I miss Biggest Loser...

I have to admit something - I really miss The Biggest Loser.

Oh yeah, I know its on TV... on Thursdays.

Who made the call to move it to Thursday?

That's the night that The Vampire Diaries is on... my little show that makes me feel like a tween girl squeeling at Damon Salvatore... (swoon)...

& the night that Shonda Rimes takes over TV...

... more swoon...

I miss the inspiration.

I miss the motivation.

I don't miss the product placement.

But it has to be getting near the end - right?

I need to keep an eye out because even though I don't know the back stories or the journey, I do want to watch the finale & see the drastic changes.

... hopefully not as drastic as last seasons finale....

I need to watch it just in time to take my 2015 "before" picture... when I kick it in gear...

because 2015 is going to be an awesome year.

Right?  Right!

... I want to watch it as well just to see everything that I've missed with that hot new trainer... because obviously, I am choosing shows that makes me swoon a lot lately

Oh mercy... I may have been watching the wrong shows!!!
#MAJORSWOON

Hopefully next season it will be on a different night  And I wish they would take my advice & just make it a one hour show. I still don't understand the 2 hour thing.  We don't need a commercial between every weigh in.

Anyone been watching this season?

 

Do you prefer Extreme Weight Loss with Chris & Heidi Powell?

Biggest Loser getting called out....

The Biggest Loser always has intrigued me. 

The changes in the people - the Result show - how cute Bob Harper was - how cute Dolvett is...

What happened to Bob lately? He's got on the Grunge-express lately.  Even had that weird 70's porn mustache.  Creepy.

But I don't know if anyone else saw THIS article from one of the past contestants, Kai Hibbard,  calling them out on 5 things that they cut from the season she was on.

Yeah - I know reality shows aren't really reality....

I mean, really?  That many people really wanted to 'smash' with Snookie?
You know that's set up...

& I always wonder what goes on behind the scenes of this show.

It's all too perfect - or flawed - sometimes. Right? 

She claims that they would only show relationships on there if your mate was skinny. 
Think about it - that's true.  There's usually someone at home that is thin as a rail wanting their chubby buddy to slim down.  Not many people are on the ranch with someone heavy at home.  Not much of a story I guess. 

Its also crazy to think of how she talks about how the show has control over you.  Hiding you away from everyone - not letting you talk to anyone for weeks at a time.  What is this?  The Pentagon?

At least he's skinny... they'd show him trying to find his Snow White

They also apparently time things to make it look like you've worked out 10 minutes & then you're puking & ready to quit.. just like society wants everyone to think fat people do.  But instead these people have worked out 6 hours already.... 6 HOURS? I can't think of much of anything I want to do for 6 hours straight... every day.... unless its playing Belle in Disney World.  That may be ok.

Kai also talks about the product placement. On her season, it was milk, which they had to drink for the cameras because "yum, its good for you"... but then spit it out because "no - it has calories"... I always wondered how they do those stupid product placements. That's one thing I hate about the Biggest Loser. 

Hey - come here gang, let's make a breakfast with Jenny-O sausage for the fun of it, since we're all just sitting around the kitchen doing nothing.

  Corny as heck.

She also talks about the physical & mental issues it causes after you get home.  Can you imagine?  I always said it would have to be hard on a body the way they make these people work out. I know at my weight, I have issues when I work out 1 hour a day. I can't even get in my mind how I would feel working out all day long. The wear & tear.  & then going home, you probably feel like someone is going to be there cheering you on to work out hard enough to where you puke.

Good times.

You should read the article for more details of it all.

None of it really surprises me, in the least.  I wish more people would speak out on it because I think it paints a picture for people trying to loose weight that isn't exactly the truth.

Plus, I just love behind the scenes gossip & dirt :)

& yeah, I'll probably still watch when its on next season.... just because I am amazed at how hard people push their bodies.  Not that that's a good thing. 

& in the mean time, I'll be watching the show I love the most... & that no one has written in as being a workhorse slave driver... Extreme Weight Loss Edition

See?  No slave driver... a hot dad

Please - no one tell me anything bad about Chris Powell. I love his show.  It takes one year to get the weight off.  Better then a few weeks.  & changes made in your home.  You don't have to go to a ranch.

