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Contestant Jiten Patel Breaking the chocolate habit, and others

Trainer: Steve Amsden

When Jiten Patel's weight topped 300 pounds, he knew it was time for a major lifestyle change.

"I realized I wasn't happy with myself: the way I looked and how badly I felt," says Patel. "The weight of the world was on my shoulders that first day I stepped into the Push Fitness studio."

This wasn't the first time J, as he likes to be called, attempted significant weight loss. Like so many others who tried fad diets, detoxes and exercise plan, J always gained the weight back.

"When this competition started I was a mess: physically, mentally and emotionally," J says. "My trainer (Steve Amsden) explained that if this continued I would be miserable. I use Steve's advice every day: This isn't temporary, it's a lifestyle change!"

J's hectic travel schedule and work environment posed challenges for healthy meals. "I ate lots of junk food, still feeling hungry. It was easy and everywhere," J says. In addition, living the vegetarian lifestyle now for more than a decade created menu hurdles he managed by choosing carbohydrates in place of meat proteins. "Now I rely upon egg and plant proteins to jump start my nutritional needs," Patel says.

Amsden brings years of fitness training to the studio and J needed that push to get him past his own self-imposed workout limits. "I always thought lots of cardio exercise would drop the pounds," says Patel. "Steve changed my whole way of fitness training, with the emphasis on strength and weights. I liked that he has little tolerance for excuses and complaining."

That strict training style helped inspire J to drop 63 pounds during the twelve week competition.

J appreciates that sense of accomplishment and confidence he has gained in the Push Fitness studio over the past three months. "Steve motivated me to see just how strong I really am," Patel says. "I'm still surprised, and so are my family and friends, with how far I have come since the beginning of the contest. Steve's a big part of my success."

One Saturday morning at boot camp, J gave his trainer the biggest surprise of this year's competition when chocolates feel out of his sweatshirt. Steve' took crime-scene photos, while J, just back from trip to Thailand, stands by his side of the story.

"Out of habit I slipped a few chocolates into my pocket. Forgetting about it during the contest, they fell onto the floor, right in front of my trainer. It couldn't get any more perfect than that!"

- Annie Overboe

  Fittest Loser contestant Jiten Patel lifts weights during an early Saturday morning workout at Push Fitness in Schaumburg. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Jiten Patel of Hoffman Estates is met by his trainer Steve Amsden Tuesday at the Daily Herald Fittest Loser finale banquet at Chandlers Banquet hall at the Schaumburg Golf Club. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Jiten Patel, of Hoffman Estates is spun around by his trainer Steve Amsden at the Daily Herald Fittest Loser finale banquet at Chandlers Banquet hall at the Schaumburg Golf Club. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Jiten Patel, Fittest Loser participant, shops at Brooks Brothers.
Jiten Patel, Fittest Loser participant, shops at Brooks Brothers.
  PUSH Fitness trainer Steve Amsden talks about contestant Jiten Patel at the Daily Herald Fittest Loser finale banquet at Chandlers Banquet hall at the Schaumburg Golf Club. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Fittest Loser contestant Jiten Patel, right, with trainer Steve Amsden. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com

Jiten Patel, 41, Hoffman Estates

Height: 5'10"

Starting weight: 302

Final weight: 239

Pounds lost: 63

Percent lost: 20.86

Starting BMI: 43.3

Final BMI: 34.3

Waistline inches lost: 11

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