The Biggest Loser 4, November 6: It’s Not Easy Being Green!

Bryan notes that Kim has become very quiet. The two of them discuss the possibility that Kim may be at the final with no contestants. It could happen. With three trainers this season, depending on how many make it to the finals, that’s a possibility anyway. Last year, with two trainers, four finalists were named, though a pregnant Heather had to drop out. We’ll see.

Kim says that in his training, Bryan is doing well, but with nutrition, she is frustrated. Some of that frustration comes out in her tone as they go over his food journals, where she points out that he’s only eating about two-thirds of his target calories. She says he’s actually not eating enough calories to keep his energy levels up sufficiently to support his workout levels. Apparently he is eating three times a day, not the four to six meals a day that Kim has repeatedly told him he ought to be eating. Bryan is having trouble with the concept of eating more food to lose weight, because his personal history has taught him the opposite.

Shifting scenes, Kae tells Bob that last week, Amy told her she wanted her (Kae) to be the one going home. Bob tapes a big “X” onto her back, to show everyone that Kae knows she’s a target and she’s going to beat it.

In a black “Disco Sucks” tee-shirt, Jillian tells her team about the benefits of eating organic, which is better for your body and better for the planet. Well, maybe if it wasn’t so much more expensive… This stuff is starting to get a little preachy, actually.

Hold on… that tee-shirt isn’t the reason the episode was preceded by a disclaimer, is it? Jeepers, I hope not!

With the equipment turned off, Bob falls back on his old standard, “let’s run up that hill.” Kim uses the treadmill, but with the power off. Jillian focuses on exercises and activities using non-electric tools, and she has plenty of alternatives.

A smiling Neil notes, “Just because we can’t use certain pieces of gym equipment does not mean it’s not going to hurt and won’t be just as miserable.” Julie says, “I think Kermit said it best – it’s not easy being green!”

It’s Kim’s turn to supply a “Green Tip.” This one is to unplug electronics that are not in use, such as computers and video games. Monitors are an electricity hog too, but I cannot recommend turning off your freezer, your home security system, or your alarm clock!

Bob is not just a trainer, he’s also a chef! He tells his team about the turkey-burgers he makes for all his BBQs. Extra-lean turkey is the key, and he has some that is 99% fat-free. Bob has his team make up some burgers, and they all seem to enjoy chowing down together!

Hostess Alison is back with another challenge. The contestants arrive to find piles of waste that comes from the selling of fast food, such as pizza boxes and Styrofoam take-out containers. The piles are supposed to represent the bad food the contestants used to eat in a year.

To top it off, two dump-trucks unload about a zillion pop cans! No, apparently that estimate is high, as Alison tells us there are 148,000 cans, or about 2.6 tons of them. This is the estimated amount of soda the contestants have consumed to date in their lives. She shares the stat that in the U.S., 80 billion cans are consumed in a year. Neil jokes that they might have all come from his house. Actually, there was some nice camera work here, making the flow of cans out of the trucks seem more than the result indicates actually happened.

The team have to “recycle” these cans. They will do this by putting as many cans as possible into their own recycle bin, which is a tall wire cage only open at the top and sitting on a scale. The distance between the pile and the receptacles is estimated by Julie as about a hundred yards, and there’s a 30 degrees (or so) ramp to be ascended to get to the open end of the bins.

They have 30 minutes to perform the task. All of them know this is going to be no walk in the park! Alison is again coy about the prize, telling the contestants, “It’s the prize that everyone wants!”

But before we see what the prize is, it’s Bob’s turn for another “Green Tip.” He says that turning down the heat one degree in your house can save up to ten percent off your fuel bill. I can add, it works with air conditioners, too.

As we go to commercial, we see the contestants melting down as they see the prize. Sure enough, the winning duo will both win a new vehicle. Specifically, it’s 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid SUVs. SUVs? This excites a weepy Julie, who gave up her car to be a stay-at-home mom.

They’re off! Bryan is the first one to the cans, and he stomps on them so he can carry more in the same amount of space. Hollie stomps cans, too. After all, the cans are bulky much more than they are heavy. Amy and Kae are working as a team – Amy gathers a bunch of cans in her shirt, then takes them to Kae, who takes them to the bin. I’m fairly sure they’re losing time in that extra transfer step, but maybe Amy doesn’t think she can handle the ramp? Meanwhile, Bill is getting the biggest loads, but he’s walking back to the bins when some with smaller loads are running.