Chris Powell always gets my vote...

but I will do a post on him if he gets a 70's porn moustache himself

1,600 calories to the media

So the story of The Biggest Loser is everywhere.  Definitely more attention to this one then any other season. 

Talking to Chris Powell on Good Morning America - popping up on Inside Edition & Entertainment tonight - & of course, the trainers staying quiet, which makes a LOUD statement...



But last night on one of the shows, they were talking about Rachel's diet.  That she limits herself to 1,600 calories...

Do you know what those ignorant people did?

They said, 'THIS is 1,600 calories"... & they held up a bowl of something full of chocolate & a cream filled donut.

No joke.

That's what they were instituting was all she ate in a day...

I honestly laughed.

I mean, on my own calorie tracking device, my calorie intake is only supposed to be like 1,450 calories a day, before any exercise is included.

& yes, they said Rachel works out hours during the day, so her intake should be MUCH higher... that's not my point.

My point is that they totally gave the wrong impression of calories.  They made it look like all you can eat are 2 things during the day - giving the impression that no one can live on that - let's eat more.... of the unhealthy food like donuts & all things chocolate.

All this equals 1,200 calories

Not saying this picture above is what you SHOULD eat for 1,200 calories - but there's half of a burger & fries & a stack of bread...

You can eat all day long on 1,600 calories if you did it right...

For the normal every day person, 1,600 could be incredible amount of healthy food.

I kept thinking, this is what's wrong with our obese country.  People really have no idea how to really understand how many calories are in our food - how to figure it out for every meal, much less for a day.

heck, I DO understand it & its still a struggle. 

But our media just makes it even more confusing for the average joe who now thinks they can have a diet of a bowl of chocolate & a cream filled donut for the day only & look like Rachel...

geez...

I tell you what though, it made me never want a cream filled donut again for the rest of my life... I knew it had a lot of calories, but didn't know it had THAT many...

I'd much rather have a plate of kiwi & some apples & have a TON of calories to still use for the rest of the day.

Biggest Loser finale...FEED THAT GIRL!

I used to do posts here the day after the Biggest Loser...

sorta got side tracked on that... but I still never missed the show.

Love everything Bob Harper... Jillian & especially Dolvett

Why does Dolvett look like a small child with his parents here?

(isn't he the best new add on the show ever got?)

Anyone else remember when Sabrina the Teenage Witch's aunt was the host?

yeah - shows you how long I've watched.

But Finale night is what its all about.  The makeovers.  The results.  See old alumni from the past seasons...

I loved these sisters on their season!

I always love seeing past contestants come back for the final weigh in & looking so healthy...

Look at my Velvet Teddy Bear!!! ... & there's the at home winner in the middle - fantastic!

I was also glad this year they waited to show the final 3 contestants to the end.  The past few years, they've showed a few of them at the beginning, which I always thought was stupid & took the air out of the balloon...

But what I wasn't prepared for was the SHOCK of how thin some of them were.

I thought Bobby looked great.  He looked so different in his face, but like himself.  He looked happy & like he mentioned himself - confident.

I was a little shocked at David... I mean we were totally taken back during makeover week when he shaved the beard & the difference that made... but something about his face at the finale, it just looked so thin.  I was concerned when I saw him.

.... & then my concern jumped to alarm when I saw the last contestant, Rachel.

OH MY GOSH...

Get that girl a donut QUICK!  Or at least a protein bar... SOMETHING!

I get she was an athlete & I get she was all about being the winner, but isn't something a little off with this?

She's now down to 105 lbs - which is kinda crazy... loosing over 60% of her body weight?  A size 20 to a size 0/2 ... those numbers aren't just turned around - they're just plain NUTS!

She was almost unrecognizable to me... her arms look so small, like they would break.  I think even the trainers were shocked at the size.

 

 

I give her props for taking off the weight... its a tough thing to do...

But where is the line between thin & healthy?  I think they crossed it this year...

Let it be...

No... we're not talking about the Beatles...

We're talking about The Biggest Loser.

I was back on my treadmill doing my #RWRunStreak & watching my Dolvett & the other trainers...

