FitClub Winner!

At the beginning of last August, we started a "FitClub" at work. Each person who was interested contributed $10 to the jackpot, and the game was on. We had until Thanksgiving week to work on losing weight, and the person with the highest percentage of weight loss would win the pot.We ended up with 32 participants! Nice jackpot - $320.00. That is the kind of incentive I like!
Then, we decided to add "Sponsors". Each participant could recruit one or more sponsors who were willing to cheer them on and support them along the way. Each sponsor put $5 into another pot.

Every 3 weeks or so, we had a "healthy potluck", and raffled prizes to those who attended. The participants contributed all the food, and sponsors were invited to come for lunch. The first one was "Fruit Friday", the theme of course being fruit. We had several others, all with the idea being that it was to be healthy. Different dished were tried, and recipies shared. Not everyone seemed to get it - there were quite a few questionable offerings that most certainly wouldn't be described as either fit or healthy, but it was so great to just have people involved. And it was nice to be able to practice my Weight Watchers tips and tools, and make the best selections from the table of food (somewhere I felt safe safe and comfortable vs with others at a restaurant and having to make a decision with no practical experience in food navigation). Luckily, there was alway fruit and vegetables - so it really wasn't a problem. Unless you consider the cake and cookies taunting me with "Eat me! Don't I look gooood?//" a problem. But, I did not give in to their evil tauntings.

I was pleasantly surprised at how this little club seemed to grow! Instead of the normal comiserating about work, co-workers, or bosses, the chatter in the staff lounge now was about salad dressing and exercise. People were coming to work early to do laps up and down the stairs! It was a very supportive environment, and gave people who may have not had anything else in common something to talk about. I know there were several new friendships made.

Thanksgiving week has come and gone, and all the members have weighed in. Our last potluck was today, and the winners announced. And if you looked at the picture, you already knowI WON! My weight loss percentage was 15.6%. That makes my total weight loss percentage since beginning Weight Watchers on May 21, 2012, a whopping 21.9%!!! Along with the jackpot, I was presented with the award pictured above. I am thrilled! I even won 2 additional raffle prizes - a Jamba Juice gift card, and a Biggest Loser book. Nice way to end my week!

We're starting another FitClub Challenge at the end of January 2013. Our wonderful, magnificent organizer, Alma, has already lined up a Nutritionist to come and speak to us. We are lucky to have a supportive department director who has even provided additional raffle prizes. We'll focus on getting healthy, not just losing weight. Lowering cholesterol, cutting down on sugar, and all those things you know you should be doing, but aren't. Opportunities for everyone to gain some health benefits. And just like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, I don't have to look any further than my own back yard!

I do have to leave you with a chuckle, though. How funny is this?? A CAKE for the FitClub?? You just have to laugh. An no, I did not have any!

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