(This is the 2nd time I’m writing this. The first one is out in the ether, even though I hit “publish”. So if that one does show up, this one won’t be any better.)
Ever since my unfortunate run in with chicken at Thanksgiving (*shudder), I still cannot bring myself to eat it. There are times when just looking at chicken can bring me back to that day and put me off whatever I am eating now. In fact, I am experiencing what I call “chicken-gross-out-overflow” at times – I can’t enjoy the steak (or whatever) I am eating.
So, back in my early 20s, I claimed to be a vegetarian. I say “claimed” because I didn’t really do it right – I didn’t take the time to really learn how to eat, or how to get my protein, etc. I missed bacon and I loved the smell of burgers on an outside grill. So after a few years, I went back to being a meat eater and never looked back.
Now, though, I’m thinking about cutting out meat again. Except bacon. I can’t seem to give up bacon. It’s just so yummy. And before you say – there’s turkey bacon, or fake-on, or whatever, NO. If it’s not real bacon, then it shouldn’t even have bacon in the name.
So is there such a thing? A vaconitarian? A flexitarian?
I know I can’t go vegan. I love leather. And cheese. And being in Maine, I don’t want to give up lobster. I don’t eat it very often, but I like knowing that I can. There is a pescitarian – a vegetarian who eats seafood. (I’m sure I’ve spelled that incorrectly, but spell check wants me to change it to “nonsectarian”. *snort)
So, I am leaning toward a pescitarian who eats bacon. A flexitarian. That’s what I’m trademarking.
It’s December. 2011 has just flown by!! I’m already looking ahead to 2012.
About this time last year, I was on top of my game – feeling good and ready to make 2011 my bitch! I started the year that way too. But then, as the year progressed, I slipped back into my old ruts and habits. My word for the year was Kind. But regressing back to self-destructive behavior isn’t very kind, is it?
I was kind to others. I was kinder to myself than I had been in years past. But I’m still a work in progress.
As I look to 2012, the word that keeps coming up for me is Wellness. I know some people won’t understand that I need to take care of myself. Since I’m single and have no kids, what else am I doing? How can I *not* be taking care of myself? Right? Well, in 2012, that is my focus.
How, you ask?
1. I’ve already started eliminating beauty products with chemicals in them. My goal by the end of the year, is to use homemade or organic products only.
2. My job at the Gas ‘n Sip – I will either get a new job or get promoted. Either way, by the end of the year, I will be in a different job.
2a. I reached my absolute limit at the Gas ‘n Sip Monday. Background: You already know I am the Slurpee Manager. However, there is an exam to become certified in Slurpee creation. I have been working towards this certification for years – it’s a combination of education and hours. You have to spend a certain number of hours making Slurpees before you can take the certification exam. I? Have completed all the prerequisites and now I just have to take it. But here’s the thing. The exam is ridiculously difficult. So, in order to help the Slurpee Managers at the Gas ‘n Sip pass the exam first try, the company is hosting a prep class. YAY! The class is being held in another state. BOO! My manager said I could go. YAY! But her manager said it was too expensive to send me there. BOO! What the phuck??????? Am I so dispensable? You can’t send me to a class to advance my career? I was so pissed. I am pretty defeated.
2b. I spent Monday evening stewing and not sleeping and feeling like a loser. But then? I got up on Tuesday, and turned on the radio, like I do every morning. The song playing was that woman screeching “You are loved, you are loved, you are really really reeeeeeeeeeeeally looooooooooooved.” You know the one I mean. The Universe has spoken. I stopped and listened. And then I realized, Slurpee Manager is what I do, not who I am. I have been beaten by them for the last time. If they don’t want to send me to a prep class? I’ll send myself to a prep class. I *will* get certified. And then #2 will be realized.
3. By the end of the year, I will have all but eliminated processed food from my diet. I can’t promise to give up pizza, because, c’mon. It’s pizza! I’m human, not a robot.
4. I won’t quit the group I joined. I still think it’s a tough group to get into, but everyone is so nice and I totally support what they do, so I’m going to tough it out. It’s worth it.
There will be more that I will add to this list before the end of the year. I may have slid downhill a bit this year, but I plan to keep trying. 2012 will help me regain that ground and move ahead again.
So….
The focus of my year, as I’ve mentioned, is kindness. To be kinder to myself and others.
One of the ways I have been kinder to myself is to eat better. I realized the other day, that quite without trying, I had not eaten anything processed or pre-packaged since the beginning of the new year. I knew I wanted to eat better things, and evidently that, coupled with my intent to eliminate processed sugar, led me to eat only things that are “real”. Go me!
As an aside, after that realization, I ate pizza before a hockey game. Dear goat. It was SO good, but SO filling. I had 2 1/2 slices (cut a 3rd in half) at around 5:30 and was full until morning. Who knew?
But I had another realization last night, when I was hit with a wave of loneliness so big that I thought I was being suffocated. Unless I wanted to get out of bed and saute up some Brussel sprouts or asparagus, I was going to have to actually “feel” this feeling and see where it took me. You see, previously, I would have gotten myself a snack of ice cream or chips or something else, and numbed my mind so that the feeling of loneliness would be crushed back down and I could go on as usual.
Not having the snack to anesthetize myself forced me to ride the wave. I cried. I hugged Maggie and Seamus. I journaled. I was able to get the feeling out. To go through it and experience it. At the time, I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it at all. I REALLY wanted a snack. But since I hadn’t bought any, I couldn’t. Once the wave subsided, and I was able to gain a little distance, I knew that this is a good thing.
Actually feeling your feelings. Whoda thunk that such a simple concept would be so profound? I didn’t. For more years that I care to admit, I have eaten my feelings. I don’t want to do that anymore. I won’t do that anymore. (Because, really. You can’t mask feelings with vegetables, let’s be honest. ) So, my pledge for 2011: feel whatever comes up. Look at it. Examine it. Then put it down and let it go. I know it won’t be easy. I know I will stumble and reach for that… um… popcorn, I guess. But, with my sincere apologies to REO Speedwagon, it’s time for me to fly, and I can’t do that with all this baggage.
