STRONG, NBC's new reality fitness competition series, eliminated the Grey team comprised of trainer Wesley Okerson and trainee Jasmine Loveless during Thursday night's broadcast.
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Wes, a 37-year-old from Los Angeles, CA, and Jasmine, a 30-year-old from West Hollywood, CA, were eliminated after they completed the elimination-tower obstacle course in a slower time than the Yellow team -- Brittany Harrell-Miller, a 25-year-old from Lawrence, KS, and Todd Durkin, a 44-year-old from San Diego, CA.
"Part of that fight was for every single woman that has ever felt less than or made to feel like somehow she took up too much space in this world. Go ahead, take up that space... Be strong and beautiful and bold, and fight like hell," Jasmine said following her ouster.
Jasmine started the competition as a size 14 with 38% body fat and a resting heart rate of 59. In a post-elimination update, Jasmine is now a size 6 and has a 25% body fat percentage and resting heart rate of 52. She also gained 13 pounds of lean muscle.
The STRONG broadcast began with four teams remaining.
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For this week's "Ultimate Challenge," the pairs were required to complete a series of squat presses in order to raise a weighted bar. At certain intervals of time, 20-pound blocks were added to make the process more difficult. By the end of the challenge, the teams would be squatting 225 pounds.
The overall winning team would automatically earn a spot in the Final 3, win a $25,000 medallion, and be afforded the opportunity to choose which team would join the Ultimate Challenge's last-place team at the elimination tower.
Brittany and Todd finished in last place, so they were headed to the elimination tower for the second time in a row. The Purple team -- comprised of Nicole Bentley, a 25-year-old from Los Angeles, CA, and Mathew Miller, a 34-year-old from Las Vegas, NV -- won the challenge.
After carefully deliberating, the Purple team decided they wanted Jasmine and Wes to face the Yellow team at the tower. Matt and Nicole wanted to compete against the very best in the Final 3, so they thought this choice would bring those results.
The elimination tower features four levels, and one obstacle evolves every week as the contestants' bodies strengthen.
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Jasmine and Wes ended up getting through the tower in a record-breaking time of 3 minutes and 24 seconds. But right when everybody thought the Grey team had it in the bag, Brittany and Todd completed the tower in only 3 minutes and 20 seconds.
Jasmine and Wes were therefore eliminated and handed $75,000 worth in medallions to the Yellow team. The Grey team also gave one medallion worth $25,000 to the Purple team and then another one to the Blue team -- which was comprised of Jill May, a 35-year-old from Willmar, MN, and Bennie Wylie, a 39-year-old from Tuscola, TX.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski