I have a different take on so much of this, I think.
I loved last night's show. I loved the way they handled Courtney going home. Their emotions and concern for her felt genuine and she stood there and smiled so endearingly. They've really made her the sweetheart of the show, and it's been very pleasant. I must admit I love that she has plateaued. It's not that I'm glad she plateaued! Not at all! But how realistic is that?! It shows what many of us obese women have faced! How can we still have so much weight to lose and yet our bodies fight us? It was refreshing for me to see it happen to a woman on television with the best of the best support at her fingertips. And I think Brett was wise to tell her to up her calories. It was a crap-shoot and he lost, but it was still wise. I don't think keeping her calories the same would have helped either. She's just plain stuck for the moment. I honestly would have thought the massage treatment would have helped her release some weight, but no, that didn't work either. It's sad to see her go, but I love the way they've handled her story.
I thought it was crummy the way they let Brett go. It made it seem as though he was the least effective trainer and I thought that did him a real disservice. His players just had bad luck.
Has anyone else noticed lingering looks between Austin and Courtney?
Eliana- yep. I agree. I hated to see Courtney go but it looks like she's doing wonderfully at home (I never doubted that) and her attitude was just amazing, she's a real inspiration! I mentioned this on the other thread but I LOVED seeing her try to talk to DQ about putting healthier options on the menu. I'm not sure if it will work out but if it does and I still lived in the states I would go buy them just to show my support.
Oh, and ITA agreement about the looks between Courtney and Austin. It's strange because I've always wondered if there was something there but I could never really put my finger on why I thought that.
One of my questions was answered last night!!! It turns out they ARE allowed to have coffee.
That really stinks for Brett but I have a feeling he'll do just fine. He's a good-looking, TV-trainer living in Manhattan, right? I'm pretty sure he'll find a new job ASAP. I do wonder what will happen next season, though?
Also, it's weird that is seems like it's almost always Brett and Cara's teams that are in danger of going home. Jillian's team was once but that was because Roulon wasn't making the right choices.
One thing I'm bummed about, though, is that this makes it pretty impossible for a girl to win this season. I didn't start watching the biggest loser from the beginning so I have yet to see a woman win and I was really hoping Courtney could pull it off. I'd say she would have a chance for the at home prize but then there's Arther...
Oh, and anybody know if they are allowed to skin removal surgery after the show? I noticed last week that it looks like she probably has a lot extra skin underneath her arms and that's got to be holding her back physically (and Arther too).
I doubt they would be allowed to or want to before the finale. The recovery would likely hold them back and they are still in a race for the at home prize. If they were one of the first people home and had time to recover that extra pound or two could make the difference between winning the $100,000 or not.
I liked the emotional response that all the trainers gave when she left as well. As well as their reaction to Brett leaving. Even if he doesn't stay on as a trainer for bl I bet his career got a major boost.
I'm not surprised though that Bob and Jillian's teams are doing better. Remember they have been doing this for 11 seasons. I'm sure they've picked up a few tricks along the way that is only applicable to the biggest loser and that Brett and Cara may not be in on. Though I'd be a little disapointed to be honest if one of them hadn't pulled Brett aside the last couple weeks while courtney was struggling and give him a couple ideas
I was sad to see her go, but I have to agree with Eliana about loving the portrayal of a plateau. They are so common and so frustrating and it was nice to see that glimpse of reality in the show.
Reading Bob's comments on his blog about the show really changed how I saw the end of the weigh in. He was so upset and frustrated not just because Courtney was going home, but because he wanted to work with her again because he knew he could get her out of the plateau. That must be such a frustrating feeling. I don't think it's anything against Brett and his abilities as a trainer, but Bob and Jillian have learned so much about the show and its effects on the bodies of contestants over the previous 10 seasons that he probably has a whole bag of tricks that new trainers haven't learned yet.
I noticed the whole Courtney/Austin thing a few episodes ago....the one where they were all paired up for the week. Their interviews together were so giggly. Each episode there have been a couple of more hints or glances, but last night was the most overtly screaming that they had/have a thing going on. After Ken's weigh in there was a quick shot of the green team where you could see Courtney's hand reaching up and kind of tickling Austin. Then that embrace that the two of them shared before she left was not the same as the rest of the players.
Courtney left the ranch in probably the 2nd week of February (Jen's final weigh in was filmed on Feb 3), so I'd say she's broken through that plateau to lose over 20 lbs in about 7 weeks (depending on when they filmed that update segment).
I think since Courtney was doing this at home for awhile before the Biggest Loser it caused her to plateau... but part of me is thinking if she stuck with Bob and Jillian they could of kept her losing, or atleast dehydrated her for the weigh in to keep her there another week. I think Bret just wasn't cut out for the game play the Biggest Loser does and approached the weight loss in a more healthy, realistic way. oh, Bret is with Beachbody, I'm sure he will be fine and I bet being on the show boosted sales for his RevAbs program, and any other future workout DVDs he does.
It looks like Courtney is still doing great at home..she was almost down to 200lb!
ok..I'm wondering if they are all home now, when they do the final episode when they pick the winner, they say it's taped live... is it really live? have to admit, I never knew how it works. When they did the Valentine's day challenges, it's not really Valentines Day and they are just pretending? Same for the movie thing they did last week...
Last edited by ringmaster; 04-07-2011 at 02:56 PM.
ok..I'm wondering if they are all home now, when they do the final episode when they pick the winner, they say it's taped live... is it really live? have to admit, I never knew how it works. When they did the Valentine's day challenges, it's not really Valentines Day and they are just pretending? Same for the movie thing they did last week...
LOL! Yeah, as ridiculous as it was to watch them do an Easter egg hunt, just imagine how they felt doing it in, like, July!
ok..I'm wondering if they are all home now, when they do the final episode when they pick the winner, they say it's taped live... is it really live? have to admit, I never knew how it works. When they did the Valentine's day challenges, it's not really Valentines Day and they are just pretending? Same for the movie thing they did last week...
I'm not sure of the exact timeline but I think they are about 3 months ahead. The last two episodes are filmed after they went home and I think there's about 6 weeks of time in between each of them so ~ 3 months assuming the finale is actually live.
ok..I'm wondering if they are all home now, when they do the final episode when they pick the winner, they say it's taped live... is it really live? have to admit, I never knew how it works. When they did the Valentine's day challenges, it's not really Valentines Day and they are just pretending? Same for the movie thing they did last week...
I don't know if they're all home now or not. I'd guess that they're at home and probably went home in the past week or two.
Because I'm a crazy person who wanted to know more about their filming schedule, I checked the date on a pic that Bob tweeted from a weigh in (the one from the previous episode when Jen went home). That weigh in was filmed on February 3. I also know that the contestants that were still on the ranch were in NZ when the earthquake hit Christchurch on February 22.
Also I wonder if Courtney would have done much better if she had been on Jillian or Bob's team. Brett isn't looking good as a trainer, and I bet the green team is going to be the next one's to go.
I thought the same about her being with Bob or Jillian. What really ires me is that this girl worked her butt off every week. She never took a week off, lost every week, too. Yet, we had people who deliberately threw the weigh ins, and they got to stay! Why? The unfairness of it just angers me right now. I am really going to miss Courtney, she was so inspirational and a breath of fresh air. Never a complaint out of this girl, always so grateful for the opportunity to be on the show.
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Originally Posted by maryshady
I agree. I don't think his idea of upping her calories and lowering her burn was the greatest tactic for a week when she needed to lose a good amount of weight. I could see doing one or the other but not both.
Actually, that probably helped Courtney out down the road, what he advised her to do. Unfortunately, she's lost so much weight before she started the show and lost so much on the show, that finally, her body said "Enough!" and went into a three week plateau, that we all know is just brutal to try and get past. Some folks don't lose for months while in it, so whatever he told her really worked because she's lost an additional 21 pounds since she left the show! Good for her, and great advice from Brett.
I felt really bad for Brett, too, but what could they have done with him after this? He had no one left on his team, so I suppose it was inevitable that he had to go. What scares me, is if what if that had been Bob or Jillian? Will they really drop one of them next, if they lose three contestants in a row like Brett did? Rulon could have easily had Jillian's team in the hole. I still don't like him. While he works out hard on some days, I am sick of his attitude and the crap he pulls behind the scenes. He has so much more to lose, he should be putting up at least 8-11 pounds a week. Same with Moses.....what is causing Moses, and some weeks, Ken, from not losing more weight? These guys look so huge still, compared to previous seasons. Compare Michael from last year, and look where Rulon is compared to him right now. Yes, there are changes in these men, but they are still humongous compared to the men from previous seasons. The women, on the other hand, look wonderful.
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Originally Posted by maryshady
Has anyone else noticed that Irene is really never in the spotlight. Just realized last night her name was Irene! lol!! Can't really say I have a favorite now that Courtney is gone. I kind of like Moses but don't know if I want him to win.
I was thinking the exact same thing tonight- no word of lie. Why is it that we hear nothing about Irene at all? This girl is another one who works hard every week, and gets practically no air time at all. She is just gorgeous, and she seems like a lovely young lady. Maybe we'll see more of her in the coming weeks? Hannah, Olivia, Kaylee, and Courtney got so much air time, while a mere mention of Irene during the weighs in and challenges is all she gets. I thought it was hilarious when she said "you're welcome!" to her teammates, after losing 6 pounds to keep them all safe on the ranch. More Irene, please!!!!!!
Last edited by Steelslady; 04-08-2011 at 01:02 AM.
Have they had all kinds of foods on the ranch in seasons past or is this the first season "POOR CHOICE" foods are available to them all the time? Just wondering.
I seem to remember from season 2(?), Matt (the former wrestler) getting up and eating in the middle of the night. I can't remember what he was eating, though.
I thought it was so bad to send Brett packing as well.
As far as Dairy Queen. Most people who eat there don't want the healthy options. I think they have a hard time putting something on the menu that simply won't sell.
I agree that Irene doesn't get much air time. She is very reserved, but positive, and I like that about her. It would be cool if she won the whole thing.
Some small towns don't have many eating places. Sometimes DQ is just about it. Most DQ's have grilled chicken salad. Maybe they could just add FF dressing of some kind.
