Season Premire Recap

[Brian]

The moment we have all been waiting for is finally here! A lot of changes this season, the first being a trainer. No Jillian this season but we said hello to Kim Lyons a fitness trainer who has been physically active her whole life. Her style is to make fitness fun and achievable to everyone. This season they took someone from every state and brought them out to the ranch only to find out that only 14 of them were staying at the ranch and Bob and Kim were picking their own teams. The other 36 contestants were going home to represent their state by working out with what they learned and the top girl and guy are coming back to the ranch with the chance to be the biggest loser.


The teams staying were as follows:


Blue- Amy, MA Red- Heather, UT
Bobby, TN Jennifer, MI
Brian, CA Kai, AK
Erik, NY Ken, WA
Marty, MO Nelson, MA
Melinda, Al Pam, IN
Tiffany, TX Wylie, FL


Bob and Kim started the two teams off by having them sleep in the gym as if to say you will be living in the house but the gym will be your home. Then as soon as they woke up it was workout time. They worked them out hard, several members of Bob’s team were puking. The first challenge was very close but the red team won, their prize was to switch a member of their team with a member of the blue team for the final weigh in. THe blue team was upset they lost the challenge and were cooking dinner when Bob stopped them and said they need to go work out first. His point was most overweight people are emotional eaters so because they were upset he wanted them to comfort themselves in a positive way by working out instead of eating.


THe final weigh in the red team chose Amy to switch with Jennifer. Amy lost 16lbs for the weigh in after it was all done the red team had lost a total of 98 lbs and 4.75% weight loss. Jennifer lost 8 lbs and it was looking like the red team was going to win with only two people left to weigh in they needed to lose 37lbs between the two of them which they did losing a team total of 108lbs and 5.05%.


Back at the ranch it was pretty clear who the red team were chosing for elimination. Jennifer had just not cut it during the first week at the ranch. She would take breaks and wouldn’t push herself like the others were doing and in the end she was the first to be eliminated.

[Kira]

I was actually really upset at the beginning of the show when 36 contestants were sent home. My daughter, who had a weight problem;144 lbs at 5'2", but is now 117 lbs, and I have watched the show faithfully from season 1. We both cried when only 14 were chosen by Bob and Kim to continue. Most, if not all of these people need to be on "The Ranch" if they have any chance of being successful in their endeavors to lose weight. If they could do it with a DVD and books, they wouldn't have signed up to be on The Biggest Loser in the first place. It made no sense to us and shocked us that they so callously dashed those people's dreams so quickly.

Gaining weight is easy, but losing takes not only time, self-discipline, exercise, and a desire to change one's lifestyle, but education and counseling on how exactly to make those changes a part of daily life. Our society bombards us with anorexic models and gorgeous actors, while the advertisers push fatty, fast food and instant gratification. Shame on the producers of the show for taking away what for some of the contestants, may be their last chance to get healthy. Many have Type II Diabetes and heart disease already, and many spouses aren't really as supportive as we would all like to believe.

I would love to hear what others think about this. If I'm wrong, please tell me, but in a nice way.

[Brian]

I thought the exact same thing to begin with. It reminded me of back in high school / elementry school when you are picking teams for kickball or whatever. Not saying that this is true but I am sure most of them have been picked last or never picked before due to their weight.

Now it was a real shock to me on how NBC would actually bring back these sad memories in doing something like this. To me it was degrading.

But...... after they got their little speach and were told that 2 of them had the opportunity to still be The Biggest Loser it changed my opinion. Even though the 36 people wont have access to everything else that the other 14 have and they will be faced with more temptations I honestly think that most if not all will do extremely well.

Looking at it from a realistic side there is no way two trainers can effectilly train 50 people on a physical and personal level.

[Joysieangel]

I think in a way that sending the people home was a good thing, like Aaron said there is no way a trainer could train all those people at the same time, the people were sent home with information and the 2 that do the best will be back, the other people have the chance to prove themselves to be the biggest loser just not on tv. But thats just me.

[Kira]

Yes, I was glad that two of them have the chance to come back. Hopefully the incentive to prove they have the will to change their lives will be enough for the majority. I was also happy to see the "after" of Jen, she lost a lot of weight since being voted off and looked GREAT!

[Missy]

I watched the episode for a second time and to me it didn't look like the 36 were being sent home right away. They were in the gym working through a workout with a bunch of trainers getting tips and learning the workouts. I know it still isn't the same as being on the ranch, but for the trainers to manage 25 people each and watch their progress would be hard. I think it's on a much more personal level when it's a smaller group and everyone gets their needed attention.

I know that if this was their plan they maybe shouldn't have picked all 50 in the first place if they weren't letting them all stay.

[muppet]

I guess I'm a little confused. I didn't tape the show, so maybe I missed something, but I thought they knew that only 14 were staying. When did they tell them that Bob and Kym would be picking the teams?
I'm just wondering, because that one lady talked about how she had her opportunity to impress them, and took advantage of it. I do believe she was picked, too.
Did they really all go to the ranch, thinking they would get to stay the whole time? I realize they didn't go home immdediately, and kind of had a crash course in what they needed to do.
I'm sure Bob and Kym did a little more research on them, before picking their teams, than just watching them workout that one time. At least I hope so.
I felt so bad for those who weren't chosen.
I would have thought though, that the ones who were chosen would realize what an opportunity they've been given, and be even more grateful to be there. I'm a little worried about those who are already homesick and crying already. I mean, I understand that it's tough, but they did just see 36 people get turned away. I think if it were me, all those disappointed faces would keep me going, and always remind me how lucky I was to be there.
I also think that some of those sent home, might have something to prove! That they can do it just as well or better on their own!
It will also be fun following the progress of those sent home, on-line. I think if I understood Caroline right, we'll be able to do that. Fun fun fun!

[surfcal]

Aaron-

Another change fyi is that (and I am waiting for an episode number) biggest loser is using a therapist to help delve a little further into the contestants issues as to why they might be overweight and/or overeating. I know this because my wife is the therapist that was used and I was there for every intake session she did (8 of the contestants).
Was really cool to watch it in the control room.=20

We are hoping for a full time roll on season 4 which begins shooting in January...

Matt

[Brian]

Originally Posted by surfcal

Aaron-

Another change fyi is that (and I am waiting for an episode number) biggest loser is using a therapist to help delve a little further into the contestants issues as to why they might be overweight and/or overeating. I know this because my wife is the therapist that was used and I was there for every intake session she did (8 of the contestants).
Was really cool to watch it in the control room.=20

We are hoping for a full time roll on season 4 which begins shooting in January...

Matt

Matt,

Thats great to hear you were actually (kinda) part of it. I read your other post on it but I missed the part if you put it on there that your wife was doing it. If you want to I can definetly make a new webpage dedicated for your wife with a link from the homepage if she is the therapist that is going to be on this season. If interested on that you can PM me and we can talk about it.

[FrugalSue]

The very first person that was picked to stay was the guy from Tacoma, Washington, my own state. I was thrilled for him! But then I realized that what was exciting for me was probably a big disappointment for lots of other people.

I definitely got the impression that the people who were sent home were getting more than just a book and CD. They showed them in a gym. I hope they got enough help to feel really inspired and included. I hope that the show will include some coverage of the people who are working on their own at home. After all, their experience will be more like what the rest of us go through!

I know I sure am inspired. I watched the entire second season, but I wasn't ready to start on my own weight loss yet. Now this new season has come along at exactly the right time for me--I just got my knee fixed, so I'll be able to start doing exercise. And I have already been greeted by folks here and have got started on learning about what to do to lose weight.