Biggest Loser S13E03 - Heaving & Sobbing

The episode begins this week with Joe complaining about missing his family. He says he misses them, especially since Mike (his brother), left last week. His team-member Jeremy tries to comfort him, but Joe doesn't look very comforted when the discussion is over, despite Jeremy's best attempts.

The food temptation challenge for the week is a Chinese Buffet. Alison explains one of the biggest excuses for gaining weight is not having enough time to eat healthy, thus spending more time dining out. Before the challenge begins, she continues by mentioning it's going to be 'Face-Off' week. Each contestant is going to face off on the scale. Which ever person wins the weigh-in between the two, will earn a point for their team. Whichever team earns the most points, wins, and will be spared having to vote someone off.

But how will the face-off's be determined? That's going to be the point of the food temptation. Both teams, one at a time will have access to the Chinese food. Whoever eats the most for their team will win a two pound advantage which they can keep or divide up. Also, they will be the sole person deciding what the Match-ups are going to be. However, if no one eats, or the teams in calories they eat. There will be no weight pound advantage and teams will be paired up automatically with their previous team-mate.

The red team is given the first chance. They are discussing the possibilities about what to eat when Kimmy essentially forbids it. She explains it's like alcoholism, and once they start in it'll be hard to resist further. Roy thought it would be a good idea, but deferred to Kimmy's way of thinking, considering she may be smarter in her decision. Next, the black team is given a chance. Jeremy is discussing doing it and suggests eating a fortune cookie. The team seems in agreement, they will eat. Emily suggest a girl not eating it, as it'll be harder for them to burn it off. When Chism is suggested, he refuses saying, "But Bob will be mad." Finally Cassandra decides she'll bite the bullet, errr fortune cookie. Then when she does, it's suggest another one is consumed in case the other team has the same strategy. As per the rules, the Black team wins the challenge. Conda from the Red team thinks it was just a sign of weakness. Cassandra assigns the teams following:

Black - Emily 5.30% (Weight Loss So Far) "Sorry kids, Santa's going down."
Red - Roy 6.21% (Weight Loss So Far)

Black - Jeremy 5.14%
Red - Lauren 5.28%

Black - Joe 6.44% "I feel bad, I don't want to take an old lady out.
Red - Nancy 4.61% (Cassandra's Mother) "I'm going to put extra cheese in your food all week."

Black - Chism 5.54%
Red - Kim 6.35% "I know how to compete. Chism's definitely going down."

Black - Chris 5.84%
Red - Mark 5.83% "I hope that I can beat her, I think it's going to be fun."

Black - Megan 4.25%
Red - Buddy 7.69% "I think she's [Cassandra] not pairing us up for Megan to win."

Black - Gail 4.35%
Red - Kimmy 5.94%

Black - Cassandra 7.95% "I feel better under fierce competition. And she's fierce competition."
Red - Conda 5.44% "My advise to her is to bring it, because I'm going to."

Later in the evening, Joe is seen packing a bag. He tells his team he's leaving. He says he misses his family too much and he needs them. He says it's getting harder and harder every day. Everyone on the ranch is shocked and confused, especially his team. Some feel he could have waited at least till after the weigh-in. When Bob finds out he's just as confused, he thinks his team is joking at first. Bob thinks he's using the biggest excuse of "My family needs me". Upset and dismayed, Bob decides to give Joe a call and have the last word. During the conversation Joe says he left for his kids, Bob replies "I thought you were here for your kids. I don't think you gave yourself enough of a chance. I mean, you were going to be a competitor in this house." Joe replies he felt it was the right thing to do, but Bob disagrees. Bob thinks Joe hasn't learned anything and that Joe's excuse is a 'crock'.

During the week's workout, Bob is once again getting frustrated with Gail. As he continues to encourage and motivate her she suddenly starts crying. For the moment, Bob gives up on her and moves on to Cassandra and Emily. Then Bob has a great idea of pitting the two teams against each other in the gym, since it's face-off week. First he has Emily and Roy racing to see who can get 500m on a rowing machine first. Roy gives it all he can, but Emily just beats him. Dolvett then puts Conda and Cassandra against each other, and sweetens the deal with a little bet. The loser has to buy the winner lunch. The contest is a variation of burpies and Cassandra wins. However Conda claims Cassandra cheated, but no one saw her doing this, Dolvett declares Cassandra the winner. Later, Conda upholds her part of the bet and brings in a Subway sandwich for Cassandra.
Conda: "Cassandra, I brought your lunch."
Cassandra: "Awww, aren't you sweat." Replied sarcastically.
Conda: "I was gonna get a cheeseburger, but a bets a bet."
Cassandra: "Shocking that you followed through."
Conda: "Killing me that I have to do this."
Cassandra: Gleefully biting into the sandwich, "Mmmmmmmmm"
Dolvett walks in: "I see you lived up to your bet."
Conda: "Always."
Dolvett: "How does it taste?"
Cassandra: "Victory never tasted so good."
Sensing the hostility between the two, Dolvett decides to offer a rematch. Conda reluctantly agrees.

For the next challenge, Bob and Dolvett are invited in to coach and support their teams. The challenge is a water relay, each team must take a pail of water through an obstacle course. At the end of the course is block of ice with a prize inside. The goal is to melt the ice enough to take the prize out. The teams race to pump water into a bucket, pour them into a circular bucket spin, over a ten foot wall, and down a water shoot. Whatever water is left after the shoot is to be used to pour on the ice, to help melt it. The red team starts off strong but suddenly begins to lose the edge. Black team can suddenly see the prize inside the ice, but the red team has suddenly picked things up again. The red team pulls the prize out, but all the team members must get past the finish line for them to officially win. Suddenly it's a sprint to the finish as the black team is now struggling to pull the prize out. Bob calls his black team in to start for the finish, but it's too late. Red team wins the prize - videos from home. The prize is a double-edged sword for most of the team members. The red team knowing they have won, means their companions on the other side won't be getting their videos. Chris breaks down crying, because she wanted to see her kids. But Roy is kind enough to give his prize to her. Lauren and Mark follow suite, and give their prizes to Gail and Chism.

Later, it's Bob's turn to visit the Aqua team in Chicago. He's hoping to encourage and inspire them so they'll be ready for the challenge of making it back to the Biggest Loser ranch.

Before the face-off, there is a rematch that needs addressing. During the last chance workout all eyes are fixed on the next competition. Conda assures Cassandra she is going to be beat now that she can't 'cheat'. But once again, Cassandra is the clear winner.

Weigh In
As the winner of the temptation challenge, Cassandra won a two pound weight advantage which she can keep for herself or distribute among two other team-mates. She opts to give one pound to Gail and one to Megan. However, with Joe having left, the Black team forfeits the first point to the Red team. Because of this, Nancy is first to weigh in.

Joe - forfeit
Nancy - 207 205 -2
Red Team Point

Megan 248 240 -8
Buddy 372 363 -9
Black Team Point

Gail 308 302 -6
Kimmy 206 203 -3
Black Team Point

Jeremy 369 358 -11
Lauren 233 230 -3
Black Team Point

Roy 287 278 -9
Emily 250 244 -6
Red Team Point

Mark 274 266 -8
Chris 226 222 -4
Red Team Point

Kim 236 230 -6
Chism 341 332 -9
Black Team Point

Cassandra 220 212 -8
Conda 278 275 -3
Black Team Point

The Black team wins 5-3 so the Red team must vote someone off. There seems to be some animosity between Nancy and Kim and when their votes are revealed, they have voted for each other. Nancy does get one more vote, but the rest go shockingly to Lauren. The reason given is she has no distractions at home and it's assumed she'll have an easier time taking the weight off.

Nancy - Kim
Kim - Nancy
Lauren - Nancy
Conda - Lauren
Buddy - Lauren
Mark - Lauren
Roy - Nancy
Kimmy - Lauren

Lauren started on the Biggest Loser ranch at 246 pounds. Since then she's lost 53 and has run a half-marathon. Her next plans are to run a full marathon and to weigh 130 pounds by the finale.