Wish me luck. This is gonna be good. I can tell.
Oh, hello! Come in. Have some tea. And I finally filled the candy dish again, so have at it.
I’m pretty sure that I have stated on here before that I SUCK at managing money. (I would go back and put a link to a previous post, but I’m too lazy. So, you can either look back, or just take my word for it. I suck.)
I have a few theories as to why it is that I suck at it so much, but I won’t go into those here. Suffice it to say, if I have cash in my wallet (or tossed in the bottom of the suitcase I call a purse), I will spend it. On what? It doesn’t matter. Anything. Everything. I wouldn’t even be able to tell you what 2 days later. It’s really pathetic.
About a year ago, I cut up my credit cards. It was traumatic and scary and hard and horrible and the best thing I have done for myself in a long time. (I still had balances, mind, but at least I could no longer ADD to those balances. Just go with it.) Honestly, if I had to do it again, I would. But I would keep one card. Because it is really hard to live in this world with no plastic.
What that little exercise in self-control has taught me is that if I don’t have the $ in my checking account, I can’t buy it. Whatever “it” is – food, entertainment, whatever. I am not always successful at sticking to that rule, and the amount of money I have actually given to my bank in the form of overdraft fees is staggering, but I am learning and getting better at it as I go.
So, why this story of woe on a Friday morning? Well, last week, I think it was Wednesday, I discovered that, yet again, I was overdrawn. And I had $1 in my wallet. Literally, one dollar. Oh. My. Goat. What was I going to do?? I couldn’t buy a coffee, or lunch, or stamps, or groceries. I had 10 days before I got paid again. Have I mentioned how much I suck at money? S.U.C.K.
With no choice, I had to eat whatever I had in the cupboard/fridge/freezer. I had to resort to the free coffee at work (with that powdered creamer crap) (which, BTW, GROSS) or nothing at all. There were no snacks, no nips to the cafe downstairs for a muffin or scone or salad. So much for my new goal of eating more healthful foods and cutting down on carbs and starches. I lived with a hunger headache and a rumbly tum. I dug deep into the bottom of my suitcase purse for spare change for an emergency Hershey bar yesterday.
But I made it. Today, I was able to walk into the grocery store across the street to get something for breakfast and know that I had the cash to pay for it. It was exciting. But, do you know what? I didn’t want most of it. I had a new perspective on the overwhelming number of options. I still have to go grocery shopping tonight, to stock up on food, and to replenish my larder, but I think my choices will be much more carefully made.
There were some good things to come out of this inadvertent experiment:
- I was finally able to clear out all the stuff in my freezer/cupboards that I had purchased, but didn’t feel like eating. You know the stuff. Pasta, rice, popcorn, whatever leftovers you may have frozen to “have later”. CLEAN START!
- I lost 9 pounds. That, right there, should tell you something. Clearly, I was eating too much.
- I learned that I really didn’t have to eat if I was bored/sad/depressed/stressed/happy. I could really only eat 3 meals a day. No snacking. And? I DIDN’T DIE. I didn’t (couldn’t) use food to mask those feelings. I ate when I was really hungry (read: dizzy and headachey), and that was it.
- I learned that I didn’t need to eat so much. I had to eat smaller portions in order to make the food last longer.
- I learned that powdered coffee creamer? Just as gross as I remembered.
- I learned that I don’t *have* to have dessert. But I just wanna.
- I learned that I really can live, and do it maybe not well, but sufficiently, without spending every last cent. It’s okay to NOT go to the drug store and buy magazines or whatever. Or to turn on the Kindle and download the 36 books that I have seen recommended lately that I now want to read. I can read the books I already have (that I haven’t read before) and discover “Oh, yeah! That’s why I bought that!”
- Oh, yeah, and I’m all set with carbs and starches for a while. Thanks.
So, I know this post started out about money and ended up about food. But, I found that the lack of one really impacts the other. This past 10 days has been hard and while I wouldn’t recommend anyone letting themselves get into the position I did, I would recommend trying to not spend money for a week on those little things that seem to so easily add up. And also, go through your stores of prepackaged foodstuffs and use that stuff up. Start over without all that stuff that really isn’t good for you. Maybe it would be better to just toss it, or to just NOT buy it in the first place, but you know what I mean.
And that cup of Chibani yogurt this morning? SO. FREAKING. GOOD!!!!! (If you haven’t tried this stuff? Holy crap. The best Greek yogurt out there, IMO. Seriously.) And it filled me up. I never thought I could be satisfied with just a yogurt, but I am. (If someone put a plate of bacon and eggs in front of my, I wouldn’t say no, mind. But I’m comfortable with just the yogurt for now.) This may be the start of something big for me. *fingers crossed*
Oh, and that dollar in my wallet? Yep. I still have it.
Oh, hello!! Come in and have some seltzer and Greek yogurt.
This post is about what happened later in the day last Thursday. It’s big for me.
So, a while back, the exquisite Debra wrote this post. What does that have to do with me, you wonder? Well, Miss Debra and I are very similar in that we are hermits, love books, and are less than experts at meeting new people. (Debra is FAR nicer than I am, but that’s another post…)
Inspired by my friend, I researched things in *my* area to meet new people and maybe make new friends. I found two groups that interested me. One was a group of women who get together for dinner or hiking or whatever. The other group is co-ed and meet for the same reasons. The co-ed group is NOT a dating group. But I signed up for both thinking that the women’s group would be a good way to get started, with no pressure to date any one. Then, maybe as I get more comfortable, I can do the co-ed group.
It must have been destiny all around, because the first meet-up of the women’s group that I saw was for dinner out at a sushi place. I heart sushi! So, I RSVP’d for the dinner and made the K2Kid RSVP with me. Because OF COURSE I couldn’t go alone. *eye roll* She was going to be my security blanket, just in case these women were horrible.
By Thursday afternoon, I was so tired from the volunteering that I wanted nothing more than to just go home and chill. But… I knew this was a good thing for me to do. I sent K2Kid a text to see if she was still going with me. She bailed. But 1) she had a good excuse; and 2) it was like the mama kicking the baby out of the nest. I had to do this on my own.
At dinner, there were 6 strangers. There was a real-estate agent, a nurse, a hairdresser, a fitness instructor, an executive recruiter, and … dang. I can’t think of what the last lady did. We ate. We talked. We laughed. We told stories. And we tried to decide what a good next meet-up would be.
And, do you know what? I didn’t die. I didn’t melt. I didn’t sit in my house, by myself, thinking that I *ought* to have been doing something. I am so glad that I did it. And while it may not be a big deal for many people, it was a huge deal for me, and I am so proud of myself.
The best part? I’m looking forward to doing it again. YAY ME!
Oh, hello! Fruit tonight: pomegranate, orange, apples.
Last week:
Weigh in:
Rudy (blue): 324 – 16 to 308 (!!!) (134 pounds total – BL record of most weight lost in 10 weeks) (4.94%) SAFE
Rebecca (pink): 209 – 3 to 206 (73 pounds total) She’s upset. (1.44%) Below the line.
Liz (brown): 206 – 3 to 203 (64 pounds total) (1.46%) Below the line.
Alan (green): 243 – 5 to 238 (87 pounds total) (2.06%) SAFE
Amanda (pink): 202 – 9 to 193 (57 pounds total) She’s thrilled. Bob is thrilled. (4.46%) SAFE
Danny (brown): 316 – 12 to 304 (126 pounds total) (3.80%) SAFE
Rebecca went home. She looks good. Oh, and she’s in love with Daniel.
This week: Suze Orman is going to be there.
We start out with a recap of last week’s eviction. They all know that this is the final week on campus and they can’t start slacking now. B&J show up, and are not surprised. Jill said that Rudy is lying and that the reason he sent her home is that she is the biggest threat. He said that he would say it if it were true. I tend to agree with him. I get the impression that the trainers and the fatties are all sick of each other. I can say that I’m sick of all of them.
Bob has Rudy doing the weights that he did the first week. He’s laughing at how easy it is. Now he’s on to Danny doing the same thing. It’s funny to watch. Each in turn is going thru the same things. The changes are amazing. And dare I say… inspirational? Yep.
Sami comes in to talk to them about the final week. And going home and finding a balance. In comes Suze Orman, the financial advisor. There is a connection between health and wealth. Obesity is an expensive disease. She is meeting one on one now. Alan is going to call his insurance agent to get his premium reduced. They charged him more for being overweight. Rudy is getting advice on checking credit reports. Liz is being told how to handle money related issues within her marriage. (Unseen footage from her visit can be seen on her show, Saturday, 9pm on CNBC).
The fatties go to the gym, where Sami and Suze are waiting for them. Treadmills are lined up, in order to play a game. They are not competing against each other. They have to answer questions. For every one they get correct, $1000 will be invested in an account for them at TD Ameritrade. Wow. That’s cool! Incorrect answers mean one level faster and one level higher on the treadmills. Question 1: How much less do obese employees make in one year? Answer: $7000. They all got it correct. Question 2: How much can a family save in a year swapping one meal out for one at home every day? Answer: $8760. (Holy crap!!) All but Amanda got it correct. Question 3: How much do Americans spend on gastric bypass surgery every year? Answer: $4.4 BILLION (Again, holy crap!!) Alan got it correct. Everyone else was wrong. Question 4: How much do Americans spend on obesity-related health issues every year. Answer: $147 Billion. Everyone got it right. Question 5: How much money will you save over 40 years by going from obese to your ideal weight. Answer: 1 million. Everyone but Alan got it right.
The next day, Jill walks in to talk with Danny and Alan about how they are feeling about going home. Cheerios product placement.
At the gym. Amanda is feeling alone. Rudy is targeting Danny this week. Alan is feeling like he just wants to finish. Bob comes in and talks to them as to how they have changed and will they succeed? Danny is scared. They are all crying. Amanda is talking to Bob outside about how they bonded and love each other. It makes me a little sick.
Liz and Danny are talking about how they have been a team and partners together. They helped each other and pushed each other. Sweet. And a little icky.
Challenge time. They are at a football stadium with the amount of weight they have lost to date on their jerseys. They have to carry the amount of weight they lost. There are footballs that weigh what they each lost each of the 10 weeks. (i.e. Rudy’s first week, he lost 28 pounds. His first football weighs 28 pounds.) They have to carry the weights down the field and put the corresponding football on the week marker. The first one done wins 2 tickets to the 2010 NFL probowl. Special guest is Rod Woodson. (IDK who that is…) They all seem excited. Rod throws in a prize of $5000 of athletic equipment to the school of their choice. They pick up their first football and have to walk all the way down the field to the week 1 stand. They put the football down and run back to the beginning. On to the next one. Alan is winning. Rudy and Amanda are right behind him. Alan wins. Rudy is second. Amanda is third. Liz is fourth. Danny finishes strong.
Danny wrote a song. Played it for everyone. Lots of recapping of previous weeks. Again. It was a little awkward to watch. But sweet too, I suppose.
Tomorrow night, there is a “where are they now” show with former contestants to see who kept if off and who gained it all back. FUN!
Subway product placement.
Last chance workouts. Beatings. Sweat. Explanations of what the last chance workout is. (Really??) Yelling. All taking about making it to the final four. Jeepers. Liz is crying again.
Winner of the weigh in also gets Curtis Stone going to their home to teach them how to cook.
Weigh in:
Rudy: 308 – 12 to 296. (3.9%) (33.03% total) SAFE
Liz: 203 – 5 to 198. (2.46%) (25.84% total) below the line
Alan: 238 – 8 to 230. (3.36%) (29.23% total) below the line
Amanda: 193 – 7 to 186. (3.63%) (25.6% total) SAFE
Danny: 304 –16 to 288. Double digit losses 7 weeks in a row.(5.26%) (33.02% total) SAFE
Danny gets the Curtis Stone win. Amanda is the swing/deciding vote this week. Danny will vote to keep Liz. Rudy will vote to keep Alan. Much begging and pleading. Alan pulls Amanda aside to plead his case and plays the “Liz voted against you before” card.
Voting: Danny votes for Alan; Rudy votes for Liz; Amanda votes for Alan. Alan is going home. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
At home update: Big crowd meets Alan at the fire station. That’s nice. He’s wanting to help others lose weight now. He’s lost another 10 pounds. Works out with his wife.
Next week: final four.
Tomorrow night, remember, is the where are they now show. One former winner has gained all “his” weight back.
Oh, hello! Whole wheat pasta with red sauce tonight. Dig in!
Before I start with last night’s update, did you know??? Daniel? and Rebecca? DATING. Yep. She’s the girlfriend that he alluded to. I’ll give you a moment to digest that…
Last week:
Weigh in:
Rudy (blue): has immunity: 332 – 8 to 324 (2.41%) SAFE
Rebecca (pink): 219 – 10 to 209 (4.57%) SAFE
Liz (brown): 218 – 12 to 206 (5.50%) SAFE
Allen (green): has a 1 pound advantage: 253 – 10 to 243 (4.35%) SAFE
Amanda (pink): 207 – 5 to 202 (2.42%) Below yellow line.
Danny (brown): 333 – 17 to 316 (5.11%) SAFE and has lost 114 pounds in 9 weeks.
Daniel (orange): 261 – 5 to 256 (1.92%) Below the red line. He’s going home.
Shay (orange): 393 – 17 to 376. (4.33%) She’s lost 100 pounds in 9 weeks. Jill is stunned. Below yellow line.
Both Shay and Daniel went home. We saw him as an update but not her. BTW? Daniel and Rebecca? Yep. Together.
This week? SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! It’s makeover week!!!!!!! And you know what that means??? TGIF! Tim Gunn Is Fabulous!!!! SQUEE!!!!!
We open with a limo driving up. Sami is all dressed up. She’s telling them about giving a speech to a crowd. Then she opens the limo door and Tim Gunn comes out. (LOVE!!!) and Tabitha Coffey from Tabitha’s Salon Takeover is here too!!! SQUEE!!!!!!! TG is taking them to a suite at some hotel for clothing and Tab is taking them to some salon in West Hollywood.
Liz is first. TG shows her some clothes. Liz is talking about her speech and how she’s going to talk to women taking time for themselves. Her goal? To look fabulous.
Rudy is next. Looking at suits, but he prefers jeans and a t-shirt. (Way to go out on a limb there, Moose.) TG is trying to talk him in to a blazer to snazz up the jeans. Rudy’s not buying that. Tab is trying to get him to shave the beard. She’s bad-ass, so she will win.
Rebecca is next. TG shows her an animal print. (Sorry. Can’t stop picturing her with Daniel. Kinda gagging a little bit.) TG asks her about her speech. She cries about being able to shop now. She tells TG to not cover her all up. Flash to her with Tab. Tab wants to take her to short hair.
Amanda is shown getting her hair cut. Didn’t see her with the clothes.
The boys are all talking about their speeches – their struggles in everyday life, the reasons for being on the BL.
We don’t see all the hair and clothing being done. Then we’re at the night of the speech. We see Rebecca with her short hair. It’s cute. It looks good on her. It is, however, VERY similar to Ali – the first female winner. She’s freaking out. She comes around the corner and is in a black dress, sky-scraper heels. She looks really good. It’s not a jaw-dropping transformation, but it’s good. TG is telling her she’s got 300 people waiting to be inspired by her. (Nice…that’s so evil! I love it.) But he has one last surprise. He turns her around… she screams like she’s being killed…. and it’s…. a commercial. It’s her sister. They hug and cry. Her sister is tiny. And very pretty.
Danny walks around the corner. I couldn’t figure out initially if it was him or Rudy. His hair is darker. He’s in jeans, a woven shirt and a sweater vest. He looks MUCH younger. He’s excited for the speech, can’t wait to get out there. TG turns him around to see his family. He’s shocked. And crying. His wife is psyched.
Alan comes out in a gray suit. He looks very nice. His wife and daughter are there. She is pretty. (That’s it for Alan. Wow, did he get short-changed on the makeover segment!!)
Amanda still has blond hair. It’s about shoulder length. She has on a bright royal blue blouse and black pants. (She should have gone with a dress, IMO.) Her mom is there. Much hugging and smiling.
Rudy comes out with jeans, a woven shirt, and a brown jacket on. I’m sorry, the dude is huge! Not fat huge. But he’s just a big guy! He looks good. His hair is shorter and the beard is gone. Thank goat. He looks much younger and much thinner. His wife and kids are there. His daughter is cute.
Liz is in an animal print dress. Her hair is a soft blond and has been shaped and shortened. I have to say that her transformation (for this makeover show) has been the most dramatic. Her husband and daughter are there. She looks so good.
Sami is all fancy in a silvery dress. Sexy! This is the BL/TV Guide magazine makeover. (What happened to Prevention magazine? Curious.)
Danny comes out: the crowd goes wild. Then Liz. Then Rudy. Then Amanda. Then Rebecca. Then Alan. They all get standing ovations. They are all grinning and confident and crying. (They showed Bob’s reaction to Amanda only. That whole thing creeps me out for some reason. IDK why.)
Alan goes first. He’s talking about his life as a firefighter and how he couldn’t save people before. He felt like he was a liability to his company.*sob*
Danny started with a weight problem early on. His turning point was when his daughter said to him “Daddy, I wanna have a belly just like you.” She is the one who made him want to turn his life around. *sob* The daughter interviews that she loves him so much and she can’t wait to go on her journey. *sob sob*
Rudy tells the story of him at 12 with his sister being diagnosed with cancer. They show Jill in the audience, looking horrified, and being shocked that she didn’t know about it. She is, of course, pissed that he didn’t tell her. Um, yeah, Jill, because it’s about you. I mean, I get it, but still… FOCUS! Back to Rudy – before his sister died, she told him that he’s going to have to make a change for himself because he’s good-looking and likeable. *sob* Seriously. Could they give us a warning?? He’s like a gentle giant.
Amanda is next. She admits that she didn’t have an “event” that caused her to gain weight. She just always saw herself as big and she became that.
On to Rebecca. She has always been the chubby friend. The chubby sister.
Now Liz. (Way to cut Rebecca short. Seriously, that’s all they let her say.) Liz woke up one day and knew she was fat. She blamed everything and everyone else. The dryer shrunk her clothes. She would watch BL while eating ice cream. (Is that bad??) She lost herself. You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.
They keep showing the fatties in the audience as the contestants are speaking. It’s kinda funny. They did a good job with the speeches. Very inspirational. Really. Amanda thinks the makeover was the best thing they did on the ranch so far. Um, really, Amanda? Going to Washington? Cooking in the White House? Losing weight? Not as good? Glad you have the right mindset there.
And it’s challenge time. Back to reality. They are going to hang on a wire and cross a canyon using a pulley to get them there. 700 feet. The winner gets a 2 week stay at the BL resort in Utah for them and their family. They all get geared up, in helmets and harnesses. Liz is freaking out to the point of being annoying. Danny is giggling at her. (HEE!) And they’re off. Rudy is in the lead. Liz is doing this with her eyes closed. Amanda is trying to catch Rudy. Rudy wins. Amanda is second. Then Alan. Then Rebecca. Then Danny. Liz is last, but she’s glad she finished. The finish platform has pictures of the “old” them on it. They get to ceremonially unveil the “new” them by rolling out new pictures of themselves. Cool.
B&J are finding out about the results of the challenge. Then, it’s last chance workout time. Bob holds Alan back and Jill takes the rest of them to the gym. Bob wants to know why Alan isn’t winning the challenges like he should be. He says he’s “playing the game” some so that he seems like less of a threat to the others. He wants to stay so he’s staying under the radar. Bob is okay with that.
Last chance workout. All day workout. Lots of sweat. Lots of grunting. Jill is pissed at Rudy for not mentioning his sister. Calls him out. He’s a private person and didn’t think he needed to talk about it. She takes him outside and he’s telling her the story as he’s carrying a heavy bag. She gets him to admit that he keeps all his problems inside. (Breakthrough!!)
No red line this week. Back to yellow line.
Weigh in:
Rudy (blue): 324 – 16 to 308 (!!!) (134 pounds total – BL record of most weight lost in 10 weeks) (4.94%) SAFE
Rebecca (pink): 209 – 3 to 206 (73 pounds total) She’s upset. (1.44%) Below the line.
Liz (brown): 206 – 3 to 203 (64 pounds total) (1.46%) Below the line.
Alan (green): 243 – 5 to 238 (87 pounds total) (2.06%) SAFE
Amanda (pink): 202 – 9 to 193 (57 pounds total) She’s thrilled. Bob is thrilled. (4.46%) SAFE
Danny (brown): 316 – 12 to 304 (126 pounds total) (3.80%) SAFE
Deliberations: Liz wants to know who is going to push them more. Rebecca asks to speak to Rudy and Alan alone. Alan tells Liz to get some fight to stay. Rebecca is begging stay. She’s saying that Liz has been below the line and has had her second chance and now wants her second chance. Liz goes to see Rudy and Alan to fight. She’s playing the “I’m old” card. (She’s only 49! Not 99! I’m sick of the “I’m old” bit.)
Voting:
Amanda: Liz; Danny: Rebecca; Rudy: Rebecca. If there was a tie, Rebecca has the lowest percentage of weight loss, so she would go home. Rudy said he voted for Rebecca because he couldn’t trust her. She’s getting all snarly back. She said that fighting with Rudy is worse than going home.
At home update: She started at 279. Her family is all there to greet her. She’s going through her closet and getting rid of everything. She’s running a half marathon. She’s now down 107 pounds. She looks really good! Skinny mini. She wants to be the at home winner and wants to eventually open a gym for over-weight kids.
Oh, hello! Let’s snack on some dry roasted peanuts, and some sleepy-time tea.
Where we left off last week:
They went back to individuals, and their original colors.
Rebecca (pink) – 223 -4 to 219. She has immunity.
Liz (brown) – 221 – 3 – 218. (below the yellow line)
Tracey (purple)- 197 – 3 to 194. She’s not happy. (is she ever??)
Allen (green) – 262 – 9 to 253. (safe)
Rudy (blue) – 341 – 9 to 332. (safe)
Amanda (pink) – 214 – 7 to 207 (safe)
Danny (brown) – 345 – 12 to 333. (safe) (97 pounds so far!)
Daniel (orange) – 272 – 11 to 261. (safe)
Shay (orange) – 402 – 9 to 393. YAY. Good for her. (safe)
Crazy went home. YAY!
This week, 2 people are supposed to go home.
We start with them all talking about how they all want to be at the finish.
They walk out to the lawn and see Sami. Sami tells them that 2 are going home. They’re all bummed. Lowest percentage of weight loss will fall below a new red line and will go home immediately. There will also still be a yellow line, and a regular elimination after that.
Pop challenge. Winner gets a 1 pound advantage at the weigh in. They are facing a wall with 50 tennis balls velcro-ed to it. They have to jump up and get the balls, and put them in a bucket. The first to put all their balls in the bucket will win. Allen is kicking ass. Shay is struggling. Rebecca is doing pretty well. Rudy is doing well. They really have to jump up to get the top row of balls. It’s down to Rebecca v. Allen. Allen wins. Rebecca is pissed. Liz couldn’t play for some reason. “Medical”.
Rebecca and Amanda want Liz below the red line. Bitchy. They are all discussing how there are 4 older people and 4 younger. It’s a lot of game play in the works. (We find out Liz has a knee issue.)
They all start telling the trainers about the red and yellow lines. B&J are freaking and reworking the workouts. Bob is shocked. And bitchy. In front of the fatties. Jill sends all the fatties away to talk to Bob. Jill is talking about Shay needing to stay. Bob is trying to not play favorites. Jill wants to focus on who needs to be here as opposed to who will do okay at home. Bob doesn’t like this but is going to go along with it. All I can say is that I’m shocked. SHOCKED! You mean this show is manipulated? It isn’t really about each fattie doing it for themself? The trainers play favorites? Shocking. *eye roll* (It’s about time the producers came clean with that.)
Rudy is hurting. Bob is being really bitchy with him. Jill is bitching at the folks on the treadmill. Danny says his hip hurts. He’s feeling lethargic. And almost collapses. Jill sends him out. Bob is leading a spin class. This is like a last chance workout. everyone seems to be falling apart. Jill is picking on Shay who is wheezing and panting. Jill actually just said “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Loser. OMG. Shay is crying and sweating like a faucet. Jill is telling her that she needs to stop crying and do every thing she tells her to do. Jill is pretty much ignoring any one else.
Now Jill is picking on Rebecca. Shay must be dead. Rebecca is pushing back. She’s drained emotionally. And she stops and walks out. She’s crying on Amanda’s shoulder. They hug.
Bob goes to find Danny and tells him to get back to working out. We see pictures of young Danny with his mullet. He tells Bob that he just gave up on himself. But he’s getting his old confidence back. I like Danny. He seems like a nice man. He and Bob hug it out.
Jill pulls Shay and Rebecca out to talk to them. They are both sweating the red line. Jill is telling them it’s okay. If they go home, they know what they need to do. Eat better and exercise. Ick, Jill just said “‘nother” (as in “a whole ‘nother level.) And Rebecca just said something about “finishing her story.” Oh, what-the-phuck-ever. Could they put MORE trite statements into one episode?
(OMG. They just showed a DOOL commercial. Sami is working with a really cute baby!)
Okay, challenge. They are at a circus. Rebecca hates clowns. They have to jump through actual hoops. They are jumping through the opponents’ hoops. Every time they go through is a point. They are out at 100 points. The last one standing gets immunity. It seems a bit of a free for all. The young fatties seem to be focusing on Liz. The older fatties want to focus on Amanda. Liz is out. Amanda will be next out. Daniel is out. Allen is out. Rebecca is out. She’s pissed. Shay is pissed. Danny and Rudy are targeting Shay. Shay is losing her mind. Shay is out. Danny v Rudy. Danny is out. Rudy has immunity. The game play is gross.
The young ones stole two spin bikes and some medicine balls up to Shay’s room to get extra workout time, while the old ones sleep. Is it wrong for me to hope their plan backfires?
Bob comes in. Jill isn’t there for whatever reason. Bob is getting caught up on what happened. Shay is being petulant and Rudy is trying to be the bigger man. Product placement. Larabars. (I’ve had these. They are awesome!! And no sugar. Really. Try them.)
Last chance workout. Bob takes them to some studio. They are working out with trapezes with some woman named Yumi (I think). Bob just let Shay in on the fact that they are going to do whatever they can to keep her there. Again, SO not fair to the rest of them. They don’t seem to be working as hard, but they say they are spent at the end. Who knows.
Jill is back. and they are having yet another last chance workout. She’s taunting them and making them sweat even more. Rudy falls off the treadmill and calls it done.
Weigh in:
Rudy (blue): has immunity: 332 – 8 to 324 (2.41%) SAFE
Rebecca (pink): 219 – 10 to 209 (4.57%) SAFE
Liz (brown): 218 – 12 to 206 (5.50%) SAFE
Allen (green): has a 1 pound advantage: 253 – 10 to 243 (4.35%) SAFE
Amanda (pink): 207 – 5 to 202 (2.42%) Below yellow line.
Danny (brown): 333 – 17 to 316 (5.11%) SAFE and has lost 114 pounds in 9 weeks.
Daniel (orange): 261 – 5 to 256 (1.92%) Below the red line. He’s going home.
Shay (orange): 393 – 17 to 376. (4.33%) She’s lost 100 pounds in 9 weeks. Jill is stunned. Below yellow line.
There are many tears and hugs. And he’s gone. He wants to get to 175.
Shay and Amanda are up for elimination. Shay is sobbing and begging to stay. Amanda is begging to stay. And is making some good arguments.
Rebecca votes for Shay. Allen votes for Shay. Danny votes for Amanda. Liz votes for Amanda. Rudy votes for Shay.
At home updates:
Shay: wants to lose a total of 213 by finale.
Daniel: is at 239 pounds. Looks good. His loser partner from last season is still fat and still has a bad attitude.
Next week is makeover week with Tim Gunn and Tabitha.
**IDK if anyone actually reads this recap, but if so, next weeks will be posted on Wednesday. I’m going out of town and won’t be able to see it live.
Oh, hello. Come on in for some salad before the show.
Last week:
Blue team: Won the weigh in. Black team has to send someone home.
Liz -7 (Down 46 so far this season) Won the face off.
Rebecca -9 (Down 56 so far this season) Won the face off.
Tracey -5 (Down 41 so far this season) Won the face off.
Allen -8 (Down 63 so far this season)
Rudy -14 (Down 101 so far this season) Won the face off. Broke Dane’s record. 100 pounds in 7 weeks.
Black team:
Abby -3 (Down 46 so far this season)
Amanda -4 (Down so far this season) (Has the 2 pound advantage)
Danny -12 (Down 85 so far this season) Won the face off. Has immunity for the elimination.
Daniel -5 (Down 40 so far this season)
Shay -9 (Down 74 so far this season)
Abby went home and looks great.
This week: they are going to Washington DC. Oh, and more drama with Crazy.
WTF? Voting results interrupting the show… This sucks.
Joining the show in progress…
They are individuals again? They all go back to their original colors. Pop challenge: they have an hour to go thru DC and recruit people to do a public workout at the Washington Monument. Who ever wins gets an advantage at the Challenge. They are handing out stickers to identify their recruits. The winner team also gets fed at Subway. They are trying to take recruits from each other.
People start gathering. Allen has recruited a bunch of firemen – they come in trucks. (Cool!) Sami introduces the fatties. Everyone is cheering. The crowds are separated by fatty. It came down to 1 vote. Liz v Allen. Liz won. She got the most people there. Now, out come B&J. Bob is talking on the stage. Jill is in the crowd yelling at them. Picking on “total strangers”, she says. It looks like they are having fun. Liz is now taking her group to Subway. (She’s kind of annoying, IMO). Jill is there with them. I’m sure the staff at Subway is probably freaking out – a bus pulled up. (BTDub, if you would like to hear a new perspective on sandwich shops, check out my friend Clay’s blog – he makes me laugh with every post.)
Now they are going to meet members of congress, who are sitting looking suitably somber, as congress members are wont to do. (Okay, there are 2 Senators. HUGE turnout.) Daniel is telling them his story. Jill is nodding somberly. “Better health education in school curriculum”. That’s what they got out of it. (DUH! springs to mind.) Rebecca is telling her story. Tears. Oh, goat. Crazy is having her moment meeting the senators. I wonder if they will lock her up.
Sami meets them at Constitution Garden, looking like a farm-girl with pig tails. Very cute. The challenge has 4 stages. Taking place at 4 of the historic places in the city. The winner of all 4 wins immunity at the weigh in. Liz wins a pass to skip one of the stages since she won the pop-challenge. Stage 1: They have to run 1 mile around the garden. Crazy is having week 1 flashbacks and starts crying. (Of course she does). First 6 finishers go on to the next portion of the challenge. Last 3 are out. And they’re off. Rebecca and Allen are in the lead. Crazy passes Shay at the back of the pack. Shay is walking, but is determined to finish. Showing each fatty with a flashback to week one for comparison. Rebecca finishes first, then Daniel, Allen, Amanda, Rudy, and Liz. Danny is in 7th place. Crazy will be 8th. Shay is last, but is finishing.
Stage 2. They are the Watergate steps in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial. There are 17 thousand + pennies. They have run down the steps, pick up pennies and run back up to put them in a bank. The first 4 move on. Liz sits out, so only 3 move on. Rudy is using his ginormous hands to his advantage, and is going 2 steps at a time. Rudy is kicking everyone else’s ass, due to his paw size. Daniel is going on to the next stage. It looks like down to Allen and Rebecca. Sami is FREAKING OUT! It’s kinda funny.
Back from the commercial, Sami still freaking out. Rebecca wins the final spot for the next round. Liz, Daniel, Rudy, and Rebecca now playing for immunity. Stage 3: US Capital. Balance challenge. They are going to be standing on a platform, on a narrow ledge, with a Pilates ball over their heads. Final 2 go on to the final stage. Rudy is struggling with his size 15 feet. Liz is wobbly. Daniel is wobbly – and falls off. Rudy is very wobbly. Rebecca is steady. Liz is out. Rebecca and Rudy are fighting for immunity in stage 4.
Stage 4: They are in front of the white house. 206 steps (for the number of contestants on the BL so far) onto a step aerobic step. First one to 206 wins. Rebecca has a slight lead. Now she’s killing it. Both are struggling. Rebecca wins immunity. She’s giddy!!
They all find out that tomorrow they will be going on a tour of the white house. And, with that, Sami leaves. (BTDub – is it gross that I liked the song they played during stage 1? Yes, I know who sings it. DON’T JUDGE ME! *sob*)
One on one time with Bob and Amanda. Must be product placement time. Extra sugar-free gum. And we’re at the white house, and my local channel goes to election coverage. *GAH* But, I suppose, the weigh-in is the most important…
And we’re back. The fatties are at the last chance workout. With singles, the trainers are training everyone again. We just saw Rudy carrying Jill up the stairs. (Pretty funny.) Danny’s gut is hanging out from under his shirt. Jill is focused on Crazy. (heh). BL is about changing your life – inside and out. Crazy is crying. What a shocker. She is now Jill’s biggest fan. Bob is trying to get Shay under 400 this week. Bob and Amanda are flirting bonding. It’s kinda gross. He’s asking her about her meltdown last week. All she wanted to do then was talk to Bob. So now she is. So Bob is having her do what Jillian tried to have her do. And of course she is. That’s a big F-U to Jill, IMO. (BTDub, I hope she makes it to makeover week. I’m sick of that twisty thing she does with the front of her hair. And the black eye-liner.)
This week’s weigh in: (at the Lincoln Memorial) (Cool.)
Rebecca (pink) – 223 -4 to 219. She has immunity.
Liz (brown) – 221 – 3 – 218. (below the yellow line)
Tracey (purple)- 197 – 3 to 194. She’s not happy. (is she ever??)
Allen (green) – 262 – 9 to 253. (safe)
Rudy (blue) – 341 – 9 to 332. (safe)
Amanda (pink) – 214 – 7 to 207 (safe)
Danny (brown) – 345 – 12 to 333. (safe) (97 pounds so far!)
Daniel (orange) – 272 – 11 to 261. (safe)
Shay (orange) – 402 – 9 to 393. YAY. Good for her. (safe)
The choice is between Liz and Crazy to go home. Please goat. Let it be Crazy. They have time to discuss. Shay doesn’t think Liz wants to be there any more. Now we hear from Crazy. Daniel asks her about her game play earlier on. Of course she tells them what they want to hear.
Voting: Amanda: Crazy; Shay: Liz; Danny: Crazy; Daniel: Crazy; Rebecca: Crazy; Allen: NA; Rudy: NA
WOOT!!!! CRAZY IS GOING HOME!!!!!!!! Praise Goat above!!!!! Scared as she shoots the *stinkeye* at the rest.
At home update: On the ranch, she went from 238 to 194. She’s going home on a helicopter. In a really ugly purple dress. Big crowd to meet her. Her husband says she is his soul mate. Read: he’s crazy too. The kids? Yep. Probably crazy. She ran the “original” mile and finished in less than 12 minutes. Now she is at 85 pounds down and is training to run a full marathon in December. I hate to say it, but she looks good.
Next week: 2 people go home.
Oh, hello! Let’s have pudding while we watch the show.
(I’m too lazy this week to post links to the previous weeks too, but Episode 6 links to all the other weeks, if you are even interested.)
Last week:
Blue team: Total pounds: 35 Total %: 2.65
Liz -4 to 228
Rebecca -5 to 232
Tracey -4 to 202
Allen -8 to 270
Rudy -14 to 355 (GO RUDY!! 87 pounds down so far.)
Black team: Total pounds:34 Total %:1.98
Abby -4 to 204
Dina -5 to 208
Amanda -6 to 218
Danny -15 to 357 (GO DANNY!! 73 pounds down.)
Daniel +1 to 277 (WTF??)
Shay -5 to 411
Dina went home. This week, they are going to go head to head on the scales. What ever that means. (Editor’s note: Is it just me, or does it seem like Shay should have lost more weight by now? Usually, the fatties lose weight much more quickly. Especially that size. Granted, she is down close to 60 pounds, but still…)
Rudy is ticked off that Dina is gone. Liz is all whipped up that they voted her out.
A new morning dawns, and they come in to face Sami. They are half-way thru the season. (Thank god.)
Head to head against someone from the opposite team. The winner of the weigh in gets a point. The team with the fewest points sends someone home. Who ever wins the challenge decides who competes against whom in the weigh in. Only one player at a time, they can switch at any time, but each player only gets one turn. They have to bob under a bar and hit a disk hanging on either side. They get a point for each disk hit. First team to 500 wins. Black team switches out players really quickly. Blue team is going longer with each player. It’s down to Rebecca v Daniel down to the end. Rebecca wins for the Blue team. Black team is pissed since they haven’t won a challenge yet. Blue team has 10 minutes to decide. It comes down to:
Rebecca v Amanda
Tracey v Abby (shocking… Crazy had to editorialize.)
Allen v Danny
Rudy v Shay
Liz v Daniel
Pretty good matchups, IMO. It’s face-off week. They all talk smack about each other. Blah blah blah.
Bob’s team is in the pool. He’s trying to kill them in the pool. Jillian’s team is in the gym. She’s “picking” on Amanda. Amanda is sassing her. Jill is telling her that she’s stuck in being a failure. She needs to have courage. Amanda is now sitting on the treadmill and crying. Total meltdown. Jill tells her that if she quits (the treadmill) now, she is a failure. (Harsh, but kinda true. (Look at me getting all philosophical! *heh*)) Amanda walks out of the gym. Jill says under her breath “Why are these contestants so friggin difficult this season?” (Uh, yeah, ‘cuz last season they were all sunbeams and unicorns. *eye roll*)
New challenge. They are at a baseball diamond. The numbers on their jerseys represents the number of pounds they have lost so far. There are life-sized pictures of themselves in the outfield (when they first started). Derek Jeter is there virtually to tell them about the challenge. (Aside: Shay in baseball pants? Not so much.)
2535 balls in the field. Grab a ball, throw it at a picture of an opponent. 316 hits and they are out. The winning team gets lunch made for them by Curtis Stone, and a 2 pound advantage. Abby and Tracy are sitting out. Black team wants to get out Allen and Rebecca first. Allen is out. Amanda is out. Rebecca is out. Daniel is out. Rudy is out. (Aside: I kinda hate Shay.). Liz is the last one. And she’s out. Black team wins. They can use the 2 pounds either 2 for one face-off or split them so 1 pound each for 2 face-off. Curtis is making them barbecue. (With Jennie-O turkey.) Burgers using portabello mushrooms as the bun. Hmmm…
Hour one recap. Last chance workouts. Jill is talking with Abby about what is changed for her. She actually asked Abby what it’s like to lose everything you ever loved. We hear her story. OMG, *sobbing now*. I cannot even imagine what it must have been like. My stupid problems are so small. Even Jill is moved. Abby has chosen to live. Not just exist. What a remarkable woman. Truly. She is certainly an inspiration for me. Wow.
Okay, Jillian is all up in EVERYONE’S business this week. Amanda was crying. Shay is on the floor sobbing about her mother. I know they have to get to the bottom of the issues, but dang Jill.
This week’s weigh in:
Blue team: Won the weigh in. Black team has to send someone home.
Liz -7 (Down 46 so far this season) Won the face off.
Rebecca -9 (Down 56 so far this season) Won the face off.
Tracey -5 (Down 41 so far this season) Won the face off.
Allen -8 (Down 63 so far this season)
Rudy -14 (Down 101 so far this season) Won the face off. Broke Dane’s record. 100 pounds in 7 weeks.
Black team:
Abby -3 (Down 46 so far this season)
Amanda -4 (Down so far this season) (Has the 2 pound advantage)
Danny -12 (Down 85 so far this season) Won the face off. Has immunity for the elimination.
Daniel -5 (Down 40 so far this season)
Shay -9 (Down 74 so far this season)
Black team has 20 minutes to decide who to send home. Danny is safe. Abby is volunteering to go home. (BTDub, Sami’s dress is really pretty this week.) Abby votes out Amanda. Shay votes out Abby. Amanda votes out Abby. Danny votes out Daniel. Daniel votes out Abby. Abby is going home. Sami is going to cry!
At home update: HOLY CRAP! She looks amazing! She’s doing public speaking. She gives me chills. She’s down 80 pounds. She’s hot!
Next week: they are going to Washington DC. Oh, and more drama with Crazy.
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