The Biggest Loser

In an effort to promote wellness and health, NWCC has challenged faculty and staff with its version of The Biggest Loser. The Biggest Loser airs on NBC and is actually the only reality program that I enjoy. I guess it's because the contestants are actually doing something that is good for them. Contestants are taught that weight loss and good health is not about a life of diets, but a lifestyle. There are usually two teams and each week contestants weigh in and the team with highest percentage of weigh loss doesn't have to vote a member off-- that's for the losing team. To hear the contestants talk about their struggles and to watch weekly as they tranform is so inspiring. I encourage anyone who is lacking the motivation to get started to watch this program the next time it airs.

So, NWCC fitness instructor, MW came up with his version for faculty and staff. Different departments on campus have teams of four that are competing. The competiton began on March 1st with everyone weighing in. As I looked at my weight, I was stunned, what in the world have I been eating?! At that time we were also given a pedometer so we would know how many steps we take daily. 10,000 steps to maintain current weight, 12,000 for weight loss. For those of you who think you walk a lot during the day, I encourage you to buy a pedometer, you'll be amazed at how little you actually walk. The first two days of walking consisted of about 6000 steps. Having the pedometer has been a big motivator, I try to walk at least 10,000, aiming for 12,000 four times a week.

So, I know you're wondering, how does this program work? Well, as I mentioned, everyone weighed in the first day. Weights were recorded and pedometers given. We get one point for taking at least 12,000 steps, the maximum being four points per week. We get two points for having our blood pressure checked every two weeks, and we get one point for each pound lost. I am on the Lean, Mean Library Team and our team leader, MLL, is married to a coach, so we all know what that means-- win or die! She walks on Tuesdays and Thursday at 12:30 and the first time I joined her, I thought I was going to die! I lost three pounds that week, I'm sure it was sweated off trying to keep up with her! Since then, I have upped my speed so that I won't appear to be a wimp when I walk with her and RL, another team member. It's a challenge to walk 12,000 four times a week, but when I do, it's such an amazing accomplishment.

We were trying to monitor our weight weekly because after I lost those three pounds the first week, I was pumped! The second week, I lost two more pounds and I was ecstatic and began to watch portion sizes and increase my steps. The third week, I enter the weight room to find that the scale is gone...and it's has yet to be returned. Hopefully by the time it's returned, I will have lost ten pounds. The blood pressure checks have been good. The first week, I was a little high, but I'm sure it was due to stress. The nurse assured me that since I was walking and watching portions it would go down and the next week, it was much better. That, coupled with the weight loss have been such a motivator for me. I see an increase in my energy and that is what all single parents need...more energy!

So, we are currently in week five-- the half way mark and I feel great. I was informed that there will be individual and team prizes, so my interest has really piqued. We weigh in on May 10th, so I'm going into overdrive now!