Mon, Jan 19, 2009
This week kicks off with a temptation that host Alison Sweeney tells the contestants will allow one player to reunite with their teammate at home and bring their trainer with them. But the reunion doesn't go exactly as planned when fireworks erupt between the two teammates after one player accuses the other of not doing all she can to stay on the ranch.
Mon, Mar 16, 2009
After the latest vote, Alison announced to all the remaining contestants that Mandi would not be the only person sent home that week. In fact, all the remaining contestants were being sent home to spend the time until the next weigh-in back in their home environment. To the contestants, being sent home is a mixed blessing: missing family and friends, they were looking forward to spending time with their loved ones, but on the other hand they are back to the old issues and temptations which were in part a cause of their original weight issues. The black team in particular is aware of this problem because of the indulgences they all partook at the resort spa the week before. After arriving home to family, friends and fanfare, the contestants found out that they would not be left totally to their own devices. They all were going to participate in an individual challenge of running a half marathon, the winner of the challenge - the person with the fastest time - receiving $10,000. There is one hitch. Each contestant is given 13 sugar cookies, each containing approximately 350 calories. For every cookie a contestant eats, he/she can add 5 minutes to any of the other contestant's time. Thus each contestant must weigh the benefit of adding to a competing contestant's run time against the negative of potential weight gain from eating the cookies.
Mon, Mar 23, 2009
After the latest vote in which Cathy sacrificed herself to save both her daughter Kristin and teammate Aubrey and was thus sent home, Alison announced that there would be no more teams and that everyone was now working as an individual. Each contestant would also pick either Bob or Jillian as their trainer for the remainder of their time on the campus, an easy choice for some, a more difficult one for others. The week's challenge was in two parts, the actions of the contestants almost making one decide to pack it in and go home. The challenge - the winner of which would get immunity from elimination this week - allowed contestants to penalize others by adding as much weight as they have lost to date to any other contestant for part two of the challenge, the nature of which was not specified beforehand. When part two came along, the extra weight made some more resolved to win, while it made some feel defeated. The actual weigh-in was bittersweet for many in that milestones were achieved, but still resulted in low percentage of weight loss for the week, meaning they could be sent home on the upcoming vote.
Mon, Mar 30, 2009
With Aubrey being sent home after the last weigh-in, the campus is less one person. Or is it? Three early season contestants - David, Estella and Nicole - are brought back, the person with highest percentage of weight loss since their very first weigh-in will stay and be immune from elimination this week if they do not gain any weight. This person's arrival scares many of the existing contestants due to the high amount of weight this person managed to lose while at home without the aid of a trainer. The second big surprise for all contestants is that Alison is not present for much of this week as she has just given birth. Fifth season's biggest loser, Ali, and sixth season's biggest loser, Michelle, are acting as guest hosts in Alison's absence. And a medical issue sends one contestant to the hospital which threatens their participation in the contest. When the week's challenge comes to pass, the contestants learn that their continued success in the quest for weight loss is all a matter of balance in life.
Mon, Apr 6, 2009
Nicole's return to the ranch is short-lived as she is voted home in the latest weigh-in. However, bad blood surfaces between Sione/Filipe and Ron/Mike because of the last vote. All the contestants refocus when they are provided a game in temptation, which balances the potential for extreme weight gain against earning money against ultimate power for the week, that being the sole vote in this week's weigh-in. The contestants do not have to play if they do not want, but those that do ultimately have to face the wrath of Bob and Jillian. But thoughts go through all the contestants' minds that if one half of a remaining couple gets that sole vote, the other half will throw the weigh-in for the week as a longer term game strategy.
Mon, Apr 13, 2009
When Sione is sent home after the latest weigh-in, Filipe and Kristin vow to work extra hard for Bob since no one from Jillian's team has been sent home in seven weeks. The reward challenge for the week tests the fear of heights for some. However, everyone this week will receive a reward of a wardrobe and hair make-over, all done for a movie premiere, but a movie that surprises the contestants in more ways than one. This reward is short-lived for one of the contestants whose serious injury may threaten his/her ability to continue with intense workouts until the injury heals.
Mon, Apr 20, 2009
After the latest weigh-in, Laura is voted to be sent home in part because of the stress fracture in her hip, which made many believe she would be better off leaving to deal with her serious injury. With Laura's departure, Tara is feeling vulnerable, as are Mike and Ron as the only remaining pair. After a nutrition based reward challenge, Bob, who is surprised that they did not all get 100% on the quiz, wants to review critically the eating habits of those on his team. The primary challenge of the week tests the strength, balance and fear of heights of the contestants. The winner of the challenge has a difficult decision between a monetary reward versus an upper hand at this week's weigh-in. With only six contestants remaining, both Bob and Jillian push the contestants beyond their limits in the last chance work-out.
Mon, Apr 27, 2009
Ron and Mike are able to orchestrate Kristin being voted off on the latest weigh-in, without Ron breaking his promise to Kristin and Kristin's mother, Cathy, that he would never write Kristin's name. Bob is angry with Ron for not being truthful to him about that decision. The one person feeling especially vulnerable after that vote is Filipe, who sees the other remaining contestants having a stronger bond with each other. Alison provides a retrospective to the remaining contestants of their early days on campus, the trainers who recreate their initial training sessions. The contestants in turn get a train the trainer session. The week's challenge is an uphill battle for all, with each carrying the weight of their accomplishments to date with them. Alison also provides a surprise to the contestants: not only will the person being voted off this week go home, but after the next weigh-in, all will go home to complete the remainder of the contest. The contestants have mixed emotions about their upcoming time at home.
Mon, May 4, 2009
Filipe, who was voted off the campus after the last weigh-in, is not the only contestant going home. All contestants have now completed their time on campus and are sent home for thirty days before the next weigh-in. They are all apprehensive about their time at home and whether they can translate what they've learned on campus to real life. The final four contestants are all feeling stress without their trainers - who do show up at each of the contestant's home for some moral support and a training session - but also because they learn that they have one last seemingly impossible challenge: competing in a full marathon, albeit one with an added incentive for finishing. One contestant faces a medical issue prior to the race, and another faces them during the race. Prior to the weigh-in back on campus, the final four learn that the fate of the two that fall below the yellow line - the two who are up for elimination - will not be in the hands of the other contestants but rather a much larger group.
Top-rated
Mon, May 11, 2009
Mike and Ron, below the yellow line on the latest weigh-in, learn who America voted for to proceed to the final three with Helen and Tara. Before season 7 is completed, season 8 already begins with two hopefuls, Amanda and Erinn, vying for the one remaining spot for next season's competition. The decision on who that person will be is made by popular vote by the American public during the airing of this live episode, voting based on part on how each does in a workout with Bob and Jillian. The results on the "Pound for Pound" Challenge is presented, this program which aims to tie weight-loss programs across the United States to food bank donations, with the amount of weight pledged and lost equaled by the weight of food donated. The nineteen non-finalist contestants weigh-in to see who has the highest percentage of weight loss to earn the $100,000 "at home" prize. The final three weigh-in last, to see who will take home the $250,000 grand prize. By happenstance, the three finalists do have the highest percentage of weight loss this season, the only three contestants to have lost more than half of their original weight.