"Biggest Loser" Recap: Challenges With a Twist

"The Biggest Loser" effectively changed the direction of the show this season. Producers have incorporated more information for viewers, offering a better glimpse at the training regimen than in seasons past. They also changed up how challenges are executed. providing plenty of incentive for contestants to give their all.

The show opened at the ranch (finally!), and the contestants were immediately introduced to a final team. Trainers Bob and Jillian were both given the chance to "save" a contestant from the regional competitions. Bob chose Aaron from Detroit, and Jillian chose Elizabeth from Boston. They both received yellow T-shirts.

Aaron struggled mightily during the Detroit competition but was held back by his 468-pound size. Elizabeth also fought hard during the competition but was hindered by her asthma, actually pushing to the point that she almost passed out and had to be taken to the hospital. Elizabeth's starting weight was 244 pounds.

A second surprise immediately followed: Despite the fact that contestants were wearing colored T-shirts in teams of two, host Alison Sweeney announced that this would be an individual competition. No teams. It's been a while since the season didn't begin with some sort of team competition, so this was a shock to all of the contestants.

The producers of the show are showing the efforts in the gym a bit more this year. Bob and Jillian gleefully pounded the contestants. There was quite a bit of footage from the first- and second-day workouts. "There are people puking on the treadmill as they're running," said Jason. "I knew it was going to be hard; I didn't know it would be that hard."

Lisa agreed, "I've had two kids with natural childbirth, and it doesn't hold a candle to this workout. Not even close."

The oldest member this season, Tina, fell off the treadmill pretty hard. The medics ran over to assist her, and after a few minutes, she got back on the treadmill to applause from everyone. "I hit my shoulder, hit my ribs," said Tina. "But I got back on it a few minutes later. I got back on that sucker."

The other drama was from Rick, a physical therapist. He had only about 35 minutes of working out on day one. "I tried, man, I tried," he said. "I started getting light headed. I tried to work through it, but I just started passing out ... I am disappointed probably more than I've ever been."

Bob seemed almost gleeful about the intensity of the workout and its effect on Rick. "You want to know how crazy day-one workout is," he said. "Look at Rick: He's been on his back for the past 45 minutes. That's how tough it is."

The contestants next met with Dr. Rob Huizenga, who discussed their various medical issues. Lisa, 31, learned that her "real age" was actually double her actual age at 62. "We've never had a contestant before whose age was literally double their real age," Huizenga cautioned. "It's a combination of your body fat and smoking."

Rick was shocked to learn he had a 32 percent chance of having a heart attack in the next five years. In a tearful chat with his family, he promised to get his act together and lose the weight.

The biggest shocker was Allie, now 22, who learned the effects of having gastric bypass surgery at age 14. "You have something that's very typical of people who have had major bypass surgery," said Huizenga. "You lose stomach fat but you lose a lot of muscle as well, and then when things go south, you tend to gain back only fat. Out of everyone on the show this season, you have the highest fat percentage."

"That's a problem with bypass surgery that no one wants to talk about," continued Huizenga. "I don't blame you; I blame the doctor. Did he follow up with you every year and check your body fat? Did the doctor who accepted the check when you were 14 ever follow up with you and make sure there were no physical or psychological ramifications?"

Allie shook her head no, sadly, to both questions.

Back in the house, Alison Sweeney arrived to announce there wouldn't be a challenge. Instead, there would be a weigh-in in two hours. The house was caught off guard even more when they arrived at the weigh-in and learned that half of the 16 contestants would be below the yellow line.

Rick and Mark had the most dramatic weigh-ins, losing 10.29 percent (36 pounds) and 9.74 percent (41 pounds) body weight respectively. The contestants below the yellow line were Patrick, Tina, Allie, Sophia, Burgandy, Jessica, Lisa and Elizabeth. Patrick was the only man below the yellow line, and Ada was the only woman above the yellow line. Contestants then learned the players below the yellow line would compete in a challenge to see who might get voted off. Rick, as the week's winner, would be able to "save" one player.

The contestants moved to a big airplane hangar with large flags with handles hanging from the ceiling. They learned that there would be a series of sprints. The first player to grab the flag during each heat would be safe from elimination. There were only five flags for seven contestants, meaning that the two least fit players would be up for elimination, similar to the regional tryouts. Rick chose to save Patrick, the only male, from the contest. Rick and Patrick are both from Atlanta and both wore green shirts.

At the end of the heats, Allie, the youngest, and Tina, the oldest, were both up for elimination. The eight contestants who were above the yellow line did the voting. At the end of the day, the pink T-shirt wasn't enough to save Allie, and she was sent home.

There was some great after footage of Allie's arrival home. She asked her mother to clean out the house of all the chocolate, her greatest weakness, before she arrived home. She walked into the house to literally see an open bar of chocolate sitting on the kitchen counter. Knowing that she couldn't turn to her family for even basic support, she turned instead to season eight winner, Danny Cahill, to help her with her weight loss journey. At the time of her check-in with the show, she was down 60 pounds and looking great.

More "Biggest Loser" News From That's Fit:
"Biggest Loser" Season 10 Opener
"Biggest Loser": Inspiring or Unrealistic?
Why Men Lose Weight More Easily Than Women