The Weight Loss Challengers on Seekonk Total Fitness’s Team Camo have endured and overcome many personal and team challenges over the last seven weeks and with only three weeks to go the final push is on. This includes running the St. Pat’s 5K held on Saturday, May 19, 2011 in Providence. All 50 Challengers from all of the teams participating in the “You Choose To Lose” Weight Loss Challenge will be running this weekend. Prior to the Challenge, many of those running wouldn’t have considered doing the event nor would they have been capable of participating.  If you read the article covering Week one of the Challenge it mentioned the “shared hardships” that the team would experience and running in this 5K. In my opinion, is a hardship to be celebrated.  

First 5K

Head Trainer Andy Calise spoke to me about how the St. Pat’s 5k is a milestone for many the Challengers, “In addition to this event being a portion of the exercise component within the Challenge, we’re also trying to reinforce things they can do to incorporate into their lifestyle once the Challenge is over. For many first timers running in a 5K we see intimidation and trepidation for having never participated in this kind of event before – and once they’ve done it once we see a lot of people participate in events like this on a regular basis. ”

Lifestyle Changes for Sustainability

Andy went on to explain that “During the Challenge what we do centers around the gym. The gym is where we meet, where the trainings take place. But what we’re really trying to teach the Challengers about is a healthy lifestyle that includes the gym and physical fitness community (races, fun runs). We know the average American has trended away from an active lifestyle and that’s why a great number of Americans are so overweight.”

This week, Andy has focused in on communicating/teaching Challengers that everything they’ve done over the last seven weeks isn’t just about the weight loss.  It’s important to emphasize during the program how to maintain the success Challengers have achieved during the program.  Andy said “In exercise terms, it means finding ways to make your lifestyle more active. In terms of diet it’s not necessarily about restricting calories but learning how to eat a more balanced and natural (unprocessed foods) diet because you can’t live on snack bars and supplements.

Check back to read about next week's process – only two weeks left in the Weight Loss Challenge.