Rivers of tears were cried in the Biggest Loser house yesterday and an inspirational mystery guest visited the contestants.

Yesterday’s Results

Both teams were in their gyms warming up ready for the first training session of the day and their respective trainers came in wanting to know the results of yesterday’s challenge. Angie said she was really nervous about what the results would be and Richard was desperate to find out who had won – had his team continued with their winning streak? Angie said later,

‘Part of me didn’t even want to know whether they had won or not, I was so nervous that they’d lost!’

The Black team stood with long faces and Carol started to explain what the challenge was and who did what, still not letting on about their victory! She told Angie that Kevin had done the climbing wall part and that he was like Spider Man going up that wall. She went on to tell her about the crates. Angie was very impressed with her team and how they were facing their fears. She said that was one of the things about the Biggest Loser – it wasn’t just about weight loss, it’s about facing their fears too. She said her team were doing that so well and that’s what was making them such a strong team.

Kevin then explained about the second part of the challenge and how they had to pile the crates up into the wobbly towers with Maria and Carol stuck on the top. He told her how many crates high they had got and then asked if she wanted to know how many the others had got. She had her head in her hands and said she didn’t know if she did! Kevin finally told her that the Blues had got 18 crates so the Blacks had won the challenge. She was totally ecstatic and shouted yeah!

The Blues then had to tell Richard that they had lost and he was not a happy bunny, especially when he heard what the prize was! He looked like the world had come crashing down on his shoulders.  He said,

‘The Black team now have a definite edge when it comes to weigh in,’

Isolated

While the Blue team were in the gym, Lisa walked past Richard to get a bottle of water and he noticed she was a little red faced and subdued so he followed her and asked her what was wrong. She whispered that she felt no one wanted her there and that it was her fault they had lost the challenge. Richard asked her why she thought that and she said that she just thought it was better that she wasn’t there.

Richard told her that everyone wanted her to be there and that they needed her there. Mark said later,

‘I think she realises that with her rejoining the Blue team it has put the overall weight of the team up quite tremendously and I think she’s worried that if we struggle this week we might look to her for blame,’

Richard told her she didn’t know what was going to happen at the weigh in and that all she could do was do her best and come weigh in day everything will be revealed so she had to just relax, do her best and be a part of the Blue team.

Working as a Unit

Maria, talking to the rest of her team and Angie, said that she couldn’t believe the difference between them and the Black team when it came to working as a unit. She said,

‘The difference is that we totally get on. We never have one cross word between us, we all agree on everything Kev says, we just all agree. But they’re always arguing,’

Angie said that she was loving what she was hearing. She said,

‘I’m loving hearing that. You know, I feel sorry for Richard, at the end of the day that’s tough having a team that’s not tight. But, for my Black team it’s all about winning now so, any problems they’re having is a great advantage for us,’

Their teamwork could be a winning formula for them and help them continue to win the Challenges - a great tactic. But, if the Blue team twig on and start working together too they could give the Blacks a run for their money.

Training Style

Angie always works her team hard and, let’s be honest, she doesn’t take any prisoners when it comes to training. She believes in tough love and many of the contestants were scared of her. But Kevin said,

‘I’ve noticed recently that Angie’s approach has changed. She’s not the monster that she was. She doesn’t shout at people as much and I think in the first few weeks it was just a boot camp. We now work at a different level. We work a lot harder. We do everything that Angie expects of us and as long as we’re doing that she knows that we’re doing a good job and losing weight,’

Angie is definitely being more encouraging and praising her team more when they are working out. She still expects 100% from them but, she is getting it much more often. She has a major competitive streak and doesn’t like to lose to Richard!

Ding Dong!

Richard and his team were really worried about weigh in day. The team is not doing so great at the moment – they lost the Challenge, they have a new person on their team and they have been held back because of injuries. Richard said,

‘The only way to avoid Elimination this week is for the Blue team to hit big numbers. The session I had planned for the Blue team was one serious, sweat session!’

He had them doing power bag lifts, dead weight squats, sprinting backwards and forwards across the gym and the bell ringer. The last one is pulling a rope with a weight on the end of it up and down in a bell ringer motion and, shouting either Ding or Dong as you do it! Richard was certainly putting the Blues through their paces! Mark said,

‘We were going round at a very, very ferocious pace and it wasn’t long before we were all tired out! It was an incredible session. Personally I was soaking, I really was!’

He also had them doing squats with weights. They had to squat and then, as they straighten up they had to jump in the air. Richard said,

‘You do this a few times, it burns. You do it for more than a minute and, yeah, your legs are on fire!’

Jamie said it was hard but he enjoyed it. He said he had impressed Richard a bit because he kept his mouth shut and just got on with it. Richard was telling them all to push it and go faster – particularly Lisa. He kept saying that they had to push it because it’s weigh in day the next day. Mark said that weigh in day was definitely top of the agenda and that everyone had it on their minds. He said later,

‘Let’s not pull any punches, we’re struggling this week! We need every calorie burnt that we can get!’

