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"&lt;img alt=\"0816_sandy_krum_ipad_nbc_ryan_applegate_instagram_article\" src=\"http://ll-media.tmz.com/2013/08/16/0816-sandy-krum-ipad-nbc-ryan-applegate-instagram-article-3.jpg\" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The morbidly obese contestants on \"&lt;strong&gt;The Biggest Loser&lt;/strong&gt;\" -- some of whom are close to death -- will be pushed to the limit by a new trainer who is NOT certified in California ... TMZ has learned.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We've learned&lt;strong&gt; Sandy Krum&lt;/strong&gt; -- who's been on the show since 2007 -- got the boot before Season 15 began taping this summer. He's been replaced by a young gun named &lt;strong&gt;Ryan Applegate&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sources connected with the \"Biggest Loser\" tell us past contestants and several staff members on the show are extremely upset that Applegate hasn't passed the stringent certification test -- a test that is not required by law but one that many trainers take because it cements their qualifications.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img alt=\"0816_ryan_applegate_article_facebook\" src=\"http://ll-media.tmz.com/2013/08/16/0816-ryan-applegate-article-facebook-5.jpg\" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Quick reminder, these aren't your average Joes who are just a tad out of shape ... they're morbidly overweight people -- some of whom tip the scales at more than 500 lbs --&amp;#160; many of whom have extremely high blood pressure and suffer from diabetes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A rep for the show's production company tells us, \"The health and safety of our contestants is our #1 priority and the show is confident that the team of professionals they have hired to work with the contestants are qualified to do so.\""^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.tmz.com/2013/08/18/biggest-loser-trainer-uncertified-sandy-krum-fired/?adid=hero5>