Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you haven't yet watched NBC's The Biggest Loser Season 14 Episode 4.
After an emotional Danni explained how she hated seeing Pam go in last week's episode, the Biggest Loser contestants returned home to find that all the food had been taken from the kitchen. "You've got 10 overweight people," said the Blue Team's Michael. "You don't mess with our food!"
But a note from Alison quickly made it clear that this was no joke -- this was the focus of season 14's fifth episode. The contestants were asked to meet her at a grocery store where they were given $10 a day per person to spend on healthy meals and snacks for the week. And, as if that didn't sound challenging enough (which, it did, to most of them), they had to select all their purchases and bring them to the register in under 15 minutes.
Despite a number of the contestants voicing concerns over the budget, all three teams had money -- and time -- leftover and felt that they had, in fact, purchased enough to keep them sated all week long.
Back at the house, as the teams divvied up refrigerator space and began bartering for forgotten grocery items, Gina and David talked quietly about their doubts about their Blue Team, and the negative attitude carried over to the gym. Even Bob was picking up on it; he said he was being "realistic" when he said that his team was set up to lose. He proceded to let his inner Jillian out to rain down on his unsuspecting Blue Team.
Before the next commercial break, viewers got to check in with Nikki and TC, both eliminated from the White Team in the early weeks of the show. Nikki has since lost more than 50 pounds and plans to lose about 50 more, she said. TC displayed a transformed body as well, calling his one week stay at the ranch "groundbreaking."
For Jillian and Danni, the only remaining members of the White Team, time in the gym was different this week. (Maybe Jillian was, in turn, letting out her inner Bob?) "She may say she doesn't care about you," said Danni, "but that woman does!"
Each trainer checked in briefly with the kids via video chat. Lindsay has joined a gymnastics center where she's working hard to be ready for cheerleading tryouts at her new high school next year. Sunny's motivating herself to stay on track by picturing herself confident in the perfect prom dress. But Biingo is struggling a little more than the girls, saying he's been "demotivated" by his broken foot, which is still carefully protected in a boot. Bob expressed his concerns over Biingo's discipline and encouraged him to head outside to play safely.
Back in the kitchen, the contestants were treated to a visit from Biggest Loser chef Devin Alexander, a self-described "healthy comfort food" chef. She showed the contestants how to create unique and flavorful dishes with nutritious ingredients that don't skimp on taste -- and won't break the bank. And, she revealed, she herself has lost 70 pounds and kept it off for 20 years.
Next it was time for the challenge. Each team was tasked with filling a fountain in the middle of a pond with "coins." Sounds easy enough, until you find out you have to swim to pick up the coins -- and each weighs five pounds! Every member of the winning team would be award 10 one-year memberships to Planet Fitness gyms to give to anyone they wanted to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle, Alison explained, in addition to the prize of a serious choice: A call home to loved ones or a two-pound advantage on the scale.
Despite the Red Team's Joe looking like he'd never tire and Lisa pulling more than her weight, Danni edged out the Red Team by mere seconds, and chose to take the two-pound advantage on the scale.
Since David's knee injury meant he still wasn't cleared medically to compete in the challenge, he and Bob checked in with Dr. H. MRI results revealed some damage that David admitted were from a previous injury he hadn't told Bob about before starting training. But David doesn't like asking for help, for shortcuts, he said -- he thinks it's an excuse to not work as hard. For the first time, viewers gained some insight into David's home life. The police officer has seven children and his oldest daughter has Rett Syndrome, a nervous system disorder that causes developmental delays. He explained that he has to help her significantly at home, and that doing so has grown harder as his weight has increased. He knew he had to lose weight so he could keep being there for her, he said.
At the Last Chance Workout, Jillian and Danni threw on some boxing gloves -- a metaphor for life, Jillian said. Danni admitted that despite hating the first couple of weeks, she's now glad to have Jillian as a trainer. Members of the Red Team, while feeling confident, knew it was still anybody's game, so Dolvett fired them up with a little positive feedback, saying "You've proven you want to be here no matter what happens on that scale. The work you put in this week was phenomenal."
Still, there were more wet eyes than dry ones when it came time for the weigh in. Bob was convinced the Blue Team would lose, even though he told Alison he got "extremely aggressive" this week and "took no prisoners."
But when they actually stepped on the scale, Blue Team contestants put up big loss after big loss, including Alex, who hit double-digit weight loss for the first time during her stay at the ranch with a 10-pound drop.
The Blue Team was (surprise, surprise) safe when it's Danni's turn to weigh in for the White Team, and even Dolvett can't imagine her going home -- since that would mean the end of Jillian's time on the show, too. "Jillian built this house, this can't be happening," he said.
With her two-pound advantage, she needed to lose more than four pounds to top the Red Team, and she blew it out of the water with a nine-pound loss. Jillian, fighting back tears, said "I'm proud of you because you did it, not because I made you do it."
The Red Team, on the chopping block, is then forced to vote one member off the show, instead of the dreaded "red line" elimination system. The person with the highest percentage weight loss (this week, Joe), was safe. After many tears, Lisa was ultimately sent home, with one final "Never weak! Too strong!" cheer from Jackson. But not to fear, Lisa fans. The special education teacher has lost 76 pounds since the show, has incorporated some of the Biggest Loser's healthy living lessons into her classroom and is able to play with her own children in ways she couldn't for a long time.
What did you think of this week's episode? Tell us in the comments! And tune in with us next week as we continue our live tweeting!
Here's what everyone was saying last night: