Message from Machelle Vieux's corne
Commander Machelle Vieux and her big guns
For some of you that don't know, Larry Dove, our first Biggest Loser and now a trainer for our current winning team (I am never gonna hear the end of this, I can tell you), works at Naval Air Station Lemoore in the Public Works Department. A few weeks before our contest was to begin, his Boss, Commander Machelle Vieux called me one day to talk about the Biggest Loser contest. She was curious about how our contest works, what it entails, cost, time, etc. Her interest was based on stories she had heard from Larry and others, about how successful our contestants in the past had been, and how could she somehow implement our contest into the Public Work's Department here on the base. She believes, as I do, that healthy people are happy people, more productive, safer, more motivated, and the list goes on. Since that meeting, she has been a major supporter and cheerleader of our cause: educating and helping people get fit and healthy. For the record, we have, I believe, eleven people from the Public Work's Department alone in our Fall 09 contest!! Commander Vieux even has her own "in house" competition going on in PW to further motivate and support her people! If we had more leaders like her in this world, think how far we could go???
An email from Machelle to her PW folks: (hope she doesn't mind me publicizing this)
An excerpt;
"...This week the PWD Lemoore team is ANOTHER 20 pounds lighter! Imagine that -
after only two weeks, the PW team has lost a collective 91 pounds! You've
put in many, many hours at the gym, demonstrated your discipline in eating
right and the results are truly showing. I can see the difference in your
appearance and I wouldn't be surprised if you get a lot of "have you lost
some weight?" comments..."
Thanks again to Machelle and all the team who work so hard to help us achieve our dreams.
You can lead a horse to water...
Here is a letter sent from me to my folks. It may be direct, but I wholeheartedly believe it from the bottom of my heart.
"Okay, greatest Biggest Loser team of all time, your girl is back and we are
going to get serious. You know what that means?? I was looking at the
attendance log, and some of you showed up everyday like you are supposed
to, worked hard, followed your food plans and journals and the scale
reflected your hard work and dedication. Kudos to you that didn't slack
off. We have FIVE in the top ten this week! Nice work boys and girls.
That said, some of you barely came last week while I was gone. In my
absence, we had three other trainers here, plus two volunteers (Machelle
Vieux and Rae)to help you keep going, answer questions, and help keep you
motivated. WE can't help you if you don't GET YOUR BUTTS IN THE GYM. I
know some of you have been sick, working lots, etc, etc and I do understand
that. HOWEVER, those are still excuses that can, and should be worked
around. When there is a Will, THERE IS A WAY.
Remember why you joined this contest in the first place? Yes, to lose
weight, but for some of you it was a last hope after years of dieting,
gaining weight, losing weight, gaining weight, working out incorrectly, so
on and so forth. Folks, what we teach you WORKS. Our first contest proved
that. People in this contest are proving it. No, it's not easy, but neither
is life. If you can find time to get your nails done, get your hair done,
schlep in front of the boob tube every night, you can find one hour a day to
work out. We can help you, but at some point you have got to stop making
excuses and help yourselves. I can only give you the tools, you have to USE
those tools to succeed.
Don't be discouraged by the first week's big numbers losers on the scale.
This week's numbers are much more realistic and can be achieved by each and
every one of you if you DO IT!
Follow the food suggestions, keep your journal, do some research on the net
for even more low carb meal ideas, use your cardio itinerary, and lift those
weight 3-4 days a week. Each one of you can lose 10-20 pounds easily in the
next six weeks if you apply yourself. I swear it.
No matter what, the next six weeks are coming. Time is going to continue to
pass. How are you going to spend this short valuable time on this planet?
Unhealthy and unhappy?? It is your choice to make changes that will help you
live longer, happier and healthier for the rest of your life. We are here to
guide and help you every step of the way, but you have got to meet us half
way. "
Folks, the core message of what i want you to hear is this: Time is flying by. Use it wisely. Quit making excuses and just do it. if it were easy, we'd all be a size 4 and wear 30 waist jeans.
Let's support each, figure out a game plan, and let's get it going. Larry
says it takes a village, and it does. We are your village.
To your good health,
Sonya
Message from Larry's corner
Well team we did it again, we have six Got Truck team members in the TOP TEN
for week two. We had five members in week one. We are killing the other
teams.
Our Top Ten members this week are
1 Cindy Buono (Welcome to Top Ten and THE WEEKLY BIGGEST LOSER WINNER)
2 Nelson Garham (Week one & Two)
3 Marilyn Gagne (Welcome to Top Ten)
4 Mandy Graham (Welcome to Top Ten)
5 Dennis Cardoza (Week one & Two)
WE TOOK THE TOP FIVE SPOTS!!!!
8 Gracie Sotelo (Welcome to Top Ten)
So far everyone has step-up to the challenge to make the Top Ten. Now for
week three lets try very hard to take all Ten Spots. All we have to lose is
weight. People don't get discourage or derail by others, just let it happen.
This program will work if you let it. Follow it to the letter, you may add
to it but don't take away from it. Follow the food suggestion, keep your
journal up to date, do some research on the net (feed the brain not the FAT
CELLS). DRINK WATERRRRRRRRRRR. Use your cardio itinerary and lift those
weight 3-4 times per week. Please make sure you workout on the weekend.
Don't blow it on SAT/SUN. Come workout with us Saturday @ 8am. Got that
workout out of the way early.
Larry
PS: AB/ Core class Thursday At 5pm. Do your Cardio first.
PSS: Make sure you checkout the board in the GYM. We are Trucking!!!!!!!!!!
Note from Sonya to Kat and Erin...you guys need to step up and get your teams going!!
Week Two Top Ten
1. Cindy Del Bueno 3.50% 9 lbs
2. Nelson Garman 2.53% 7.5lbs
3. Marilyn 2.53% 4lbs
4. Mandy 2.44% 6lbs
5. Dennis Cardoza 2.16% 4.5lbs
6. Kathy Mendota 2.16% 4lbs
7. Anne Morgan 1.93% 4lbs
8. Gracie 1.55% 3lbs
9. Michelle 1.40% 3lbs
10. Roman Benitez 1.27% 3lbs
I'm running a bit behind folks due to my travels from last week. I promise I will get last names, photos, and such as soon as possible! Congrats to all of our top ten's and most especially a hearty-way to go girl to Cindy!! Yes, she's on Larry's team....sigh.
Larry's corner...Oct 20, 2009
1. I am a Black Male,so take all the pic you want..
2 I also will host a team workout in the gym @ 8am on this Sat. Oct. 24.Open to everyone, please make one session on Sat.
3 I am so VERY PROUD of my GOT TRUCK TEAM, we placed four people in the top ten Biggest Losers.
Well we all took the program out for a test drive last week, now it's time to let the rubber hit the road. Drive it like a rental car!
OUTSTANDING JOB TO EVERYONE KEEP UP THE HARD WORK DRINK WATER AND LOG DOWN YOUR FOOD INTAKE
&n bsp; LARRY DOVE
...
Losing weight ain't easy
A habit is any action that we have performed so often that it becomes almost an involuntary response. If we consider this habit to be undesirable then we may label it a "bad habit". People spend countless hours and dollars each year attempting to break these bad habits and often do not have any success. Why? Because there is no magic bullet. Change is hard work and there is no short cut to achieving it. The steps a person needs to take, however, can be very simply outlined. To effect a change in habits, one needs to bring the action back into the realm of consciousness and regain the ability to make choices.
Studies show that it takes around three weeks to create a "habit". Unfortunately, in the fitness industry, most folks quit long before then.
