Last year’s
winning team was Essex Excess from Markel.
Although Markel has 11 competing teams this year, none of the winning
team members returned. No news on if
they maintained the weight loss, but we certainly hope so. Sandy Bruning is a member of one of the 11
Markel teams. “We are participating to
lose weight, and we probably wouldn’t without this incentive. I need to lose 40 pounds, and this is a good
jump off start. Most of us on the team
either exercise or walk daily.”
Bill
Winchell from ODEC has been participating on their company team for a number of
years, and their team has won a previous competition. “We are participating for the health
benefits, and it motivates us by being a part of a team. We are eating less carbs and working out at
the Shady Grove YMCA. I feel more
energetic as I lose the weight.”
The Shady
Grove YMCA has been a great help to the event.
3-4 staff members weigh individuals on a weekly basis. They also gave participants a chance to join
the YMCA and work out during the program, without the joining fees.
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| Happy Losers at Innsbrook |
Alycia
Johnson started her weight loss December 14th, 2006, and as of
January 28th, she has lost 97 pounds. “Innsbrook’s Biggest Loser contest gave me
the extra push and motivation I needed to get started. I am 100% healthier. I feel better, and I have so much
energy. My outlook on life and attitude
about myself has also changed for the better.”
Alycia says she wants to lose more weight. She intends to keep going, getting lighter,
stronger and healthier every week. (We will have a separate article on Alycia
next week, so watch for it.)
This week is the middle of the
competition, and some times the hardest to come to because many participants
who lost weight quickly in the beginning have now slowed down. Their weight losses may not be as substantial
as early on in the competition. But this
is the most important time to get psyched up about finishing the
competition. Only 4 weeks to go!
Cristi
Evans from the Shrinkydinks team at ATT wanted to kick off 2008 with a healthy
start, and get their figures ready for swimsuit season. That is motivation to come back each
week. “It feels great to be able to fit
into clothing that was tight 2 weeks ago!
I am on the South Beach Diet, and I’m exercising more and eating
less. Our team gets together almost
every day and discusses what type of food and exercise routine everyone is
following.”
Some teams
even have a little bit of humor. Star
Puaauli from Land America
says she has a personal strategy. “I don’t want to lose the weight. I want to give it away because you don’t ever
want to find it – EVER!” Her advice: “Never give up and try not to think of losing
weight as being on a diet, but a change of eating habits and lifestyle. Our team is taking dance classes, working out
at the gym, and walking. I may be the only
one with young ones, so I stay busy even when I think I’m not.”
More humor
abounds from the names the teams came up with:
ChemTreat’s Toxic Cubicles; Essex Blob Squad; LandAmerica Wild Wahines;
Essex Slim Down Express; Apex Turn off your Cellulights; CapOne Team Sumo;
Markel Victorious Secret; and Wachovia Securities Lose IT to Win IT.
Vicki Yerly
from Hilb, Rogal and Hobbs
participated last year. “We had positive
results last year, but we gained some of the weight back, and we decided that
we would do it again this year to get off what we gained and maybe lose a
little more. Our strategy is to
encourage each other, occasionally chastise a member if they slip, and have
side bets. I now use the stairs instead
of the elevator.”
Helen
Gordon’s team not only works together, but also works out together. “Our office staff works very well together,
and we all wanted to unite in trying to lose the weight. We have a normal work day, but we often go to
lunch or take a walk together. It helps keep
each other honest about what we eat.”
Apex
Systems has 5 teams in the competition. Apex is also having an in-house separate
competition. Diane Forster is the team
captain of one of the teams. “At least
every other day I sent out an e-mail just checking in with my team to see how
they are all doing. Monday mornings are
a big day for us. I have to ask how
every one did over the weekend, and on Friday afternoons I have to ask what
plans they have for the weekend. Two of
our team members are exercising, but the others don’t believe in exercise. If I did this again I would have an application
for people to fill out to see how committed they really were to being on a team
and wanting to lose the weight. It is
frustrating when you are giving 110%, and you see a teammate who is not. The other teammates get discouraged.” Ranardo Whitaker is on another Apex
team. “I want to lose weight and create
the groundwork for a healthier lifestyle, and win doing so. We will check in with Apex at the end of the
competition to see how their 5 teams did and which one won their competition.
Who will be
the winners? It is anybody’s guess at
this time. Even though some of the team
members have met individual goals early on in the competition, they must keep
the weight off for the final weigh-in.
The most important thing to remember is that every team member must lose
the weight they initially proposed to lose.
If one team member does not lose the weight, then the entire team loses!
It is also important to keep track of your weight weekly. Program coordinator, Lauren Summers says that
75% of program participants weighed in last week which is a program
record. “It’s great to see so many teams coming together for the
weigh-ins. The teams are a great support system for one another!”
During week 4 another 91 pounds were lost, and it was Super Bowl weekend for
a total of 1,458 pounds so far!
Lauren says that weight loss is 3.14% of the total body weight that the teams
began with and 52.16% of the pledged weight loss goal. The total goal is 2,795 pounds by March 4th. Good luck teams!
