A Week of Challenges

This week's The Biggest Loser, the last episode before next week's live finale, was filled with challenges for the final four contestants. First, they had to go home for 30 days and face real life with all its distractions and temptations. Though they all knew they would have to weigh in again and run a marathon on the ranch at the end of the month, each admitted to struggling.

Koli couldn't focus with all the distractions of friends and family in California, so he left for Las Vegas and some intense training at a mixed martial arts facility. It struck me that he was perhaps way too focused on the game instead of the fitness/health aspect, and Bob pointed this out to him when he came for a visit. Koli even acknowledged this at the weigh-in at the end of the show.

Ashley was disappointed in herself for staying out too late with friends, even though she did make the positive step of saying she didn't want to go drinking like she used to. She and Michael agreed to run/walk the marathon together, to support and encourage each other. They seem to have gotten really close.

Daris is the one who really broke my heart this week. Despite being a running machine, he is still struggling with the emotional side of things. I think that despite having friends, he feels really alone. He seems like a quiet, kindhearted soul who internalizes much of what he's feeling. When he was videoing himself emotional eating in the middle of the night, I wanted to walk into that kitchen and say, "No! Don't do this." I think he's someone people can really relate to because his struggles are so like ours.

The marathon day was wet and cold, but all four contestants were determined to do the best they could and finish the race. Daris was determined to beat the previous record time, and he did so by nearly and hour, finishing in 4 hours, 2 minutes. Koli arrived a couple of hours later with a time of 6 hours, 8 minutes. Mike and Ashley arrived hand-in-hand at 6 hours, 26 minutes. Pretty darned impressive for people who could barely walk 5 months prior.

At the weigh-in, Michael hit another huge turning point, going below the 300-pound mark at 299. He broke down crying, and I admit I teared up too. He lost 23 pounds while at home; Ashley lost 18 (but had the biggest percentage of weight loss at 7.79 percent); and Koli lost 13. Daris actually gained 2 pounds, and I believe that was due to his emotional side wrecking all the working out he was doing. So at the end of the weigh-in, we know that Ashley and Michael are definitely in the running for the title of Biggest Loser, and America's votes will determine if the third person is Koli or Daris. Anyone want to guess who America will vote for? I'm off to vote online now.

And may I just say that I'm thrilled that for the second year in a row, a woman from Tennessee is in the final four. You go, Ashley!