Weight loss competition promotes group participation in getting healthy

Concerns over their health lead two Campbell County principals to start a weight loss competition.

“Lose it 4 U,” is a joint effort between Valley View Elementary School, Coordinated School Health and Castleton’s Fitness.

It began with a conversation at a meeting. Valley View Elementary School Principal Steve Rutherford and Alternative School Principal Ronnie Lasley attended training on evaluating teachers together. Lasley has issues with his heart. He and Rutherford began to discuss their concerns about their personal health.

“We decided if we couldn’t get some people healthy, including ourselves, we wouldn’t be around long,” Rutherford said.

They knew their kids would grow up, and they would have grandchildren.

“We came to the realization that if we didn’t get healthy, we wouldn’t see that happen,” Rutherford said.

Lasley and Rutherford set up a meeting with Roger Jackson and Isaac Pratt who are with Castleton’s Fitness, and Alexis Keiser with Coordinated School Heath. They met at Caryville Elementary School in March to put a plan together. They also involved in “Lose it 4 U” Maxine Trottnow, the parent of a student at Valley View Elementary School.

“She had participated in a Biggest Loser Program in Claiborne County,” Rutherford said.

The program began April 19, when the first weigh-in was held.

The program is open to anybody who is interested in getting healthy, Rutherford said. There are now about 18 participants.

Castleton’s has offered a discounted membership rate to those participating in the contest. This discounted rate is $20.

Most of the people design their own exercise programs, and exercise on their own time, but Pratt is training Lasley and Rutherford.

“We’re kind of the test subjects,” Rutherford said. “He trains us three days a week right now.”

The purpose of having a weight loss competition is to encourage one another and motivate each other.

“We try to pray after the meetings,” Rutherford said. “We realize if God don’t help us lose weight, we (aren’t going to be able) to do it, because we don’t have it in ourselves.”

The group meets at 7 p.m. at Valley View Elementary School. Participants are weighed in Rutherford’s office. Then they assemble in the library where speakers talk to them about different health issues.

“We try to make something as often as possible to address health issues,” Rutherford said.

The speakers are usually health professionals, and will be provided by Tennova. They address the group about aspects of living healthy lifestyles, such as diet. This is because losing weight involves a lifestyle change.

Last week, Mike Campbell, from Tennova, spoke about smoking.

If a participant can’t make it to Valley View, he or she can weigh in at Castleton’s.

The group intends to gather at Castleton’s this week.

“We all decided to do an exercise class together,” Rutherford said.

There are also prizes for the winners on a weekly basis.

At every weigh in, a prize is given to the top male and female losers for that week.

“We really give out two prizes most every Thursday,” Rutherford said.

Weight loss is determined by percentage of weight lost. This is found by subtracting a person’s weight from the previous week’s weigh in. The difference is divided by the previous week’s weigh in. This is the percentage of weight lost.

There will also be prizes for the overall winners. Everybody that enters pays $25, which goes into an account. At the end of the six-month period, a top male and female loser will be selected based on the percentage of weight lost.

At the end of the six month competition, the biggest overall loser will win a lifetime membership to Castleton’s Fitness and an elliptical, Rutherford said.