That's Fit

"Biggest Loser" New Trainers: Cara Castronova and Brett Hoebel

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST

Trae Patton, NBC

"The Biggest Loser" wasted no time introducing the new trainers on Tuesday, unveiling their identities before the opening credits. As we suspected, Cara Castronova and Brett Hoebel are "the unknowns," and the trainers spoke about the experiences that led them to the show.

Brett Hoebel has been in the fitness industry for almost 20 years and working in several forms of martial arts. "I've studied, I was a pre-med, there's a science to training," he said. "There's no guesswork on anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology." He also talked about being overweight as a teen. "It took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears," he said. "That's what I want to show the contestants."

Cara Castronova, who was ranked number two in the country in her weight class as a boxer and won two Golden Gloves in New York, has overcome her own life hardships. Her father, who taught her how to box, died when she was 14 and her mother passed away a few years ago after a car accident. "Having a hard life has made me stronger," she said. "I'm here to bring back the fighter in each and every one of them."

Brett, who holds multiple personal training and academic certifications, had been trying to work with "The Biggest Loser" for years. "Then I trained Capoeira with Jillian and she helped to move me to the front of my line," he told That's Fit. But giving Jillian a tough workout is different than training people who are morbidly obese -- but that is the challenge Brett is relishing.

""It is a different technique but you stick with the science and that's a common denominator," he said. "I don't know many [trainers] who work with a 500-pound person on a regular basis."

Cara, who is certified as a personal trainer through the International Sports Science Association and a licensed boxing trainer, was also passionate about how different "The Biggest Loser" is from anything else she has done. "There is no certification that will prepare you for the emotional breakthroughs the contestants go through."

Do you think the new trainers are as good as Bob and Jillian? Do you think they'll be as effective? What do you think about their qualifications?

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"Biggest Loser:" New Trainers Take it to the Ring

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

After weeks of anticipation, we finally saw the new trainers and the contestants they train on "The Biggest Loser." Both Cara Castronova and Brett Hoebel were revealed as the trainers (aka, "the unknowns") and we got a sense of life on the "other" ranch.

Brett and Cara both have strengths training in the ring and they showed their teams how to fight for their weight loss. On top of the usual treadmill shots, there were a lot of moments with the contestants inside the ropes of the boxing ring hitting the pads held by Cara and Brett.

Back at the ranch, Jillian Michaels tried to break through to the twins, Dan and Don. They had distanced themselves from the other contestants and didn't seem to be "bought in." After a heart-to-heart, they promised to fully commit themselves. But a few scenes later at a group meeting, Dan said he'd choose to go home before someone else at the house so they could have the opportunity to stay.

Too Much "Biggest Loser" Game Play on Week Two?

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

The season premiere has come and gone and we still have to wait yet another week for "The Biggest Loser" to reveal the unknown trainers. There are only so many shadowy faces and awkward camera angles before you want to change the channel.

This week, viewers barely saw or heard the male trainer; just a sentence or two and a glimpse of the back of his head. The female trainer was mostly heard yelling at someone and also a shot of her being carried on a contestant's shoulders with her hair covering her face. Thankfully, the newest trainers will finally be revealed next week.

Host Alison Sweeney kicked off the show by telling contestants on the ranch that they would have immunity if they could beat the unknowns as a team. If they lost a higher percentage of body weight than the other team no one would be going home.

Rulon Gardner: From Olympian to Biggest Loser

Lisa Johnson — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

Rulon Gardner is a true Olympian, taking home a gold in 2000 and a bronze in 2004 in Greco-Roman Wrestling. After he stepped away from the Olympics, he vowed to "never get on a scale again." He changed gears to become a wrestling coach, opening a health club with his business partner, Justin (also his teammate on the show), and eating whatever he wanted. There were consequences to his new life, however. That's Fit recently talked to Gardner about what led him to "The Biggest Loser" ranch and what he hopes to accomplish.

That's Fit: When did you realize you hit bottom?
Rulon Gardner: My low point came when I was getting inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. I had to get a new tuxedo, and they really don't make 'em that big. We went to the event, and then after, my wife and I got some fast food and she went to bed. I'm sitting there doing what I usually do, staying up late, watching TV and eating bad food. I'm watching the local news, and they had a clip of me and I didn't recognize the person on TV. Then everything finally came through and my health was starting to become an issue and I said, "holy cow you are so unhealthy and you are so obese." That's when I reached out and contacted "The Biggest Loser."

TF: How bad was that first workout?
RG: That first workout was so physical, so exhausting, it was brutal. I was trying to make my body run and sprint like I used to when I was 280 or 265 pounds, and it didn't move the same way. Our trainers, they pushed us. We had three workouts a day mandatory and one that wasn't mandatory, but ultimately, it was.

I could function at walking and slowly running, but anything beyond that my body is not used to putting the stress of 470 pounds on one joint. My leg then was probably 100-plus pounds itself, and my leg said, "Sorry, you just hurt me," and day one I had an injury. I pulled my quad.

TF: How was it working with the new trainers?
RG: At one point I said I can't move and I can't do this. At first they were pretty resistant to a person not doing the work because maybe we're just big, fat and lazy. Then there was a meeting of the minds over the first two weeks of training with the medical staff because it was so physical and it was so hard and there were limitations of the body. The trainers said we'll find an alternative for you and you can be 100 percent in the game and get to those fitness goals.

"Biggest Loser" Tortures Contestants, Viewers in Season Premiere

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

"The Biggest Loser" season 11 debuted with a mystery: Who are the new trainers? Well, we still don't know since they didn't bother to tell us.

I was watching the show and hanging out on Twitter watching the comments go by, and I can tell you that the viewers are not happy about being denied the details for another week. We've already speculated who the newest trainers are, but we won't get confirmation until next week (and maybe not even then).

This year the contestants came in as couples and immediately competed for the right to choose who they train with: Bob and Jillian or two new trainers. The teams chose in the order that they finished and the majority picked the new trainers because they came in a package deal with four weeks of immunity. This is an incredible opportunity to stay on the ranch longer or, in this case, the Biggest Loser Malibu Resort, where the immune teams will spend the first four weeks.

We were shown only glimpses of the contestants who decamped to the new training facility. We saw an outdoor workout and only three of the weigh-ins (including Moses who lost 41 pounds, the single biggest week of weight loss in the show's history).

Bob Harper Will Stay on Biggest Loser "Forever"

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Jason Merritt, Getty Images

Season 10 of "The Biggest Loser" has come and gone. For the contestants, the whirlwind of the competition is over, and they are back to their real lives. Some changed forever, like winner Patrick, while others have new perspectives (Ada) or a new commitment to what's really important (Frado).

That's Fit spoke with "Biggest Loser" trainer Bob Harper and executive producer JD Roth last Friday. They both talked aboutwhy they do what they do and the new trainers debuting in season 11.

On Jillian Michaels Leaving
Michaels' announcement of her departure is a big deal. She's had a rough go dealing with criticism over her credentials and teaching style on the show. But Harper and Roth wish her nothing but happy travels.

"Jillian and I started this whole journey together," said Harper. "We've definitely had our highs and our lows. We will definitely miss her on the show, but the show will go on."

"I'll miss her passion and her drive," said Roth. "I feel that this is a good move for her. We want trainers there that have a passion for making a change in people's lives. And if her focus is elsewhere, then I think she made the right decision for her. The door will always be open for her to return."

On Harper Staying
Meanwhile, Harper is happy where he is and has no plans to leave "The Biggest Loser."

"I do have a passion for what I do every single season," said Harper. "I'm seeing the experience through new eyes, which makes it new for me. It is what I'm supposed to be doing with my life. I can definitely say that I'm definitely not going anywhere."

Roth echoed that sentiment: "[Harper] found his mission in life 10 seasons ago, and that's never going to change. Bob's going to be on the show forever, with the same mission to help as many people as he can."

The New Trainers
There has been a lot of speculation about the new trainers coming on board; even That's Fit took an educated guess last Friday. Neither Harper nor Roth revealed the trainers' identities, but Roth did talk about the selection process.

"We found two people who are super passionate at changing people's lives, and they're amazing at what they do," he said. When pressed for more details, Roth and Harper both declined to comment.

Next Steps for the Contestants
We asked Harper and Roth what happens to the contestants after their season is done. Does the show ever reach out to them and offer assistance down the road?

"The weight loss is never going to be over," said Harper. "They're going to need something to keep them on track, like an online support system, something that is going to keep them honest in their lives."

"What they've been through is a bit of shock and awe," Roth added. "It's extreme for a reason. When they get home, it's time to be an adult and stand on your own. To understand that you need to take ownership in this new body and this new mind, you've gotta take what we've given you and be accountable."

Where's Shay?
After last week's finale wrap-up post, a lot of people were wondering where Shay was. She was supposed to continue her journey by running a marathon and return on the season 10 finale, but she wasn't there.

"I haven't heard from Shay in a while, which truthfully scares me a little bit," Bob admitted. "I'm going to reach out to her today and see if she needs any help. We're here for her."

Hopefully Shay is just taking a break from the limelight and is continuing her healthy journey.

The show has improved quite a bit over the past two seasons. Many of us would still like to see less screaming at contestants and more consistent good form when they are doing exercises. The trainers frequently give tips during the commercial breaks, but instead of hawking water filters and chewing gum, I'd rather see them demonstrate how to do a lunge properly.

I still find the show inspiring, and I know millions of others do, too. I always hope that people at home realize that dropping 10 pounds every week isn't normal and can be done only under the special circumstances that exist at the ranch. In the real world we've still got kids, jobs, errands and a host of other stresses that keep us from devoting every waking hour to getting as healthy as we can.

Are you looking forward to the new trainers? What are your expectations for season 11? Do you think the show has gotten stale or is it as exciting as ever?

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Clues to Biggest Loser's New Trainers

Lisa Johnson — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

Hollywood has been abuzz trying to guess who the two new trainers are on season 11 of the "The Biggest Loser."

NBC has revealed that the man is a martial artist and award-winning personal trainer from New York and the woman is a Golden Gloves champ. There is a teaser that shows them yelling at the contestants and training them, all in shadows or with half glimpses.

Various websites have speculated that the new male trainer is Brett Hoebel, a personal trainer from New York, who is equally adept at training clients and being on camera. He is the trainer for the RevAbs series with various certifications (including the National Academy of Sports Medicine) and is very successful in the fitness industry. If you compare video of him and video from the show, he sure appears to be our guy.

The new female trainer, however, has been more of a mystery. No one has been able to identify her. Yesterday, however, I got a call from an anonymous woman claiming to be connected with the show. The caller said she was concerned with the qualifications of the new female trainer, which has been an issue raised by critics, especially in regards to Jillian Michaels, who is leaving after season 11.

Will the New "Biggest Loser" Trainers Surpass Jillian Michaels?

Hilary Walke — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

As you may have heard, Jillian Michaels officially announced last week that she will not be continuing as a trainer on "The Biggest Loser" after the 11th season.

She announced via Twitter: "season 11 of Biggest Loser will be my last :) have to finish out my contract."

Craig Barritt/WireImage.com

What may be even more surprising is NBC Universal's quick turnaround. Less than a week after Michaels' announcement, two new trainers were chosen to join the show for the upcoming January season. While the original duo, Michaels and Bob Harper, will still be on the show, there is a compelling new twist.

Each team will have the opportunity to choose which trainers they work out with. They can choose Harper and Michaels and stay at the ranch, which puts them at risk of going home after just one week. Or they can choose to work out with the two new unidentified trainers at a secret location, which gives them four weeks of immunity.

Will the two new trainers hold your interest in the show? Find out if readers are excited for the upcoming changes or if they've given up.

Cynthia G.
I guess we will have to wait and see. I am looking forward to seeing someone new.

Sonya C.
Yes anyone better than her and her ego.

Margie B.
We want Jillian coming back for January or i am not watching it... sorry.

Jennifer D.
I am also looking for something new with the show.

Holly H.
Will for sure watch more after Jillian is gone, I can't stand her but love the show!!

Amy J.
Yes.. I'm sure they will find another great trainer.

Heather C.
Jillian left before, it's no big deal. They should recruit Angie from BL UK and Michelle from BL OZ, they are tough and get results!

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Biggest Loser Winner: Patrick Shares Lessons From His Success

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

Patrick House, "Biggest Loser's" Season 10 winner was all Southern charm on Wednesday. He was not only grateful for his win, but also the ability to turn his life around get his family back on solid financial footing after nearly a year of unemployment.

Patrick came out on top last night at the season finale, losing a total of 181 pounds and 45.25 percent of his total body weight.

That's Fit: How do you feel about your win?
Patrick House: Winning that money meant getting my family back up on their feet. Knowing that if I could win I'd have my health back and have my family do a 180 and start heading back in the right direction kept me focused.

TF: Tell us about your new job.
PH: I'll be working with Mindstream Academy, which opens in January. We'll be working with kids for four-month periods in South Carolina. They'll continue their curriculum at their home schools and add in things like equine therapy, fitness and motivation at our campus.

TF: You'll be moving for your new job, what kind of house will you be looking for?
PH: I'm looking at a lot of different things now [compared to] when I bought my first house. Before I thought, 'do I have a room with a pool table and a bar and a big patio for a grill?' But now there's other aspects. Now I'd like to have a room where I can have a gym with a really good treadmill. Bob gave me some really good interval training on the treadmill with jogging to sprinting to walking uphill and I want to keep doing that.

TF: How often do you plan on working out now that the contest is over?
PH: I was putting 40 hours a week into the gym, six hours a day, six days per week. I'd like to get to a normal workout schedule of four to five days a week, 90 minutes a day. I can do 60 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weight training. It's all about my diet too.

TF: Will your workout change in other ways?
PH: Building up to the finale I was doing almost all cardio. I'm going to be able now to get into a weight lifting program. Dr. H said the other day that I was looking good; he said I have 10 more pounds of fat to lose and he wants me to put on about 25 pounds of muscle.

Biggest Loser Finale: Who Won?

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

"The Biggest Loser" finale came to an end as Patrick took the win like the redeemed man that he truly is. With an impressive 181 pounds and 45.25 percent of his body weight lost, Patrick was a percentage point better than second-place Frado to take home the title and the $250,000 prize.

"The Biggest Loser" gave Patrick back his health, an amazing new body and even a job. Unemployed since January, Patrick's success on the show earned him a job offer from MindStream Academy, a school for overweight teens in South Carolina.

The at-home competition was stiff this season. Four men were contending for the title, and Rick, Adam, and Jesse were all within a few pounds of each other. But Mark clinched the at-home prize with an impressive 213-pound weight loss for a total percentage of body weight shed of 50.59 percent. Yup, Mark lost more weight than Patrick and would have been the Biggest Loser if he hadn't been voted off the ranch. In fact, Rick and Adam would have beaten Patrick, too.

Ada was the top female contestant this season dropping 99 pounds and 38.37 percent of her body weight. Lisa came in second at 97 pounds and 33.68 percent.

The big news on the finale, however, was the upcoming twists. For Season 11, two new trainers will join the cast, and they'll even get their own digs as next season's contestants will choose how they train. After the first week, contestants will decide to either stay on the ranch, or they can go offsite with the two new trainers while getting four weeks of immunity.

Will You Watch "The Biggest Loser" Without Jillian Michaels?

Hilary Walke — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment

It's the end of an era: Jillian Michaels announced last week that she will not continue with the show after season 11 of "The Biggest Loser."

"Season 11 of Biggest Loser will be my last :) have to finish out my contract," Michaels tweeted.

Getty / Jason Merritt

After a six-year run on the NBC hit show, the 36-year-old wants to focus on motherhood and charity work. She won't be able to give birth naturally because she suffers from endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome, so instead she'll be using alternative methods to have a child.

NBC has already found two replacements, both of whom will be joining the show in the upcoming season, which starts in January. They will be training with Michaels and Bob Harper to take over in season 12.

Some love the show for the weight loss transformations, and some love it for the trainers they've grown to love and trust. Will you still watch "The Biggest Loser" without Michaels? Find out whether our readers are sticking with it or changing the channel.

Julie C.
Absolutely. I'm a huge Bob fan, but liked Jillian too. Hope they get a good replacement though.

Donna S.
I will miss her dearly.....but hopefully life will go on for BL.

Brenda W.
That would suck. I bet they offer her a big money contract extension though. So don't count her out just yet. I didn't care for it when that other chick was a trainer... she was a poor substitute for Jillian.

Sheila W.
It's not about money. She wants to adopt and also wants to do more charity work. So she wanted to take a year off from tv. That leads me to believe she might come back later if the show is still around. This season 10 has been a horrible season. Ada has been the saving grace for it. I hope 11 is better or I may not watch in the future!

Stephanie P.
I agree with Sheila. This season hasn't been that interesting. I am cheering for Ada though. I AM a big fan of Jillian and not sure if i will watch it when she goes. I don't think the show will be the same without her! But what a great reason to leave! Adopting a child and charity work? Amazing! A big inspiration! :)

Jody B.
The show is a drag this time. I also don't like how Jillian/Bob has gone to advertising instead of real dialogue, makes me believe they are fake... my opinion.

Shelline L.
Yes, i'm happy with her life decision. she will be a great mommy!

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Biggest Loser: Final Four Find Their Inner Athlete

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

This week's "Biggest Loser" is in a lot of ways the finale. Next week, there will be a lot of pomp and circumstance; there will be tears and laughter, triumphs and confetti. But this week is the last intimate week with the contestants. The final time we see them struggle to free themselves from the last vestiges of their old selves.

For Ada it's about finding a place in the world and making peace with her family. For Elizabeth, it's about finding and using her voice, to be herself without protection or comfort from others. For Frado it's about turning towards his family to support him as he supports them. For Patrick it's about salvation, the winnings will save his family financially and the weight he's lost will save his life. His doctor told him before the show, that as a 27 year old man, he might be dead within 5 months if he didn't start changing his ways.

Aren't you amazed that Frado has gone from 3 shots and 8 pills a day down to nothing? Exercise and diet cured his obesity in such a short amount of time. According to the American Diabetes Association, the U.S. spends $174 billion per year on the treatment of diabetes, which can be caused or exacerbated by obesity. Yet we have such a simple and inexpensive cure for many people: Move more and eat less. Do you think we should be spending more money on treatment programs that include strong exercise and nutrition components?

The four finalists trained for the Biggest Loser marathon. Everyone was successful and Ada (really a born runner who just figured that out) was the winner and beat Tara's old record.

Ada's discovery of running brings up a good point for the rest of us. We all have different athletic activities that our body likes more than others. I'm a runner and a stationary biker. My body just adapts to it and goes forever, but if you put me in a pool I'll be completely exhausted after two laps. I'm just toast.

If you're considering starting an exercise program be willing to experiment with your cardio until you find one or more types that work for you. Consider group exercise classes, dance classes, basketball, tennis, running, boxing, biking, and anything else you can think of. Don't worry if your friends don't like it. It's about finding what works best for you.

I'm looking forward to the live finale next week. Who do you think will win the season? It seems to be between Patrick and Frado, or do you disagree?

Who do you want to be the third finalist? Ada or Elizabeth?

More on That's Fit:
Mark and Brendan talk about who they think will win it all.
Tips on Becoming a Runner
Exercising with Diabetes

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The Biggest Loser Interview: Brendan and Mark Miss the Final Four

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

It always hurts when contestants almost get to the final four of "The Biggest Loser" and then don't quite make it. But both Mark and Brendan were in great spirits today when That's Fit talked to them about their journey and competing for the at home prize of $100,000.

Brendan fell below the red line and was immediately eliminated from the game on Tuesday night. Mark fell below the yellow line with Elizabeth and was voted off because he was such a threat to others when it came go the grand prize.

That's Fit: Mark how did it feel to not make it to the Final Four?
I was in a funk for a little bit. It took about a week to get over it. But you can see how much weight I've taken off. I have that motivation to keep taking it off and get that at-home title. That's what's been driving me the entire time.

TF: Brendan, how does it feel to be cast as the villain?
I went there to change my life and as soon as I got there I did the things I needed to do to prolong my stay. But I did a lot of good too: I gave money to Warriors in Pink, I helped Patrick win a car, I gave letters from home away. People see your true colors after a while, a true villain wouldn't give their money away.

TF: Mark, how often do you work out at home?
I try to get in four to five hours of working out at least two sessions, if not three sessions a day. I do about two to two-and-a-half hours of intense [workouts] and the rest is slow-burn cardio workouts. I'm doing a lot more cardio with light circuit weights so I don't lose all my muscle mass.

TF: Brendan, what's one piece of advice you can offer people?
We worked out for eight to 10 hours a day on the ranch, but only an hour or two is really intense, if you watch the guys who stayed around the longest they walk all day, all morning and all night. If you want to do it at home, just walk.

TF: Mark, what piece of advice would you give?
I would say the main thing, all you have to do is walk. That's what I always tell people, just keep moving, just move, move, move, move.

TF: Mark, who's your competition for the at-home prize?
Brendan is a workhorse so he's a threat, Adam also killed it in the gym and was really taking off weight and Rick as well, those three are three of the hardest working people.

TF: Brendan, who do you think will win from the Final Four?
Ada was almost at her goal weight so I think it's between Patrick and Frado.

Both contestants are looking forward to the finale and getting on to the next stage of their life. Mark has quit his job as a bartender and is looking forward to starting a career encouraging others to live a better life. Brendan is still working with disadvantaged kids in the Boston school system as a teacher and coach and hopes to continue to encourage them towards their dreams and a college education. By the way ladies, both men are single.

The finalists this year are Patrick, Frado, Ada and Elizabeth. We'll see who wins next week. Who do you want to win? Who do you think has the best chance?

More on That's Fit:
Jessica from Biggest Loser finds her confidence
Why walking is so good for weight loss
Circuit Training sizzles calories

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Jessica from "Biggest Loser" Finds Her Confidence

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment

Trae Patton, NBC

Jessica, the latest cast member voted out from the "Biggest Loser" was very confident in an interview on Wednesday. She talked about her intense workouts and game play on the set.

She has workouts that would humble the average mortal. "When I was on the ranch we worked out five or six hours a day and when that's all you have to do it doesn't seem like that much, but when you get back and have to run errands and live your life it's a lot," she said. "I backed off to four hours a day which I understand is still a lot for most people."

Her workouts are mostly cardio-based. "I got to take Bob's Spin class at Crunch and I fell in love with it. I Spin five days a week now. I also take CrossFit classes, Bikram yoga, personal training, weight training -- and I'm training for the 200-mile relay in Southern California with other Biggest Loser contestants, so running has become a really big passion of mine. I do a lot of different things to keep me excited and keep it fun."

While she does some resistance training her focus is on cardio. "I still have the fat to lose and that's the quickest way to do it. I throw in a few days of weight training to stay toned but the majority of what I do is cardio."

She realizes she left the show because she had a combination of bad timing and game play. "Everyone who was up against Elizabeth got eliminated," she said. "So going up against her I kind of accepted my fate. I wasn't going to get dramatic or worked up. I wanted to go out with some grace and dignity and respect."

Jessica's goal weight is 160 pounds and she hopes to hit it by the finale. She also wants to make a splashy entrance. "I love Kim Kardashian's style and our body types are similar in terms of curves. I've asked the wardrobe people if we can collaborate for the finale and I'm excited to see what they come up with."

As for the show itself, the contestants are back to singles with everyone competing by themselves. This is the part of the season when people really start to shine as they reach goals. Ada broke a nine-minute mile on the treadmill, Frado broke the 100-pound mark, Patrick is only one pound away himself and Elizabeth surprised herself by easily recreating the 500-step challenge that she lost back in Boston. Not only did she smash through the 500 steps but she added hand weights as well.

One great point to make from all of this is to set smaller goals on the way to the bigger ones. Ada was trying to break the nine-minute mile and she worked for a few weeks to get there, challenging herself with mini-goals. If you have a lot to lose don't think of the big number you're trying to reach, instead break it down into smaller five pound victories. Remember to celebrate them as you hit them and then go right to your next goal.

What did you think of this week's "Biggest Loser"? Were you sad to see Jessica go? Could you work out four hours a day?

More on That's Fit:
Biggest Loser: Sugar Highs and Trainer Lows
How to Run Safely
Kim Kardashian's Favorite Workout Routines

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The Biggest Loser: Sugar Highs and Trainer Lows

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

I'm just going to come right out and say it. Screaming at someone and telling them to get off the show is not a great way to motivate people. Jillian Michaels was completely out of line to go after Lisa after she pushed herself to a successful eight-pound weight loss.

Lisa's desire to go home has been a struggle throughout this entire season. I too have rolled my eyes at her seeming ability to cave at the drop of the hat. The slightest obstacle and she wants to run home under the covers and hide. But I always wonder how much producers edit the weekly footage to skew a person to the "character" they want them to be portrayed. Given the fight that broke out at the weigh-in and Lisa's candid moments talking about her struggle Jillian's accusation seems to be true. She's "60 percent here, 40 percent at home."

The thing is, Jillian started yelling at her right when it seems she's breaking through. She's getting it, she pushed herself, she lost weight. I didn't see her throw her hands up and I'm sure the producers would have edited such a clip with glee, honing in on their point. But Jillian didn't push her, instead, she pushed her out the door. "Then volunteer your space to Aaron and go home, throw the weigh-in and leave!" she yelled at Lisa.

That is not cool.

Trainer Lows
I get that this is reality TV and not a real gym with a real trainer and a real client. But if I ever saw one of my instructors talk to one of my clients like that, they'd be fired on the spot. Personal training is a fine art that balances, science, nutrition and a little dose of psychology.

It is not our job to scream at people and make them feel worse. As trainers it's our job to nudge people along the continuum towards better health. We encourage, cajole, flatter, support and push. We don't tear down, belittle, and discourage. I was appalled at what Jillian did. But maybe that's just more editing from the producers, what do you think?

The show switched to teams this week, a food challenge left Brendan in charge to choose pairs: Elizabeth and Lisa, Ada and Jessica, Mark and Frado, Jesse and Aaron and Patrick and himself. The bottom two teams fell below the yellow line and one team was voted off. Everyone started digging in pretty deep in their workouts especially since last week's weigh in was "the worst in Biggest Loser history." The week at Camp Pendleton was great for getting people out of their fitness ruts but not so great for the mess hall.

Sugar Highs
The best part of this week's show was highlighting how much sugar is in our diet. The average American eats 150 pounds of sugar per year. Basically a whole human worth of sugar, yikes! The challenge highlighted it quite graphically with 150 pounds worth of sugar cubes that the contestants had to stack five feet high as teams. Jessica and Ada won the challenge and will receive free trips for themselves and three others to go to the Biggest Loser fitness ranches.

The weigh-in was tense as the teams had to rely on each other to pull through. Jessica was a surprise with a 12-pound weight loss, losing double what her teammate "Ada the Terminada" lost. A really dramatic weight loss was Patrick with 19 pounds and Brendan with 18 pounds handily winning the weigh-in. Mark is the first Biggest Loser this year to hit the 100-pound goal, a big accomplishment for anyone.

The fight occurred during the weigh-in and almost everyone got involved. Jesse had to stand between Frado and Aaron and keep them separated as the swears went flying and host Ali Sweeney finally got things back under control. The two teams at the bottom were Elizabeth and Lisa and Aaron and Jesse. Aaron lost 14 pounds last week, but only four this week, a bad week to hit a plateau.

So the final vote was to send home the threats Aaron and Jesse. With Aaron out of the game the triumvirate of Patrick, Brendan and Frado look pretty unstoppable. They decided to do the reveal of Aaron and Jesse live with Bob at Aaron's house in Ohio. I have to say it was a little flat. I kinda like the montages with the voice overs of the contestants as they work hard at home. They both looked great though, it's amazing how far they've come! The finale is only a few weeks away now so we'll be seeing more and more dramatic reveals.

What did you think of this week's how? Do you think it was okay for Jillian to yell at Lisa like that? What about Bob's on-the-fence attitude? What do you think about eating 150 pounds of sugar per year? Do you read labels to see how much sugar is actually in there?

Leave your thoughts in the comments.

More on That's Fit:
The Biggest Loser at Camp Pendleton
Sugar, Not just Bad for your Waistline
Tips for Find the Right Personal Trainer

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Biggest Loser: Too Fat to Fight?

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

The elections last night forced a brief, 60-minute show for NBC's "The Biggest Loser." So we got the fastest (and worst!) weigh-in ever and a blitz of workouts and one grueling three-mile Marine Corps challenge.

The contestants were immediately shipped off to Camp Pendleton for a week of Marine boot camp. We saw a 5 a.m. wake up with a boot camp-style workout complete with rifles. The challenge was a three-mile obstacle course race that included pushing a huge military truck, carrying a "fallen" soldier, and scooting under obstacles on their bellies.

Elizabeth, for the second time this season, passed out cold. "For the second time I watched her eyes roll back in her head," said Brendan. Her struggle caused the black team to lose the challenge, the blue team won calls home. She recovered and finished leaving her feeling strong and focused. Her team respected her for pushing through.

You might think that the contestants, despite their successful weight loss so far, are too "fat to fight." But given the statistics on teen and young adult obesity you'd be surprised how many Americans aren't fit enough for the military.

70 percent of recruits failed the physical test to enter the military in 2008. A 17- to 19- year old male recruit needs to do 50 sit ups in two minutes, 45 push ups in two minutes and run 1.5 miles in less than 12:30 to receive probationary status as a recruit. It's gotten to the point that the military is considering "fat camps" for recruits and top doctors recently suggested people looking to lose weight and enter the military consider going vegetarian.

What do you think about obesity and the military? Can American keep it's edge if we can't recruit enough healthy recruits?

There wasn't a lot of exercise to critique this show, only one lonely sprint on a treadmill and a few calisthenics from the military crew leading the contestants. But one thing is important to note. The food was not so healthy. The contestants ate like average recruits and most of them had bad weigh-ins with three contestants (Frado, Elizabeth and Jesse) actually gaining weight. The contestants and trainers mentioned a lot of starchy and salty foods, which will certainly make it difficult to lose weight.

I expect to see some big losses on the scale next week as they work out the salt and get back on the super healthy, low-calorie diets that they're following.

What do you think about how the food effected the contestants?

In the end, the black team lost the weigh in and voted off Anna. The teams are currently tied at five members each as they head back to the ranch. Anna was looking very sassy with her 80-pound weight loss at the update. It was good to see her being successful at home.

More on That's Fit:
Are You Bored with the Biggest Loser?
Escape to a Boot Camp Retreat
Obesity and the Military

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Biggest Loser: Are You Bored?

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

Did anyone else think this week's Biggest Loser seem a bit, um, boring? They have been trying to mix things up this season to stay fresh, but in Season 10 that's pretty hard to accomplish. To me, last night's episode seemed to be rehashing just for the sake of rehashing.

The first "twist" happened when the teams learn that only one person's weight loss will count for the team. The other team will choose who they think is the weakest player and put that person up for the entire team. This basically made everyone focus on Blue Team's Jessica and Black's Elizabeth; the two slowest losers on the show. They definitely felt the pressure and started working like fiends to carry their team.

I have to hand it to Anna, the contestant who picked the two teams, they are pretty evenly matched as they battled through both mental and physical challenges.

First we head to the kitchen with celebrity chefs Curtis Stone and Lorena Garcia. They both lead a team to a flavor cook-off. Happy to get to see Curtis and his lovely smile again! The chefs were not allowed to touch the food at all as they guided their teams through three courses. The teams ended in a tie and it comes down to guessing the calories in the dessert to determine the winner. The blue team came within nine calories for the win and celebrated a little too loudly for the comfort of the black team.

Next everyone was off to the lagoon for a bit of fun, Dragon boats! Dragon boats are a really tough workout. The rowing is difficult and a little awkward. You really had to dig the paddle into the water hard and the reach is longer than in something like a kayak. It's an incredibly amount of core and upper body strength and it's critical for the team to work together or you just splash around a lot like the blue team did.

The cook-off earned the blue team a 10-second advantage, it turned out they needed it as they veered around the course and made a 180 degree turn very wide. They won by only six seconds and earned another prize, the right to veto the black team's first choice for weigh-in on their team. A huge advantage!

Once again, everybody sweats it out in the gym, and it was Frado and Elizabeth who both had breakthroughs this week. Frado is finally realizing that his anger isn't really getting him anywhere and softened up quite a bit during this episode. Not sure if it was "real" or story editing by the producers but he really seemed genuinely sweeter by the end of the show. As a local Bostonian myself, I hope I get to meet him someday. He and Brendan are my two favorites this season. Do you have a favorite yet?

