Largest Loser Kickoff

The 10th Annual Largest Loser competition kicked off today at the JCC of Greater New Haven. It was a chilly morning in Woodbridge with 20-something degree weather and flurries, but the weather did not stop our teams from showing up for their early morning workouts and team activities.

10th Annual Largest Loser participants endure an early morning workout.

Five teams comprise the competition this season: the blue team, green team, red team, yellow team and orange team. The orange team is the "warrior" team, made up of former Loser contestants who are looking to further their weight loss journey. The yellow team is the "shadow" team, and they will participate in Loser events non-competitively. Each team met with their respective trainer this morning and started their first of several workouts planned over the next ten weeks.

Following their morning workout, all teams gathered for an introduction to the JCC fitness and wellness team led by Susan Donovan, Director of Fitness. Staff includes a team of fitness and wellness specialists.

Trainers are:

• Red Team:  Vince Varsh (Lead Trainer), Lisa Viani (Co-Trainer)
• Blue Team: Jess Ciola (Lead Trainer), Maria Hunt (Co-Trainer)
• Green Team:  Pam Hutchinson (Lead Trainer), Casey Canada (Co-Trainer)
• Orange 'Warrior' Team: Jess Ciola (Lead Trainer)
• Yellow 'Shadow' Team: Terri Tully (Lead Trainer)
• Assistant Trainers that will help all groups are Alex Lagase and Johnny Torres

Wellness coaches are:

• Pam Hutchinson, MS Exercise Science, ACE Certified Health Coach will guide the weight management lectures
• Cheryl Gelernter, PhD, Clinical Psychologist will lecture on the 'behavioral aspects of weight loss'
• Tara Graham, Holistic Health Coach will lecture on health foods, organic choices and food additives
• Amy Krystock, RD will offer a lecture 'Ask the Dietitian'
• Bill Bradley, RD will present on Mediterranean Lifestyle and Diet and offer an Olive Oil tasting

Pam Hutchinson leads a nutritional lecture.

After introductions and a quick group photo, all teams attended a lecture led by Pam on the ABCs to healthy eating. With whole foods and mindful eating on their minds, it was a perfect transition into the first team challenge: a quiz on nutrition!

Each team discussed amongst themselves the answers to Pam's multiple-choice questions, and the team with the most correct answers was this week's winner. The green team edged out it's competition with 6/10 answers correct. The yellow, blue and red teams each answered 5/10 correctly. The orange team trailed with 0/10, but as trainer Jess noted, it was not an ultimate sentence. Jess and staff will work hard to ingrain the nutritional component of the program so that participants make wiser food selections moving forward.

The green team is this week's team challenge winner!

The beauty of the JCC's Largest Loser competition is that it is more than a program strictly about weight loss. Nutritional and psychological portions of the program are as valuable as the physical portions, and these lifestyle changes will help participants lose weight, gain health and maintain their results well beyond the 10-week program.

Be sure to tune in for our next Largest Loser recap, which will be provided by team representatives starting next Monday. Here's to health and happiness for all of our contestants in the next ten weeks and beyond!