The Biggest Loser eliminated Bobby Saleem during Tuesday night's ninth broadcast of the NBC reality weight-loss competition's fifteenth season.

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Bobby, a 28-year-old attorney from Chicago, IL, was automatically ousted after his Blue Team lost the season's ninth elimination weigh-in and he fell below the red line by posting the lowest weight-loss percentage of all the team's members.

"This journey pretty much represents a soul-searching expedition for me. I came to The Biggest Loser so lost in myself. This journey has really, really helped me to find who I am as a person. Bobby is a strong person; Bobby is a smart person. I know these things now, but those are things I didn't know when I first started on The Biggest Loser," Bobby said following his ouster.

"I think it's unfortunate that I'm leaving now because I've done so well throughout the competition and I do really feel that I have the potential to go far. Nine weeks ago, I was too afraid and I was too afraid to really come out [as gay] to my dad. Now, I'm just so proud of who I am as a person, I'm ready to tell my dad. I'm ready to overcome that internal struggle. So, I'm looking forward to the next chapter of my life."

The Blue Team's trainer Bob Harper had already used his one "trainer's save" of the season, so Bobby's elimination could not be prevented.

The Biggest Loser's fifteenth-season ninth episode began with a Pop Challenge.

Show host Alison Sweeney announced the three teams would be asked four multiple choice questions about obesity in the workplace, and with each question being worth one point apiece, the team with the least points at the end must work at a diner for the entire week. The two other teams would be able to resume their normal schedule back at the ranch.

In the challenge, viewers learned two-thirds of full-time employees in the United States are overweight or obese, the No. 1 source of food brought into the workplace is fast food, the occupation with the highest rate of obesity is transportation workers, and 69% of administrative assistants reported gaining weight since working at their jobs.

In the end, the White Team lost and had to endure working at a diner for the week, cooking and preparing all sorts of tempting dishes for customers.

Also during last night's episode, viewers were given an update of Ruben Studdard's weight-loss journey. He started The Biggest Loser weighing 462 pounds and currently weighs 350 pounds. Ruben said he's been trying to eat healthy and has been working hard at his music career.

All the season's contestants and their trainers then arrived for the season's ninth elimination weigh-in. Alison explained there would be a red line, so the person on the losing team to post the lowest percentage of weight-loss would automatically be eliminated.

The Blue Team weighed-in first.

Hap Holmstead, a 26-year-old sales consultant and entrepreneur from Pleasant Grove, UT, dropped from 332 to 321 pounds, losing 11 pounds. Chelsea Arthurs, a 28-year-old clinical research professional and event planner from Raleigh, NC, shed four pounds and fell from 185 to 181 pounds. 

Matt Hooper, a 38-year-old retail manager from Georgetown, MA, dropped from 277 to 268 pounds and therefore lost nine pounds. Bobby dropped from 272 to 269 pounds and therefore lost only three pounds.

The Blue Team lost a total of 27 pounds altogether and posted a 2.53% weight-loss percentage.

The Red Team, trained by Dolvett Quince, was next to weigh-in.

David Brown, a 43-year-old construction company project manager and phone company social commerce leader from Edmond, OK, lost five pounds, dropping from 299 to 294 pounds. Tanya Winfield, a 41-year-old restaurant franchise chief operating officer from Plainfield, IL, dropped from 212 to 208 pounds, losing four pounds.

Jennifer Messer, a 42-year-old clerk and bookkeeper from Abingdon, VA, lost seven pounds after falling from 207 to 200 pounds. Rachel Frederickson, a 24-year-old voice-over artist from Los Angeles, CA, went from 178 to 171 pounds, losing seven pounds.

The Red Team lost a total of 23 pounds and posted a 2.57% weight-loss percentage.

Lastly, the White Team -- trained by Jillian Michaels -- weighed-in.

Jay Sheets, a 38-year-old food company marketing associate from Farmington, MO, went from 207 to 201 pounds, so he lost a total of six pounds. Marie Pearl, a 30-year-old senior staff accountant at a community college from Springfield, MO, fell from 198 to 192 pounds and shed six pounds.

Tumi Oguntala, a 41-year-old brand strategist from Clifton Park, NY, lost nine pounds after falling from 243 to 234 pounds. The White Team lost a total of 21 pounds and posted a 3.24% weight-loss percentage as a team.

As a result, the Blue Team lost the weigh-in and Bobby fell below the red line with a 1.10% weight-loss percentage. Chelsea had the next lowest average with 2.16%            

"Oh damnit. I want to say thank you to everybody. Everybody has been such great support," Bobby said in tears after learning it was his time to go home.

"For me to be standing here in Week 9 is pretty incredible to me, and to have such great people behind me, it's been great. Thank you to all the trainers, and Bob, thank you for everything you've taught me. I know I have a lot of work to do, but you've made me so much stronger physically and, much more importantly, mentally. So thank you so much for everything."


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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