"The Biggest Loser" Contestants Take Motherly Love Too Far

Most mothers and fathers would do just about anything for their children, but three participants in season eleven's "Biggest Loser" weight loss competition took that notion too far on the February 22^nd episode. The television show--shown Tuesdays on NBC at 8pmET-is composed of pairs such as husbands/wives, siblings, cousins, friends and parents/offspring, competing as the black and red teams. As individuals, the contestants vie for the grand prize of $250,000 or the at-home consolation prize of $100,000. The main objective, however, is for contestants to become healthier, as they learn more about exercise and proper nutrition. These people serve as role models for those in similar situations. The message sent this week by three parent participants was not exemplary, by any means.

"The Biggest Loser" incorporated the dreaded red line this week-the contestant who lost the least amount of weight fell below that line and was immediately sent home. The black team totally panicked over the red line. Marci, Courtney's mother, spearheaded a plan to throw the weigh-in because she wanted to "make sure her daughter and all the other young contestants" got to stay on the ranch. Keep in mind that her daughter is one of the most driven, dedicated participants I've seen on this show. Sarah's mother, Deni, followed suit. Arthur's dad, Jesse, didn't seem to go for the idea initially, but he apparently caved in to the suggestion.

During the dramatic weigh-in, Marci gained 1 pound, Jesse gained 3 pounds and Deni gained a whopping 8 pounds-obviously, all on purpose. That resulted in Deni being sent home immediately. The three parents all seemed very proud of themselves, which is puzzling. The message they sent to their grown children was that their sons and daughters obviously weren't capable of succeeding on their own, so the parents needed to step in to fight their battles for them. These kids couldn't stand on their own two feet and let the chips fall where they may? What is up with that philosophy? Trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels have come down hard on participants for even eating a bite of candy, but it seems they--along with the other contestants--may have condoned this sabotage in the name of parenthood. Really? Hopefully, we'll see their true reactions next week.

The red team's Moses is Kaylee's father. This guy is a good example for parents. He woke his daughter up early every morning so they could do some extra workouts together in hopes that they'd both secure spots on the ranch again next week. He sent the right message to his daughter, and they ended up losing a combined total of 18 pounds for the week. After the sabotage debacle, Moses commented, "We need to give everything we have to lose the weight." He insinuated that the other three parents set the wrong example. I couldn't agree more.

Since the black team had the lowest percentage of weight loss, they were forced to vote off a second team member. The most disturbing part of the program was when they sent Jesse home instead of Marci. Jesse needs "The Biggest Loser" more than Marci does-not to mention, this big idea was hers, not his.

If these people are lucky enough to be offered this multitude of resources by "The Biggest Loser," they should exert all-out effort, have confidence in their partners and set a good example for viewers. Period.

This isn't the first sabotage....read about another one that occured this season:
"The Biggest Loser", Season 11: Evans' Twins Admit They Needed an Attitude Adjustment