I rush in from the airport! Get to my friend’s house in  NJ and  plopped myself down on the coach. I’m 23 minutes in so I missed the first prat. I get to the challenge where the teams are evaluating various platters of food. I am a little distracted because I managed to lose my wallet somewhere enroute from the other coast. Damn.

Commercials! I have  second to catch my breath.  I am glad that I have an understanding friend for a host, who doesn’t mind me doing this the second I arrive at her house!

The free groceries go to… orange pink and brown have a three way tie. ONE QUESTION. How many calories were in dinner A?  Pink team wins! The folks all order out and are shocked to receive unasked-for cheese on their salad, bagel chips on the side. The lesson is, don’t always trust that restaurants have your health in mind. Ohh… chains on the fridge. They only get to order food out. Jillian and Bob hear about it and they’re intrigued. They offer to take the team out for dinner! Everyone is excited.

They cruise into a Mexican restaurant (empty of other guests). Chips come to the table. Jillian says, “What are you going to do?” Everyone’s eyes get big. “Control your environment!” They send the chips back. Go team! Jillian; Do you want to be healthy/skinny or do you want… Jillian does not like Rebecca’s answer. She flips out. Jillian says, “You’re warm. But you need to BE SPECIFIC.”

Unless there is a purpose behind it, you’re not going to be able to do it, says Jillian. Bob says, “We know how good it feels on the other side.” Jillian likes the papaya-chicken-avocado salad. She says, Do NOT leave the house without your calorie counter! Bob says, avoid anything that is sauteed or pan fried.

(I laugh about this because my dinner at Serendipity tonight would NOT meet with B & J’s approval: had a brie-and-turkey sandwich and split a Frozen Hot Chocolate with my buddy. This has been a tradition of ours since high school days. That’s vacation for ya!)

Challenge time: tonight, it’s for immunity.  They have to hang onto a slanted platform which gets progressively steeper. First one down: Liz in the water. Then Danny. Brown team is gone. Next: Amanda, pink team. Dina down. Shay is holding on! Heaviest girl!  More splashdowns.  It’s down to Daniel vs Allen. CUT TO COMMERCIAL. AGH!

We’re back. Oooh I can feel their forearm pain. Trembles. Allen lets go and DANIEL WON! Woooo!! It’s gym time. The coaches are yelling themselves hoarse to beat the crappy food out of them.

(OMG my friend just tells me she has a FULL GYM downstairs!! I am so excited!!!!!!!!! I did not know this! I can work off my frozen hot chocolate!) Coach Mo is really killing it so that he can make up for injured Tracey. Uh oh. His body gives out. His back. It’s shot. He said, “I’m done man.” Ow. Bob says, “He’s had twenty years of pain.” Bob wants him to get back on the bike and get his head on straight. But what if he just ruptured a spinal disc? Hmmm… I dunno about this.

It’s weigh-in time. What will happen after a week of eating restaurant food? Orange team: Daniel has lost 0, Shay has lost 5. I call: WATERLOADING. Bob calls it too. Green team: ten pounds total. Not shabby. Abby: “This is a marathon, not a sprint.” Go Abby. 1.97%. Now it’s blue team. 16 total, including 11 for Rudy. Brown team loses 11 total, 1.74%. Purple team needs to lose more than ten. I have the feeling a lot of fingers are crossed right now. They pull out a 12! Okay, Julio’s up. He needs to beat 7 lbs. But no, it’s four. Damn. He’s in danger. Pink team weighs in. They need more than 8 to stay safe. Their loss: 9! Just made it!

They have to vote, Julio vs. the Brown Team. Hmmm…  It’s appeal time. Liz is crying.  They all love each other. They’re all close. Julio can’t think of a worse situation. It’s a heartbreaker either way. The others are going to have to decide. Voiceover says: “See how the eliminated player does at home.” PlaYER:: Does that mean it’s Julio?

Voting time.  Orange team votes Julio. Blue team votes for Liz and Danny. Green team votes for Julio. They did it based on the “logic” of two people staying and having a chance rather than one. Purple team’s turn. They were split. Purple team voted for Julio. Coach Mo looks sick to his stomach as Tracy reveals the platter. Julio’s going.

“Sometimes you need a jump start.” Julio’s “after” clip is fabulous. He looks great! I am happy for him.