Tag Archives: Biggest Loser

Rachel’s 60 Percent Weight Loss is Nothing to Celebrate; Biggest Loser Should be Ashamed

UPDATE: Editor Brandi Koskie spoke with WCCO radio in Minneapolis, MN, about Rachel’s shocking weight loss. Listen to the conversation here:

 

 

105 pounds. 60% loss? Rachel is beautiful, but @biggestlosernbc that is not healthy. We both know that. We shouldn’t celebrate that.

That’s what I tweeted tonight once the confetti fell on the Biggest Loser stage. Reactions of shell-shocked viewers, like this one, poured in. And there are more below.

 

rachel-bl-winner

Rachel Frederickson may have won Biggest Loser season 15 tonight, but there’s very little to celebrate. She looked stunning when she was finally revealed during the live finale, but awe turned to shock when millions of viewers at home noticed her frail, skeletal frame.

“I knew it would come to this someday, just wish it hadn’t,” was the comment from a trusted insider who attended the finale. For years people have wondered if the $250,000 prize money would push contestants too far. This isn’t the first time a finalist has looked too thin on that scale; but no one has ever looked as frighteningly emaciated as Rachel did tonight.

rachel-bl-finale

“It’s so much worse in person, isn’t it?” I texted, following the show’s ending.

“I legitimately cried,” our insider told us upon seeing Rachel in person. “[NBC] should be beyond ashamed.”

NBC has “no statement,” confirmed at 9:15am today.

My sentiments were the same as my insider’s. Rachel’s final weigh-in put her at 105 pounds. That’s not how much she lost, that’s her current weight, a 60% total weight loss off of a starting weight of 260 pounds. That percentage, most likely one of the highest in show history, absolutely secured her win. (more…)

Posted on February 4, 2024 by Natalie K

6 Things to Know about the New Biggest Loser Club

In its 14 seasons, NBC’s Biggest Loser has inspired us with its amazing personal success stories and motivated us to lose weight. With the reintroduction of the Biggest Loser Club, the official weight loss program of the Biggest Loser, we can follow the same diet and fitness plans the contestants follow, restructured to fit into our daily lives at any fitness level.

BLC Logo RGB smallest

Here are six things you need to know:

Express Six-Week Plan: The Express Six-Week Plan is the closest you will get to being at the Biggest Loser ranch without actually being there. The program, which requires consuming only 1,200 calories a day and performing 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly, is designed to jump start your weight loss.

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Posted on January 22, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Biggest Loser Contestants Get Olympic-Sized Encouragement and Cowboy Jay Gets Booted – Elimination Interview

Last night the Biggest Loser contestants took a field trip to the US Olympic training site in Park City, Utah. During their visit they worked out in the Olympic Village, received a pep talk from 8-time medalist, Apolo Ohno, played a high-stakes game of curling and ran a foot-race around the bobsled track that solidified to everyone, Rachel is in-it-to-friggin-win-it, so watch out.

In the end, even though he’s already lost an impressive 104 pounds on the show, the remaining contestants chose to oust Gentleman Jay and his signature black cowboy hat from the village.

Jay Sheets Before After collage

Today we talked to Jay about his tremendous weight loss, his plans for the finale, and whether he thought Bobby’s cry for help was genuine, or a clever ploy to stay on the show.

DIR: You looked great when you left the Olympic Village last night. Since returning home, what have you done to maintain your weight loss?

JAY: You know, really it’s just been the fact that I’m back to the everyday grind. Life with work and the kids. Getting kids ready for school, then working and running them around to all their activities, it’s a time management thing because I don’t get to work out for 6-8 hours a day like I could on the ranch. Right now I exercise before work and then again in the evening.

DIR: Do you think Bobby’s speech was genuine or was there a little bit of manipulative game-play involved?

JAY: Oh, there was definitely a little bit of game-play involved but hey, that’s part of the game. I knew when I hit my goal weight that my time would be coming but I think it was kind of a dumb move for the contestants to vote me off. I didn’t have enough weight to lose to be the Biggest Loser winner. In that way, Bobby is the bigger threat.

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Posted on January 15, 2024 by Dani Stone

Bobby Returns to the Biggest Loser Ranch, but Contestants Decide it’s Time for Tumi to Go – Elimination Interview

Last night, The Biggest Loser returned from a long holiday break. We noticed Bob is still proudly sporting his porn ‘stache, and we finally learned which contestant earned a spot back on the ranch – Bobby! Unfortunately, the dreaded yellow line also appeared for the first time this season, pitting Tonya against Tumi. Ultimately, the players decided it was Tumi Oguntala’s time to leave.

