Congratulations James, the winner of our 6 month Biggest Loser Competition. James lost an incredible 16.8% of his starting weight!
At the beginning of this year, Ambassador Solutions developed a Biggest Loser competition to promote healthy eating habits and reward weight loss. Many employees stepped up to the challenge and saw great results! The first phase of the competition lasted 9 weeks and ended on March 20. The person who lost the largest percentage of their original weight was crowned the Biggest Loser…and Troy Williams clinched that title.
To encourage long-term weight loss and positive lifestyle changes, Ambassador also created a second phase of the competition. The person to lose the largest percentage of their original weight in 6 months would receive a $500 Visa Gift Card, second place would receive a $200 Visa Gift Card, and third place would receive a $100 Visa Gift Card. In addition, those who lost at least 5% of their original weight in the first phase AND kept the weight off for 6 months would receive a $50 Visa Gift Card.
We interviewed our big winner (…or more appropriately, loser). Here’s what James had to say about his accomplishment:
What was your strategy for weight loss?
Modify current eating habits and work out on a consistent basis. I didn’t just start cold turkey and switch from burgers and fries to salads, but I was logging all of my food and drinks that I consumed to see where my problem was occurring. I had to cut out full-flavored, delicious, COKE, and switch to a minimum of Diet Coke or Water.
Do you have any tips for those who are struggling to reach their goal weight?
Don’t expect results after every time you work out. It will happen. Don’t drastically change the foods that you love to eat, but just eat them in moderation and/or replace the fries with vegetables if you go to a restaurant. You would be surprised how that can save you calories. Also, go to a non-calorie or low-calorie drink. Those calories can add up fast. Know what your body can burn in a day without any exercise. This will give you your daily calorie intake that is unique to you and your body. From there, plan your workouts and try to bring your lunch when you can because the folks at the restaurants are not watching what you eat. You are in control of what you eat, so it’s time to take the reins.
What was the first meal you had after winning the contest?
Honey BBQ Burger with potato wedges at Buffalo Wild Wings. The thing is, I ate this about once a week during the competition. Even though it wasn’t my best meal, it was a little reward every week for keeping up with the dieting and working out. I did celebrate a little more brashly by going to Bub’s Burgers in Carmel and getting the “Not So Ugly” burger (1/2 lb. after cooked) with Cheese and Bacon along with a Chocolate Shake and Fries – that’s more celebratory!
What are you planning to do with the prize money?
Currently, this is my “fix my car” money. After that, I’ll be consulting with a Financial Advisor about early retirement.
We would also like to congratulate our second and third place winners. Jeff Crooks came in just behind James with a 16.5% loss, and went home with the $250 prize. Troy Williams, our 9 week winner, came in with an 11.4% loss and received $100.