NSU’s 2012 Biggest Loser Weight-Loss Challenge Begins

Having trouble sticking to your New Year’s Resolution to lose weight? Then get inspired and follow along with 15 local students and staff from NSU as they embark on the school’s 7th Annual NSU’s Biggest Loser challenge.

Based on the popular NBC television show by the same name, NSU’s Biggest Loser takes 15 participants through a 16-week weight-loss program. Like the show, they are divided into teams and participate in group and individual workouts with trainers, have regular meetings with a nutritionist, and keep journals of their daily nutrition and exercise. They will also receive motivational coaching from NSU’s Healthy Lifestyle Guided Self-Change Program.

This year’s participants include:

• Red Team: Brittney Trowell, Adrienne Lauer, Christopher Pignetti, Kevin Garfinkle, Jonathan Killias

• Yellow Team: April Halaychik, John McAvoy, Bill Lacava, John Lewis, Antoinette Murray

• Blue Team: Andra Liwag, Karlyn Nelson, Susie Gilot, Heather Studenberg, Susan Stewart

An opening workshop was held Jan.6 and workouts began on Jan. 9. The competition will run through April, with May providing the curve ball of participants having to work out on their own without help from personal trainers before the closing ceremony in June.

In the first six years of NSU’s Biggest Loser challenge, the 70 employees and students who completed the program lost a combined total of 1,730 pounds – an average of 25 pounds per participant!

Prizes are awarded to the individual and the team with the highest percentage of weight lost and to individuals with the most improved blood pressure and/or cholesterol, most total inches lost and highest percentage of body fat lost.

Follow along on the participants’ journey as it’s chronicled in the “Slimming With Sharks” blog at http://slimmingwithsharks.wordpress.com.

The Biggest Loser program is part of NSU’s Be Well Initiative, which incorporates all dimensions of wellness – emotional, intellectual, occupational, physical, social and spiritual – and promotes a culture of wellness at the university.

Sponsors of the program include Whole Foods, which will also provide the winner with a wonderful prize package, and Shark Dining’s Chartwells.