I can't post anything about the show, since there are 2 time zones who haven't seen it yet.

So to be polite to our Chicks on the Left Coast, how would 3FC run a show like this, in your humble opinion?


I will start:

I think there would be no eliminations each week. How humiliating! Being a fat chick is humiliating enough at times, w/o an elimination, which sometimes turns into a popularity contest. I think Suzanne & Jennifer would put a BIG (pun intended!) kibosh on that. I think instead, they would have the same challenges, weigh ins & measurings once a week. BUT THEY WOULD KEEP THE RESULTS PRIVATE & SECRET. I think it would be a lot more interesting if no one found out their results until the end of the show. What a finale that would be!

Man, I don't know if I could keep it a secret if I was dropping 5-10 lbs weekly! I'd be singing from the rooftops

Yeah, that would be the point. Ppl squeal. Only the nurses & dr's helping w/the 3FC "show" would know who lost what.

This is my first time watching it, I was so motivated. It was very emotional at times (can't give anything away!)

Tonight was the first time I've really watched it this season. My kids watched it with me and surprisingly they were both really engrossed by the show.

Ok when can we talk about this?

I think I can say this without giving anything away - I found it really touching when someone on one team didn't lose any weight and the other team was actually crying. I know it's a show and it's a game, but it's been a little disheartening to me to see people working toward the same thing but so against each other. I was glad to see that at least some of them care about each other. It was a good episode tonight.

Tonight was definately a good episode - and as always a great hook leaving us dying to know what happens next week. I like the personalities of the men better than the women this time around - I don't know they seem to have better attitudes towards everything and are more supportive of each other... and for the most part don't whine as much as the ladies do. Can't wait to see what happens next.

It's 9pm on the Left Coast, anyone who has taped or TIVO'd it, should know better than to look in this thread before watching it.

I think it was sad that no one explained to Matt that muscle weighs more than fat, he gained a lot of muscle, so any weight he lost this week was negated. (The previews for next week show Jillian asking him about late night binge-ing & he did confess) That part broke my heart.

I can't wait til they switch up the teams next week!

Yeah, I was disappointed that they didn't discuss muscle vs. fat. And really- with them working out as much as they are - if he wakes up feeling starved, he needs to nourish himself. Perhaps his choices weren't the best though - I couldn't tell what he was eating. I think he is my favorite person on the show, but of course he's probably not going to make it through to the end. sigh.

I'm on the west coast so no spoilers here... Jim's watching My Name Is Earl so here I go...

***************
Quick overview of last week's episode.
So far the teams have lost a total of **576 pounds**
Hey yo bud - it's GARY! I see BUFFNESS - he's up a bit pound wise but from what I can see it's MUSCLE - especially chest muscle.
(time to move to a tighter muscle T-shirt - show off that whistle bait guy! yowsa!

It's the morning after the elimination of Suzanne. Bob meets the gals outside.
Andrea is definitely feeling the pressure and knows she needs to work hard to stay in the game.
Every hour must count.
Meanwhile, Mark is kickin' *** on the treadmill - in fact he's working out two more hours on top of the three mandatory hours.
Jillian's concerned he might be overdoing it and not eating enough.
Okay - this week's temptation.
Seems to me as though they need to find something other than food to tempt the teams, because no one is interested in eating that massive slice of cake.
where did they get that cake anyway...Claim Jumper?
Mark tries to tempt the girls to eat but they ain't going for it...he sticks his finger into the frosting...and we cut to a commercial.
Back to the cake...
That is one big mo' cake...guys still trying to tempt the girls.
4.5 grams of fat - but seems like the team has learned an all-important lesson - calories are more important than fat grams. They aren't going to be fooled!
(besides, how tasty can a giant slice of cake be with only a few grams of fat...reminds me of those cardboard Entenmann's lowfat/fatfree cakes in the 1990's...bleck!)
So no one bites, and they go into the other room where Bob is on a way-cool stationary bike attached to a computer - virtual bike ride.
Dr. Jeff says his kids would have spent hours on it!
Oh well. No one seems too bummed about missing out.
Cut to the gym - Mark and Jen working out together.
I guess the girls must have a bug up their butt since Jen spends so much time with the guys.
Jillian is challenging Dr. J with balancing on the BOSU (upside down yet!).
I've done that with my trainer and in the BOSU Boot Camp at my gym - it's TOUGH but great for balance, that's for sure
The Doc's ankle is bothering him - he's had it worked on in the past.
Jillian guesses it's more fear than actual fact.
Both teams are training for the upcoming climbing challenge. They're both motivated.
Remember the first week when they could barely go up a hill?
This week they're both pushing it.
But I'm more impressed with the Reds - Jillian doesn't take them on a mere hike - she takes them on a CLIMB up a mountain. No trail...boulders...brush to go through.
At least in Yosemite, the trails are marked and cleared!
Jillian's working them like they're going to do Half Dome next (that would be a great challenge but I think they will need more than 6 weeks under their belt).
Dr. J is having problems but with determination and the encouragement of the incredible Red Team, he makes it to the top Go Reds!
From their mountaintop perch, they look DOWN at the hill they struggled to climb the first week of the show. You can see accomplishment lighting their faces...as we break into a commercial.

