If you followed Biggest Loser: Families and came to adore the woman known as “America’s Sweetheart,” we’ve got a treat for you. Coleen Skeabeck is joining the DietsInReview.com team as the season seven Biggest Loser Correspondent. Each week, right here in the Diet Blog, you’ll be able to watch Coleen’s video recaps of each episode. This is the only place online where you’ll find Biggest Loser contestants giving the skinny on the newest members of the weight loss reality show.
I’m reporting live from the Biggest Loser: Families finale, with a recap of the show that made Michelle Aguilar the newest Biggest Loser, and Heba Salama the first female at-home winner.
UPDATED: Watch now – DietsInReview.com interview with Michelle Aguilar at the Biggset Loser Season 6 Finale.
Michelle Aguilar with Jillian Michaels
When talking with Michelle, season 6 winner of the Biggest Loser, one word repeatedly came to mind, “Incredible.” At finale she looked absolutely gorgeous, however I wanted to get at more than just her physical beauty, I instead wanted to focus on her inner strength. For those of us that religiously followed the show, we were able to see her inner strength gradually come out.
Having experienced the Biggest Loser first hand, I wanted to see how her experience transformed her mentally and emotionally. During our conversation she shared some really insightful things that the everyday viewer doesn’t always get a chance to hear, things like; how relationships in her life have changed, tips for maintaining her new found health, her future goals and endeavors, her relationship with Jillian and the Black Team, and most importantly her “Life Long Resolution”.
Congratulations Michelle, you are truly an inspiration to so many, as for all you “Biggest Loser” viewers be sure to tune in to Season 7 on January 6.
Listen to our Interview with Michelle Aguilar Biggest Loser Season 6 Winner below:
During last week’s episode of Biggest Loser, Ed and Heba prepared Thai Turkey Wraps as a thank you for their trainer, Bob Harper. It looked so good, and Bob’s reaction to the scrumptious dish made all of you hungry for the recipe. So, a big shout out and gracious thank you to Ed Brantley for sharing his personal recipe with all of us at DietsInReview.com.
Ingredients
1 package ground turkey
1 clove of chopped garlic
1 tsp. of minced fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 carrot, peeled and minced
6 scallions, finely chopped
7 sprigs cilantro chopped
4 limes, juiced
Sriacha chili sauce (can be purchased at a local Asian market or international food section in the grocery)
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 red bell pepper finely diced
1 cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and julienned
1 head Boston lettuce
1/4 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
Instructions
Brown turkey, place in refrigerator to cool.
Once cool, mix all ingredients (except: pepper, cucumber, lettuce and peanuts) in a bowl.
Allow to marinate overnight, or 3-4 hours for best taste.
Serve mixture in lettuce cups with cucumber, pepper and peanuts for garnish.
“Whoohoo, Makeover!”, On Episode 11 contestants got to strut their slimmer stuff on the Tyra Banks show in New York City. I feel the makeover show is one of the most powerful episodes that the Biggest Loser has every season. It allows contestants, as well as viewers, to see just how far they’ve come on their weight loss journey. That being said Ed, Heba, Vicky, Michelle, and Renee were whisked away for a shopping spree at Macy’s and treated to new hair styles at an incredible salon. The makeover episode is powerful in that it allows contestants the opportunity to realize that they can now shop off the rack, which for me was a tremendous personal victory. I would like to applaud each of the contestants on looking terrific!
After walking Tyra’s stage contestants were surprised by family members who flew out to New York to see their new and improved loved ones. While in New York contestants and family members decided to see the town and found themselves in the middle of Time Square, where Bob and Jillian miraculously appeared on a TV monitor. The Biggest Loser trainers congratulated contestants on their hot new look, but reminded them that they were still in the middle of a competition and that they had better spend their remaining time in the city working out. Contestants and their families took their trainers message to heart and the next day the blue team worked out at a newly opened 24 hour fitness, while the black team worked out in both Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge. (more…)
Ask Renee Wilson what her tip is for working out and she has one word for you, “cardio, cardio, cardio!” She says it’s what works for her and that you must keep your body moving and stay active. Like many of us, since returning home she works a job eight to ten hours a day and has to fit in time to hit the gym. She reminds herself of the goal constantly to stay motivated to workout two to four hours every day.
Renee came on to Biggest Loser: Families with daughter Michelle, who she’d been estranged from for five years prior to being chosen for the show. Renee says she’d just given up on her self and kept gaining weight little-by-little after her divorce from Michelle’s dad. She also used “getting older” as an excuse until one day she realized she’d gained 50 pounds and couldn’t figure out how she’d gotten there. She was seriously considering gastric bypass surgery and had made the decision to do so, when the phone rang. It was Michelle, inviting her to be her teammate on Biggest Loser.
She said it was time to “put action to my words. Wishing wouldn’t get me anywhere.” (more…)
Last night, Biggest Loser said goodbye to its little Southern belle. Husband Phil is likely to miss that sweet drawl more than any other player, and as such, they’re going to have to deal with him now. Amy Parham‘s parting words were that her teammates made a mistake by assuming her husband would be weaker with her out of the house, it would only make him stronger.
Phil and Amy are college sweethearts, they met at their freshman orientation and she says after the second date she was in love. Their devotion for one another was quite clear on the show, and the love pours over into their three boys. Upon arriving home, Amy says her kids have embraced the new lifestyle. Her middle son is 11 years old, and the only one she says has had trouble with his weight, even saying kids at school have made fun of him. Since she has returned home he’s lost 10 pounds, two pant sizes and even goes to the gym with Amy and Phil.
Her exit might have been a surprise to all of us, and her daughter Amy C., but Shellay says she could feel all week that she was the one to go. Shellay Cremen made it through five weeks at Biggest Loser, dropping a total of 27 pounds while on the ranch, and currently fitting comfortably into a size 8. She said she doesn’t know where she’ll stop, but her goal is to be a size 6 at the December finale, and that she wants to get as low as she can. “I’m out to really prove I can really do it.”
If there were ever a love story viewers would want to follow on Biggest Loser, this was it. The great love of Heba and Ed, season 6’s orange team! Ed Brantley’s elimination during Week 4 was hard to watch for the viewers and not an “easy thing to do” according to Ed. He says he didn’t get any updates on Heba’s progress after he left, and hoped he wouldn’t see her for at least two months, meaning that she just kept pushing through. When he and Heba did finally reunite (since all the current contestants have all gone home), he says “you would not even believe it!” When all of us finally get the chance to watch, Ed said “you’ll be up in a chair screaming, doing back flips!”
Since leaving the ranch in mid-May, Ed has lost 90 pounds, and currently weighs 245 pounds (down from his starting weight of 335). He had set a goal for a 32″ pant size, and he is currently wearing a 34″ in shorts. Speaking with Ed, there is no doubt that he’s as dedicated to his weight loss as much as he was during his time on Biggest Loser, if not more so. “I had to bring the ranch home,” Ed explained about instilling the mindsite of complete discipline at home that he had at the ranch. He often remembers “what would Bob think,” or that Heba would remind him not to stop.
Episode 4 begins with contestants receiving the prizes they received from the hill challenge on Episode 1. Amy and Phil got to go home for 24 hours and visit with their family; it was great to see them bring the lessons learned at the ranch in regards to diet and exercise home to their boys. Amy and Shellay won the incredible prize of spending 24 hours with their trainer Jillian. They spent their time at 24 Hour Fitness where with Jillian’s help we finally see Shellay begin to confront personal issues that are getting in the way of her weight loss journey.
Tonight’s challenge had contestants submerged in huge a water-filled tank where they were asked to hold their body weight up using a bar for support. Throughout the challenge the water in the tank was slowly being drained making it increasingly harder for contestants to hold up their body weight. After an intense battle that lasted 107 minutes, Vicky from the Brown Team won, and with it won a care package from home and a 3-day vacation to Universal Studios with her family. Host Alison Sweeney informed the Brown team that they could select one other team to receive a care package from home. The Brown team selected the purple team, Shellay and Amy, which I feel, was the right choice being that Amy finished the challenge in second place.
Then Episode 4 was cut short due to the presidential debate! Just like many of you I realize the importance of the upcoming presidential election, I’ve done my research on the candidates and come November I feel ready to cast my vote. However, part of me was definitely frustrated with the interruption. If this presidential debate has taught us anything it’s that patience and being informed are the only way to bring about change!
Don’t miss my Part II Recap and get the rest of the story!
He and wife Amy split to separate teams during week 5. He is now on Jillian’s black team.
Quotes
“I saw her pushing 450 pounds with her legs. She was making sounds I haven’t heard since she was giving birth to our children.” – about wife Amy, Week 6
“The next time you see me, I’ll be so hot you won’t care I don’t have any hair.” – after elimination, Week 7
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