LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Every January, thousands of Americans proclaim their resolution of losing weight with promises of increased exercise and healthier eating. While some eventually slack off and abandon their goals, the 633d Force Support Squadron will test the meddle of the determined in the 2011 Langley's Biggest Loser competition, which began Jan. 10 and will run through April 1.
More than 150 competitors registered for the competition, which gauges their progress weekly based on weigh-ins and fat-to-muscle ratio measurements. At the end of the competition, winners will be determined on the percentage of weight lost.
The competition is divided into three categories: men, women and teams of five. Teams may have members of different genders. Each team will have a captain responsible for encouraging team members to work out and tracking the team progress.
Throughout the competition, teams will participate in physical challenges - timed events which can earn participants deductions of up to five pounds from their final weigh-in total in April.
Peggy Jones, 633 FSS unit Program coordinator, is accepting the challenge for the third straight year. Following a heart attack in 2008, Mrs. Jones decided it was time to get in shape and used the Biggest Loser program as a platform for her lifestyle change.
The competition called for long, early morning workouts in cold winter temperatures, but the 633 FSS staff made the experience "enjoyable" and consistently motivated participants to reach their goals, Mrs. Jones said.
"It was so much fun, I had to sign up again," she added.
Mrs. Jones won first-place in 2009 and missed the top honor by one pound in 2010. She said she is "determined to do her best to win" this year's competition.
However, the desire to win isn't the only motivating factor of the competition. The contest changed the way she looks and feels and contributed to her overall awareness and dedication to staying healthy.
"I've lost 48 pounds as a result of the competitions and kept it off," Mrs. Jones said. "It encouraged me to live a healthier life, even after the contest was over."
Changing attitudes about fitness and permanently adopting healthy lifestyles is the overarching goal of the program, according to Lt. Col. Jenise Carroll, 633 FSS commander. "My fitness staff focuses on the physical fitness aspect of the program and the medical experts at the Health and Wellness Center provide nutritional advice."
"It's important as a country not to continue the ongoing trends of increasing obesity," the commander said. "The New Year often serves as a time of reevaluation for many, and this program is a perfect stepping stone to make a positive lifestyle change."
Colonel Carroll noted the influx in family members joining the program alongside their Airmen, highlighting the wide scope of the competition across the entire Joint Base Langley-Eustis community.
"Not only do we have more contestants this year than ever before, we have more couples and families signing up," she said. "Even if you're not overweight or are in optimum shape, the competition can serve as an excellent motivator for others who need the help."