Okay - time for the challenge - last week I thought they were gonna do Santa Monica stairs but it's actually the Universal Studios steps.
First team to climb up and down the steps ten times wins. A total of 2,280 steps.
Hold on- only ONE person from each team can compete.
I'd pick Jen if I were on the blue team.
Wait a sec - each team picks the other's contestant!!! A new wrinkle!!!
Girls pick...MARK? I would've picked Jeff. Matt looks bummed - you can tell he wanted to be the one. He has a strong competitive streak, like a racehorse champing at the bit in the starting gate.
Guys pick Andrea. Looks like Red is going to take this before the start...
or WAIT a sec - Andrea gets an early lead! Did Mark overtrain this week?!?
He looks as though he's bonking BIG TIME.
Meanwhile Andrea is kicking butt. Good for Red Team - even though Mark is way behind they are cheering him on and sticking together.
Both are starting to lose steam now. But looks like Andrea has it in the bag...yup...Mark was still 2 behind.
Girls are telling Bob and they are SO happy, as is he.
In the general levity he shows them how to make a low-calorie "Pudding in a Cloud".
Basically FF/SF Jello pudding nestled in a bed of FF Cool Whip (which I don't keep around the house myself because I will INHALE it...think I'll stick to the individual servings of SF Jello, and leave the Cool Whip on the shelf, but hey, they ARE a major sponsor of the show...)
O...M...Fing...G.... WTF IS THIS???
Videocamera at 1:12 am that night...Matt enters the kitchen and whips himself up some chicken sausage and eggs!!!
MATT!!! That is STRESS EATING big time. Poor guy!!
Maybe if HE was picked to do the challenge he wouldn't have felt the need to binge.
Meanwhile...it's really hard to tell who the biggest loser will be this week.
<<<commercial>>>
Weigh in time.
Blue is confident - they get to pick who sits out on Red.
Time for the girls to weigh in...
Shannon weighs in at 218; -3 from last week.
Cool beans...they're showing split screen w/their first weigh in. WOW what a diff after only six weeks!!
Suzy is 186; she lost five lbs for a total of 41! (isn't she EVER happy though??)
Andrea gets on the scale at 191 (-2) and she's bummed.
Jen weighs 221 (-3) total loss of 46 lbs.
Blue has lost 13 lbs and 1.57% this week...

Red team time!
Blue chose Seth to sit out. The Blue team must lose more than 19 lbs. Matt looks bummed out - he's dreading the weigh in. I don't think his team knows about the binge.
Seth lost TEN pounds this week and is down to 233.
Looks like Blue made a great choice.
Mark thinks he's going to lose a lot of weight - gets on the scale and loses a grand total OF....four pounds...at 287 now.
He's shocked because he worked so hard. He's had such big losses though he was bound to have a week where he didn't lose much.
Matt looks scared to go on the scale.
Takes off his shirt, gets on...
and loses...NOTHING.
Still at 279.
Ah, this is the teaser scene from last week's previews.
I think he kind of expected this.
he walks out, and we break to a commercial.

Back to Matt - everyone feels bad for him.
He's a very emotional guy.
I love the Red Team though - as Matt breaks down his team surrounds him, shields him from the camera's glare, from the Blue team, protecting him.
Caroline reminds Matt he has lost 60 pounds.
He must feel that if the Reds lose this week, he will be the one to be eliminated.
Jeff gets on the scale (wow the split screen pic of him...WHAT A DIFF!)
Jeff has lost ELEVEN POUNDS and is now at 305
Matt is very happy now
Pete is the last guy and must lose at least 5 lbs to win.
Pete gets on the scale...and he is at 325 with a loss of 13 lbs this week and SEVENTY SIX POUNDS since the beginning of the show!
Red team wins again!! - 28 lbs and 2.29%.

