'The Biggest Loser' cuts Kaylee Kinikini and sees Rulon Gardner quit

The Biggest Loser: Couples eliminated one contestant and saw another one quit during Tuesday night's broadcast of the NBC reality weight-loss competition.


Rulon Gardner, a 39-year-old gym owner and motivational speaker from Logan, UT, became the seventeenth contestant ousted from the competition's eleventh season after he chose to quit The Biggest Loser: Couples due to personal reasons he declined to disclose.

"Tonight, it came clear that I needed to go home for personal reasons. There's things that need to be addressed in my life back home, and I feel that my personal goals have been reached here on The Biggest Loser. It's time to go home. I got my health back. I got my fitness and I got my life back. That was the real reason I came to The Biggest Loser," Rulon said after quitting.

"I'm happy. I'm going to go home to see my wife and I'm going to be the husband that she deserves and I'm going to be a person who is accountable for my actions. I truly hope to inspire people to change their lives like I had my life changed."

In addition, Kaylee Kinikini, a 20-year-old student from Shelley, ID, became the eighteenth contestant eliminated from the competition after she finished with the lowest weight-loss percentage at the seventeenth week's weigh-in, which featured the seven remaining contestants weighing-in individually as singles, and was subsequently voted off by the rest of the season's cast.


"One of the biggest differences from the Kaylee coming to the ranch and the Kaylee leaving the ranch is I have a voice. I know who I am and I know how to do it on my own. Something I didn't expect coming to The Biggest Loser was I got [new trainers] [Brett Hoebel] and [Cara Castronuova]. Their dedication and heart meant so much to me, that they love me enough to just put everything aside and always be here for me," Kaylee said following her ouster.

"That's one thing that I will always appreciate and love them for and they're going to be a part of my life outside The Biggest Loser. My dad and I shared this experience and it's been amazing. It's something that we will treasure for the rest of our lives that no one else is going to understand. I can't thank The Biggest Loser enough for giving me that opportunity to spend with my dad."

The Biggest Loser's seventeenth eleventh-season episode began with all the contestants returning to The Biggest Loser ranch from New Zealand following the elimination of Ken Andrews, a 49-year-old pastor from Pasadena, CA, after he finished with the lowest weight-loss percentage at the sixteenth week's weigh-in and was voted off afterwards.

The remaining contestants met with The Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney and learned it would be "favorite week" in which some of The Biggest Loser's past memorable and favorite contestants would return.

They then went into the gym and met with Ali Vincent -- who was the first female winner to be crowned the champion of The Biggest Loser during the show's fifth season -- and The Biggest Losers' ninth season contestant Sam Poueu, and began working out with the motivators who were once in their shoes before.


Later on, the contestants met again with Alison at the Auto Club Speedway of Southern California and learned they would be competing in one of The Biggest Loser's all-time favorite challenges for the week -- getting back on the fast track.

Alison then explained they would not only be meeting Tara Costa -- who was a finalist on The Biggest Loser's seventh season and was notorious for winning a lot of challenges -- but would also be competing against her in attempt to physically pull NASCAR racecars behind them to the finish line.

Each contestant was required to be harnessed to a racecar, pull it half a mile, and the first person to cross the finish line would win. The winner of the challenge would receive a VIP experience to be NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer's guest at the Richmond International Speedway last race before the cutoff, would get his or her face imprinted on the cover of a collector Wheaties Box, and would pocket $5,000 cash.

Although Tara and Rulon had one of the closest finishes the track had ever seen and Alison and Clint could not make out the champion by use of the naked eye, they reviewed tapes and realized fairly that Tara had won the challenge. Tara received the $5,000 and put it toward her charity foundation, along with all the rest of the rewards for winning.

The following day, all the contestants participated in their last chance workouts in the gym with veteran trainers Bob Harper, Jillian Michaels and Brett and Cara. Rulon showed signs he was distant from the rest of the contestants because he was working out alone in his own space. He told Cara he didn't care about making friends and that if it was his time to go next at the subsequent weigh-in, he would be completely ready for that and fine with it.


Later, The Biggest Loser: Couples' second singles weigh-in and the season's sixteenth overall elimination weigh-in commenced and Alison gave Rulon the floor to express what he had wanted to say.

"This will be my last time on the scale. At this time, I'm asking to leave The Biggest Loser for a personal reason... That's it," Rulon told everyone.

Everyone was shocked that Rulon had absolutely no further explanation as to why he wanted to leave and was willing to just give up on all the progress he had made while being on The Biggest Loser to go home.

Bob noted it was the first time something like that had ever happened on The Biggest Loser in the show's history and couldn't believe Rulon's decision because he believed he had the tools to win the competition.

Alison then announced the two individuals with the lowest weight-loss percentages would fall below the yellow weigh-in line, forcing the safe contestants to vote one of them out of the competition.


Irene was the first contestant to step on the scale. Irene lost three pounds after she dropped from 157 to 154 pounds and posted a  1.91% weight-loss percentage.

Kaylee actually gained two pounds in which she rose from 163 pounds to 165 pounds, posting a positive 1.23% weight-loss percentage.

Austin dropped from 250 to 243 pounds after he lost seven pounds and posted a 2.80% weight-loss percentage.

Olivia was the next contestant to step on the scale. Olivia started off the week weighing 168 pounds and fell to 162 pounds after she lost six pounds and posted a 3.57% weight-loss percentage.

Jay lost seven pounds and posted a 2.64% weight loss percentage. He dropped from 265 to 258 pounds.


Hannah started off the week weighing 161 pounds but dropped to 156 pounds, losing five pounds and posting a 3.11% weight-loss percentage.

As a result, Kaylee and Irene fell below the yellow line. The other contestants then deliberated amongst the two girls in determining which contestant should be eliminated from The Biggest Loser: Couples.

The contestants then revealed their votes. Hannah and Olivia voted to oust Kaylee from The Biggest Loser: Couples, while Austin voted for Irene.

Jay did not have to announce his vote because even if he voted for Irene and the results ended in a tie, Kaylee would have been automatically eliminated because she was the person who posted the lowest weight-loss percentage at the weigh-in.

If Jay was to vote for Kaylee, it would have simply sealed her fate. Therefore, two votes were enough to constitute for Kaylee's elimination.

In a post-elimination update, Kaylee, who started The Biggest Loser: Couples weighing 233 pounds, said she has lost a total of 68 pounds. She said she met her goal weight and began to focus on herself and what makes her happy.


Kaylee admitted finally feels beautiful and that she has been dating Vance, a White team member who attempted to win a spot on The Biggest Loser: Couples' current season but failed to meet the weight requirement to rejoin the other contestants. Kaylee said she plans to become an M.M.A. trainer and maintain her desired weight.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski