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Final weigh in helps find 'Biggest Loser'
Will Vraspir
wvraspir@hastingstribune.com
 Will Vraspir/Tribune
Janet Hollman of Hastings works out Wednesday before her final weigh in for the YMCA's Biggest Loser contest. |
Fourteen weeks and 45 pounds later, Janet Hollman of Hastings is happy with the success of the YMCA’s Biggest Loser competition.
“I just never would have thought it were possible a few months ago,” she said. “I have a lot more energy. It just feels good.”
During her final weigh-in Wednesday, Hollman learned she had lost 45.75 pounds and 26.5 inches. She also dropped about 10 percent of her body fat — burning off about 38 pounds of pure fat over her time in the contest.
Like the reality television show of the same name, the goal of Biggest Loser competitors is losing weight. Final weigh-ins had to be completed by Friday for the contest which began Feb. 4.
Anne Hessler, fitness director at the YMCA, said the results of the contest would be calculated today and the results should be announced Monday.
Hessler said weekly weigh-ins allowed her time with each participant to help plan exercise routines and diet.
“We would see how it went and see if we need to tweak anything,” she said.
She said 81 people originally signed up to participate, but six dropped out in the first week for various reasons. Hessler said 56 people are actively participating.
“I was really hoping we would be able to finish with 30 people active,” she said. “We’re pretty pleased to be able to say we’ve had more than 50 percent continue with the program.”
Hessler said participation in activities that require time and energy from participants tend to decline after six to eight weeks. She said that is the reason people falter in New Year’s resolutions.
The Biggest Loser program lasted 14 weeks, so the changes participants made in their lifestyles would stick, Hessler said. She said it takes about 12 weeks to develop a habit in diet and exercise.
“We wanted it to be a little bit longer than that so we could be sure that the changes in health and habit are truly a part of their lives rather than just a part of some lose-weight-quick scheme,” she said. “We didn’t want this program to be a quick fad.”
To read more, see Saturday's Hastings Tribune or the Tribune e-edition.
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