Yeah I know...I should be pulling for the girls, but I love the guys' solidarity.
Suzy has immunity, but she's pissed at the Reds for showing their happiness about winning.
Bob is totally bummed to be losing another team member.
Matt confesses to Jillian about his binge (wait a sec, BINGES!) and vows to follow EXACTLY what she says from now on. I definitely think it was stress eating.
So Jen or Andrea? I like Jen better.
Jen has the most motivation of the Blues, and she trains like a guy.
Apparently the Blue Team doesn't trust Jen because she likes to hang out with the guys.
Is it so terrible to be friends with the Red Team? Why??? She works out with Mark and that question hangs in the air.
Vote time.
Andrea - no surprise she votes for Jen.
Jen - votes for Andrea.
And we have a commercial break....

Back to the vote...
Will there be another tie or what?
Suzy votes for Jen.
Shannon is the tie breaker - even though she's friends with Jen, she still votes to eliminate her.
OMG!
Jen admitted she felt more connected to the men.
Tells the girls that the Red team is "not out to get you".
Hugs to Suzy and Shannon, then she splits.
I think Andrea is getting a one-week reprieve and she knows it.

I love THIS PART - the "where are they now".
Jen says she's going home healthy, strong, and beautiful...
WOW...look at her today she's down to 195 - lost 72 lbs so far!
She looks great and her husband looks mighty proud of her!!!
Can't wait to see her in the finale...

Previews for next week...
Teams are going to be broken up or something. Just like last time although it sounds like they're going to do a pair thing.

And heart attack? Who has a heart attack - Mark??

Guess we'll have to wait until next week...

I think I can answer for Suzanne...she would NOT run a show like this - not as a competition/game type of thing.

But that's what gets ratings and generates interest...even the Discovery Health Challenge was run like a competition.

In 'real life' I don't think that losing weight SHOULD be a competition, but this is a TV show.

Yeah I want to know about the heartattack as well. Can't wait to find out what that's all about.

Matt was eating sausage and eggs.
I don't think he was stomach hungry - if you looked at his face in this (especially during the Challenge) he was under an incredible amount of stress - and he's learned to cope with stress (as so many of us have) by eating in an attempt to relieve that stress. Old habits are a ***** to break

I think that if he was the one selected to climb the stairs in the Challenge he would not have felt the desire to sneak-eat at 1:00 am. Matt, more than any other competitor this season - maybe in both seasons - is the most driven to excel. In my summary I compared him to a racehorse champing at the bit, aching to get out of the starting gate...a perfect analogy IMO. Remember a couple of weeks ago when he sprinted in a race with Jillian and fell down, seemingly injuring himself (turned out to be a charley horse BTW). In the horse training barn that I ride in, we have a number of show horses that LOVE to show and are QUITE competitive. When they're being trained towards a show they KNOW it - when they see the horse trailer being loaded up with the show tack they get excited and can't WAIT to go. Matt reminds me of some of our horses - to me, it's like that feeling that he had in high school as a competive Olympic-level athlete is COMING BACK, and without an outlet to release that incredible energy - he stressed out and went to an old way of coping - by eating.

I think Jillian'll help him a lot though we shall see!

good point. I think he has a great chance for success. I just think that he's probably not going to be on the show much longer. I mean, if the guys get cornered into picking someone to vote off - having a no loss is definately going to go against him. i hope i'm wrong though.

Well once again I enjoyed the show and really was motivated by it. I always save my evening walk for AFTER TBL because I get a little pump from watching those folks work out so hard. Was very impressed with Andrea's performance on the stairs. Hated to see Jen go but I really didn't want to see anyone go, especially any of the girls. I am still puzzling over the men's winning and still not thinking it's exactly fair to have men vs. women (need to check out that O article). My new theory is that the men were a higher percentage of overweightness and therefore losing more weight faster - if that makes sense. I really don't see how the women could do any more than they are doing to win. OK, Matt bothers me. I think he acted childish, which may be endearing on some level but I would hate to be relying on him. Though cudos to his team mates who really seem to love him so perhaps my take is one dimensional. Oh yeah, I liked it when Jillian talked to Mark about over-working out and under-eating and how that could put his body on red alert starvation mode and then was more or less proven right at the weigh in. And how cool is it that Jillian has joined us here, I am learning so much from Jillian. Can't remember the article, maybe the one Mrs. Jim linked, where she talked about how to break a plateau. I thought I had heard every diet tip known to man, but that was new to me and makes perfect sense.