If you’re in the midst of trying to lose weight or know someone who is, look no further for inspiration than the challengers who are participating in Total Fitness Clubs “You Choose to Lose” Weight Loss Challenge. In the coming weeks we’ll be covering the successes and struggles of 18 members on the Seekonk Total Fitness Team.

 “You Choose To Lose” (YCTL) is a 10-week, team-oriented weight loss competition that runs from Jan. 23 though April 3. Teams from each of the four Total Fitness Clubs (TFC) locations compete against one another to reach both personal and team goals. The teams competing against the Seekonk Total Fitness team are: Bristol Total Fitness, Dartmouth total Fitness and two teams from Swansea Total Fitness. The program, while team-based, is created for the individual – one person’s fitness and nutrition prescription may vary vastly from his or her teammates.

Over 50 challengers met at Swansea Total Fitness on Sunday, January 23, 2011 for the YCTL kick-off for their initial weigh-ins and a program orientation from Challenge Director Walter Medeiros. There, they met their teammates, reviewed plans with team trainers and started their weight loss journey.

 The 18 members that make up Seekonk’s team are locals – perhaps even your neighbors. They’re residents from Seekonk, Barrington, Somerset, Swansea and as far away as Scituate. They’re students, teachers, police officers, moms, sales executives, medical professionals, small business owners and even a car dealership executive. And within the Seekonk team there are mini-teams who’ve entered the challenge together; a husband and wife, a brother and sister and a sister and sister in-law.

 While each challenger has the common aspiration to lose 20 or more pounds and be healthier, the inspiration for each is varied – one woman has her wedding five days after the final weigh in, one is looking for professional advancement and some are trying to better manage diabetes and other health-related issues.

 Seekonk’s head trainer is Andy Calise and the assistant trainer is Dawn Cassella. This is Andy’s fifth challenge, he’s an ACE certified personal trainer with eight years experience as an Infantry Sergeant in the Marines. While Andy’s credentials and background might sound intimidating he is not in person. Andy understands that each person needs to be treated as individuals because what motivates one won’t motivate someone else. Dawn is Power Pilates Certified and has a background in exercise science. She will have dual roles assisting with training both the Seekonk and Bristol Teams.

 Andy’s Insight As To Why Team Challenges Work:  A combination of accountability, pride, shared struggle, first-hand proof, support and education:

•  Accountability: According to Andy, you need accountability to someone else because up until now you haven’t been accountable to yourself. The average unhealthy person is lacking for accountability. When you extend this to a team, even the people that aren’t self- motivated find that once they are accountable to a group competing against another group they finally find themselves in the context of what they need to do. “I’m not aware of anyone who’s done our challenges who hasn’t exceeded what they’re capable of”.
• Pride: We’re prideful people and slacking in front of a team can be embarrassing – people can see what you haven’t done and pride kicks in. In addition, pride paired with shared struggle bonds you with your team.
• Shared Struggle: When you can look around and see there are other people going thru the same shared hardships – it gives one the impression that the goals are attainable when we’re all progressing towards the same thing as a group. Seeing others “doing it” gives you hope that you can accomplish it because they are. It creates a feeling of   “we’re going through this together and I’m not in this alone.”
• First-Hand Proof:  About half of the team challengers have participated in past challenges, so that new challengers have an opportunity to interact with (and be supported by) people who have been successful and are now continuing their journey towards their new weight loss goals.
• Support: In addition to educating team members, there is the need to be empathetic. For most people that need to lose weight it’s a constantly present problem that infiltrates into all areas of their lives. Support is made available at both the team and trainer levels. Team members are asked from the very first day what time of day they plan on working out – this is shared with everyone and they’re told to look for each other and to share workouts. Support also blends into the accountability area. Andy offers team members many opportunities for one-on-one sessions where they can get the kind of support they need.  This includes an opportunity to “confess their sins” so that they can correct things, move forward and be successful instead of falling into a cycle of feeling frustrated or ashamed, for not doing things 100 percent, which can cause someone to fall off the program entirely.
• Education: In addition to creating customized plans for each participant, Andy also helps Challengers to rethink their relationship with food. He encourages them to think as food as gas for their body.

 Check back next week for Week Two updates on the Seekonk Team. We encourage readers of this article to show their support by posting positive messages both here and on our Facebook page.

 And we’d love to hear from you and feature topics you’re interested in.  If there’s something specific you’d like to ask the Team Trainers and Seekonk Team Members email me at jenmorin@totalfitnessclubs.com.