In attempts to lose excess vacation weight, Mr. Manzanares and other staff members are participating in the Biggest Loser Competition during the fall semester to meet their health goals.
Summer is a time to relax from work, school and everyday stress, but unfortunately, most people also remain inactive. Some staff members experienced summer weight gain, so they decided to take action and work to get rid of it. Whether it is ten or fifteen pounds, the Biggest Loser Competition is holding them accountable for progress.
As leader of the challenge, Mr. Manzanares hopes to have a successful semester. A point system guides the participants’ success. For every pound lost, the participants gain one point. For every percent of body fat lost, the participants gain two points. Motivation is an important part of the process. There is a strict time frame according to the weigh-ins, which holds each member responsible for setting his or her goals.
The people involved are Jack Andreisen, Cesar Armendariz, Tom Houts, Marvin Manzanares, Anthony Zegarra, Chris Zessau, Salvador Zuniga, Reggie Jones, Cindy Foley-Andreisen, and Amy Overgaauw. Every participant contributes twenty dollars once, at the beginning of the competition, and the winner decides how to use the money collected. Mr. Houts, for example, would use the money to benefit the farm. On the other hand, Mr. Manzanares would prefer to donate the money to Relay for Life, a charity of his choice.
Every individual has a different schedule. Amy Overgaauw, for example, is a busy coach and teacher.
“Am I foregoing dessert? No. Have I been exercising? No. Have I changed my eating habits or made an effort to change what I’m doing? No and no. Let’s call it bad timing,” Overgaauw said.
Other than weigh-ins, the contest allows the members to work on their own. Progress is exciting, as well as accomplished goals and monetary rewards for the school or specific charities.
Even though the competition is only between teachers and other staff members, Mr. Manzanares hopes to have a team version next semester. Every team would be composed of a student and teacher, and the combined weight loss would count as points.
“It would be hard to come up to a student and say ‘Don’t you think you should lose weight’, ” Manzanares said. “The competition would offer an opportunity for students to voluntarily lose weight.”
When asked about the possibility of including students in the competition, Freshman Vanessa Gonzalez agreed that it could be an interesting way to incorporate a sense of teamwork and responsibility.
“If students and teachers worked together, it would encourage everyone to be healthier,” Gonzalez said. “I know I would probably be curious to see how fit students could get.”
For the fall semester, the participants will continue to do what they can to get fit and meet their goals. The next weigh-in is scheduled for the second week of November.
