Lessons from Biggest Loser 8, Week 9

November 11, 9:21 AMBoise Healthy Living ExaminerDonna Bush

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The Biggest Loser, Week 9, is all about how life can be a circus.

(Image: NBC)

The main lesson from Biggest Loser 8, Week 9 is that life can be a circus. Instead of being distracted by all the sideshows, focus on what you need to do to become the ringleader in your life.

The contestants learned that two of them will go home this week as there will be two lines at the weigh-in, the regular yellow line and a red line. The person with the lowest percentage of weight loss will fall below the red line and will automatically go home. And then two more will fall below the yellow line and the other contestants will vote as usual.

Challenge: Thinking of your workout as a chore

The contestants had two circus-themed challenges this week. The first had them bouncing on a mini-trampoline and literally them jumping through hoops. Although it was hard work, the contestants seemed to enjoy jumping and landing on the huge cushions. By the end, even though they were tired, many of them were trying to do flips or jump higher than the others.

Lesson: Your workout doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, you’ll probably work harder and get more out of it if you take time to make it fun. Think outside of the box.

Now that the contestants are more than halfway through their time on the ranch, big changes are taking place in their bodies, as well as in their minds. Nearly everyone is discovering a new mindset to help them on their journey to better health. But old issues continue to hold some of them back.

Challenge: An all or nothing mindset

Rebecca has a mini-version of the meltdown her ex-pink teammate Amanda had with Jillian a few weeks earlier. The added pressure of the red line is taking its toll. She tells Jillian, “This isn’t about life, this about right now.” Jillian disagrees. “It’s all about life,” she says. “Life happens all the time.” Rebecca walks off and quits, instead of taking the opportunity to make progress.

Lesson: All or nothing gets you nowhere. Celebrate your progress, even if it wasn’t what you were originally hoping for. Taking 10 seconds off your fastest mile time or adding 5 more pounds or an extra rep to your strength training routine is something to build on. Progress can be made one baby step at a time.

The second circus-themed challenge this week was at the Jukari Fit to Fly studio. This was a big departure for the contestants and many of them struggled.

Challenge: Being afraid to leave you comfort zone

Jukari Fit to Fly is a gym workout developed by Reebok and Cirque du Soleil. It combines cardio with suspension from trapeze style swings. The contestants used their own body weight for resistance to do squats and other moves. Then they got to leap and fly through the air. It was tough but everyone seemed to enjoy the change of pace.

Lesson: Challenging muscles in different ways is tough, but it’s how you change your body. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Mix it up.

At the weigh-in, both Shay and Danny lost 17 pounds each, to join Rudy in the 100 pound club. Shay even set a record for being the fastest woman to lose 100 pounds at the ranch. However, it wasn’t enough to keep her there and she was eliminated. Shay’s ex-orange teammate, Daniel, fell below the red line and was forced to go home immediately.

Daniel, who participated in Biggest Loser 7, had lost 198 pounds since he first started with Biggest Loser last season. Although he was sad to leave and missed the 200 pound mark by only two pounds, he said he already won nine months earlier when he decided to make this change. Here is Daniel’s after video.

Shay’s story had captivated viewers all season. Shay says that her life may not have been pretty, and people don’t always like things that aren’t pretty, but doing what she thought people liked was what got her to 476 pounds. She says she wouldn’t change a thing she did on campus, and now she believes in herself and trusts herself to succeed. Check out Shay’s inspiring after video below.

Were you sad to see Daniel and/or Shay go home?

There are only six contestants left: Rebecca, Amanda, Liz, Danny, Allen, and Rudy. Who do you think will make it to the Final Four?

And who do you think will win it all?

Watch a two-minute recap of Week 9

Read all the Biggest Loser Lessons articles