That elimination didn’t keep Rebecca down. She is positively thriving at home. With a current weight of 157 pounds, and a new love in her life, Rebecca has become the person she always wanted to be.

Listen now as she tells about her romance with fellow contestant Daniel Wright, a person she says is her best friend. She’ll also talk about who the new Rebecca really is.

While Rebecca’s weight loss story is remarkable, the thing everyone is buzzing about is this relationship with Daniel. She admits she didn’t really like Daniel in the beginning, but by week three the two were building a friendship. Rebecca is a night owl, so she and Daniel would take long walks on the ranch at night to burn extra calories and talk. She says the real turning point came on the Biggest Loser’s Washington, D.C. trip.

But sooner after Daniel was sent home. Once Rebecca returned home, she says they started having five or six hour phone calls, and it was in those calls that Daniel admitted his feelings for her. Since then, “I fell in love with my best friend,” coos Rebecca. The two have been dating for a while and she says they are key parts of each other’s journey.

Today, the couple is making a long distance relationship work, with Rebecca in Iowa and Daniel in North Carolina. She says she gets “gaga” for Daniel, and uses him as a sounding board for food issues or when she just doesn’t want to go to the gym.

You can’t very well tell Rebecca’s at-home story without Daniel, she says the relationship is “pivotal, the most important thing for me.” The two enjoy trying new recipes together, with Rebecca typically manning the kitchen. One of her favorite recipes that she created on the ranch is a vegetable stir-fry. She includes asparagus, broccoli, onions, mushrooms, fresh herbs, garlic and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, and serves that with baked fish topped with herbs and lemon zest.

The two also enjoy pushing one another in the gym. One activity they enjoy is a treadmill interval challenge. They’ll run at an incline of 15 for one minute, then take it all the way down and walk for a minute, then back up to 15 for a minute, and keep doing that until they can’t any more.

It’s this transition to home life that Rebecca says has been the most difficult of the journey. She spent three and a half months away, came home an entirely new person, yet found everything to be exactly the same. She said she re-evaluated the relationships and friendships in her life and makes sure that everything she does fits her new lifestyle.

That new lifestyle also includes completing a half-marathon. “Becky Meyer would never do this,” she says of her old self. Of the new self, “That girl is Rebecca. This person who can achieve what I set my mind to, will be afraid, will possibly fail, and will set out to do things and finish them.” She ran the 13.1 miles in 2:16, and in those two hours evolved into what she calls the girl she always wanted to be.

Rebecca’s got three weeks left to prepare for finale, and make her television debut with beau Daniel. Given that her “ultimate focus is on changing [her] life forever,” Rebecca will no doubt dazzle us all at that final weigh-in.

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Rebecca Meyer – Biggest Loser Elimination Interview

This week, the challenge was one that I do not envy. The losers had to traverse a gorge while sitting on a platform suspended 200 feet in the air. The winner will receive a two-week trip with his family to the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge. Now that is a prize that should be on the show. Not immunity. Biggest Loser at Fitness Ridge is a very cool experience. Rudy ended up winning the challenge, with Amanda falling just short.

Of course with all the excitement of makeover, not a lot of working out was done it seemed. The last chance workout given by Bob and Jillian seemed absolutely brutal to make up for it.

The beatings seemed to pay of big for Rudy, coming off an immunity week of course, losing 16 pounds, and Amanda losing 9. Liz and Rebecca were below the yellow line and in danger of going home. Rebecca tried her best to fight to stay in the house, but in the end, Rudy cast his vote to send her home.

A slew of arguments erupted that I didn’t follow about trust early in the game. I don’t know, it seemed weird. But since Allen didn’t have to reveal his vote, we assume he also voted to send Rebecca home. Next week looks like it’s going to be an amazing episode so tune in. And if not, I’m always right here giving my sarcastic view of everything. See you next week!

