Amy Zimmer the tenth contestant cut from 'The Biggest Loser'

Amy Zimmer abandoned her original Red Team to instead train with the Black Team, a decision she thought would help her chances of losing weight and claiming The Biggest Loser's fourth-season crown.


Unfortunately for her it didn't work out that way, as the 28-year-old from Rochester, NY became the tenth contestant cut from The Biggest Loser 4 during last night's broadcast of the NBC reality weight-loss competition series.

"I'm proud of getting this far, and I'm just proud of everything I've done here," commented Amy following her ouster.  "I finally have a handle on this battle.  I feel very successful and blessed with everything that I've learned.  I walk away with my head held high, knowing that I'll never forget this.  I'm ready to go home and re-enter my life, to be a mother and wife."

The Biggest Loser 4's ninth episode began following the previous elimination of Ryan Rodriguez.  Host Alison Sweeney informed the nine remaining contestants that there would be no more teams, trios or duos and it would instead be every player for themselves from this point of the competition forward.

The next morning, Amy confronted Red Team trainer Kim Lyons.  Since Amy had been training with Jillian Michaels and her Black Team members the last few weeks, Amy wanted to return her Red Team shirt.  Kim was having none of it and told Amy to keep the shirt before throwing her a verbal jab.


"It should mean something to you," Kim told Amy.  "[The Red Team] is extremely disappointed in you."

Amy said she felt that wasn't the case.  Kim still saw Amy trying to return her shirt as a "slap in the face" and was insulted -- especially since along with  Bryan Washington, a 29-year-old from Riverdale, GA -- Amy was the only original Red Team member remaining in the competition.  Amy still arrived at her next workout wearing a Black Team shirt.

The nine remaining contestants than met for a Temptation Challenge, and were met by what appeared to be thousands of doughnuts.  Alison said one of the doughnuts contained a token worth $5,000.  Each contestant that wanted to participate would have to eat a doughnut before they'd be given one minute to go through the doughnuts and try to find the one containing the token.

As was the case with the previous Temptation Challenges,  27-year-old Clark, NJ-resident Kae Whang declined to participate.  The other eight contestants each ate a doughnut and the first round began, with doughnuts flying everywhere.  Since nobody found the token, there would be another one-minute round.  This time Nicole Michalik, a 26-year-old from Philadelphia, PA, joined Kae in not participating.  Each of the seven contestants still competing downed another doughnut and began the search.

However the token went unfound again.  Alison informed them that the third round would be the last, thus there would be no time limit.  Julie Hadden, a 34-year-old from Jacksonville, FL, apparently reached her doughnut quota and sat on the sidelines with Kae and Nicole.


Bill Germanakos -- a 40-year-old from Long Island, NY who won the previous Reward Challenge and its prize, a 2008 Ford Hybrid SUV -- found the token and claimed the reward.

"Who wins a car and $5,000 in less than a week?" wondered Nicole.

The contestants then arrived at a gym for their next Reward Challenge.  Alison informed them they'd be competing in a 24-kilometer triathlon.  The first six contestants to complete a 20-kilometer bike ride on the stationary cycles would advance to the next round, where they'd have to run three-kilometers on a treadmill.  The first three to complete the treadmill run would advance to the swimming portion of the challenge, where they'd have to swim one-kilometer in the pool

The first contestant to complete the swim would receive a 24-hour trip home; immunity at the upcoming weigh-in; as well as the "power to make a very important decision."

Kae; Nicole; Bill; Hollie Self, a 28-year-old from Phoenix, AZ; Bryan; and Neil Tejwani, a 25-year-old from Marblehead, MA, were the first six contestants to complete the cycling portion of the triathlon and advanced to the treadmills.  Kae, Bill and Hollie then advanced to the swimming portion of the challenge -- and due to her previous experience as a swim coach -- Hollie dominated in the water and claimed reward.


