Reality TV

The Biggest Loser  Season 7 – February 17, 2009

Another week on The Biggest Loser Ranch, and another pop-challenge…Allie surprises the players on their way to the gym.

Here’s the deal, there are going to be 2 keys to the gym, so 2 teams will have gym privileges, the rest will have to burn their calories with mother nature.  The Challenge:  Run up the mountain, grab 1 key, run back down and try to open 1 of the 2 locks.  (This season’s players really surprised me.  In previous seasons all the players were out for themselves, but Season 7 is different…this challenge in particular, everyone was helping Ron, and you can see that everyone cares about each other…this is a testament to how good all of the people that are here are.)

Some people started the challenge at a sprint, others were more just taking it easy…like Pink team member Shannon.  Tara and Filipe were hauling butt, as Tara literally pushed herself to the point of puking (I think Tara was working so hard because she is so afraid of going home, and fears that Tara can’t pull her weight).  I thought for sure that one of them would get the key, but it wasn’t about who got the most keys, it was all about picking the right key, and the Pink team (Helen & Shannon) & Brown team (Ron & Mike) won.

When Jillian found out about what happen at the challenge, she was less than excited about working outdoors.  On a more surprising note, Dane was still here, and Jillian was shocked because Bob told all of his team members to send Dane home.  Like I said Season 7’s players are different…the first teams with hearts.  The problem is that whether or not they are playing the game, the game is being played.  Bob was pissed because Dane is a bigger threat…Bob’s attitude is take my advice or maybe let the other team win.

Since Jillian would do anything to avoid a workout in the sweltering outdoors, she decided to build their own home gym in the ranch.  Jillian had all kinds of moves up her sleeves, and pulled out some old school moves we would have seen Jane Fonda doing…but they worked then, they will work now. All along Jillian was riding Tara’s ass in the workout this week, and Tara just wanted a break to breakdown…since the pressure was on to perform, for her and maybe her teammate again.

So Pink team took to the gym gloating their “privileged membership’ but I wonder if they are using the gym to the best of their abilities.  First off they were not so motivated to move fast, and they strolled at probably a 3 on the treadmills, and later turned Jillian’s side of the gym into a lounge.

Outside Bob gets creative with his teams workout, and uses lawn benches to do step ups, and lawn chairs were used to do chest presses…if you can’t afford a gym membership, don’t let that stop you.  Bob pulled out this other neat at home system called the TRX System, basically a gym in a bag that he hooked to a tree for the players to use to workout on…it was really a neat looking, and user friendly device.

As with any player that comes to the ranch, they often find enlightenment.  This week Kristen finds hers…”I feel so powerful, how could I be so ignorant, how could I ignore the fact of what I was doing to myself.  What I think hurt the most, is that this was in me all along…you can do it, it is inside of you too.”  Some people just need that affirmation, and for Kristen this is going to keep her going.

I think this week was more stressful for everyone, just not having the gym, and the competition is getting more intense, so to blow off some steam, Kristin, Mike, Tara, and Filipe decided to have some fun in the mud…good stress free time.

Back to reality…it was challenge time.  The Challenge: Each player sits at a rowing machine, both players of each team have to remain in the green (high performance) and the winner gets immunity.  It came down to the Green Team (Tara & Laura) and Black Team (Dane)…Dane won the challenge, and immunity.

Last chance workout…Bob sits down with Ron to talk about Ron’s knee problems, and what exercises they are going to do to keep working with Ron to lose weight.  Bob leaves Ron at the ranch to workout in the pool all day, while he takes the rest of the team to the beach.

Jillian’s last chance workout is a mix of boxing, running, 80’s workout moves, and exercises in the pool…sounds like fun, but it was hard work as the players ached like they did the first week at the ranch.

Weigh-in time: Dane is lucky to have immunity since he only lost 4 lbs.  Laura pulled through for Tara, and actually lost more weight then her this week…you could see the relief on Tara’s face.  Kristin finally got out of the 300’s and she was ecstatic.  This week the players showed that you can lose weight without a gym, and having a gym to use was not an advantage, as the Pink Team (Helen & Shannon) fell below the yellow line.

Helen talks to everyone and asked that Shannon get sent home…I automatically wondered will they play the game or not?  I mean for Jillian’s team they would want to send Shannon home because she was a bigger threat, but I don’t think Bob would be too happy with Helen if Shannon gets sent home.

So the decisions are made, and Shannon is sent home.  I can’t wait for next week to see if Bob is going to be pissed…I think we need one more slip out from Bob this season.