The Biggest Loser: Unhealthiest Contestants Ever?

Week 2 over at "The Biggest Loser" was exactly as Jillian forecast -- notoriously difficult. Weight loss is meager, everyone's sore, life at the ranch is just plain cranky. This is one week that usually defies the calories in/calories out winning formula for losing weight. Read on as Dr. Huizenga delivers bad medical news and one contestant faces her fears after another Biggest Loser ambulance ride.

What's Your Weight? Michael, the heaviest contestant ever, told Bob he had no idea he was 526 pounds before that first weigh-in. He says he's nowhere close to his dream of marriage and children, and a whole lot closer to death by morbid obesity. Shunning that number on the scale just fuels denial. If you're in Michael's shoes, it's time to buy a scale or dust off the scale you own. Don't worry, America is so frighteningly fat, scales capable of handling 300 pounds and up are available and affordable.

Grief and Comfort Food. In a fit of exhaustion, John told Jillian comfort food got him to nearly 500 pounds. His dad died when he was 15, three months later he lost his grandmother, then three months later he lost his sister. Jillian told John he can change if he believes it's possible. Suffering an unfathomable loss, Season 8's Amazing Abby Rike believed she could change -- look at her on The Ellen Degeneres Show where Ellen called her amazing, too.

Sickest Season Ever. No swine flu at the ranch, just a Dr. Huizenga house call. Before revealing dismal medical news to contestants, each team had a medical task wake-up call. Michael watched Bob strap on 303 pounds to simulate his own starting weight of 526. Purple's Patti and Stephanie had to watch footage of their family back home, begging them to lose weight. Red's Lance and Melissa had to stare at the back of an armored truck loaded with three million in cash, the estimated cost of obesity over the rest of their lives. Lance lost his commercial diving job because he can't pass the dive test anymore. Remember Suze Orman warned America about the high cost of obesity.

Fasting Disaster. Orange's Cheryl and Darus had to watch Jillian uncover the silver platters of an average day's worth of the processed/fast food they used to eat. Orange claimed they'd wouldn't eat all day, then by evening they'd chow down. Just imagine that habit on your metabolism. You must eat both healthy and regularly to lose weight.

Bloody Broken Challenge. In an adrenalin-filled race for immunity, contestants had to travel back and forth over a balance beam perched above a pool carrying beach balls. The last place team would be penalized two pounds. Red beat Black by a nose, then White's Maria fell off the beam in a can't-swim panic, breaking her ring finger, bloodying her nose and sending her off to the hospital. Michael escorted his mom to the hospital instead of returning to the challenge, then Bob chewed him out. Do you think Bob was too hard on him?

Fear Isn't Forever. Jillian really is a sweetie. She pulled black-eye Maria back to the pool and taught her how to float, then doggy paddle. Don't allow fear of potentially failing another diet hold you back from trying again. Fear or no fear, start now.

Now the Really Bad News. Dr. Huizenga ran all the numbers and Andrea's thick wall of abdominal fat puts her at a greater risk of heart attack than 98 percent of others in her twentysomething age bracket. Darrell's diabetes, high blood pressure, severe sleep apea, reflux and family history of heart disease have Dr. H. declaring he's one of the sickest on campus. Maria has a one in three chance of developing diabetes within the next five years. Fifty-one-year-old Cheryl's inner age is 75 thanks to smoking and obesity. Dr. H. named this the most dangerous duo in medicine.

Scared Straight? But it gets worse. Young Ashley learned she has diabetes at the tender age of 27. The medical community has been warning us about this trend. Her internal age is also 57, potentially losing 30 years to obesity. Let's hope she's now scared straight on her way to a normal weight. Her mom said they've been playing around with the most valuable thing that they have -- their lives. So true. Yet the good news is it's reversible.

Don't Miss Trainer and Doc Gems

"Are you 15-20 pounds or more from your glory year weight?" asks Dr. Huizenga. Get The Biggest Loser Know Your Numbers HealthScore kit to predict your internal age and health risks. It may be the motivation you need to stop the weight gain train.

"Does snacking inhibit weight loss?" asked Jillian. True or false? No commercial break required, here's the answer. It's true. Studies show snacking throughout the day makes you more prone to unknowingly swallowing extra calories. Jillian says you should eat three meals and one small snack between lunch and dinner. Try that formula next week. It's a lot simpler to track in your food diary, too.


No temptations this week, Dr. H. was stress enough. Looks like Michael is on a tear to break the seven-week record for 100 pounds lost, he dropped 11 pounds this week alone. Let the sandbagging gameplay begin -- under the protection of immunity, Red's Melissa admitted to purposely holding onto some weight and ended up gaining a pound. Trainer disgust was thick and heavy. Watch out for Darrell, he shed 10 pounds. But it was Purple's 1.5 percent weight loss that had Mom Patti sacrificing herself for daughter Stephanie. Thank goodness for the Biggest Loser transformation moment -- the best elimination antidepressant around. Patti has lost 43 pounds, is taking dance lessons with her husband, working out with her at-home daughter daily and ran a 5K on Thanksgiving. This was the first time her husband has seen her run in nearly 45 years as a couple. She's dropped eight of her nine meds and has set a finale goal to lose the last med for diabetes. Gotta love the fact she's focused on health outcomes versus a specific number on the scale.

Tune in next week where only one teammate's weight counts and there's more manipulation at the weigh-in. Could it possibly be Red? If The Biggest Loser Know Your Number HealthScore has you intrigued, give it a try.