Last week we had the chance to talk with Jackie from the orange team on NBC’s The Biggest Loser Couples. Jackie told me she was happy she was sent home instead of Dan but felt it was done in a cowardly fashion. Jackie also talked about why she told Paul and Kelly to kick off team pink and also shared her current weight and goal weight for the finale.

Q. Mark, Realitywanted.com: Whose idea was it to apply for the biggest loser couples you or Dan?

A. Jackie, the Biggest Loser Couples: It was actually my idea in a roundabout way. One day I saw a notice on TV about an open casting call for The Biggest Loser and I asked Dan if he wanted to try out for the show.  I personally never really thought about being on the show. When Dan applied they asked him if anyone else would be interested in being on the show with him since it was a couple’s edition.  He initially presented his brother, but they didn't feel he was that overweight.

Q. Mark, RealityWanted.com: Why didn't you want to try out for the show?
 
A  Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: I have always struggled with my weight and now that I'm in my 50’s I assumed that's just the way it is. I was more focused on my son. I so desperately wanted him to lose weight. There are so many things that Dan wanted to do in his life but felt he was just too overweight to accomplish.

Q.  Mark, RealityWanted.com: What are some of the things that Dan wanted to do but felt he was too overweight to accomplish?

A. Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: Dan is very talented and even competed in a local American Idol competition and came in fourth place. After the competition Dan came up to me and asked if I felt other people would be comfortable watching someone his size perform on stage.  Dan felt the audience would not like to watch someone who weighs over 300 pounds performing so he decided not to pursue his dreams. I really felt a lot of this was my fault.

Q.  Mark, RealityWanted.com: Why do you feel like this is your fault?

A. Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: A lot of people have told me that Dan is 21 years old now and responsible for his own life and his own eating habits. However, I feel I am responsible for many of his eating habits and the poor eating habits that Dan had prior to going on the biggest loser. I meant the best for all of my boys, but we were extremely busy running around at soccer practice and all of the other school activities that we ended up eating fast food almost every night. Again, I know Dan is 21, but I helped instill poor eating habits into him at a very young age.

Q. Mark, RealityWanted.com: Well, I have not seen what Dan looks like now but since you suggested he try out for the show I bet you’re happy things have changed for Dan.

Let's talk a little bit about some of the other contestants on The Biggest Loser Couples.  For example Britney really turned up the heat last week on the escalator challenge. It was very inspiring to watch her go against the three other guys on the blue team and almost pull off a win. Out of both teams, excluding your son, who do you admire the most for their hard work and dedication to losing weight?

A. Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: I can honestly say that everyone there is working very hard.  Everyone there desperately wanted to be there to change their life and lifestyle. For example, even though Trent had a knee injury and was in constant pain he would still work out on the elliptical machine for hours, which amazed me.

Q. Mark, RealityWanted.com: Okay, now let's talk about Dan, you have to be very proud of your son?

A.  Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: I am so proud of Dan and I become prouder of him every day.  I am just so happy at what he has accomplished and what he has done.  Dan is truly the light inside of that house. We had no TV, no cell phones, no Internet and we just worked out all day. It's a very microscopic life and Dan was there to provide comedic relief.

Q. Mark, RealityWanted.com: I love watching Dan, I got a kick out of his breakfast sodas. Not that having a breakfast soda is a good idea, but the fact he called it a breakfast soda gave me a good laugh. Let's have some fun, if NBC had come up to you while you were on the show and said you had to swap Dan out for another contestant who would you pick and why?
 
A.  Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: If Dan was sent home I would pick Roger. If they had Dan stay on the show I would pick a weaker partner to help Dan win. I like Neil, but if the aforementioned scenario occurred I would pick Neil as my partner to help Dan win.

Q. Mark, RealityWanted.com: Speaking of Neil, at the beginning of the season you didn't seem to be too fond of him. In fact, I recall a situation in the workout room when you turned to Dan and mentioned how lazy Neil was.

A.  Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: A lot of people on the show were not happy with Neil. Many of us thought he was lazy, what we didn't know at the time was that Neil was pushing himself as hard as Neil could, that is where Neil was in his life at the time. I think things have changed for Neil since he has been home.

Q. Mark, RealityWanted.com: Let's talk about your elimination, were you surprised that you were eliminated and what you think of Mark and Jay now that some time has passed?

A.  Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: I think it was a great game strategy on their part to kick me. Once you move to teams, it is very important not to go below the yellow line. I'd like to talk about a few things you may have not seen on the show after the medicine ball challenge. Mark and I had a huge blow out, even larger than the one shown on TV. We then went into the gym and had a long workout which got all the stress out of us. As we walked out of the gym we agreed that we were two of the strongest teams in the house and we should form an alliance. Mark and Jay then said they swore on their children's lives that they would never kick Dan or me off the show. I was taken back by this since as a mother I would never swear on my kid’s lives. Later, just prior to the elimination ceremony Mark and Jay came up to me and said Trent wants to go home. Remember Trent had a knee injury and they said he was ok with going home. I then went into Trent’s room and asked him if this was okay and he said yes. I wasn't happy to go home, but I was happy to see my name come up for elimination instead of Dan's.

What bothered me the most was the cowardly way they went about eliminating me. The fact that they lied hurt me the most.

Q.  Mark, RealityWanted.com: How do you feel about them now that time has passed?

A.  Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: I am just very grateful and thankful they didn't vote off Dan.

Q.  Mark, RealityWanted.com: I can't wait to see what Dan does next week. Let's talk about Betty Sue an Ali. When I spoke with Betty Sue she was not happy to see you talking to Paul about eliminating her and her daughter.

A.  Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: For starters, Kelly and Paul are very good friends of mine. Paul asked me who I felt they should kick off and I said somebody that would help keep them in the game longer. I suggested the pink team since they were heavily influenced by Mark and Jay. We felt like Mark and Jay had four votes with Betty Sue and Ali in the game.

Mark, RealityWanted.com: It sounds like it wasn’t personal it just sounds like it was game play. I have one final question for you, what is your goal weight for the finale?

A.  Jackie, The Biggest Loser Couples: I would love to get on the scale at the finale and say I lost 100 pounds. I have already lost 70 pounds, so I have 30 more pounds to go.

Mark, RealityWanted.com: Thank you so much for your time Jackie and we will all look forward to seeing your transformation at The Biggest Loser Finale.

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