I think that is why people join the Biggest Loser contest. Our program is designed to start from the bottom up, to build a foundation of good health, and help folks create healthy lifestyle changes. Note the word, lifestyle. Our goal is to help people be healthy FOREVER!! Not just for the next eight weeks. 'The next eight weeks is only the beginning to a world some people have only envisioned. We train, we teach, we educate, we care....it is our job to teach people a healthier way to live, and it is not an endeavor we tke lightly. Educating the public is not an easy task... that being healthy, is a forever thing, not a fad, or a diet pill. Ultimately we try to give folks the tools to learn how to not to let food control you, but that YOU are in control.
Week One's Biggest Loser is...
Folks- are you ready for this....sixteen pounds in week one!! With a body weight percentage of 6.44%!! In fact, Larry called me into the room to triple check the scale. Now folks, understand this, these are not typical results. Bruce limited his nutrition intake to the extreme and worked his ever lovin' butt off! Bruce did say that this had occurred before when he was on a pretty restricted diet in the past. Way to go Bruce!! Just for the record, Bruce and his wife Debbie are our first ever, married contestants! We also have a mother/son duo that I will be blogging about here in the near future.
Please remember this, this competition is based on percentage of body weight lost, not actual weight lost.
Onto our top ten:
Bruce Whisenhunt lost 16 pounts, 6.44% body weight (Erin's team)
Olivia Garcia, who lost 7.5 pounds, and 4.16 % body weight (Larry's team)
Kyle Wulf, who lost 8.5 pounds, 3.95% body weight (Larry's team)
Joe Pharo who lost 8.5 pounds, 3.82% body weight (Larry's team)
Debbie Whisenhunt, lost 5.5 pounds, 3.74% body weight (Erin's team
Nelson Garman lost 11 pounds, 3.58% body weight (Larry's team)
Chelsea Hosfelt lost 9 pounds, 3.36% body weight (Katy's team)
Anne Morgan, lost 7 pounds, 3.27 % body weight (Sonya's team)
Amanda Newell, lost 6.5 pounds, 2.95% body weight (Sonya's team)
Dennis Cardoza, lost 6 pounds, 2.8% body weight (Larry's team)
Now, I might not be the smartest woman in the world, but it looks like Larry's team is kicking my team's ASS!! Hello, peeps, why are you letting this happen?
Seriously, congratulations to each and every person in that top ten!!
Biggest Loser Training Shedule for Week Two
Tuesday 1600-1700 Wednesday 0700-1000
For my team, I will be out of town Wednesday afternoon the 21sh until the following Tuesday, October 26.
I will have my lap top if you need to get in touch with me. sonya@lemoorefitness.com
Larry will be hosting this Thursdays AB/Core Dance class at 1700. Please go, and take pictures...i'm thinking future blackmail photos!
Kat and Erin will be hosting group training sessions both this coming Sat and Sun...times to be announced.
This week's biggest loser winner, as well as the top ten will be posted tomorrow evening after we finish all the numbers. Expect amazing results!
Don't go Shawna, DON'T GO!
It's with a heavy heart that we say Fair winds and following seas to not only a valued employee, but a wonderful girl, and dear friend- 
Shawna Gomez (with our children volunteering at a stable fundraiser earlier this year).
Some of you might remember Shawna Gomez from our first biggest loser contest where she placed in the top ten. Her can-do attitude and positive personality won us over and we hired her not long after the contest ended and she has been working at FS until she left last Thursday. She and her husband Jesus are now living in Hawaii on three year orders. Can you believe she would leave us for that!! Crazy!!
We did give Shawna a now infamous "Girls gone wild' going away party, and will post pictures soon. To Shawna and Jesus, be safe, be happy, continue your quest for a healthy lifestyle, and remember, you will always have a place in our hearts and our memories. Thanks for being a part of our team-we are better for having known you. Aloha!
Letter from Larry
Folks, Message from Larry (submitted via email from last Saturday)
Saturday Cardio week one reads:
Outside walk first thing in the AM for 60 minutes
Strength Training ( if possible)
Well how did it go? Did the Fog stop you? A brave group made it to the gym @ 8 a.m., and we had a great time. These Biggest Loser will probably be in the Top Ten for week one.
