Villa Park Rec participant has weight loss success
Villa Park Parks and Recreation announces that a participant in its Weight Loss Challenge program has lost an amazing 165 pounds in less than a year.
Raul Gaston has participated in three sessions of the WLC and has gone from 410 pounds to 245 pounds, that's 165 pounds lost in 10 months. The WLC has been a great success for all participants with over 2,000 pounds lost by those who have attended since the program was started in 2010.
According to Jenny Casale, program supervisor for the Recreation Department, typically participants lose an average of 19 pounds and 10 inches.
The WLC is a 12-week program that meets weekly to learn about proper nutrition, how to improve eating habits and learn exactly how many calories a day the body burns. The goal is to have participants living healthy with vim, vigor and vitality for the rest of their lives. An added benefit to the WLS is that prize money is paid to the first- to third-place winners at the conclusion of each session, which are determined by their percentage of weight loss, not pounds lost.
Gaston, an Elmhurst resident, learned of the WLC from a friend in Villa Park. “I was very skeptical about the program at first. I've done many weight loss programs over the years and nothing gave me the results I wanted,” said Gaston. “The low cost and minimal commitment of this program made the difference for me so I decided to give it a try,” he said.
"I started on May 11, 2010 at 410 pounds. My waist has gone from a size 60 to a size 38 and 4XL shirts to large. More importantly, I'm off my meds, sleep apnea is gone, back and knee pain is gone, blood pressure is normal, diabetes is no longer a threat, and my overall health has improved dramatically,” Gaston said.
Gaston was the first-place winner last fall. The WLC is not a fitness program but the coaches encourage participants to maintain an active lifestyle. Gaston certainly does. Gaston, assistant principal at Jefferson Middle School in Villa Park, gets up at 5 a.m. Monday-Friday for an hour of cardio and weight training before heading to work.
“My work day is always busy and I'm constantly on the move. I try to still fit in a walk or other physical activity in the evening if the weather permits,” Gaston said.
Casale said of the WLC, “the participants really appreciate the support they receive from the coaches and from each other. They say it's a big part of their success in this program. Also, the fact that the coach, Anna Ault, started out as a participant and is now a coach is very motivational because they see that the WLC really works.”
Gaston agreed saying, “Once the classes started the plan all made sense to me. The class gave me exactly what I needed in order to make the lifestyle changes necessary for lasting weight loss, health and fitness. The classes are intended to teach you the basics of nutrition. Some of the topics covered are calories, protein, fiber, sugar, hydration and many more. The best part of the class is all the collaboration of the class members and the teachers when they share the foods and activities that were giving them success that week,” he said.
An interesting story about Gaston is that just prior to joining the WLC he went to a casting call for NBC's “The Biggest Loser.”.After several elimination rounds, he made it to the point of being told to get a physical, clear his calendar and be prepared to go to California for the show's taping.
“I got the call that said thanks, but no thanks, so I decided to keep my doctor's appointment and start my weight loss journey on my own,” said Gaston.