Helen Phillips wins 'The Biggest Loser: Couples' by losing 140 lbs.

After waiting five seasons for their first win, The Biggest Loser's female contestants are on a roll.


Helen Phillips, a 48-year-old retired retail manager from Sterling Heights, MI, was crowned the show's third-straight female champion during last night's live broadcast of The Biggest Loser: Couples' finale on NBC.

"Oh my god!" Helen shouted after she learned she'd won the season's $250,000 grand-prize. "Oh my god! Oh my god!"

Helen -- who also became the show's oldest champion ever -- began the competition at 257 pounds and weighed-in at 117 pounds during the finale, giving her a 140-pound weight-loss and a 54.47% weight-loss percentage.

Helen defeated Tara Costa, a 23-year-old finance manager and former model from New York, NY, and Mike Morelli, a 18-year-old student from South Lyon, MI who became the season's third finalist by defeating his father Ron in a home viewer vote that took place after last week's episode.


Mike, who finished as the season's runner-up, started the season at 388 pounds and weigh-in at 181 pounds during the finale, giving him a 207-pound weight-loss and 53.35% weight-loss percentage.  

Tara -- who set an all-time female weight-loss record while at The Biggest Loser ranch and had also returned home as the finalist with the highest weight-loss percentage -- had started the season at 294 pounds and weighed-in at 139 pounds during the finale, giving her a 155-pound weight-loss and 52.72% weight-loss percentage.   .

Gerald "Jerry" Hayes, a 64-year-old retired engineer from Wheaton, IL who was eliminated during the second week of the competition, won the weigh-in of the season's 19 previously eliminated contestants and thus claimed the $100,000 consolation prize.  Jerry started the competition at 369 pounds and dropped 177 for a 47.97% weight-loss percentage.

In addition, home viewer votes cast during the bloated three-hour finale broadcast also determined that Amanda, a 19-year-old from Butler, NJ who weighs currently 257 pounds, will get to compete on the eighth The Biggest Loser edition that will air on NBC this fall.

The start and finish weights and final weight-loss percentages of the other 18 previously eliminated contestants are as follows:


Gerry's wife Estella Hayes, a 63-year-old retired nurse from Wheaton, IL, began the competition at 242 pounds and lost 83 for a 34.30% weight-loss percentage.

Damien Gurganious, a 31-year-old industrial designer from Brooklyn, NY, began the competition at 381 pounds and shed 136 for a 35.70% weight-loss percentage while his fiancee Nicole Brewer, a 37-year-old wardrobe stylist, began the competition at 269 pounds and lost 123 for a 45.72% weight-loss percentage.

Sione Fa, a 28-year-old landscape company owner from Maricopa, AZ, began the competition at 372 pounds and dropped 146 for a 39.25% weight-loss percentage while his cousin Filipe Fam, a 26-year-old lube technician from Mesa, AZ, started the competition at 364 pounds and lost 135 for a 37.09% weight-loss percentage.

Carla Triplett, a 36-year-old assistant bank manager from Southfield, MI, started the competition at 379 pounds and dropped 128 for a 33.77% weight-loss percentage while her former friend Joelle Gwynn, a 41-year-old non-profit founder, began the competition at 309 pounds and lost 80 for a 25.89% weight-loss percentage.
 
Blaine Cotter, a 27-year-old college counselor from Gilbert, AZ, started the competition at 365 pounds and shed 116 for a 31.78% weight-loss percentage while his cousin Dane Patterson, a 27-year-old real estate appraiser from Mesa, AZ, began the competition at 412 pounds and dropped 154 for a 37.38% weight-loss percentage.

Amanda "Mandi" Kramer, a 30-year-old cosmetologist from Boise, ID, began the competition at 263 pounds and lost 92 for a 34.98% weight-loss percentage while her sister Aubrey Cheney, a 28-year-old information and education specialist from Gooding, ID, started the competition at 249 pounds and shed 55 for a 22.09% weight-loss percentage.


Cathy Skell, a 48-year-old title sales closing agent from Shiocton, WI, started the competition at 293 pounds and lost 95 for a 32.42% weight-loss percentage while her daughter Kristin Steede, a 28-year-old business owner from Greenville, WI, dropped the competition at 360 pounds and lost 167 for a 46.39% weight-loss percentage.

Daniel Wright, a 19-year-old student from Willow Spring, NC, began the competition at 454 pounds and shed 142 for a 31.28% weight-loss percentage while his best friend David Lee, a 23-year-old student from Fuquay-Varina, NC, started the competition at 393 pounds and lost 43 for a 10.94% weight-loss percentage.

Tara's friend Laura Denoux, a 24-year-old sales director and former model from Miami, FL, began the competition at 285 pounds and lost 86 for a 30.18% weight-loss percentage.

Helen's daughter Shanon Thomas, a 29-year-old massage therapist from Centerline, MI, began the competition at 283 pounds and lost 92 for a 32.51% weight-loss percentage.

Mike's father Ron Morelli, a 54-year-old city councilman and retired food distributor from South Lyon, MI, began the competition at 430 pounds and lost 192 for a 44.65% weight-loss percentage.

(Photo credit NBC/Chris Haston)






About The Author: Steven Rogers