Sonya had 3 team members
Erin had 1 team member
Kat had 1 team member, and I had 2 1/2 members. One of my Biggest Loser's Wife was in the house, she worked out with us. We had a 8 pound Walk \ Jog Relay Race, that turned into a last man standing contest. The winner of the Last Man Relay Contest was a Woman. Mrs. Cardoza and I was the last two fighting it out, but I could not hang. GREAT JOB !
After the fun with the relay, one of Sonya and Erin's Biggest Loser Team Members and I completed the weekly Strength Training Program with max muscle burnout on each third set of 15 reps. We pumped some iron. When one was pumping iron the other two were performing two sets of super set, never letting our heart rate drop.We never let the workout equipment seat cool off. This level of commitment will keep these Team Members in the Top Ten each week. Do you think that was all? No sir buddy. Sonya's Team Member got back on the Cardio wagon and pulled off another workout. You won't see her in line at the drug store buying heart meds. You will see her name in the Top Ten.This group of Biggest Losers planned their job workout and worked the plan. They didn't let their husband or wife, friends, kids or the weather stop them.
Come join us on Thursday night and Saturday morning. We are like Motel 6, we will keep the light on for you!
My wife, a Retired School Teacher, made her students learn a creed every year. Great words to live by. If you would like a copy, see me at another time. Read this creed when you don't want to come to the gym to workout.
Hey, don't forget to weigh-in on Monday. You can weigh-in at ANYTIME. The 5:00 meeting is mandatory in order to receive your week-two program. Please bring in your weekly food journals.
LARRY DOVE
Core Training on Thurday
The Second Biggest Loser Contest is underway!!!
We have two returning trainers for this competition, Erin and Kat (who, by they way, are two of the finest ladies I have ever worked with). To really stir things up, I asked Larry Dove, our winner from the first Biggest Loser, to be our fourth trainer!! Larry agreed whole-heartedly, and has jumped on board completely! Remember, Larry lost almost 50 pounds in the first contest! What better way to motivate our new group than a trainer who has "been there, done that" Please visit our blog to get better acquainted to the newest member of the Fitness Solutions team!! (thanks to cynthia for letting us steal her husband for the next eight weeks).
Understand this folks: it is a huge commitment for our contestants to walk into that gym and commit themselves to our programs for eight solid weeks, especially with the holidays looming. It also is a MONUMENTAL effort on behalf of the trainers-these folks have anywhere from 6-14 folks on their team-coordinating training times, keeping folks motivated, being supportive and putting in hours and hours in the gym helping people change their lives once and for all!! Each one of these folks are a credit to not only our company, but to the naval air station. As Larry is fond of saying "it takes a village". Erin, Kat, Larry-thank you. I truly look forward to the next eight weeks working by your side. (and kicking your butts).
To all of our contestants-thank you. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to help you change your life and your health. that said, signing up and coming to the first meeting doesn't make you skinny by osmosis! You are gonna have to work your asses off, eat relatively well, and be patient. Lifestyle changes, losing weight, AND creating new habits takes TIME!! Every time you get frustrated because you didn't lose the amount of weight that you thought you should, remember this: how long did it take you to get heavy?? couple months?? YEARS?? if it took you three years to get fat, DO NOT expect lose 20 pounds in three weeks. Ain't gonna happen. Well, unless you get liposuction, and that's another topic for another day. A healthy, safe weight loss, is between 1-2 pounds a week. NO KIDDING. This isn't the BL of TV, where they work out 8 hours and day, this is normal joe-shmoes learning how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle into their every day lives. And to make it harder, let's make it a military lifestyle. Which, in my humble opinion, is the toughest career out there!!
To all of you-we are here to help you. But, you must be ready to help yourselves. Signing up to this contest proves it, and it is the first step in the right direction.
We are a village, and we will be there for your every step of the way. Don't give up, don't quit.
Your life depends on it.