It was challenge night last night for the Biggest Loser contestants and there were even more injuries! But, there was also a little controversy, a hint of a strange obsession from Angie and the possibility of love in the air. Ahhhhh!

Hallelujah!

Angie’s team were the first in the gym for a short but tough cardio session. Jamie proved he is definitely back in the game and pushing himself hard. He said he felt he had impressed Angie, himself and the others training with him and it made him feel great!

Eunice also impressed taskmaster Angie with her performance in the session. Angie said she showed desire, passion and commitment – exactly the right attitude. Her determination has come from her decision to do something about her weight when she was told she needed to drop five stone for fertility treatment. Her and her husband have been trying for a baby but had no luck so far.

Angie had reason to celebrate last night because all her team were up to speed and back on track. Even Jennifer was doing really well. Angie said,

‘Exercise is the best drug in the world and you’re starting to get hooked.’

Blood, Sweat and Tears

She is really seeing progress in her team but she does seem to be a bit obsessed with sweat! At the end of the session she went round her team and ran her fingers along their foreheads to do the ‘sweat test’. She said,

‘It’s very simple – the more they sweat the more fat they burn. If I can’t see enough sweat on my team they’re not working hard enough!’

Circle of Death

Richard’s team were subjected to the ‘Circle of Death’ before hitting the gym. They had to walk round the circular driveway eight times with 22lb weighted vests. (Seemingly a favourite tool of torture for Richard!) He said he wanted to get their competitive juices flowing for the challenge.

Kevin said,

‘Popular films in this day and age have the circle of life – we’ve got the circle of death!’

Katey is having problems with her knee so Richard told her to only go round twice and then head for the gyn. She managed three times so she could show she wasn’t taking any short cuts.

Although Mark won the ‘Circle of Death’, he said,

‘Carol – I would call her the Speed Queen! She’s so fast at walking. It’s unbelievable!’

She was close on Kevin’s heels all the way round and came 2^nd behind Mark. Kevin said he found it a bit nerve wracking having her right behind him.

Healthy Rivalry?

There does seem to be a bit of an issue between Mark and the rest of the house at the moment. Maria said she didn’t want Mark to win the ‘Circle of Death’ because he just has to win everything,

‘He even tries to beat me on burning calories at the gym!’ she said.

Michaela said that Mark couldn’t go home soon enough for her and many other people in the house and Jamie said,

‘Mark is walking round like he’s top dog when he isn’t – we are all equal.’

Health Issues and Weight Loss

Show doctor and Obesity Specialist, Dr Ian Campbell warned that the Biggest Loser contestants had very high expectations of continuing the significant weight loss they had last week. He said that it tends to peter off fairly soon because a lot of the energy burned to begin with is glycogen. This is stored sugar around the liver supported by a lot of water so, as you burn the glycogen off you lose the water making it seem like you’ve lost a lot of weight.

All Clear

Before they compete in the challenge, each contestant has to be declared fit by the doctor. Dr Ian Campbell said that the contestants were already seeing significant changes. On the negative side, their joints and muscles were aching due to the hammering they were being given during training. But, they were also experiencing the euphoria of exercise as their bodies released the endorphins that were kicking in.

All of the contestants were given the all clear for the challenge including Jamie, even though he is still having problems with his shoulder after dislocating it last week. Katey has injured her knee but was also given the all clear.

The Uphill Struggle

The challenge took place at the Snow Dome Xscape in Milton Keynes. Jamie felt a little uneasy and upset when he realised how close to home they were as it is only 20 miles from where he lives – he felt very homesick.

For the challenge, one of each couple had to toboggan down a slope and get back up to the top in the allotted time, ready for their partner to do the next slide. Dave said,

‘The last time I slid down anywhere on snow was when I was a child!’

Both Miriam and Jennifer looked terrified, Jennifer said tobogganing was something she would ‘never, ever have contemplated’. Eunice was very excited as she used to enjoy skiing.

Once the challenge had been described, Kate Garraway asked the contestants if they were happy to compete. Carol said,

‘I realised although I’m up for that there’s no way Katey’s knees are going to hold out on her – she’s in a lot of pain but, I left it to Katey to make the decision.’

Katey declared herself out so it meant Carol could still take part but had to do it on her own. She would have to do each slide and climb without a rest in-between.

Dave said,

‘All I can see is Carol’s putting in all the effort and Katey’s just hanging on her apron strings!’

Kevin said that Carol is an absolute trooper and that she is relentless. He said you shouldn’t underestimate Carol.

Vertigo

Rick was suffering stood at the top of the slope because he suffers from vertigo. He couldn’t look down it as it was turning his stomach over!

Miriam said she was worried about careering into a wall so she decided that sis Eunice could go first so she could see what happened – now that’s sisterly love for you!

The rounds started at 4 minutes each for the contestants to slide down the slope and then get back to the top. Miriam said that their tactics were speed on the way down so they had more time to get back up to the top.

Injuries . . .

On Jennifer’s first go she started in the sitting position and ended up laying flat on her back and spinning round and round in circles as she slid down the hill. When it was Sadie’s turn, she couldn’t stop at the bottom and slammed into Rick. He had broken his ankle a few months before and, as Murphy’s Law would have it, Sadie managed to hit the one he broke! The Medics checked his ankle and declared him out – he hadn’t broken it but had badly sprained it. So, Michelle had to complete the rest of the challenge on her own just like Carol.

. . . and More Injuries

Then Carol bumped into Jamie and he hurt his shoulder and the other arm into the bargain! He was in pain and in shock so the Medics declared him out too. Dave joined the singleton ranks!

Jennifer was out next but Sadie didn’t realise she could carry on without her and only just managed to get on her toboggan in time for the next round.

By round 13, the time they had to complete a slide and climb had decreased to 1 minute and 30 seconds. Carol went out this round because she didn’t make it back up in time – she missed it by 1 second! Then Sadie followed suit leaving the Pink ladies, the Brown team and the Orange team, with Michelle for the Blues and Dave for the Greys.

Dave went out after round 13 and then Eunice fell heavily on her toboggan and winded herself meaning she had to retire too.

Round 17 was down to 1 minute and 15 seconds and the Pink ladies were doing really well. Michaela said that they just kept going and going because they wanted to beat Mark. Then Michaela didn’t make her slide and climb in time and was out, leaving Maria on her own.

Michelle was so exhausted that when she declared herself out she didn’t even have the breath left to say so!

Round 19 saw Maria drop out leaving Miriam, Kevin and Mark to battle it out once again! Miriam said there was something about brown and orange and the Brown team shouted back ‘Chocolate Orange!’

Round 21 was down to 1 minute and Mark got sliding quicker than Miriam. By the time she got to the bottom, Mark had got up and was on his way to the top. He managed to increase his lead as Miriam was lagging behind. He got to the top before the minute was up. Pushing herself hard, Miriam desperately tried to make it to the top but just didn’t make it in time.

The Browns had won the challenge for the second time!

Mark was chuffed to have won the challenge for a second time. He said he had spent his life coming 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th and wanted to win for a change.

All You Need is Love!

Love may be in the air in the Biggest Loser house. On the way back from the challenge Michaela just started saying ‘Oh my God! Oh my God!’ and pointing at the seat opposite her. There was Mark with Miriam asleep and nestled under his arm!

Eunice said that Mark and Miriam had planned to meet up when Biggest Loser was over and that she and Kevin had not been invited!

Kevin said,

‘I don’t know what’s going on but, in their strange way, they suit each other – other than that I can’t comment!’

Mmmmmm – watch this space!