At Work Challenge members tear into healthy diets

As the 10th week of the 2016 Fittest Loser At Work Challenge comes to a close, team members look to each other for motivation to finish this competition strong during the remaining two weeks.

A major factor that determines who will win this contest is the companion challenge to improving fitness: Changing those long-forged and unhealthy eating habits.

“The knowledge gained by looking at everything that goes into our bodies and understanding that changes are within our control,” says Aileen Tischauser, captain of Elk Grove Park District Team Wii Getting Fit, about what her team has learned during the challenge. “Lunch at the office is so much easier when you prepare foods ahead for that week.”

Hanover Park Team Pounds for Blue is focusing on portion control.

“The team learned that quality of our food matters as much as portion size,” captain George Sullivan says. “We all agreed there's no life without pizza; our motto is 'everything in moderation.'”

Team Pounds for Blue also stepped up and explored new menu options.

“The team has never consumed as much salad as we have during this contest,” says Sullivan. “We alone may be supporting the lettuce farmers. For us, the big change on eating habits is the move to more salads.”

WINGS Program Inc, Team Soaring Eagles captain Irene Rozansky sees sweets in a new light.

“I'm proud of myself for not dipping into the candy dish at lunch. It's amazing the theme variations on chocolate. Now fruit and yogurt are my fare,” Rozansky says. “There's definitely life without deep dish pizza, but thin crust remains a different story.”

Team Soaring Eagles owns their obsessions with food. Member Bruna Srb brings hummus and low-sodium crackers to potlucks, while resident vegetarian Courtney Renwick dabbles in spices and exotic vegetables. “We're a great team, as we all love to eat,” Rozansky says. “The challenge lies in changing our thought process from 'love to eat' to 'live to eat.' That's tough.”

Clearbrook Team Withering Aweigh captain Kristen Daniels dishes on her group's experiences changing their menus. “Many more vegetables are being consumed at the office these days,” Daniels said. “Packing lunch for work requires preparation, and that's sometimes a challenge. We've discovered freeze-dried foods are great, especially grapes.”

Canton Middle School 2, Team I AM AV, share their food experiences. Member Vanessa Rosales calls Ecuador home, with a passion for coffee and bread. “When I started this competition, my husband suggested I share my coffee and snack, saying he was helping me. Oh boy, I was angry at first. Over the last 10 weeks we've shared that, along with dancing and healthy meals.”

Fellow teammate Cheryl Romeo has found a different way to change her eating habits. “Actually, I enjoy pizza for lunch, with a side of cottage cheese,” she says.

“Going into the contest, I ate small portions, but enjoyed iced coffees and ice cream regularly. When I changed the types of foods, such as whole grains and lower-calorie snack bars, and added exercise, the weight came off.”

Team I AM AV captain Angela Hodges-Smith takes the long view on changing food habits. “Two years ago I lost 25 pounds,” says Hodges-Smith. “No dieting involved; I made a very conscious effort to match food intake with physical activity, and it worked. While the team hasn't made significant weight-loss progress, we have succeeded in “thinking as well as acting” for meals and food choices. That, to me, is the real struggle, one step at a time.”

Management Association Team Re-Fit managed to get family on board with culinary changes. “My husband's cooking very healthy foods, mostly lean proteins and grilled vegetables for dinners. He's also been experimenting with fun ingredients for our fruit smoothies,” says Mary Lynn Fayoumi.

Chris Schneider's family took notice of his eating habit changes. “They understand how much I love food, and compliment me when I turn down second helpings or desserts,” says Schneider. “The family joined me on the Foodie 5K and see the progress I am making.”

So what's the strangest food item these team members have eaten during this competition?

Soaring Eagles captain Irene Rozansky tried dried tuna out of a packet, for lunch. Wii Getting Fit captain Aileen Tischauser swapped her favorite carbs for bulgur and quinoa.

Display Supply & Lighting Inc, Team Take 5, took a walk on the culinary wild side by including hemp hearts into their new food plan. “Tastes like quinoa, but better,” said captain Jeremy Kitlinski,

Your At-Work Challenge quote of the week: “Individuals play the game, but teams beat the odds.” from the Navy SEALS.