Just because every post need Dolvett next to a pool...
Not the kind of trunks I'd imagine him choosing to wear.

This week, one person had to go home with a trainer & his weight would be against the other teams.  Jillian got to go home with him as well.  The winner was Jay.  Or Cowboy as I call him.  I mean, who wears a cowboy hat 24/7 while working out?  I guess Jay does.

 

We learned a lot about Jay while he was home.  The things that made him who he was, the things that devastated him & the things that may have caused his weight issues & his issues with food.

At one point, when he was talking about his parents divorce & his childhood home burning down, Jillian asks him, "What ended?"... she went on to talk about to have something born (an issue with food/eating), something had to die.. what was it?

Jillian goes on to talk about how we sometimes go through things that causes a piece of us to die...

Jay finally admits that a part of him died...

What died?  "I did" ...

it broke my heart...

I mean literally on the treadmill with tears streaming down my face.  Thank goodness my treadmill belt has a good traction on it or I'd slip in my own tears.

How tragic would that be?

I think if you've ever been in a situation where you've been so hurt, ever had regrets you couldn't stand, ever felt like a part of you has literally died... you would understand this moment.

Jay then goes on & says that he's trying to move on from it... & Jillian said something that punched me in the gut...

"Let it be"

Finding acceptance in things ...

Refocusing...

It was really powerful...at least for me...

I remember the episode I posted about not too long ago where the person admitted that he jailed himself...

This eating thing... its tough on some people... its a way of comfort, of dealing with hurt, of trying to make struggle easy, of coping by shutting yourself off from the world...

 

& the messed up thing?  It only causes more issues that makes you want to do these things even more.

Jillian Harris could have sent me a bill for therapy last night & I would have paid it...

In the end, Jay killed it & was safe...

& boo... my Velvet Teddy Bear was once again sent packing...

 

Good bye... again...

Now if he comes back again, something is gonna be fishy...

 

 

Biggest Loser & going HARD

Can we start off the show any better... getting Rueben back!!!




That's how I felt too...

I'm still sort of shocked when he weighed in that he's over 400 lbs.

Isn't it weird how some people can 'carry' their weight.  I mean, I know he looks heavy, but he doesn't look like 400 lbs to me.  I'm hoping he's on for awhile again.

This week though, the contestants got to look back at videos of themselves that reminded them who they were & why they wanted to come to the ranch...

Not sure why they did this so early in the season.  Its usually reserved for the last few people as they send them on their way home as they prepare for the finale. 

But one story really got to me.  It was the story of the guy who learned he was gay.  He said he struggled with it so badly that he just ate for comfort because he knew he couldn't tell his family.

"I ate & gained the weight & imprisoned myself"

That realization just hit me like a ton of bricks...

Its more of a personal thing for me but I have failures in my life & I think I have basically done the same thing... trying to punish myself for the mistakes.  The best way to do it?  If you imprison yourself,  you're basically putting yourself in jail, cutting yourself off from others, making yourself feel miserable & lousy... how much more punishment can there be?

I know some things click for some people & not other... this one clicked for me...

I even woke up with a renewed feeling... had a healthy breakfast of banana with greek yogurt & fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries & walnuts...

Ready to let myself out of this prison....

On a happy note - no one was booted this week.  Blue team lost but Bob used his save.  Now all the saves are gone... & looks like a double elimination happens next week.  As long as its not my Velvet Teddy Bear, I'm OK :)

______________________

Side note - today is Go HARD day!!

Go Hug a Runner Day!!!!

I've got to hug my husband who runs all day long as his job! :)

Go find a runner & give them a hug...

Just don't come up from behind as they are running.. that could end badly

Biggest Loser... Nooooo!!!!!!!!

Tuesday tradition for me has become watching The Biggest Loser while on the treadmill.

My low back has just gotten worse & worse... the runners knee is just worse & worse... so I just stuck with walking this night.  45 minutes of walking... may not be running, but at least its moving. 

Better then sitting on the couch, eating, while watching The Biggest Loser... which I have been known to do in past seasons...

Progress has happened...

So I'm watching it... still loving the hour format... no more wasting time.  Though they are good at sliding in the promos for some product.  Last night was a Protein Bar...

