Loss Leader: Employees Dump 924 Pounds in Wellness Weight Loss Challenge

“We want our associates to be healthy,” Human Resource Benefits Manager Kimberlea Guerra said. “It’s important to us, it’s important to them and it’s important to their families. We emphasize its importance through contests like the weight-loss challenge and our free Wellness and Fitness Center which is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to our associates and spouses.”

Group and individual prizes will be announced at the luncheon.

Dan Calvo II, a resource planning analyst, lost 22 pounds during the contest. His strategy included walking 4 miles a day, portion control of his diet and restricting himself to around 1,800 calories a day.

“The company’s weight-challenge was an excellent excuse to get back into shape,” he said. “After the weight-loss competition is over, a few members of the team will still continue to lose more weight. We weigh in every Friday as a team. This holds everyone accountable and keeps up the motivation to lose more weight.”

Sales Center Development Supervisor Severena Strothers, who lost 24 pounds, said,
“I work out 5 days a week and make sure I count calories. I definitely feel better. When I look in a mirror, I don’t hate what I see. I like working in teams. It’s very motivating to have people count on me.”

Since the company’s Wellness Center opened two summers ago, Senior Programmer/Analyst Lisa Little has lost 35 pounds. She attributes her success to having the wellness center on site.

A big change in diet helped too, she said. “I knew it was important to get my metabolism going and to lay off of both alcoholic beverages and diet soda,” Little admitted. “I made big changes to both my eating habits and my workout routine. I eat every 3 hours and really pay attention to portion size. I allow myself one meal a week where I can have anything I want, but I make sure to work out extra hard on that day or the following day.”