The Biggest Loser: Cupcakes and Marathons

Week 10 at "The Biggest Loser" sent contestants home for a flattering reunion with family and friends. But a box of temptation cupcakes broke up the weight-loss party in anticipation of a marathon ahead. At-home beers and burgers didn't stand a chance against Daris's sweet karaoke date night. However, overcoming past bad habits without a trainer in sight was the real story this week.

$10,000 Marathon Pedal. After the welcome home cheers subsided, contestants had to pry open a giant packing crate filled with packing peanuts, a box of 100-calorie cupcakes and a stationary bike. First one to finish 26.2 miles on the bike during a same-time challenge won $10,000. Eat a cupcake and tack on five minutes to the contestant's race time of your choice. In a Bob and Jillian head-shaking moment, 32 cupcakes were wolfed down, and they weren't all for sinewy Sam.

Cupcake Spoilers. Gameplaying Lance ate 17 cupcakes with his eliminated wife, Melissa, by his side. Andrea scarfed nine to Michael's six. No one else touched one. At the bicycle marathon, Sam beat Koli and Lance by less than a minute, but all the pre-race cupcakes eaten by Lance pushed him into nearly last place. Koli narrowly beat a cupcake-filled Lance for the $10,000 and a big boost in pride.

Choose Life. Michael's mother reminded him to choose life, even as his grandmother sits unresponsive in a hospital bed from complications of extreme obesity. Mom knows avoiding a wheelchair, dialysis and diabetes later involves making the right choices now. Looks as if Michael truly has the support he needs at home -- at 397 pounds he's facing a long road to a reasonable weight. Ever an optimist, Bob was overjoyed to see Michael proactively manage high stress levels with healthy living, not overeating.


Thin Tastes Better. At least that's how Ashley felt as she down and ordered at her favorite restaurant. No more chicken wings with ranch. Instead she chose ahi tuna and steamed spinach.When it comes to giant restaurant meals, "it doesn't taste as good as I feel right now," said Ashley. Ashley and her mom now believe an active social life means kayaking and hiking, not mountains of nachos with friends and family. That's not a change in taste, it's an entirely new mindset.

More Tips. Where were the specific trainer tips this week? Granted, players headed home, but viewers need concrete eating and fitness ideas to employ, too. We missed Bob and Jillian's big ideas this week, and they didn't even yell at the cupcake eaters.

Black's losing streak ended with incredible at-home weight loss -- Sam lost 14 pounds to land at his eighth grade weight of 264. Ashley lost a first-ever 10 pounds and Stephanie lost nine to break the 200s. Blue headed to elimination with Sunshine holding immunity after losing the team's highest percentage of weight loss. An obvious gameplay move, Lance was sent back to Texas. He's now down to 265 pounds, hiking with his son and realizing what he eats matters. "The education is so empowering for me. I used to never think about the food I was sticking in my mouth," said Lance. He may make 220 by the finale. See you next week as eliminated players return for a spot, and one man reveals a 400-pound weight loss after being inspired by the show.

Wonder what Bob and Jillian would say about The Power Plate.