Melissa is finally gone!

I thought it was amusing that Melissa thought that house was going to keep her after seeing how much noone has been playing games.  It’s good to see people who care about doing it the right way and not just making the quick buck.  The question remains if it will stay that way once it’s down to the final four players.

I couldn’t believe that Sam lost so much over that 6lb mark when he pushed the red button.  That dude is starting to really tone out and look pretty ripped.  I think everyone is pretty amazed at his results so far.  I’m personally thinking the final four contestants are as follows:  Koli, Darius, Ashley, and Michael.

I’ll be really curious to see who wins the at home prize, there is some strong competition this time around.  Who is your favorite contestant and why?

Final 4 Biggest Loser

Well, it looks like we are down to the Final 4 as of this week.  Is it just me or is it slightly ironic that here we are again with 1 pink team member and two brown team members in the final 4?  It’s almost a repeat of last season!  I wonder if the Pink will bring Amanda the luck she’ll need to stay and compete for the final prize.  I’m predicting already that Danny will win.

I also believe that they will show Max Morelli from last season as well.  He’s lost a considerable amount of weight since then on the Fitness Ridge.

Keep in mind that there is roughly a two month buffer between last nights episode and the finale even though it’s a week for us.  In fact Season 9 is almost finished filming from the twitter messages I’ve seen from Jillian.  It starts in January!

Who was your favorite person from last year and who is your favorite person from this year?  Tara Costa?  Mike Morelli?  Ron Morelli?  Amanda
Arlauskas?  Rudy Pauls or Danny Cahill?

I know the girl who wasn’t picked by America got a Biggest Loser Fitness Program so I’m curious if we’ll see her as well.

Biggest Loser Season 8 & Wedding Announcement

Okay.  It’s been awhile since I’ve updated this as per usual but I’m going to try and keep this current on a regular basis.

We’ve set a wedding date now of August 21, 2010 and I want to be down to my goal weight by then.  I want to look back on that day forever in pictures and smile because I know I did it for our family and for myself.  I want to FEEL good about myself for once.

Onto my thoughts on Biggest Loser.  I wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of the people making the choice to send someone home.  However, I think that Julio needed to go home.  I understand he has kids and I feel bad for them but I feel like the other Black team member really busted her hump.  It’s going to be an interesting season and I think Dan will do well.  I have my money set on the guy from the green team to really be a challenge this season.

Interview with Max Morelli of Biggest Loser Fame

Max was kind enough to do a quick email Q&A with me about his time since being on the Biggest Loser Finale with his Dad Ron and brother Mike.  Thanks Max!

F2F:  What has been going on since the finale in your life in regards to getting healthy?

  • MM:  Since The finale I have been out at Fitness Ridge, I have lost 71 pounds in 8 weeks.

F2F:  I’ve noticed on facebook that you have quite the following.  How has being part of the Biggest Loser experience changed your life since the finale?

  • MM:  The BL experience changed my whole family’s lifestyle. That is the biggest change, just the way my whole family lives now.
F2F:  Do you feel some performance anxiety when it comes to weight loss because of your Father and Brother losing so much?       
  • MM:  I do feel pressure because I hold my standards up to what they did on the ranch but I am doing well. I am not on the BL so I can’t expect giant numbers like they were pulling off but I am doing it.
F2F:  What is the hardest thing for you give up eating?
  • MM:  The hardest food is definitely going to be pizza. I am an Italian and I love pizza.
F2F:  What is the best new food or meal you enjoy?
  • MM:  The best new food is probably a salmon burger they make here.
F2F:  What differences have you noticed since working out and losing weight on a regular schedule?
  • MM:  I have noticed that I am in better shape and can do a lot more without getting tired and the fact I look much better and healthier.
F2F:  What exercise do you hate the most & enjoy the most?
  • MM:  I hate running on the treadmill, that by far is my least favorite thing. On the other hand, kickboxing is my favorite thing to do. It is important to do things you enjoy doing because you don’t feel like working out is just terrible.
F2F:  Best kind of music to listen to while working out? Any favorite artists?  I listen to techno for cardio and it’s amazingly good to keep a beat.
  • MM:  When I am working out I listen to Hip-Hop, there is something about it that gets me going. I do listen to Techno as well. I have no particular favorite artist just anything that has a good beat.
F2F:  I used to be fairly heavy in high school (around the weight I am now) and then when I had got down to around 210 all of a sudden people that didn’t pay attention to me before wanted to hang out.  If you experience this same situation after you lose the weight, how do you think that would make you feel?
  • MM:  Its been hard in high school and a lot of people did not give me the time of day and now that I have lost a lot of weight and look better, people may start paying more attention to me but honestly I don’t really care. I have my friends and they were there when I was big  and they have supported me throughout this whole process so I know who my true friends are.