Tumi - white team

How did she feel about her former teammates voting her out, and how is she getting ready for the upcoming Biggest Loser finale? We spoke with Tumi this afternoon and asked a few questions about her departure.

DIR: How Did you feel about the yellow line coming in to play, pitting you against Tanya, and your former teammates’ decision to vote you off?

Tumi: “Well – pause – to be honest, I was hoping for a little team solidarity. I’m disappointed but there are no hard feelings. Let’s just say, what happens on the ranch stays on the ranch.” (more…)

Posted on January 8, 2024 by Dani Stone

Alison Sweeney Talks to Redbook About Staying Fit: “It’s Not About Dieting”

Alison Sweeney RedbookOn the Biggest Loser, host Alison Sweeney introduces contestants to their weekly sweat-inducing weight loss challenge. Always looking svelte and fashionable beside the big weigh-in scale, how does she stay so trim and healthy? In the January issue of Redbook magazine, Sweeney talks about her daily routine and even inspires the reporter to follow her lead.

I’m not a big fan of resolutions. . . because just like diets, I feel like you’re setting yourself up to fail. 

As an actress on the soap opera, Days of Our Lives, Alison has been in the Hollywood spotlight for years. After the birth of her children, now 8 and 4, she admits the baby weight was tough to take off. After a variety of diets left her feeling tired and well – hungry, she decided to drop the word, “diet” from her vocabulary and instead, opted to, “overhaul her lifestyle.”

In some ways I’m sort of boring, I do the same things all the time

Consistency has made it relatively easy for Alison to control her daily calories. While some people crave variety, she makes healthy eating a habit, often eating her same favorite meals for days on end. “Every day I have oatmeal with blueberries, agave nectar, and cinnamon for breakfast – period,” she said. (more…)

Posted on January 7, 2024 by Dani Stone

Jillian vs. Bob vs. Dolvett: How the 3 Biggest Loser Trainers’ Books Compare

On the show, the three trainers on The Biggest Loser join forces to help contestants lose weight. However, off camera Bob Harper, Jillian Michaels and Dolvett Quince have very different approaches for helping the at-home loser achieve better health. The trainers showcase these different weight loss formulas in book form: Bob and Jillian have each written multiple best-selling books  and Dolvett just released his first, “The 3-1-2-1 Diet: Eat and Cheat Your Way to Weight Loss—Up to 10 pounds in 21 Days”.

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With three different perspectives from three different, talented celebrity trainers how is a person to choose which book is right for them? Here’s a breakdown of the main ideas from each trainer’s most recent read. Chances are one approach will sound like the best one for you!

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Posted on January 7, 2024 by Lauren Martin

Jillian Michaels Overtakes Weight Watchers on the 2024 Most Popular Diets of the Year List

The most popular diet of the year is none other than the incomparable Jillian Michaels. It’s not entirely surprising when you consider she’s been one of the most consistent players on our list since 2024, with her online brand, detox product, and earliest workout DVD ranking each year. In fact, the latter two were both on last year’s top ten list. We expect to see Curves, ranking for the first time since 2024, as the Biggest Loser trainer just announced a new partnership with Curves.

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What is most surprising is how Jillian Michaels knocked the giant that is Weight Watchers out of the number one position. That’s only been done once before, by 17 Day Diet in 2024. Even that year Weight Watchers held on to number two, but this year they slipped in to the fifth most popular spot.

And 17 Day Diet grabbed ranking number four, hardly losing any ground since its overwhelmingly popular release in late 2024. Its position on our annual Most Popular lists, ahead of Weight Watchers once again, will no doubt help with the release of 17 Day Diet: Breakthrough Edition on the 31st.

The only constant between last year’s list and this – Medifast. They’ve got number 3 on lock, with the meal delivery diet staying strong in the top ten since 2024.

Another staple of our list fell pretty hard this year, with hCG falling down to number 14. No, the supplement boom isn’t over, as its disappearance only made room for brands like Skinny Fiber (a shocking number 2) and Plexus Slim (at number 6) to move on up the list. Dr. Oz-endorsed Raspberry Ketones (17) and Green Coffee Bean Extract (20) were other weight-loss-by-pill categories that did especially well this year.

Check out the 25 Most Popular Diets of 2024* as determined by you, our readers.best diets 2013

1. Jillian Michaels

2. Skinny Fiber

3. Medifast

4. 17 Day Diet

5. Weight Watchers (more…)

Posted on December 30, 2023 by Natalie K

Bob Harper’s Coming Out Conversation Helped Biggest Loser’s Bobby Find Self-Pride, Weight Loss

The Blue Team may have resisted the temptation of eating waistline-busting food delivered by the diner-working White Team, but that still wasn’t enough to put them on top at the final weigh-in. After an emotional experience on the Biggest Loser Ranch that included a life-changing conversation with mentor and trainer Bob Harper, contestant Bobby Saleem fell below the red line and was sent home.

Today we spoke with Bobby about his decision to discuss his homosexuality on the show, and how he’s been doing since he was eliminated.

Bob and Bobby 2

This season, trainer Bob Harper had a milestone moment when he announced that he was gay. The admission may not have been a surprise to viewers, but it was a defining moment for Bobby, who was able to share his struggle with homosexuality. Today, Bobby said their conversation was an emotional turning point.

DIR: Was your coming-out conversation with Bob helpful, and if so, what role do you think it played in your weight loss?

Bobby: It was absolutely helpful. Before coming on to the ranch, I felt ashamed of being gay. I never had a role model I could look up to. After my conversation with Bob, I realized that being gay doesn’t make you weak. Now I’m proud of the skin I’m in, emotionally and physically. (more…)

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Dani Stone

Holley Mangold Goes Home on First Week Without Trainer Saves

It looked the white team would be in trouble again, but instead it was Bob’s blue team members that went up for elimination. In a heartbreaking moment for Bob, Holley Mangold’s 3-pound weight loss dropped her below the red line and she was eliminated.

This was the first week with the trainer saves out of the picture, and Holley’s elimination came as a visible blow to Bob. We spoke with Holley about her feelings about not being saved, and what her plans are now that she’s off the ranch.

“I’m very much planning on going to Rio [Summer Olympics 2024],” she said. “That was my whole reason for going on the show…to have a chance at getting a medal.”

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Posted on November 27, 2023 by Elizabeth

A Very Biggest Loser Thanksgiving: 7 Fat-Trimming Tips from the Ranch and a Pumpkin Flan Recipe

Tune in to Biggest Loser tonight for a special Thanksgiving on the ranch. We’ll see the contestants gather ’round the kitchen for all of the traditional favorites like turkey, dressing, gravy, and of course a pumpkin dessert. But a few things will be missing – loads of fat, calories, and processed ingredients.

Don’t feel too bad for the contestants missing their families, though. By our calculations, this Thanksgiving episode would have filmed in mid August; meaning most or all of them are home with their families for the real holiday this week.

cheryl forberg

Cheryl Forberg, RD, the show’s dietitian and a James Beard award-winning chef, showed the contestants how to craft a Thanksgiving meal so out of this world they no doubt forgot how good it was for them, and you, too! Using fresh, wholesome ingredients, and what she calls flavor agents, all explained in her cookbook Flavor First, Cheryl was able to give the contestants a holiday meal to remember (and one their waistlines will soon forget!). Her best have-a-healthy-Thanksgiving tips are shared exclusively here.

biggest loser thanksgiving

Let’s start with the turkey. Low in fat and high in protein, it’s an inexpensive source of B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Cheryl served a non-traditional take on the bird, with her Turkey Roulade.

Baste your bird with flavorful fat-free broth (instead of butter). You’ll have lots of delicious juices to serve without breaking your calorie bank. (more…)

Posted on November 26, 2023 by Natalie K

Biggest Loser “Save” Goes Home Amid Controversy – We Talk to Craig

Last night on The Biggest Loser, the battered white team was dealt another blow when trainer Jillian Michaels was called out during the final weigh in for giving her team caffeine supplements last week without permission. The public chastising led to a ripple effect of consequences including a four-pound penalty for Jillian’s team and a reversal of last week’s events that gave immunity back to team blue and allowed the convenient return of fan favorite Ruben Studdard.

Unfortunately, the white team could not overcome Jillian’s penalty and Craig fell under the red line – for the second time.

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We had a chance to speak with Craig about his elimination, his feelings toward Jillian now, and how he’s doing at home:

DIR: Your journey continued with a save from Jillian but ended because of it, how does that feel?

Craig: I know my leaving was premature but it was my time. The five weeks I had at the ranch were amazing and gave me motivation to do it on my own at home. I was actually excited go to back and see my wife and daughter.

DIR: How is your relationship with Jillian? Do you blame her for your exit?

Craig: My relationship with Jillian is great. Fear-wise she helped me through things I never would’ve been able to work through on my own. I’m using everything she taught me and I’m grateful.

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Posted on November 13, 2023 by Dani Stone