At the end of the session, Richard said that if they didn’t do well at the weigh in and ended up being up for Elimination, they needed to vote off the person that they thought hadn’t tried very hard in this last session.

Temptation Challenge

The Temptation Challenge is set every week to test the contestant’s willpower and get them ready for the temptations they’ll face when they leave the house. It’s always 24 hours before weigh in so the consequences for eating the forbidden food could be quite dire. However, if they do eat the forbidden foods, there is always a prize. This week the prize was particularly cruel.

Michaela walked into the room first and said,

‘Oh God! It’s chocolate!’

There were chocolate honeycomb sweets, popcorn, chocolate ice lollies and a television on the table. The instructions said:

News From Home
This week your loved ones have recorded a very special video message for you.

Mark said that once they realised it was videos from home he could see panic spreading among the other contestants, he looked around and there were tears in eyes and people didn’t know what to do. The previews then came up on the television on the table just to give each contestant a little glimpse of the people that were at home. Everyone was getting really emotional at the thought of home and the people they had left behind apart from Lisa and Mark. Lisa said,

‘I felt like saying, oh come on Jamie, suck it up, be a man but, he was proper blubbering. Worse than what I do. He was like giving it beans!’

Kevin said,

‘All of a sudden I noticed my son’s face pops up on there and he’s a moving image and I haven’t seen him for a while. Just photographs up til now,’

Carol said,

‘I was desperately upset at seeing the preview. I miss home and they look so close when they’re on the television set. You feel you can touch them and talk to them but, of course you can’t so it was even harder then!’

The instructions continued:

If you would like to watch your message from home please select one item from the selection of treats and take a seat.

Mark said that they’d got a very important weigh in coming and no one could afford to eat the extra calories so there were a lot of anxious faces in the room struggling with a very difficult decision.

Cracking Under The Pressure

Lisa was the first to make her decision. She said that she had only just got back and had recently seen all of her family and friends so she passed. Michaela was next. She said she needed to think about it a little longer. She said later that she was just waiting to see if anyone else cracked first and if they did she would!

Up next was Maria. She said that to eat the treats so close to weigh in could really go against her but, she would love to see her sons. Then her resolve hardened and she said that she would wait and see them in two weeks. Well done Maria!

Kevin said it was a very difficult decision because he knew that his son would have wanted him to watch what he had said in the recording but he decided not to play. He said later that it was one of the hardest things in the world. Sadie said to him that he’d see it when he got out of the house. Well done Kevin!

Then it was Carol’s turn. She said part of her wanted to see the recording because she wanted to know that they were all okay but she decided to be strong and say no. So far in the Biggest Loser house, Carol hasn’t crumbled at Temptation. Well done Carol!

Jamie had to make the choice next. He said that after the grilling Richard gave him for eating the cupcakes, he didn’t want to go through the same again but he was obviously very torn. He decided against it. Well done Jamie!

Katie’s decision was to refuse the temptation too, even though the message for her was from her boyfriend. So far, all of the contestants had shown real strength. Most of them haven’t seen their loved ones for such a long time and the thought of seeing and hearing them must have been compelling. Well done Katie!

Mark said that there was no temptation for him whatsoever. He said he is focussed on achieving his goals and wasn’t going to fall foul to some chocolate. Sadie also decided not to go for it. She said she had worked so hard this week, she didn’t want to undo all that hard work. Well done Mark and Sadie!

So then it was back to Michaela. She didn’t say anything for a few moments and Kevin said to her,

‘If you really need it, do it!’

She said later that she was really, really tempted because she wanted to see her children. But, she decided to pass because she would be seeing them in person in two weeks. Well done!

A clean sheet for all of the contestants for this week’s Temptation Challenge. First time in the Biggest Loser house. Sadie picked up the next card with further instructions on. It said:

Congratulations! As you all succeeded in resisting the toughest Temptation yet you may all watch your special video messages from home.

They all gathered in the lounge to sit and watch their special messages from home. Obviously, it was a very emotional time for all of the contestants because they have all been missing home and their loved ones. Dave popped up on Jamie’s message and everyone was really pleased to see him. He had been a big part of the Biggest Loser house til last week and was being missed. He told Jamie he had been carrying on with the training and that he was going to work Jamie harder when he got home than he has been in the house!

Michaela’s boys came up on the screen and the youngest was telling her how much he missed her and loved her. Then the oldest one said that he had to be honest with her because they had been a little bit naughty. He said they’d gone and got a Great Dane! Michaela made it quite clear during the Farm Challenge that her and animals did not get on. On the screen, her son started calling the Great Dane to him and on ran a tiny little pup! The little scamp! Maria said that Michaela was horrified to see the puppy which she thought was hilarious because, she said,

‘Michaela wouldn’t have any dog in her house because of hairs!’