F2F:  How has the dynamic of your household changed now that everyone is living healthy and workout out together?  What changes have you noticed?
  • MM:  I haven’t been home since the Biggest loser Finale but I know from the 2 moths Mike and Ron were home all healthy food was brought in and the unhealthy food is out. But we all live a healthy life now and we all look out for one another.
F2F:  Do you have any plans for a career path in college and if so do you think you may change into something else based on this health experience?  (I know a few of the Biggest Losers are now starting careers in health)
  • MM:  I have been thinking about what I want to pursue in college but I have no idea what yet. I do not want to stuck in a cubicle for 8 hours a day where I will not be able to live healthy, that is for sure.
F2F:  What is the single hardest thing you’ve had to struggle with during this journey thus far?
  • MM:  The hardest thing by far is just being so far away from home all summer. I have been in Utah all summer by myself working on my weight and it is tough. I miss home a lot. But trading one summer for a healthy longer life is worth it.
F2F:  Is there any chance of you being on one of the seasons of BL coming up and/or do you think they will run a segment on your progress at some point?
  • MM:  I don’t think that I will be on any seasons of the BL, hopefully I don’t need to cause I will have lost the weight. I may consider going on to show people that they can do it at home.
F2F:  What goals have you set for yourself in the long term (marathon? certain amount of lbs, etc)
  • MM:  My long term goal is to get down to 230 and look good. But I think doing a triathlon would be really cool but we will see.. I am planning on doing a mini triathlon in September.
F2F:  What is the best advice you could give anyone who is thinking about changing their life in the same way you have?
  • MM:  Don’t give up, it’s a tough struggle and keep at it. There will be times you want to quit but in the end it will be worth all the sweat, crying, and hard work.
F2F:  How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if he’s trying to shed a few pounds for the ladies if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
  • MM:  Ha ha if someone is trying to lose weight just for the ladies, they will never be successful in weight loss. You have to do it from your heart and find the reason it is worth it ( ex. your kids)

Tara’s Turkey Mini-Meatloaf

Biggest Loser season 7 all-star Tara Costa’s favorite ranch recipe.

Per Meatloaf: 110 Calories, 1g Fat, 25mg Cholesterol, 180mg Sodium, 6g Carbohydrates, 16g Protein, <1g Fiber

Yield: Serves 9

Ingredients

  • 1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 stalk of celery, coarsely chopped
  • 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1 (20-ounce) package JENNIE-O TURKEY STORE® lean ground turkey breast
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
  • 2 egg whites

For Topping

  • 1/4 cup fat free and sugar free ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper adobo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar substitute (such as Splenda® Brand)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In the work bowl of a food processor, combine onion, carrots and celery. Pulse until finely chopped. Add chipotle peppers and pulse until just combined.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey with the pepper and vegetable mixture. Add egg whites and oats; gently mix until combined. Place about 1/3 cup of the prepared meatloaf mixture into 9 wells of a standard size muffin pan that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, combine all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. Remove meat loaves from oven and spoon the topping over each meatloaf. Return meatloaf to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until meatloaf is firm and the internal temperature registers 170°F. Let meatloaf stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 9 mini loaves.