Now is the time to be a ‘Loser’

If you are tired of your old, heavier-than-normal body, it may be time for you to sign up for the Chronicle’s third annual Biggest Loser Contest which kicks off with its first weigh-in on Thursday, Jan. 28. Weight loss won’t magically happen if you merely sign up and show up for the monthly weigh-ins. In between, you will have to develop your own exercise and healthier eating program. Past contestants have found that this is much easier if you have an exercise buddy to help you through the process.

Last year a record 48 eager contestants signed up in the beginning, but only 13 were left standing at the final weigh-in six months later. These 13 dedicated finishers lost a combined total weight of 318 pounds, which is an average of nearly 25 pounds each! Our last year’s winner, Margie Hutton, lost an incredible 19.66 percent of her original body weight.

Who wouldn’t want to lose 25 pounds? You can do that and more if you sign up for the contest and diligently work at exercising and eating better. The obvious benefits are that you will look better and feel better. You will have an entirely different attitude about yourself and life in general. Hopefully, you will even have to buy some new clothes for that smaller body mass!

Another benefit for the winner and second and third place finishers are the prizes offered by more than 20 sponsors. Last year’s first place winner took home prizes valued at more than $1,000. Some were for cash and gift certificates while others were for services like eye exams and teeth cleaning, all designed to make you a healthier person.

As in the past, our staff members will handle the administrative end of the contest with contestant photos and goal information, along with monthly weigh-ins and updates published in the newspaper. Public accountability should be reason enough for contestants to strive to lose weight gradually each and every month. We will require your doctor’s permission to participate in the contest, or you can sign a waiver.

There are few things we can control in this life, but our weight is one of the big ones we can take charge of through proper diet and exercise. It takes a real commitment to follow through on a six-month program, but the rewards of a new body and improved health are enormous. It will add many more healthy, productive years to your life. After doing it for six months, you are more likely to keep that weight off in the future.

So, do yourself a favor and come into our office to sign up now and be there Thursday, Jan. 28, for the initial weigh-in. If you can’t make it that particular day, you can make other arrangements by calling our office.

And, remember. All of our Losers are really winners!