& while I love a good protein bar, really?  You want to hand them out next year for Halloween?  Good luck washing all the smashed eggs off of your house from angry kids.

I get nervous when they focus on a few people - that's the key that they are going to be the ones that have the chance to go home.  Why was I nervous?  Because this week, they were focusing in the Velvet Teddy Bear, Rueben.

The Blue Team (Bob's team) got immunity from the challenge - as long as they didn't gain weight, they were passed on with no one going home...

It was between Red (Dolvett's team) & White (Jillian's team)... well, both trainers have already used their save.  Someone was going home.  No vote - just who was under the line.

We found out, it was going to be someone on the Red Team.
Down to Tanya & Rueben...

Now Tanya was someone Dolvett used his save on last week....

I didn't think she really deserved the save... but who am I but someone with back pain trying to move for 45 minutes on the treadmill...

& I thought, its not going to be Rueben.  After all, I remember previews at the beginning of the year that showed Rueben in in the studio performing a song.  He still had more shows to be on... no worries - Rueben is safe....

Until they said he wasn't!

NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was furious...

I really liked Ruben.
Its always fun to cheer on someone you like... a good person... someone who seriously TRIED!
Dude was out in the pool at night trying to shed extra lbs....

Wasn't enough...

He was sent packing... & of course, he went with a smile & a kind spirit...

I'm still convinced he's coming back...
I'm not letting go of the Velvet Teddy Bear that easy...

& now, I have a grudge against Tanya...

I'll be cheering you right off that show now Tanya...
You have two enemies now... me & Clay Aiken... I'm sure...

(Though Clay Aiken may be glad someone booted Rueben from winning... bygones...)

Biggest Loser is BACK!!!

I was so excited all day long...

BIGGEST LOSER came back on!

& I have to say, I was thrilled that they knocked it down to an hour instead of two.  It just felt dragged out & the commercials EVERY.TIME you were anxious to see someone's weight... COME ON!!!

But we are down to an hour - just enough time for the knitty-gritty!!!

I actually got inspired & put off my running until 8:00 so I could be on my treadmill & feel like the trainers were yelling at me to get off my butt... & to laugh at me if I puke all over myself...

My back really was hurting on the treadmill...
see?  Its cheap & free training to watch BL while working out

Why was I even more excited?

Because Ruben Studdard is on this season!!!

The teddy bear himself!!!

Though I will say, I was angry as all get out when Clay Aiken lost on American Idol.  You know I can't resist a red head :)

I wish I had a pen & paper on my treadmill though because there was some good stuff being laid out for these contestants to pick up...

 

"You have to have a WHY before you can have a HOW" - Jillian

Why are you wanting to be healthy?  Why are you motivated?  Why are you doing this?  ... once you get that, then you figure out HOW to do it... good stuff.

I loved when Dolvette was talking to Ruben & he was talking about how bad Ruben had gotten.
Anyone else remember when he lost weight & ran a half marathon?.... I do...

 

"You have to have a level of discipline to make changes" - Dolvette

Good stuff right there!!!

...this guy....

Of course, what makes the Biggest Loser are the personal stories...

everyone has one...

Stories of second chances this year... that guy above?  His wife died of cancer & he promised her he would get healthy to take care of his children.  When he took off his shirt for weigh in, he had a Chinese tattoo for "Warrior" on his heart... & when he lost 38 lbs... yes 38 lbs!!!... in one week, he hit it & teared up...

Yep, I can cry & run on my treadmill at the same time...

This year too, they have a "Trainer's Save"... each trainer can use it once a year.  The first team who lost was Jillian's team... & her biggest guy had the lowest percentage...

First week... & you have to leave... always the hardest...

But NO... BAM!!! Jillian uses her save from the start.. I LOVED IT!!!

She told the team, you now have to work harder - she has no save... but I loved she literally gave the guy a second chance...

I think motherhood has made Jillian a softy... in a still kick your butt way...

Anyone else watch it?

Who are you rooting for out of the gate?
Excited Ruben is on there?

For the record... I'm on day 8 of my challenge... keeping it up!  Before Bob Harper makes me cry....