Where I stand, I always have to eat out.  No wonder watching The Biggest Loser tonight made me feel whatever's found its way to my belly.  Not that I'm really fat.

This week, the contestants found themselves with a locked-up kitchen: chained cabinets and locked-up fridges meant another challenge of sorts from Alison.  The entire week, she says, everybody has to eat out for each of their meals.  Makes sense, actually, since it's a chance to learn about how to choose healthily when they're not at home and all that.  I never really thought of checking whether something I eat has too much this or too much that, which made me feel the problem that the contestants had when they had their first meals out--but, as Bob and Jillian taught all of us, it's about controlling your environment and checking the number of calories your food has.
That aside, the biggest issue this week is still Tracey's decisions last week, which has caused a strain in the relationship between her and Shay.  You might remember that last week, Tracey chose Shay to the weigh-in, even if Daniel wanted him there, and it got them into trouble when they almost got eliminated, if not for Antoine and Sean sacrificing themselves.  Tracey believed Shay would be able to drop a huge number of pounds, which wasn't the case.  Shay thinks she can't trust her anymore.

By some twist of fate, karma bit back on Tracey, when Dr. H revealed that she has a major muscle injury and a very high enzyme level.  She's better off not doing anything, he says--no physical activity, not even walking--else she risks affecting her kidneys and liver.  So much for hoping she can be cleared to work out again.  Mo has to carry the entire team by himself again, which sucks.  I feel bad, actually.

It's no surprise, then, that Tracey was the only contestant who gained weight: she added an extra two pounds to her tally.  Everybody else had modest drops--last chance workout saw everyone panicking about what the meals they ate might've done to their weight--with Rudy losing the most weight this week, at 11 pounds.  So much for thinking he isn't mentally prepared for the workout.  Daniel and Shay took immunity this week, after winning a challenge where they had to hang on to a handlebar the longest--lucky, since Daniel's weight didn't change, and Shay only lost five pounds.

On the chopping block: Julio, who's representing the Black team solo, and Liz and Danny, who form the Brown team.  It's an emotional elimination, but Julio seems to have done a similar sacrifice like last week: he admitted that he doesn't want to leave, but he felt he doesn't have to stay at the ranch more than the Brown team.  Julio was voted out, and after leaving, now weighs in at 299 pounds--and hopes to hit 200 by the finale.

Next week, it's Golden Ticket week, which means only two teams, and... yeah, Tracey.  To the scoreboard, then:

Abby: 213 pounds (-3)
Allen: 285 pounds (-7)
Amanda: 230 pounds (-5)
Daniel: 287 pounds (unchanged) (immunity)
Danny: 382 pounds (-8)
Dina: 229 pounds (-5)
Julio: 364 pounds (-4)
Liz: 240 pounds (-3)
Mo: 318 pounds (-8)
Rebecca: 244 pounds (-4)
Rudy: 377 pounds (-11)
Shay: 432 pounds (-5) (immunity)
Tracey: 219 pounds (+2)





- Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of NBC)