The Biggest Loser, Episode 10: Memories are Made of This

After the run, it’s time for the last challenge. They have no idea what to expect as they enter the living room. There is yet another sign, congratulating them for having made it this far. “All you need to do is: HOLD ON a little longer,” it reads. “Today’s challenge awaits you outside.” The challenge may well be the weather on this particular day.

It is raining hard, as the group, clad in red and blue slickers, trudge across the lawn. There are big balloon bouquets tied to bales of hay, two red and two blue, and a treadmill under a tent. Maurice pulls a note and reads it aloud. The note tells them that whoever holds on to his or her balloons the longest, wins the treadmill. There will be no immunity. They have to hold their balloons over their heads, which could prove interesting if the wind picks up.

This is not easy, but Mo and Ryan seem to be having a great time as Kelly is struggling. The wind and rain whip up, but Ryan takes it as a further challenge. The balloons seem to be pulling Gary off his bale of hay, and they all admit that their hands hurt. Although Mo has no feeling in his hands, he says he does not want to be the first to let go.

Kelly is concerned that her fingers are getting frostbite, and Ryan eggs her on. At 38 minutes, 49 seconds, Kelly and Gary decide to let go together, and their balloons float to the heavens. Mo and Ryan are left, side by side. Mo notes the irony that they have been the two largest guys since day one. Finally, Mo starts making excuses – he doesn’t want to get cold – and lets go. Ryan wins the treadmill.

The group has one last workout before the weigh-in. Bob and Jillian put them through a circuit and push them hard. They all know how close they are, and it is anyone’s guess as to who has lost the most. Gary says he would hate not to make it to the next stage, and Kelly, understanding that every little bit counts, actually does an extra ab workout with Jillian.

It’s time for the weigh-in. Ryan had been in first place, and Gary is second. Kelly knows that she has to have had a phenomenal week to beat Gary, and Mo is hoping to have his biggest week yet. They gather for the weigh-in. Caroline, looking pudgier than ever, greets them and starts blabbing about how, even though the scale has been their enemy at times, 483 pounds have been lost on it. I wonder how much she weighs.

Ryan is first. Since he has arrived, he has lost 80 pounds. He’s down another ten pounds, to 240 – 90 pounds. Wow. That’s so incredible. His percentage of total weight loss is 27.3 percent. Mo is next, but only lost one pound, and is very disappointed. Still, he’s lost 56 pounds for a total percentage of 12.8.

Kelly steps up. She’s lost 50 pounds so far, but all she wants now is to surpass Gary. She has only lost 5 pounds. Her percentage is 22.7, putting her in second place, and moving Mo below the yellow line. It’s all up to Gary. He sure looks thinner, but how much will he have lost? We are forced to wait until after a commercial to find out.

We return. Gary has only lost two pounds and is down to 175. His percentage of total weight loss is… 22.9 percent, and he beats out Kelly by .2 percent. Of course, Kelly is disappointed, and you know, I am too. Caroline looks as though she is going to cry as she tells them that, tomorrow night, either Kelly or Mo will be going home.

This is Kelly’s first time to be up for elimination, and she lobbies hard in her favor. In a little tete-a-tete with Gary, he admits that he has lied, cheated and manipulated during the game. Gary and Mo have a snack, and also talk strategy. Ryan tells us that keeping Mo in the game would actually be better for them in the long run, and he and Gary pretty much decide that Kelly is a bigger threat than Mo. This will be very difficult.

The morning of elimination day, the group gets together for a walk, and they all talk about their experiences on the show. They have gotten really close, and know that this elimination will be painful. But, painful or not, it must be done.