I am a complete sucker for The Biggest Loser. While Extreme Makeover (Home Edition and otherwise) makes me uncomfortable with its do-goodiness, watching overweight people strive to get back into their high school prom dress is downright riveting.

Maybe it's because I get the uneasy feeling that exploiting the most down-on-their-luck families one can find (mom was hit by lightning, dad was killed by an asteroid and all six kids were born with different disabilities and/or defects) for ratings is tempting fate. But who can't relate to wanting (or needing) to win the willpower battle and drop some weight.

I mean, it doesn't get me into the gym, but it does make me opt for a salad and glass of red wine for dinner more often.

This time out the gimmick is that one person from each of the 50 states will be flown to California where they will endure one workout in front of returning trainer Bob Harper and new trainer Kim Lyons (who we thought was going to be powderpuff compared to Jillian Michaels, but won us over when she she said she didn't get her body be being "a cheerleader wuss"), who will then pick teams of seven people each.

Say what you will about everybody being on an even playing field, but as I recall from watching beauty pageants as a kid, chances are California, New York and Texas are going to make the cut. I'm also betting on Jen, the plus-size model from Minnesota, since Biggest Loser does have an eye for women with "very pretty faces," if you know what I'm saying.

Sure enough, Bob picks Brian (California, 308 lbs), Erik (New York, 407) and Tiffany (Texas, 255) for his blue team, along with Bobby (Tennessee, 321), Melinda (Alabama, 236), Marty (Missouri, 365) and Amy (Maryland, 260).

For the red team, Kim goes with Ken (Washington, 358), Kai (Alaska, 262), Nelson (Massachusetts, 404), Pam (Indiana, 247), Wylie (Florida, 307), Heather (Utah, 223) and Miss Minnesota herself, Jen (245).

The other 36 states are sent home, but not empty-handed. Armed with a personalized training program, a Biggest Loser DVD and Biggest Loser book, they are expected to stick with it. Viewers at home came watch their progress at nbc.com and the single man and woman with the greatest percentage of weight loss will be brought back at a later date.

Collectively, the 14 contestants weigh in with 4,198 pounds. Not as impressive as the over 7 tons the whole lot of 50 were carrying around from consuming over a million calories a day, but pretty impressive nonetheless.

Making the point that this isn't going to be fun, everyone spends their first night at the ranch sleeping on the floor of the gym and start working out the very next morning. It also appears as though more people vomit this time around (or "purge their toxins" as Bob calls it).

Even with two hours, there isn't enough time to get to know anyone. Before we know it, a challenge has taken place, as has the first week's weigh-in and the red team has to send somebody home. That person happens to be Jen who only lost eight pounds and has a reputation for not giving 100 percent.

Oh, but thanks to my favorite part of the show, we get a little postscript that she's lost an additional 55 pounds since leaving the ranch. She's still quite a way from her goal of being 132 pounds, but, hey, the live finale is still three months away.

Comments

Does Miss Minnesota from Biggest Loser have a web site (she lost 100 lbs.) I am sooo impressed.

Marie F. | Sep 10, 2007 7:14:26 AM | #

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