The Biggest Loser Returns Tonight

Set your Tivos and DVRs if you're a Biggest Loser fan. The competition and weight loss returns for a eighth season tonight--tune into NBC at 8 p.m. eastern, 7 p.m. central time. Talk about sneaking up on me--I knew the next season would be set to premiere in the fall but instead of being sooner, I thought it was later. Plus I was still hyped up over all of the endurance sports we saw last season with the modified triathlon, the half marathon and then the marathon, not to mention the massive amounts of weight lost and the transformations from bloated to buff.

As for season eight, we still have to get to know the contestants a little better. Yes, their bios are online--in fact you can read them here. But who's the largest of the bunch? And the lightest? Who is the rumored heaviest female? Who has the most potential at weight loss? Who's the biggest threat to the others in the house?

Let's meet the season 7 contestants--and a little commentary:

• Abby, 35, Texas--I hate to say it but by looking at the pictures she looks far less bulky than her female competitors
  
• Alexandra, 20, Pennsylvania--Again, I hate to say it but looking as large as she does as such a young age only proves the point of the rising obesity rates in children that was reported on The Today Show this morning.
• Allen, 44, Indiana--He reminds of a football player who got a little pudgy after his playing days were through
• Amanda, 19, New Jersey--Same comment as for Alexandra
• Antoine, 23, North Carolina--He too reminds me of a washed-up athlete who maybe had one too many meals from the fast food counter while working hard.
• Daniel, 20, North Carolina--We first met him last season when he was the chubby kid who never knew what it was like to be slim (he weighed in at 454 pounds and the heaviest male ever)
• Danny, 39, Oklahoma--According to his bio, he's carrying around at least 427 pounds.
  
• Dina, 28, California--Sounds like she's made some bad food and exercise choices but can most likely get on the right track with some prodding by Jillian and Bob.
• Julio, 40, Illinois--Again, another I hate to say it but it looks like Julio's passion for Cuban food got stuck in his middle.
• Liz, 49, Tennessee--Same comment as for Abby, she looks smaller than her competition.
• Mo, 56, Kentucky--This ex-football and basketball player perhaps forgot that he couldn't eat like he did in his athletic days if he's not working out much.
• Rebecca, 25, Iowa--Minus the glasses, she looks a bit like Amy from season 6.
• Rudy, 31, Connecticut--Another ex-football player, he's tall and large and described as a real life Paul Bunyan (must be the beard).
  
• Sean, 29, Oklahoma--He looks to be carrying an awful lot of weight on that 6'2" frame, I'm scared to see what the scale says.
• Shay, 30, California--I hate to say it but my bets are on Shay as the largest female. Just reading her diet alone in the bio--laden with fried chicken, biscuits, and mac and chese--leaves me suspect.
• Tracey, 37, Texas--I wouldn't have believed her to weight more than 250 pounds until I read her bio which says she went from 113 to over 250 after having her fourth child. The camera really didn't seem to add 10 pounds here.
  

I can't wait for all the action to unfold and pick my favorites for the final three (granted I fully expected either Mike or Tara to take the crown before Helen last season). And more importantly, I'm probably more excited about the workouts and challenges that will be unveiled. What endurance sports might we see this season? Posted by Kate