Fittest Loser Team Challenge: Dancing while housecleaning and other challenges
There are many barriers faced when someone decides to transform their lifestyle into a healthier one.
The past month has been a challenge for everyone as many are working from home, some have experienced furloughs, and others face stress as they risk their lives going out in public as essential workers. In addition, parents now are guiding kids through their school days - another challenge to add to the mix.
During these unprecedented times we could all use some additional support. Fortunately, Team Challenge participants are getting strength from their teammates, families and loved ones.
Jackie Tithof-Steere, captain of Bloomingdale Park District's “B-Fit, B-Flabuless,” says her team is staying motivated by sending quick emails to each other throughout the week. Besides words of encouragement, the team shares healthy achievements that have included gardening, eating a salad for lunch, climbing stairs or, everyone's favorite workout, cleaning the house.
Another participant from “Las Vencedoras,” representing Wood Dale's Tempco Electric Heater Corp., uses housecleaning as a workout by dancing her worries away.
One of Sue Turco's teams, “Bike Fight Fit Orange” from Wood Dale Park District, says members are constantly giving each other tips, suggestions, helpful hints and encouragement. “This is one of our strengths” says team member Nancy Wedemann.
Collete Palait of the team says the emails have helped her break free from “coach potato happiness and eating jelly beans” and that her attempts to get active have at least helped her “laugh off a pound.”
Many participants are doing their best and are managing to either maintain the weight already lost or laughing at their adversity by shedding more weight.
Last year's Fittest Loser contestant Annamarie McMurray of Schaumburg is participating with team “Cast-A-Weighs” this year. She managed to lose 3.5 pounds last week. She attributes this success to maintaining good eating habits, taking advantage of online workouts at the start and end of each day, and the weekly upbeat messages sent by her captain, Jan Brottman from Palatine.
Lisa McQueen from Arlington Heights, captain of “Transformers,” is sneaking in daily workouts by replacing her daily commute time with exercise. “Take advantage of this new opportunity,” she says, “and turn it into something great!”
Lisa's team says their kids have been their biggest fans, cheering and encouraging them to keep moving.
Other teams share that family members have become a huge motivator while stuck at home, including Heather Ross's team, “Bus' A Move” of National Express in Downers Grove. Heather says their families have been a huge support and two members of her team have hit personal milestones - losing 10 pounds.
Sandy Gelfer of “Waist Management” of NEC Display Solutions in Downers Grove, says her support system is rewarding because “we come in all different shapes, sizes, ages and issues but use our humor, friendship and common goal to stay on course.”
Being stuck at home may have us feeling alone but we are all in this together. If you are reading this and would like to share some words of encouragement to our teams, visit the group Facebook page at Facebook.com/TheFittestLoserDH.
The Fittest Loser Team Challenge will honor top teams and individuals as determined by weight loss and participation in challenge activities. Those awards, as well as a team captain champion, will be announced in mid-May.