Michaela was convinced it was a dog they had borrowed but then, when she thought more about it, she realised they had said they were getting ready to go to school so it would be early in the morning and she didn’t recognise the dog. They must have got one. She asked the rest of the contestants,

‘What make was that dog?’ Much to their amusement!

Mystery Guest

Angie and Richard called both teams into the Billiard room. Angie told them they had a little surprise for them. Angie said later,

‘We’re in week six of this competition now and you can hit a bit of a wall. They’ve been through so, so much and they can kind of lose sight of why they’re here and what’s going on and it is getting very, very tough physically for them,’

She told the contestants that although she and Richard knew it had been tough for them, they hadn’t been in their shoes and only the people who have been on Biggest Loser will know what it feels like. She said it was a unique experience and during that experience they may lose sight of their goals, lose motivation and wonder what they were there for. So she told them that she and Richard wanted them to meet someone who has been in their shoes.

The mystery guest was the winner of the first UK Biggest Loser, Aaron Howlett. He weighed in at the Biggest Loser house at 24 stone 13lbs and left nearly 10 stone lighter!

Angie and Richard left the contestants to listen to Aaron and take on board his advice. Angie said later that Aaron is an inspiration to anyone but, especially to people who are carrying weight. Richard said that Aaron proves if you want to change your life, you can do it and that they can do it.

Aaron’s Biggest Loser Experience

Aaron said that before the Biggest Loser he was over weight and out of condition. He had heart trouble and was on blood pressure tablets. He said that he couldn’t see a way forward because he was stuck in a rut. He showed them some pictures of him before he lost the weight and Michaela said that she just couldn’t believe that he was that size! Katey said that it was great to see him because they knew that he had lost all that weight AND kept it off, which they all know is going to be hard when they leave the house.

Since Aaron left the Biggest Loser house he’s become a personal trainer and he even runs marathons now! Because of his achievement, he was asked to carry the torch for services to obesity at the Beijing Olympics. Katey said that it shows you that you can achieve so much just by being in the house.

Kevin said later,

‘I thought to myself, wow! Yeah, Biggest Loser can change your life,’

Maria already knows how much Biggest Loser can change your life. She said that she has only been there for six weeks but it has changed her life completely. She was as quiet as a church mouse with no confidence when she went into the house. The Maria we’ve seen in the last week is a different woman!

Aaron likened being in the house to Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket. He said that they’d been given this opportunity and told them not to waste it. Kevin agreed with him. He said it was a once in a lifetime offer that they need to grab with both hands.

Aaron then said that he wasn’t just there to talk to them all but they were also going to do a training session together. He told them to get up, get changed and they were going outside.

Aaron’s Training Session

Angie said they were going to train with a guy that was once in their position. She said if that wasn’t inspiration for them, she didn’t know what was! Mark said,

‘Everyone looked at each other and thought, uh oh, what are we in for?’

Carol said the main point in Aaron’s training session was that you didn’t need expensive equipment to get fit. Aaron said later that he really wanted to show the contestants that they didn’t need to go to the gym all the time to get fit, but they could use their back garden and nature to do a workout.

Kevin enjoyed the training session with Aaron, he thought it was really good as did Carol. Katey said that he was showing them really simple moves that were very effective.

Aaron worked them hard and, at one point when they were running on the spot, he told them to get their knees higher. He said,

‘You’re running for a bus, come on you’re going to miss it!’

Sadie said after the session,

‘It just goes to show that Biggest Loser can completely change your life and if you put the hard work in, just like Aaron, you’ll get what you want,’

 

 

 

Heart to Heart

After the session with Aaron, Lisa gathered her team together to explain what had happened in the gym this morning. She told them that she had got a bit upset because she felt like she wasn’t part of the team and they all resented the fact that she was there.

Mark said that, although she was in the blue team, the only person she needed to prove anything to was herself and to try and push a little harder each day. The rest of the team reassured her that she was being silly and Mark reiterated that they were all working towards the same goal – a good number on the scale.

The Blue team were definitely worried about the weigh in and what numbers were going to come up on the scales. Plus they have the problem that the Black team can exclude one of their teammate’s weights from the combined total. The Blues have almost resigned themselves to the fact that they would be up for Elimination. Mark said he was very nervous about the weigh in because he believes that someone will be going home from the Blue team. He said it would be a miracle if they didn’t!

The Blacks were sitting round the kitchen table discussing Elimination. Carol and Kevin were confident that it would be the Blues in the Elimination room this week. Kevin asked the others who they thought would be Eliminated from the Blues? Sadie reckoned that it would be either Mark or Lisa. Kevin said that he thought it would be Mark going home. He said,

‘He’s probably the only person here that really does want to win and doesn’t mind who he lets know really,’

Carol and Katey were discussing who they thought should go and Katey said that Mark had been quite inspirational to her and he’d had a turn around that week. Maybe Richard’s little piece of advice really got through to Mark?

So, will it be the Blues up for Elimination? Or will Mark’s ‘miracle’ happen?