The weigh-in was tense. The blue team had two ways to control the game. Since Adam has the weekly pound prize, he could have given it to Jessica but he chose to hold onto it. He missed a big chance there, donate three pounds and be a hero to your team or keep it to yourself and look a little greedy. They also had the right to veto the first choice and, despite the fact they chose the usually weak Jessica, the blue team was so confident they let it stand.

Well that was dumb wasn't it? Don't reality TV people know whenever you get confident it means your about to get smacked? They lost the weigh-in and have to vote someone home.

Again they whiffed it by voting a tie between Jessica and Adam, the weakest and most powerful on the team. The black team came in and quickly dispatched Adam and his four-pound advantage back to where he came from.

There was a great makeover of Adam! He's started the season at 402 and was at 264 with his check-in segment. He looked great and had moved to Kansas to be near his football playing brother and to train with the team. He was also paying it forward by working with the local YMCA to help others battle their obesity demons. Major props to Adam for that one.

What did you think of this weeks' episode? Was it exciting or more of the same old, same old? Was Adam a smart choice to eliminate? What should the blue team do to make better decisions?

More on That's Fit:
Biggest Loser: Can You Lose as Much at Home?
Is the Biggest Loser Still Worth Watching?
Row Your Way to Fitness

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Biggest Loser: Can You Lose the Same at Home?

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton/NBC

NBC's "The Biggest Loser" was right down to business this week. Bringing back an at-home contestant and grinding it out at the gym.

The show opened with a weigh in for the five contestants who didn't make it onto the ranch during the episode one challenges. Anna was the winner with a middle-of-the-pack weight loss of 11.82 percent. Rick was the highest overall with 15.41 percent total weight loss.

"That's almost 10 pounds a week," said Adam. "We're going to have to step our game up."

I was impressed that with very little help, and living her life as usual with all the responsibilities we all have Anna was the eighth highest weight loss loser overall with the ranch contestants. Makes you wonder if the really need the Biggest Loser to have significant weight loss doesn't it?

After Anna earned her spot host Ali Sweeney announced that Anna would be picking the blue and black teams. It was a lot of pressure, but she pretty much went with everyone's requests to put the teams together. As usual, blue went to Bob and black went to Jillian. The odd man out was Patrick who wanted to be on the black team. He'd join the losing team replacing the outgoing contestant.

Patrick has huge weight loss so suddenly he became a prize. The black team wanted Patrick on their team so they began talking about throwing the weigh-in to get Patrick. Jillian heard of their antics and managed to talk them out of it.

What do you think about game play on the Biggest Loser? Is it fun to watch the contestants strategize to their advantage or do you just want to see an inspiring show filled with success stories?

The challenge was kinda lame this week, guessing nutritional information and then contestants had to do physical challenges when they guessed wrong. In the end both teams had to trek up 21 flights of stairs and the black team won. Their prize was letters from home and four weeks of the Biggest Loser meal plan delivered to their door once they got home.

The blue team had a lot of parents and several members of the black team gave their letters from home to blue team members so they could hear from their kids. A very classy touch.

In the gym there were the usual workouts. A couple of quick notes. The contestants were shown doing tricep dips off of weight benches a few times. This is something that you should only do if you have healthy shoulders. It's a lot of weight on a joint that isn't designed to carry body weight, so if you want to try this at home make sure you don't have any joint issues and start with smaller dips to make sure it'll work for you. To be honest I'd skip it all together and use free weights, bands or a cable machine to achieve the same effect without far greater risk of injury.

Jillian had contestants doing push ups where they'd face each other and clap each others hand after a rep. It was good to see her cue "abs up" to the contestants. It's a really common cheat to let your abs go during a push up. Think of pulling your belly button up and under your rib cage while you're doing them and it'll protect your lower back and also give you a little bit of an ab workout too. I'm a big fan of push ups! Do it from the knees until you can do 10 push ups where you elbows get to 90 degrees. Once you can do that try it from the toes with three or four and work back up to 10 again.

Jillian has been under fire this week. The LA Times wrote a scathing article on her being more of an actress than a trainer. This week though there just wasn't that much footage in the gym to critique one way or the other. She told US Weekly that she'll be seeking legal action in response to the article.

In the end the black team lost the weigh-in and Rick was sent home because he was seen as such a threat in the house. In his "where are they now" segment, he was down 120 pounds to 230 and was gunning for 170 by the show's finale. He talked about his at-home routine. Two hours in the morning, work, 90 minutes in the afternoon, dinner and then another 90 in the evening. Could you do five hours of training at home? I couldn't!

So what do you think of this weeks show? Were you happy that they didn't use game play? Or do you think Brendan threw it? Would you like to see more gym workouts to get tips and ideas or would you rather see the drama unfold as the contestants get healthier?

More on Biggest Loser:
Jillian Michaels Is Called a Fraud
Biggest Loser Shows Bad Form
Is "The Biggest Loser" Still Worth Watching

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Biggest Loser Shows Bad Form

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser

Trae Patton, NBC

Loved the beginning of this week's NBC's Biggest Loser. There were sweet, guilt-ridden cupcakes, low-sugar almost healthy 100-calorie cupcakes and the biggest cupcake of all, Curtis Stone.

The opening was right into a temptation challenge with a pretty cool prize, a one pound advantage. If the winner doesn't use the pass in week one then a pound is added, so week two is a two-pound pass, week three is a three-pound pass and so on, until it finally gets cashed in. Four contestants took the plunge and Adam came out victorious. This immediately plastered a big red target on his back.

