Trainers confident Fittest Losers will stay in shape

Motivation is the key to weight loss, and the Daily Herald's Fittest Losers had motivation in triplicate.

The five Daily Herald readers who participated in the Fittest Loser competition for three months were motivated by the competitive nature of the event, knowing they had the opportunity to win prizes for the greatest weight loss by percentage among all contestants.

They were motivated by the personal trainers from Push Fitness in Schaumburg, who worked with them for three months. They were also motivated by the fact that the entire process was played out in front of readers of the Daily Herald, including friends, family, co-workers and total strangers.

But those motivations are all gone. The contest is over and the winner will be announced Wednesday, May 11, at a celebration at John Barleycorn in Schaumburg.

But the Fittest Losers have the rest of their lives ahead of them, and they all hope to maintain their weight loss and perhaps lose more weight. The question is, will they be able to keep up the exercise, diet and lifestyle change they underwent for three months when the whole world was watching?

Here is what the Push Fitness trainers think about their contestants' futures:

Steve Amsden, working with Dee Levine, a 59-year-old childbirth nurse from Hoffman Estates:

“I strongly believe Dee will continue to be successful in reaching her weight-loss goal. Her diet has been impeccable throughout the entire contest as well as her discipline to exercise on a daily basis. She may not have the luxury of having a personal trainer anymore, but she does have all the tools to be triumphant. If I had to bet a million dollars whether Dee would continue losing the weight until reaching her final goal, or failure, I would bet in her favor and win.”

Josh Steckler, working with Bob Pearson, a 37-year-old painter and home inspector from Hampshire:

“Bob has some long-term goals that I know he'll reach because he has a kind of motivation and drive that's almost scary at times. That being said, he knows how tough it is to do this alone, so he's already talked about continuing to work with me once the contest is over. I think he realizes that with all his responsibilities, it's too easy to overlook ‘Bob Time' and by having me hold him accountable with our training appointments, it will help him stay on track. Bob's come a long way, but he's also visualizing how far he still wants to go.”

Wade Merrill, working with John Novak, a 46-year-old assistant principal from Mount Prospect:

“John's past 12 weeks have been steady. He didn't lose focus once and it shows in his results. However, with as much as he had going on outside of the gym during the competition, I have no doubt that the nutrition and exercise have now become a way of life, which is what we (at Push Fitness) hope to see.”

Michelle Amsden, working with Kristen Kessinger, a 28-year-old public relations professional from Volo:

“I think Kristen will walk away from this contest with confidence. I know Kristen will keep herself in order with eating a healthy diet and working out. The only thing I think Kristen still lacks is mental toughness when it comes to training. Pushing past the hurt and pain is not easy, but it is achievable. Don't get me wrong: Kristen did an outstanding job, and these workouts were not easy, but I know she could benefit more from being mentally tough.”

Mark Trapp, working with Jayne Nothnagel, a 52-year-old customer service representative from Bloomingdale:

“ I think she will do pretty well. She is a very strong lady. Nothing will hold her back now that she knows how to achieve her weight-loss goals. Her effort has been incredible, and I think she will continue to do what is necessary to keep her weight down and continue to improve her health and fitness.

Tony Figueroa, working with Gerry Alger, the editor of Niche Publications for the Daily Herald, who also took part in the competition:

“I know that what Gerry and I worked hard for is just the beginning of our adventure to her goals. Twenty-five years of nothing and three months of ‘well done, hard work' is not the end of her book. We have a few novels to write. I would like to see Gerry continue to enjoy her hard work and success in fitness with me. Gerry's future is just getting started. She looks better than ever and will continue to make progress in the future.”