Week 1, Day 1

7:11 pm
This is it. The show The Biggest Loser has started. Liz is a 49 year old grandmother. So am I. They haven't had the weigh-in yet. So I don't know how similar she and I are yet. Last year when I lost weight with Biggest Loser, I picked the people who were closest to me in weight and rooted for them. It's hard. It's not just about the weight. These are people, not just pounds. They have stories and personalities. Some are in it for their health, some are in it for the prize money. So I'm not sure yet who I'm going to hope with.

I did my weigh-in before the show started. Fully clothed, but no shoes. 259 pounds. My back is killing me. Any movement hurts like fury. And without income or health insurance, I can't go to the doctor. Exercise hurts. But I can't help but think that dropping some pounds will help. Right now I don't intend to let it stop me. It might slow me down, but I can't let it stop me.

7:17
They just brought back Dan from last season. He's a 20 year old kid who started out last year at 454 pounds and lost 142 pounds. But he still has a long way to go. So they are giving him a second chance, a chance to finish what he started. That's sort of the theme of this season -- second chances. It's so appropriate that I'm giving this another shot -- my second chance, too.

7:25
Two contestants are at the hospital. Mo is a coach, and a mile walk along the beach did him in. They just took another of the contestants, Tracy, away by helicopter after finishing the 1-mile walk. She just plain collapsed. At first she was a few hundred feet away from the finish line and unable to get up on her feet by herself. Her fellow contestants came to help her make it all the way. But as soon as she got across the finish line, she completely collapsed on the ground, unresponsive. One of the contestants commented that the scary thing was that it could have happened to any of them because they were all so unhealthy and out of shape. And the really scary thing is that the same is true for me.


7:44
Liz -- the 49 year old grandma -- is 267. Just a few pounds more than I'm starting with. And by the way, I think it's bad form for fast food restaurants to advertise on the Biggest Loser. Runza's fried chicken strips are NOT health food!

7:48
Dan, the kid from last season, is starting out at 312. His teammate, Shay, is starting out at 476 pounds. He is so positive and hopeful, so he will be great inspiration for her.

"It's a choice. Make a different choice" -- Jillian, trainer

"You're not quitting. It's not an option." -- Bob, trainer


8:08
This second hour of the show has gotten serious. Not that the first half wasn't serious. But it wasn't scary like this hour has started out to be. Right now each contestant is meeting with a doctor after having had a battery of tests, and they're finding out what their biological age is as compared to their chronological age. For instance, Shay, the lady who is 476 pounds, is 29 years old, but she has the body of a 45 year old. Mo is 55, but he has the body of a 69 year old. Sean, a 29 year old youth pastor, just found out he has type-2 diabetes and is devastated by the news.


8:45
Apparently a full week has passed since the first show. The weigh-ins were brutal this time because someone is going home now. Sometimes it's easy to forget that this is a competition. The black team is up for elimination; one of them will go home. Alexandra lost 13 pounds. Julio lost 13 pounds. Their combined total percentage of weight lost wasn't good enough. Can you imagine 13 pounds in one week not being enough?

Alexandra is a beautiful young woman at any weight. They showed how she did on her own at home after being on the Biggest Loser ranch. She lost 60 amazing pounds and will lose more before the finale. God bless her for being our beginning example.

"Success is the determination that you have in your heart." -- Alexandra, Biggest Loser contestant

Wish me luck.