(2/22/14) Week 1 for the United Way’s Biggest Loser competition is now in the books, and for the most part, it was not as rough as I thought it would be.
The only hard part for me was cravings at night and, of course, the workout with our trainer.
The top 10 weight losers (by percentage) are posted in the United Way office every Friday afternoon. I worked hard and ended up on this list. I’ve heard of many contestants losing 5 to 10-plus pounds in the first week. What a competitive and enthusiastic group this is, to say the least. That is awesome!
So what changes have I implemented this past week? I drank a lot of water (I keep a bottle in my car). I cut Diet Soda intake by 60 to 70 percent. I ate healthier meals with smaller servings. Occasionally, I ate a healthy snack between meals. I worked out three days, and I parked farther away when I went to the store.
Wednesday was our first group workout with our trainer, Tulsi Patel. There is a reason I am in finance and not a journalist. Last week, I incorrectly referred to our trainer as a “he.” I was wrong. Our trainer is a “she,” and she was excellent! My sincere apologies. However, Tulsi did get me back by saying “Mrs. John” when she was going through our names. Touché.
The workout lasted one hour and consisted of a 10-minute warm-up on a bike and then a series of 30-second cardio, strengthening and stretching exercises. Here is a tip I learned from Tulsi: Stretch after you warm up, not before. I always did it before.
Our first exercise was 30 seconds of jumping jacks. Wow, am I out of shape. But I kept thinking to myself, if Chumlee from the TV show “Pawn Stars” can lose weight, why can’t I? (You have to see the show.)
The contest has many fun activities along the way, such as having a chance to play basketball with members of the Pee Dee Vipers and attending a game. On March 29, along with Miller Communications, we will take over Timrod Park and offer the community a free event, encouraging everyone in attendance to “Give It a Go” by trying yoga or tai chi at the amphitheater, tasting a new vegetable at the Farmer’s Market or taking our challenge to walk a mile in the park.
The United Way has done an excellent job in putting this program together. There will be only one winner, but if we learn and continue a healthy lifestyle for many years to come, we are all winners!
John McElwee is the regional controller at the Morning News. Contact him at [email protected]