It's a good advantage to have, the hard part is guessing which week to use it. Adam could easily blow it and not use it when he should or use it when he didn't need to.

Curtis Stone popped in (he's just got this smile that gets me every time) and showed everyone how to cook a 100-calorie cupcake. His recipe is lower in sugar, topped with a real strawberry, very little frosting and a small serving size. If you need a treat consider making it at home from scratch. After all, who has high fructose corn syrup in their pantry?

There was a sudden elimination in the weigh-in this week. The contestant with the smallest weight loss would be below the red line and instantly sent packing. There would still be a yellow line challenge and a second player sent home. This got everyone's engines revving in the gym.

Couple of points here about the gym training. Jillian was teaching a group exercise cycling class and several of the contestants were biking furiously with the knees splayed open. This is bad form and you can stress your knee. I know because I've been a Spin instructor since 1998. You want to keep your knees in line from the hips and your knees point straight forward, not away from your body. It's always form first and speed second!

Also Mark had a pretty decent muscle spasm in his back while he was rowing. I rowed crew in high school and it's harder to do than you might think. There is a fluidity to the movement that takes a while to learn. Mark was doing alright but was a little jerky in his motions. He also had his knees turned out and you want to have the knees pointing right over the toes just like on the bikes. I didn't see Jillian correct his form but she was screaming at him to go harder just before he threw his back. Go figure.

On a happy note, Frado is off all his meds and had my favorite quote of the night, "exercise is the purest form of pharmaceuticals. Your body will create what it needs as long as you show it some love." I thought that was a great sentiment. What have you done lately that's healthy for your body?

The weigh-in was still midway through and Frado won. Sophia wound up at the bottom with only a two-pound loss and was immediately eliminated. I loved seeing her with her cheerleading squad in her after shots.

Burgundy wound up in front of the doctor with shin splints and was given an air boot and not allowed to compete for the elimination challenge. Frado had the chance to save her but chose Jessica instead so she was automatically one of the people up for elimination. Four people competed for the final slot. They had to roll 300 feet of carpet down some pavement and then run back.

The last person in was Elizabeth and she and Burgundy were up for elimination. It wasn't much of a vote, Burgundy was sent home with a vote of 4 to 1. Her after pictures were pretty inspiring, she had gotten her whole community moving with walks and other forms of workouts. She has a busy life with five kids so she decided to take them with her instead of leaving them behind. A good way to promote the theme of "Pay it Forward" this season.

One last comment. Bob Harper is vegan and has been sharing it off the show with the media. He invited all the contestants below the yellow line over to his house and had a vegan meal prepared for them. First off, it was definitely a nice house with a killer view, his contract is clearly treating him well. Second, he opened up people's eyes about vegan living. It might be extreme to a lot of people but if you take the idea of eating more grains, fruits and vegetables and eating smaller servings of meat you can definitely eat healthier. You might think vegan is totally not your thing but you would eat say one vegetarian meal per week?

So what did you think of the show? How do you think this season compares to other seasons? Are you looking forward to the contestants who failed the regionals to come back onto the ranch?

Other Stories on That's Fit:
Last Week's Biggest Loser
A Great Recipe for Blackberry Champagne Cupcakes
How to Avoid Shin Splints

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Is "The Biggest Loser" Still Worth Watching?

Hilary Walke — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebs & Entertainment

After 10 emotional, educational and enduring seasons, "The Biggest Loser" has recently returned yet again. With new contestants, unique challenges and interesting twists, the producers are clearly striving to make this season different than the others.

However, how long will the show keep its audience's attention? While it is fascinating to observe the extreme life-changing transformations, it seems as though some people are looking for something fresher these days. Our readers have mixed reactions; the loyal "Biggest Loser" fans will forever love the intense passion that comes along with the show, but others have simply lost interest.

Will Jillian's tough-love attitude and Bob's sweetheart approach last for much longer? Find out what our readers had to say about sticking with the show or giving it up.

Trae Patton, NBC

Priscilla J.
I'm tired of that show.

Donna A.
I stopped watching the minute I realized what a sell-out Jillian Michaels is after seeing an ad for her "metabolism booster" pills. She gives personal trainers a bad name. Shame, shame, shame.

Laura M.
I have grown tired of fat people being used as entertainment, so I stopped watching a while back. Same goes for "Thintervention". There are better ways to spend my time.

Anissa S.
Still love it. How can anyone ever get tired of educating themselves?

Mary T.
I love it. Still Tivo it, too.

Nadia H.
Yeh I wonder why it's new and improved and now we actually get a glimpse into how they train! Because they were training inappropriately!

Lori R.
It has run its course ... Plus they cover and lie about some things!

Becky B.
LOVE THE SHOW!!!!

Lisa M.
Still passionate. It never gets old to remind yourself of the things that you have to do to stay fit and healthy.

Laura M.
These shows are not educating anyone about "health". All the "diet foods" and extreme cardio workouts are not healthy. This is why most of them gain it all back. The American public is being duped... But I'm not.

Anissa S.
I used to weigh 387 pounds I am fully aware of what "works" for me. If there was only ONE cure, there would not be a billion dollar weight loss industry. To say "nothing" educational can be taken from the show seems a bit extreme. Not to mention.. if you don't watch it.. how do you know ?

Susan R.
Love it!!

Mary M.
Take a look at how many of these people maintain their final weight - almost none. This show is an exploitation of drastic weight loss practices that can rarely be maintained at home.

More on "The Biggest Loser":
"Biggest Loser" Winners Pay It Forward
"Biggest Loser" Season 10 Premiere
Weighing In: Can I Beat the Scale?

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