NBC
One team faced a junk food-filled room after losing a trivia challenge on "The Biggest Loser."
By Ree Hines, TODAY contributor
Pizza, candy, ice cream, soda -- those aren't the usual items on "The Biggest Loser" menu. But as week three of the competition kicked off, the fat-filled, sugary treats played a major role in the game and served as a symbol of what the season is really all about -- the battle against childhood obesity.
The grownup contestants met in a room that some kids might consider a dream come true. Snacks lined the walls, sofas and gaming chairs filled the floor, and video games consoles and TVs took up much of the remaining space -- save for an area devoted to a trivia challenge. That's where the teams gathered to test their knowledge of the dangers of childhood obesity. It's also where they risked a major hurdle if they got those questions wrong.
In a twist on the traditional temptation challenge from seasons past, which often saw players forced to face their favorite foods during a one-time, nail-biting session, this time, contestants contended with a much bigger chance of self-sabotage. The team to lose the trivia battle would be locked in that junk food and distraction-packed room for the same amount of time that the average kid crashes in front of the TV each day -- four and a half hours. And that team would have to endure it every day for a week.
Therefore, it was important that they were all well aware of the staggering stats associated with this weighty epidemic (such as the fact that 60 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 10 already have one risk factor for heart disease).
At first the red, white and blue teams all seemed evenly matched in these matter, but soon Team Red broke away from the pack and White just edged out Blue.
Yes, that left Bob Harper's bunch doomed to the room for workout-free daily detention. But at least they were determined not to give into temptation. To illustrate and reinforce their commitment, they poured orange juice over the hot dogs, donuts and other concoctions to render them far less tasty.
As for the kid participants, Sunny, Lindsay and Biingo were all back home and ready to put their faces to some of those aforementioned statistics. For instance, during a visit from pediatrician Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, 13-year-old Biingo explained that his video game habit routinely takes up between 5 and 9 hours a day -- sometimes much more.
"I love video games so much that this one time, I sat down and played the same video game for 17 hours straight," he confessed.
The doctor helped each of the kids take one step toward getting on the right track by throwing out the junk food filling their homes.
Back on the ranch, the grownups faced their own troubles. For Cate, on the red team, that meant tackling a momentary emotional setback.
"I hope it was worth it, every terrible lazy day I had, every time I ate more than I should," she cried to trainer Dolvett Quince after a particularly tough workout.
Once the workouts were over for the week, all the teams gathered for the weigh in.
The blue team wanted to shake off the week-two curse that saw one player pull a zero on the scale last week and prove that the junk food room didn't defeat them -- and with strong numbers all around, they did just that.
For the white team, the goal was simply to stay out of last place. With only two players left, Jillian Michael's charges just couldn't take another loss. This week, they didn't have to.
That left Dolvett's reds in last place, and with no red line in sight for the first time this season, they had to vote one of their own out. It came down to the three players that only shed 2 pounds each -- Jackson, Lisa and Cate.
Despite her emotional breakdown and breakthrough, Cate was sent packing.
Do you think the red team made the right choice? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.
Related links:
More in The Clicker:
syracuse basketball chipper jones chipper jones dancing with the stars cast mickael pietrus heart transplant the international
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.