Community teams get off to a healthy start

The corporate and community Fittest Loser teams are pumped and ready to make some lasting changes this week.

Here, take a look at some of the ways they have used the first week of the contest to make some small (and big) changes to ensure a healthy start.

The Arlington Heights Park District team focused on adding more protein to their diets, using food logs to track meals, flavoring water with lemon and eating every three hours. While they've done a great job of staying on track, members admit to a faint weakness for carb favorites, like cookies, crackers and chips.

Wood Dale Park District members have worked so hard that participants are admittedly crabby. They've given themselves 1,200 calories a day, and they tally ups and downs in journals. Having so few calories makes food choices a serious issue, not to mention that they still long for pizza, chocolate and wine.

The Elk Grove Village Team Fit tried new foods and new activities to stay motivated. One learned that weightlifting had more to do with form than the amount of weight lifted. Another did high-intensity workouts, while yet others experimented with yoga and making kale chips and a beloved veggie soup.

Team DataMart Direct learned to celebrate successes, whether they were great or small. Members say celebrate the "better" decisions since life isn't full of perfect days. They are logging what they eat, swapping recipes, prepping food nightly and learning to chug more water and take vitamins.

A noodle lover on the Fat Free Bees - Beeline Image team hopes to find the wiggly pasta made of kelp in order to have great health and noodles, too. Some identified saboteurs of good health, like stressful eating and office goodies. Others pledged to work out and to make "no excuses" a mantra.

The Fat Burning Fitz Chem Fighters - Fitz Chem Corporation group found time to walk at lunchtime, jump rope, do sit ups, climb stairs, even dance at home. Others used health apps to track progress. And members gave kudos to one who braved a birthday dinner without pasta, bread or birthday cake.

Team Diet Pepsi All-Stars - Pepsi Beverages Company learned that nutrition is about more than calories; sodium and sugar count, too. They pinpointed weak areas, with one giving up beer and another vowing off fatty restaurant fare. When office food is up for grabs, they intend to resist the urge to splurge.

Community teams are judged on the total amount of weight lost, as well as their participation in events and team spirit, based on online voting and Facebook participation.