PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AIR RESERVE STATION, Pa. -- How is your New Year’s resolution holding up?
For a lot of people, that personal promise they brought in with the new year to make healthier life decisions has long been forgotten. Gym days turned into an extra hit of a snooze button and healthy diets turned back to comfort food when the snow started falling again. But for participants of The Biggest Loser competition at the 911th Airlift Wing, the goal lives on.
The Biggest Loser competition is an annual three-month weight loss program designed to push its participants into maintaining their fitness goals. In January of 2017, teams of two registered and began their biweekly weigh-ins. Each team picked a team name so they could remain anonymous throughout the competition.
“We started out with seven teams of two,” said Tamra Davis, fitness center manager. “There’s the initial weigh-in and then five after that, and both team members have to lose weight each weigh-in or they’re eliminated.”
At each weigh-in, the team with the highest total percent of weight lost since the beginning was given the opportunity to pick a weekly special at Perksburgh, the local base café.
“It is a fitness center program, however, operating it in conjunction with Perksburgh makes it more fun,” said Davis. “The teams like to go up there and see their menu item.”
On March 31, at the end of a close contest, the winners were announced: Team HBK beat the competition with a combined weight loss of 28.2 lbs.
Who is Team HBK? Two avid Pittsburgh Penguins fans, Cmdr. Don Haley, commander of the Navy Operational Support Center Pittsburgh, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Samantha Hamilton, funeral honors director with NOSC Pittsburgh. They chose their team name in honor of Stanley Cup champions Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel.
“I think you’ve got to pick a goal that is achievable and realize you will have setbacks along the way,” said Haley. “Both of us had setbacks, but we found ways to dig in each time the weigh-in came and we’re both healthier for it.”
Not only was Hamilton working towards her weight loss goal, but she had a bigger overall health goal in mind. She said the first Biggest Loser weigh-in was the day she quit smoking cigarettes.
“She’s on day 86 of not smoking,” said Haley. “That normally causes people to gain weight so extra props to her for that.”
Davis said that at the end of the competition, seeing the reactions of the participants makes the program feel worthwhile.
“I’m happy that everybody enjoyed it,” said Davis. “Just seeing their excitement made a big difference with me.”
So this December, before the clock hits midnight, remember that your fitness goal is achievable, especially with the help of a great support system like the Biggest Loser competition.