-Mike Morelli

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Mike Morelli’s Biggest Loser Recap – Episode 8.10

The Biggest Loser prize pack, valued at $286.76, will include:

• 3-month membership to the Biggest Loser Club Online
• 1 Biggest Loser Hand Blender
• 1 Biggest Loser Wii Game
• 1 Biggest Loser DS Game
• 1 Biggest Loser Ultimate Fitness Kit
• 1 Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga DVD
• 1 Biggest Loser Boot Camp DVD
• 1 Biggest Loser Simple Swaps Book
• 1 Biggest Loser Protein

It’s so easy to be eligible to win the drawing:

• Click here to sign-up for any of our free health newsletters, including our weekly Biggest Loser Newsletter
• Click here to post this giveaway on Twitter. (You must be following @dietsinreview to be eligible.)

Stay tuned to Biggest Loser to see the final transformations of this season of contestants. They’ve lost some serious weight and they’re going to blow us all away at the live finale on NBC Tuesday, December 8.

DietsInReview.com will be interviewing the winner and contestants live from the finale stage. Then, we’ll announce the winner of the prize pack in the December 10 Biggest Loser Newsletter.

We want you to become your very own version of the Biggest Loser!

DISCLAIMER: Eligibility requires a Twitter post with DietsInReview.com follow and/or newsletter sign-up by Tuesday, December 8, 2009. One prize package will be sent to one individual drawn at random. The winner will be notified via the email address provided via the newsletter form or their Twitter account. DietsInReview.com is not responsible for lost or stolen packages, nor failed shipments due to user providing an incorrect address. DietsInReview.com may replace the prize with one of equal value if prize is not available; not redeemable for cash.

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The Ultimate Biggest Loser Prize Pack Giveaway

The episode first kicked off with an emotional reunion between sisters Tiffany and Stephanie and their family members who came in to town just for the birthday celebration. Then to the tune of music, dancing, teary speeches and of course, birthday cake, the girls, clad in gown sizes they hadn’t worn in years, toasted not just Stephanie’s birthday, but their collective weight loss success as well.

Perhaps it was the presence of their trainer, Jessie, but the ladies also exercised a serious dose of self-control and moderation when faced with a delicious spread of food. Fortunately, since the party was organized by two fellow DietTribe members, Mary and Tiffany, the menu was specifically chosen to reflect the clean-eating diet the group has been following for the past two months.

Another memorable moment during episode six came when Rita announced that she and her husband lost their home to foreclosure, but by allowing the bank to take ownership of their home, they are still able to remain living in it. In a show of commitment and perseverance, Rita did not allow the weight of her financial struggle to result in actual weight gain. Instead, she used the opportunity to strengthen her resolve in her weight loss journey and shared her thoughts and inspiration with her fellow tribe members and DietTribe therapist, Stacy Kaiser.

Eighty days into their weight loss program, here is the result of their weight loss thus far:

Rita: New weight: 156 pounds. Pounds lost: 4 pounds. Total weight loss: 21 pounds.

Stephanie: New weight: 203 pounds. Pounds lost: 7 pounds. Total weight loss: 41 pounds.

Mary: New weight: 170 pounds. Pounds lost: 6 pounds. Total weight loss: 40 pounds.

LaNessa: New weight: 294 pounds. Pounds lost: 3 pounds. Total weight loss: 40 pounds.

Tiffany: New weight: 186 pounds. Pounds lost: 6 pounds. Total weight loss: 35 pounds.

Tune in next week when we recap episode seven of DietTribe Season Two.

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DietTribe Recap Episode Six

The popular television show is being fairly hush-hush about just what exactly is the “400-Calorie Fix,” but DietsInReview.com did our investigative research and we learned that Prevention magazine, creator of the Flat Belly Diet, is behind the secret diet.

With a book, ”400-Calorie Fix,” soon to be released, Prevention’s new weight loss plan is rumored to be a program in which you eat a series of 400-calorie meals throughout the day in order to lose up to 11 pounds in just two weeks. The plan includes 400 ways to eat 400 calories whether you’re cooking for yourself, dining at a restaurant, grabbing lunch at the fast-food drive-thru, watching a movie, or networking at a business dinner.  

To get a sneak peak of the diet, check out DietInReview’s review of the “400-Calorie Fix.”

There is no release date set for the “400-Calorie Fix.”

Check your local listings for show times.

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Tune in: The 400-Calorie Fix on the Rachael Ray Show

Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien shows you how some of the holiday’s most traditional dishes naturally contain low-calorie and nutritious ingredients. Think butternut squash, pumpkin and lean turkey.

With slimming and sneaky tips for how to revamp your recipes so that they won’t send you in a food coma, the Hungry Girl is on hand to lend her culinary creativity to make your Thanksgiving figure-friendly and deliciously decadent.

Check your local listings for show times.

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Tune In: Hungry Girl’s Thanksgiving Tips on Rachael Ray

The Biggest Loser Gift Card is an easier to way for you to either join the club, or offer this life changing program to someone you love. You’ll receive two $25 gift cards, each good for a one-month membership. Keep them both for yourself, or find a weight loss partner and you can join together.

The Biggest Loser Club gives everyone access to the diet and fitness information that you thought was only available to the contestants. You’ll learn about the Biggest Loser Diet, the Biggest Loser Workout, have the option to interact with the show’s experts, connect with other members, build customized meal planners and workout programs, and keep track of your progress in your personal journal. Plus, it’s all completely online so no matter where you are, the plan goes with you.

These cards are only available in stores, like Target.

Learn more about Biggest Loser Club or join online today!

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Biggest Loser Club Gift Cards

Now, Shay tells us that no matter how many times she fell below, you’re still never prepared to leave the ranch. And Daniel explains in leaving the ranch for the second time he’s now more focused on the emotional barriers in front of him.

They were the likeliest team of two this season. When Daniel asked Shay to join him in forming the orange team, it was instantly a perfect match. Only a few months before was Daniel in Shay’s shoes, even though her 476 pound initial weight was only about 20 pounds more than Daniel’s season 7 initial weight of 454.

While Shay set a record in week nine by reaching a 100 pound weight loss faster than any other female in the show’s history, she conceded that “the ranch is not the reality.” In nine weeks she lost 100 pounds, and at home it’s taken her three times as long to lose 54. It’s extremely difficult at home she admits, balancing her weight loss with two jobs, family and kids. For Shay, it’s all about making the sometimes difficult choices to move forward and continuing to lose the additional hundred-plus pounds in front of her. They go to the park instead of a movie, and she swapped her ice cream habit for frozen yogurt or peanut butter and jelly Lara Bars.

Daniel said it was at finale when he was approached by producers to come back to the ranch to be a part of season eight. They told him filming would start in three days, and he said “absolutely!”. His struggle this time around was different though; this time he was able to run and and he could work harder, but he had to dig deep into the emotional issues that had brought him here in the first place so that he could keep this weight off for life. Daniel says during season seven he was fighting for a chance to stay alive, and in season eight he had to decide how deep he could really go to stay healthy.

As Daniel and Shay move forward with their tremendous weight loss (Shay down to 322 and Daniel down to 224), they each share one other important thing: being role models. Daniel says the experience is both weird and amazing, and calls it “an absolutely incredible feeling” that people have taken their victories and applied them to their own lives. Shay recalls that Daniel was her role model while watching season seven, and that she never thought her story would impact others. But she says they’re showing other 500-pound people that it’s not hopeless or impossible, when it is entirely possible to do this without taking drastic measures.

Shay reminded that half a million people applied for Biggest Loser 8, and 16 were chosen. She says “Don’t wait for next season. What if there is no next season?” That’s why Shay has started the “100 Pound Down Club” on Facebook, and she’s telling everyone “It’s possible, whether it takes nine weeks or nine years!”

