We all thought that the final four would be determined last week. However, due to a wish granted by Tim Gunn, we have to wait an additional week to get those results. What’s in store for us this week? The end is in sight for everyone and it is time for them to bring together everything they have learned on their journeys.
First up for the contestants is a final exam! Are they in school again? What is happening?! I for one would be able to rock this as I am kind of a closet nerd. There are four parts to this exam with each of the trainers.
First up is Bob and a spin tutorial, except this time around, the contestants have to teach BOB how to spin. Everyone seems to do well, with Hannah and Olivia getting perfect scores (unfortunately Jay flunks).
Next is Brett’s knowledge quiz. Everyone does relatively well at this, too. It’s a close race so far.
We move on to boxing with Cara, but it’s not all about boxing. It has a lot to do with the mental toughness needed to be a fighter overall. The players all do well, except for Irene who doesn’t have a bad score, but is lagging a little behind.
Last, there is Jillian’s motivation. She flips it around on the contestants and has them motivate HER. It’s really amazing to see how far they have all come and the positive outlooks they have. Everyone scores well with Jillian.
Just when you think that the scores will be tallied and we’ll have a winner is when Ali throws an extra test in there. They now have to compete in the Biggest Loser video games with their own avatars and the highest score wins and is added to their previous points. It looks like from the start that Hannah will take it quite easily, which she does due to her proficiency with Mario and Duck Hunt. When everything is added up, though, Olivia wins the $10,000 prize for the exam by only THREE points! Hannah would have won if Cara did not deduct five points from her score for laughing.
At this point in the game you can definitely see the focus on everyone’s faces. This is what it all comes down to. The beatings are coming aplenty in the gym and the sheer grit and determination is quite evident. They are all absolute beasts. Even at this point Jillian is still trying to get Jay to open up. She feels as though he has been slowed down ever since he came back to the ranch for some reason and that has affected his weight loss. He finally lets loose and explains to her this is all for his family. They are his lifeblood. Lets see how this affects him for the week.
This challenge we have looks like it will take a lot of strength. There are 100 sand bags to stack up four giant “steps.” Not an easy task. The prize, at this point of the game, is monumental: a 1 lb. advantage at the weigh in. Every pound counts. From the get go, Austin charges out of the gate and doesn’t relent the entire time to capture that pound.
This is one of the most ridiculous weigh ins I have ever seen. For starters, Olivia is given the option of trading in her 10K for a pound and Austin his pound for 10K. They both keep their respective prizes. Austin doesn’t seem to think he needs the pound, but is keeping it as an insurance policy, and Olivia really wants the money to help kickstart her new life with her husband. It only gets more intense from here.
Hannah weighs first with a great four-pound loss, which is big this late in the game. Irene hits a nice five. The girls have set the bar for the rest. Jay slams a home run with a nine! Looks like his emotional shedding helped him shed some weight as well! He is the first member of the final four. Olivia needs a six in order to cement herself a spot, but only comes up with a five. Looks like that pound would have been smart at this point. They are none too happy. The worst thing that could happen is if both sisters go below. It’s all up to Austin at this point. Will his one-pound help him? I personally am on the edge of my seat and almost fall out of my chair when he only drops a single pound. That means he is below the line with Hannah – and everyone in America, including me, and especially Austin, know he is going home. He even says going below with Hannah is like going below a red line. So it’s no surprise to see him get voted out.
I really feel for the kid. I was in the exact same position as he was in the game. I made it to the final five and my body freaked out for some reason, as did his, and I fell below the yellow line, only to be sent packing. My hopes and dreams seemed to have been dashed all with one swoop of the pen. I sulked for a couple weeks and had a hard time coping when I got home. But then I had the realization that my life had just begun. I also had a point to prove. I worked my tail off for the rest of my time at home in order to completely shine when I hit that stage at the finale, and I was able to do just that. But that was not the end of my journey either. I strive every single day of my life to better myself and I hope he will do the same. Go get ‘em, kid!