned from you….
as for BL–firstly, i think they are being told to leave their afros, etc., this way when there IS makeover week, there is SOMETHING to make over (on the men)…i am sure that’s why they are all sportin’ those ridiculous hair”dos”
as for jillian, i agree on every level…she should have said “ha, lets go kick their smart ass butts”….and i agree about the moms…and i agree regarding stephanie, ashley and sunshine (i think they are all really pretty and will look even more gorgeous when they are done with this season—ashley may need a second season for all the weight loss…)
as for koli and sam, i love them, but gotta say last night sam looked HOT…his body is looking really buff already—i think he is young, if i recall, just 22!
thanks for sharing 🙂
I am going to make my comments very short because I was REALLY upset with BL and the cookie/concentration challenge. I was getting nauseous watching MIcheal and Drea consuming all those horrific calories. I truly cannot comprehend WHY they would even have this event as part of the show. Aren’t the contestants learning to eat healthy and trying to AVOID falling back into their bad habits? Aren’t they encouraged to use portion control for each meal? Well….hello BL……that was poor judgement on your part.
I am glad that Miggy was eliminated from the ranch and I was totally thrilled that the black term prevailed. Yes, Bonni, I agree with you…..I did not like Jillian’s attitude at all. These people need team building and encouragement….. not put-downs! She is just too cocky and into herself……….too much!!!!
rita….you and i just want everrrrrryone to be happy and one great big team 🙂 i cant even imagine what you must be feeling when you watch people eat that much! you of “cutting your portions in half” style…..must make you cr-aaaaaaazy!
thanks for checking in and your input! enjoy your day