The Biggest Loser

It took five seasons for it to happen, but last night, a woman finally became The Biggest Loser! On the two hour season finale, host Alison Sweeney revealed that Roger Shultz won America’s vote and became the last member of the final three. He went up against Kelly Fields and Ali Vincent. Kelly ended up coming in third, losing over 40% over her body weight. Roger was the runner up, shedding over 45% of his body weight. It was a Ali, who said in week 4 that she would win this competition, who took home the $250,000 grand prize, losing almost 48% of her total body weight. Here’s a look back at Ali’s journey and her road to victory.

Ali joined the show along with her mother, Bette-Sue, and made up the pink team. Ali started at weight of 234 pounds, while her mother weighed in at 261 pounds. Bob Harper chose them to be on his team on the first day and at the first elimination weigh in, they lost a combined 35 pounds. Their second week was not as stellar as they only lost a total of 9 pounds. Things looked up in week 3, when they dropped a combined total of 14 pounds. Despite losing 15 pounds the next week, Ali and Bette-Sue fell behind the yellow line and were voted out.

The pink team was very upset to be sent home so early in the season. Bette-Sue didn’t mind going home herself, but wanted Ali to be able to stay and compete. Ali told the remaining contestants that she was going to be the first female Biggest Loser. At the time, it seemed impossible. Little did she know how right she would be! A very confident Ali (almost too confident) showed up last night, weighing in at a mere 122 pounds.

It almost seemed a bit much. I don’t mind saying my weight. I’m very average: 5’3, 135 pounds, size 8. For someone to go from weighing 234 pounds to 122 pounds feels a little extreme. I thought Kelly appeared a lot healthier on last night’s finale.  Look at season 1, nobody was putting up the numbers that has become the norm now for a Biggest Loser finale.  The final 3 weighed in at 208, 148, and 160 pounds respectively and nobody lost more than 37% of their body weight.

I am glad that a woman won but I wish that Ali wasn’t so cocky about it. She celebrated before she even hit the scale. It’s fine to know that you’ve won and it’s even fine to be excited about it but there’s something to be said for sportsmanship.  Every contestant said that this show wasn’t about the money, that it was about changing your life. For Ali, at least a little bit, it felt like it was about the money and winning the title. I have to hand it to her since it was quite an amazing feat to take down Roger who started the season at 363 pounds.  She definitely will go down in Biggest Loser history and nobody can take that away from her!

See all the contestants' weight loss gallery >>




- Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of NBC)