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Shay Sorrells and Daniel Wright – Biggest Loser Elimination Interview

As I said before, this week is a double elimination week for the contestants. This put all of the contestants on edge and really brought out the best competitive nature in all of the them. We finally saw some game play by the two groups of alliances (young vs. old), and tensions really started to heat up. In the pop challenge, the human tank, Allen, won a one-pound advantage at the weigh-in. That reward is extremely important at this stage in the game. So many contestants have gone home on just one pound, it’s ridiculous.

This week’s challenge was circus inspired as the contestants had to jump through hoops to eliminate their competitors. I know I ask for a lot of stuff from you all in this blog, but this one is kinda cool. 1. Does anyone work for the circus. 2. Can I come and play with the elephants, or jugglers or something fun? Thanks.

Back to the challenge. Shay seemed to think that Rudy made an extreme alliance with her and proceeded to act like a crazy person. There was some ground for the claim, but, seriously, Shay would have lost anyway and in the end it’s a game. Start playing chess, not checkers.

The contestants had some very intense workouts, and again, Danny was out back with the giant tire and sledgehammer (I’m still waiting for that gift by the way; I understand it could get lost in the mail, but it’s been a while). He wins intense workout of the week, and it showed on the scale.

(Another perfect transition to the weigh-in. Man, I’m getting decent at this blogging thing.)

The contestants dropped absolute bombs! The numbers for week nine were huge. Shay lost 17 pounds, losing 100 pounds faster than any woman in Biggest Loser history. Danny dropped a bomb, Liz had her highest weight loss total, and Rebecca lost a monster 10. Daniel was the unfortunate victim of the red line, losing 199 pounds in his stay on Biggest Loser. He did an amazing job and is doing great at home.

The people below the yellow line this week were Shay and Amanda. The house voted out Shay, most likely for game play reasons. I would have voted off Amanda, because she is the bigger threat. Sure, Shay has a lot of weight to lose, but does not have enough time to lose enough weight to have an amazing percentage. Amanda on the other hand is just like the winners from seasons past, being a smaller woman. She even has the right color to win (pink). But, again, I’m not there.

Next week is supposed to be an amazing week people so let’s get excited. Until next time BLnation.
-Mike Morelli

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Mike Morelli’s Biggest Loser Recap – 8.9

The women, who are all also mothers except for LaNessa, are concerned that they will inevitably pass their unhealthy eating habits down to their kids. During episode four, chef Cat Cora stopped by to show the women how to cook for themselves and their families in a healthy way in order to prevent their eating patterns from being passed down to another generation.

With love as one of the strongest motivators, the ladies gathered around the kitchen with Cat who helped them prepare healthy, kid-friendly snacks and meals that will keep their children lean, strong and fit. In addition, Cat’s creations will show the kids just how delicious whole foods can be. One of the recipes that she concocted was a low-fat batch of chicken fingers using cornflakes as a crunchy coating rather than heavy batter and baking them rather than frying them in order to trim calories and fat grams.

After their cooking lesson, the DietTribe members had their scheduled weighed in.

Here are the results following the half-way point of their 120-day weight loss journey:

Tiffany: Starting weight: 221 pounds. Current weight: 196 pounds. Total weight loss: 25 pounds

LaNessa: Starting weight: 335 pounds. Current weight: 303 pounds. Total weight loss: 32 pounds

Rita: Starting weight:177 pounds. Current weight: 163 pounds. Total weight loss: 14 pounds

Mary: Starting weight: 210 pounds. Current weight: 183 pounds. Total weight loss: 27 pounds

Stephanie: Starting weight: 244 pounds. Current weight: 215 pounds. Total weight loss: 29 pounds

Keep tuning in to DietsInReview.com for continued updates on the progress of ladies of DietTribe Season Two.

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DietTribe Season Two Episode Four Recap