Alison revealed the "important decision" Hollie had to make: choosing which of the other eight contestants would receive the same reward as her.  After some deliberation, Hollie decided to give Julie the reward.  Before departing for their hometown visits, Alison told Hollie and Julie that they would lose their immunity at the next weigh-in if they gained weight.

Amy moaped around The Biggest Loser campus and explained how she was "very disappointed" Hollie didn't decide to give her the reward (instead of being disappointed she didn't actually win the challenge herself).  Jillian reminded Amy to "focus" on the task at hand and pleaded with her to stop talking about wanting to go home.

The contestants then participated in their last-chance workouts before The Biggest Loser 4's tenth weigh-in commenced.  The two contestants with the lowest percentage of weight-loss would be up for elimination.

Julie started the week at 180-pounds and lost no weight while Hollie started at 212-pounds and also lost no weight.  However both were able to keep their immunity since neither of them actually gained weight.  Julie saw it as "embarrassing" and Hollie said it was a "relief."

Bill started the week at 242 and lost eight pounds for a 3.31% weight-loss percentage.  As a result, Bill became only the sixth The Biggest Loser contestant in the show's history to lose at least 100 pounds before returning home.


Nicole started at 229 and lost seven pounds for a 3.06% weight-loss percentage; Neil began at 321 and dropped 10 pounds for a 3.12% weight-loss percentage; Amy started at 245 and shed three pounds for a 1.22% weight-loss percentage; Isabeau Miller, a 21-year-old from Franklin, TN, began at 246 and dropped five pounds for a 2.03% weight-loss percentage; Bryan started at 278 and lost two pounds for a 0.72% weight-loss percentage; and Kae began at 163 and dropped four pounds for a 2.45% weight-loss percentage.

Amy and Bryan were the two contestants with the lowest percentage of weight-loss, and thus would be up for elimination.

"I don't know how it's going to turn out," commented Amy.  "But having the support of the Black Team is definitely an advantage."

Jillian gathered her former Black Team members -- Bill, Isabeau, Julie and Hollie -- to make sure they would all vote to eliminate Bryan instead of Amy since he's the bigger threat. 

While Bill, Julie and Hollie all seemed to accept Jillian's mandate -- Isabeau wasn't so sure.  Neil tried to help Isabeau's cause by explaining to Hollie and Julie that Amy "deserves" to go home over Bryan.  While Isabeau said she didn't want her "loyalties" to the Black Team to be questioned, she also didn't want to boot someone who deserved to be there.


"This is an opportunity that I know Bryan really wants, and I'm not too sure about Amy," commented a confused Isabeau.  "I'm not sure whether it's better to go with my heart or my head."

The contestants then gathered for the elimination ceremony -- and the first six votes played out according to plan -- with Nicole, Kae and Neil voting to boot Amy and Julie, Hollie and Bill voting to oust Bryan.  The decision then came down to Isabeau.

"I came to this game wanting the title," said Isabeau.  "And whatever happens from this point on for me, I want to leave this game the way I played it the last 10 weeks -- and that's fairly and honestly.  It came down to loyalty or integrity for me, and I promised myself I would play with integrity.  One person had my word, and the other had my heart.  One decision I may not be able to compete with, but the other one I can't live with."

Isabeau then revealed she was booting Amy, who didn't take the news very well.

"I feel like I was stabbed in the back," said a tearful Amy.  "It hurts... I just worked really hard the last couple of weeks trying to be loyal... But karma's a bitch and what goes around comes around.  Julie, Hollie and Bill, thank you for being loyal.  Thank you for making me feel like I was a part of the team.  Just realize that there's somebody on your team that you cannot trust, who will look you in your face, and lie to you."

Isabeau tried to explain that it was a "last-minute decision" and she actually changed her vote because booting Bryan didn't "feel right" in her heart.


The Biggest Loser 4's next episode will air Tuesday, November 20 at 8PM ET/PT.






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio