Patti Anderson, a 55-year-old business owner from Lafayette, CA, became the second contestant eliminated from The Biggest Loser: Couples during last night's ninth-season episode of the NBC reality weight-loss series.

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"The person who arrived at the ranch was really sick physically, scared emotionally," said Patti after her ouster.

"The person I am today is someone that has a real sense that I can succeed and I will succeed. I know how much I've learned, experience, accomplished -- it was so hard. But I'm really proud of myself. I can do things I never thought I could... I'm not going to look back. I'm not going to be the old Patti."

The Biggest Loser: Couples' second episode began following the elimination of James Crutchfield, as the contestants on the ranch immediately hit the gym to begin their Week 2 workouts.

James' twin brother John Crutchfield, a 30-year-old senior marketing manager from Orlando, worked out extra hard with trainer Jillian Michaels and explained to her that his father, grandmother and sister all died within a year of each other when he was a teenager.

"For me, I don't want to the heartache of my family by dying young," he said. "I have a 1-year-old boy at home... I refuse to leave him without a father, and that's why I'm here."

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The contestants then met with Dr. Rob Huizenga, who described and explained the health difficulties that each of them have by carrying around extra weight.

Dr. H also showed the contestants videos of him visiting their homes -- one of which was with Patti's husband and daughter, and he talked about her diabetes. Patti's daughter and teammate Stephanie Anderson, a 29-year-old radio sales executive from West Hollywood, CA, looked on with tears in her eyes.

"It makes me so incredibly sad to see them so hurt by what we've done to ourselves," said an emotional Stephanie.

"They're giving us our lives back, and we're going to take it and do whatever we have to do," said Patti. "I promise my family and myself."

The contestants then met host Alison Sweeney at a swimming pool for a challenge. Each team would have a 3.5-inch wide, 40-foot across balance beam that they would have to take 10 beach balls across. If they fell in the pool, they'd have to start back at the beginning.

The winning team would receive immunity at the upcoming weigh-in, while the losing team would receive a two-pound penalty at the weigh-in.

The challenge commenced and came down to the Red Team of Melissa Morgan, a 39-year-old attorney from Aspermont, TX, and her husband Lance Morgan, a 38-year-old rancher also from Aspermont, and the Black Team of  Darrell Hough, a 46-year-old press operator/mechanic from Ann Arbor, MI, and his daughter Andrea Hough, a 24-year-old executive assistant also from Ann Arbor.

Andrea seemed to have the win secured for the Black Team -- however she fell in the water, allowing the Red Team to pass and claim immunity. The challenge came down to the Brown Team of John and the White Team of Maria Ventrella, a 51-year-old corporate travel agent from Chicago, and her son  Michael Ventrella, a 30-year-old deejay also from Chicago.

Maria let her fear of water get the best of her and was unable to initially cross the balance beam. Once she decided to do so, she fell before even venturing out over the water and landed on her face -- giving her a bloody nose. She was subsequently taken to the hospital and Michael rode with her, allowing John to avoid finishing last and giving the White Team the two-pound penalty.

Maria returned to the ranch the next day with a black eye and a fractured ring finger on her left hand.

"I'm better, but I'm still in pain," she opined. "Because of my fear of water, we got the two-pound penalty. We were second-to-last last weigh-in, and with the two-pound penalty this is really serious for us. I just feel really bad that I ruined it for my son."

Jillian helped Maria overcome her fear of water in the pool and the contestants had another meeting with Dr. H before participating in their last-chance workouts.

"I feel like I need to sandbag a little bit this week. Because I have immunity this week, I don't have to lose eight pounds," boasted Melissa.

"If I can lose three or four pounds I'm good, because I'm going to have greater numbers in Week 3, which will keep me from going below the yellow line."

The Biggest Loser: Couples' second weigh-in then commenced. Alison explained that the team with the lowest weight-loss percentage would fall below the yellow line, and one member would subsequently be eliminated based on votes cast by the other contestants -- who would vote as teams and not individuals.

Since they had immunity, Melissa and Lance went first. Lance started the week at 344 and lost eight while Melissa started at 214 and gained a pound, which didn't sit to well with Jillian fellow trainer Bob Harper.

"I played it safe a little bit," said Melissa. "But not so much so that I thought I'd have a plus one."

"Do I buy that? No," replied Bob. "One of these seasons we're going to see somebody get up on that scale and just go like this, 'What? I played the game. I'm not stupid.' Just say it! Just friggin say it up there!"

"I don't want to come up here and lose eight pounds because I think that's going to affect next week," explained Melissa.

"Absolutely," responded Bob.

The Red Team posted a combined weight-loss percentage of 1.25%.

The Gray Team went next. Sam Poueu, a 24-year-old youth football coach and security guard from Rohnert Park, CA, started the week at 352 and shed nine while his cousin Koli Palu, a 29-year-old football coach and head of security also from Rohnert Park, began at 374 and dropped eight for a combined weight-loss percentage of 2.34%.

They were followed by the Pink Team. Ashley Johnston, a 27-year-old manager/esthetician from Knoxville, TN, started at 353 and lost eight while her mom Sherry Johnston, a 51-year-old non-profit administrator also from Knoxville, began at 201 and dropped five for a combined weight-loss percentage of 2.35%.

The Green Team went next. Miggy Cancel, a 48-year-old chef from Pemberton, NJ, started at 227 and dropped eight and her daughter Migdalia Sebren, a 28-year-old homemaker from Sanford, NC, began at 249 and lost four for a combined weight-loss percentage of 2.52%.

They were followed by the Purple Team. Patti started at 220 and lost four and Stephanie began at 246 and dropped three for a combined weight-loss percentage of 1.50%.

"Well it's not what I was hoping for," opined Patti.  "But I gave it everything I could this week. I really did."

The Orange Team went next. Daris George, a 25-year-old salesman/deliveryman from Ardmore, OK, started at 317 and shed seven while his mom Cheryl George, a 50-year-old store owner also from Ardmore, began at 213 and dropped three for a combined weight-loss percentage of 1.89%.

They were followed by the Brown Team -- which consisted of John, who started the week at 461 and lost 10 for a 2.17% weight-loss percentage.

The Black Team went next. Darrell started at 383 and dropped 10 while Andrea began at 284 and shed five for a combined weight-loss percentage of 2.25%.

The White Team was the last to step on the scale and --because of the two-pound disadvantage -- Maria and Michael needed to have lost more than 13 pounds to be safe. Michael started at 492 and lost 11 while Maria began at 268 and dropped 10 for a combined weight-loss percentage of 2.50%.

"My heart just fell," said Patti. "We knew one of us is going home."

Patti and Stephanie then pled their cases to the other contestants.

"I have a wonderful support system at home," said Patti.

"Stephanie, she doesn't have someone at home to give her that push and that drive -- so I'm telling you from the bottom of my heart, as much as I want to stay here, I need to go home. I will succeed at home. I will see you all at the finale and you will be proud of me."

Stephanie said it was "hard" to hear her mom say that.

"I know that I have so much further to go," she added. "I know that I can't do it at home. I'm just not ready, I really am not. So I'm asking you to keep me."

The Brown, Pink, White, Gray and Red all respected Patti's wish and voted to oust Patti.

"I've been given such a gift by being here, even though it's been a short time," she said. "I truly believe that I will be able to succeed at home. I hope you all know how each one of you has touched me. It's just been an honor to live in the same house as you."

In a post-elimination update, Patti revealed she is down to 200 lbs., doing daily workouts with her other daughter and has been taking dance lessons with her husband.

The Biggest Loser: Couples' next episode will air Tuesday, January 19 at 8PM ET/PT on NBC.
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio

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