From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
The Biggest Loser: Season 8, Episode 12
For three months this season's contestants battled it out at the Ranch to see who would claim the title "The Biggest Loser." But for the last 60 days the final four didn't have the "comfort" of the Ranch any longer — they were on their own back at home! It all came down to Week 12 — we got to see how the players handled the pressures at home, as well as which two were definitely headed to the finale. The other two would have their fate determined by America's votes — one would be eliminated, and one would come back for the finale. There was a lot on the line: the Biggest Loser title and $250,000 in prize money. How did the contestants do without controlled kitchens, Biggest Loser gym, and protection against their old habits? Let me break down the highlights.
Special Delivery: After their heartfelt homecomings, the contestants reflected on what life had been like before the Ranch, and shared their worries about what lies ahead. To help them gain perspective, we mailed Danny, Liz, Amanda, and Rudy special Biggest Loser packages containing DVDs made especially for each of them. On them, Bob and I sent video messages reminding them of just how far they'd come, with clips of their first days at the Ranch. Bob and I also decided to call each of them to make sure they were still on top of their games and to let them know they'd be doing a Biggest Loser rite of passage — a marathon! That's right, just five months after starting on The Biggest Loser they'd be doing a 26.2-mile run. It was time to start training!
Cooking Session: As part of his prize for winning last week's weigh-in, Danny got a special visit from celebrity chef Curtis Stone. Curtis traveled all the way to Oklahoma to show Danny and his family how to prepare healthy, simple food with great flavor. He showed the kids how to cut vegetables — anything to try to make healthy eating more fun for everyone. They learned how to use fresh ingredients to make turkey chili over baked potatoes as a nutritious alternative to baked potatoes loaded with cheese, bacon, and sour cream.
Trainer Surprise: DVDs and phone calls weren't enough to keep tabs on our final four. After weeks of being away from the players, Bob and I decided to head across the country to check in on them. Bob went to see Rudy in Brooklyn, Connecticut, and Amanda in Butler, New Jersey. I went to see Liz in Chapel Hill, Tennessee, and Danny in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. We got to see firsthand what they were going through. Liz was pretty isolated out in the country, but she was still making the long trip into town to go to the gym. Amanda was having a hard time making conscious food choices and felt pressure to stay on track. Danny and Rudy both were having a hard time readjusting to family life, and working in gym time, since leaving the Ranch. Not only did we offer our support, but Bob and I got a chance to give them some good workouts to help them get ready for the marathon. Rain or shine, those rock stars went out there and ran so they'd be ready for the final challenge.
Marathon Day: After 60 days the final four headed back to Los Angeles, where they met Ali at the starting line of the marathon. Ali explained they'd be going over all types of terrain including farmland, hiking trails, and mountains, finishing on the coast. Rudy and Amanda ran out ahead of Liz and Danny, who had decided to run together for support. Around mile three, Tara from Season 7 showed up to surprise Liz and Danny on the course. She coached them on, ran with them, and explained how they would push through it. Eight miles in though, Danny was struggling and Liz had to decide whether to continue on without him. (She stuck with him!) At mile 13, Danny and Liz's spouses showed up to start running with them. Around mile 16, Danny hit the wall that Tara had warned him about and he thought about quitting. After some rehydration and getting their knees iced, Danny and Liz both decided to keep going. They knew this was their second chance at a healthier life!
At mile 13, Rudy's eliminated Blue Team partner, Dina, came to run along with him for motivation. When Amanda reached mile 13, her best friend Brian was there to start running along with her. She was psyched when she realized she'd already done half the marathon! A little farther along, Tara also came to Amanda's side to talk her through some of the leg cramps and pain she was having. Amanda decided she needed to walk for a while, but she was afraid to stop running since she was only at mile 21. Tara and Brian helped by using mile markers: they would walk a certain distance, then jog again, then walk again. It got Amanda's mind off her pain and helped her to keep going.
At mile 25, Bob met up with Rudy and Dina to run the last mile with them. Rudy reached the 26.2 miles first in 5:12:41 — awesome! Next to cross the finish line was Amanda, who ran the final mile with Bob, who had gone back to meet her at mile 25. Amanda completed the race in 5:28:27. I met up with Danny and Liz at mile 25 — they were still running together! — and ran with them to the finish line. The original Brown Team, partners to the end, they both finished in 6:55:22. Excellent job for all of them! Plus, for finishing the race, they each got $10,000 to give to a charity of his or her choice.
The Ultimate Weigh-In: Back on the Campus, the contestants still had to get on that scale to see how much weight they'd lost on at home and to determine who would get the top two spots for the finale. Liz and Amanda each lost 16 pounds at home. Since starting on The Biggest Loser five months ago, Liz had lost 85 pounds total and Amanda dropped 80 pounds. Then Danny stepped on the scale and showed that he'd lost an incredible 59 pounds AT HOME! That put him at 201 pounds lost since he first came to the Ranch — absolutely awe-inspiring. Rudy lost an also astonishing 43 pounds and was 189 pounds lighter since beginning.
Danny's and Rudy's dramatic losses kept them safely above the yellow line and held their spots at the finale next week. Either Liz or Amanda will get the third spot in the finale, and Ali put the decision in America's hands: viewers will cast their votes at NBC.com. Last night, Liz and Amanda each made their case to viewers. Did it work? Which one will win your vote, and get one more chance at the top prize? We'll see next week, so be sure to have YOUR say by voting before 3 p.m. ET today.
Don't Miss It! In one week you will see all 16 of the Season 8 contestants at the LIVE finale on December 8! Get ready to see how much weight they've lost and how far all of them have come — it's always a guaranteed jaw-dropping night. Be sure to tune in next Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET!