‘The Biggest Loser’: Are you regretting those cupcakes now?

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Attention ‘Biggest Loser’ contestants: You apparently have never watched the game before. So let me explain it all to you. All you have to do each week is stay above the yellow line. You don’t need to engage in game play or fall for any of the temptations because every calorie you ingest just sets you back from your larger goal: winning $250,000 and the title of ‘The Biggest Loser.’ So all you have to do is stay above the yellow line.

How hard is this to understand?

The contestants fell for this week’s temptation hard: They had the chance to win cash prizes or a ‘golden ticket’ that would give the bearer the ability to determine the outcome of the upcoming weigh in. The catch? The gifts were concealed in covered silver trays. If a contestant chose a tray, they’d have to eat what was inside. We’re talking chips, cupcakes etc. The contestants lost their minds at the prospect of this golden ticket and began plowing through the goodies. Tara alone ate nearly 5,000 calories.

Really? Did they learn nothing while on the Ranch? Did they learn nothing after Jillian nearly killed the contestants who celebrated their night of partying, boozing, smoking and eating fried foods?

People! This is not brain surgery! It is never in your best interest to eat junk food! Never! You don’t need a golden ticket as long as you haven’t gained any weight! You are all so close to the brass ring!

Of course, Bob and Jillian hit the roof at the news. Jillian accused them of desecrating the gym, noting that the challenge was set in the very place where the contestants had sweat off all their weight. When the players explained that it was all for ‘control’ of the game, Bob countered: ‘You wanted all that power, but it looks like you lost all control.’

The trainers always predict that game playing ultimately backfires. And it did. On Sione. He only needed to lose more than four pounds at the weigh-in, but he failed to do so and fell below the yellow line with Helen. Both Sione and Helen stuffed their faces at the temptation -- that had to be weighing on their minds, so to speak, when they found themselves facing elimination.

Laura, who won the golden ticket, decided to send Sione home, which was probably a wise move. But a wiser move for them all would have been to turn their backs on the competition. It was particularly disappointing to see Tara ingest so much junk after her crying routine last week about whether she was really ‘getting’ it and whether she was destined to regain all the weight she’d lost.

Well, that’s a distinct possibility if she and the rest of the gang can’t see the temptation for what it is: a shrewd twist to see whether the contestants have learned anything. Although some may call the temptations cruel, the fact is that life is full of temptations. And if you can’t resist those temptations with $250,000 on the line, then you’re not going to resist them at home when there’s nothing standing between you and a doughnut.

The only one who seemed to see the temptation for the learning moment that it offered was Kristin, who said she decided to work her tail off in the gym and demand a place above the yellow line.

So. Is Ron really the Godfather? (I loved the Godfather-esque music playing in the background and the way the camera caught him in Don Corleone poses. Brilliant!)

-- Rene Lynch