In the fall, Lighthouse Media Group asked its employees to volunteer to participate in a 60-day challenge to not only become healthier but test some of the weight loss-fitness programs available locally.

 Employees signed a contract, identified goals and were provided a booklet to journal their progress. In addition to logging in the basic food and exercise journal, participating employees were given a choice of which exercise or weight-loss program to follow.

 Of the 17 people who signed up, 11 people completed the challenge with varying degrees of success. Three chose walking, two chose Weight Watchers, two chose the YMCA and one joined Heat Studio. Six people chose home-based video programs such as Insanity, Zumba or Turbo Fire. Another chose running, another committed to participating in more sports and lastly, one person committed to giving up soft drinks.

 The walkers and Weight Watchers were 100 per cent successful in completing the 60-day challenge with a great deal of success. Combined, the group had a net loss of 55 pounds (one person gained 1.2 pounds and another lost 32 pounds).

 The significant weight loss was mainly due to overwhelming success of one particular participant - Carolyn Ekins. She lost 32 pounds in 60 days. In addition to walking, she also changed her eating habits significantly.

 In the past Ms Ekins had tried numerous programs and fad diets but none ever worked in the long term. But a health issue in her family gave her the motivation to make this time different.

 "If I'm 300 and odd pounds, high blood pressure and high cholesterol and have a lot of medical problems, I won't have a long and healthy life. I want to have a long life for my kids," said Ms Ekins.

 As a result of research into veganism - meaning a diet that is plant-based and does not include any product that originates from an animal, including milk, eggs and cheese - she decided it would be the radical change she needed.

 "I have been looking into veganism and a plant-based diet simply because I was worried about my health," said Ms Ekins.

 Knowing her failures of the past and knowing that part of her problem is an addiction to food, Ms Ekins felt that a vegan diet would work simply because she would still have a full plate of food in front of her.

 "I am addicted to food. I have no portion control. Moving over to a plant-based diet enabled me to eat huge portions of healthy fruit and vegetables as well as complex carbs and feel full. I never restricted fruits and vegetables," wrote Ms Ekins in her diary.

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 The first few weeks of being vegan were a challenge. She noted she craved the very foods that resulted in her current lifestyle. But the longer she kept at it, the easier it was becoming because she was beginning to realize its benefits.

 "The first two weeks or so were very tough as I still craved cheese and junk food. But after that, I totally began to feel increasingly healthier," she wrote.

 When she signed on for the challenge with her colleagues at Lighthouse, she had already been vegan for about two weeks. Her goal for the 60 days was to lose 30 pounds and be able to walk continuously at a moderate pace for 40 minutes.

 As her diary indicates, Ms Ekins' first day of walking was not easy.

 "I get lower crushing spine pain so currently short bursts of walking 10 minutes each time," she wrote her first day. But slowly over the coming weeks, her activity level increased. And, on Day 29, she had achieved 40 minutes of walking without stopping.

 "When I started walking I could only manage three laps of the track at a slow pace. My back and chest would hurt. I'd sweat profusely and be out of breath. Little by little I did a bit more. Every day I did a bit more. Soon I could walk for 15 minutes. By seven days, I could walk 30 minutes. On Day 29, I achieved my goal of walking for 40 minutes without stopping and walking twice as fast as the first day," she noted.

 Ms Ekins was dedicated at logging in her 60-day challenge book and also blogged about her experience on-line at http://1940sexperiment.wordpress.com/.

 Even though the challenge is over, Ms Ekins is committed to continuing her weight-loss journey.

 Other successes include the two Weight Watchers who lost a combined 23.7 pounds in two months.

 One of those participants used the Simply Filling program which didn't require tracking, while the other person chose the PointsPlus tracking method. The filling program meant that you could only consume what are considered Weight Watchers Power Foods such as lean meats and fresh fruits and vegetables. The tracking program allows you flexibility but limited quantities and requires writing down all foods that are eaten.

 The video-based programs had the lowest success rate of all. Only two people in these types of programs actually completed the challenge. One person lost 1.5 pounds and two inches with Zumba.

 "I enjoy the Zumba exercise," wrote the participant. "I would like to do it more often but I worked a lot of long hours and didn't have the energy."

 The other person, although completing the challenge, did not continue the six days a week workout as required by Turbo Fire. She felt the workouts were too frequent and it was difficult to find time. However, during the challenge, she continued to walk between 30 and 60 minutes most every day. Her goal was to tone up and feel better. She ended up losing four pounds and admitted that in the beginning she started strong but wavered towards the end.

 The one person who joined Heat Studio had identified her goal of gaining a little weight. That person lost four pounds but gained two inches.

 Of the 11 who completed the challenge, three gained weight. Of those three, only one identified weight loss as a goal, but that person gained five pounds throughout the challenge. Although meticulous about filling out the challenge book, the only change made was giving up soft drinks. That goal was achieved.

 One of the people who didn't complete the program felt that her initial goal was too lofty. The program she chose was for six days a week and she felt participating in a high-intensity workout after work and family commitments was just too difficult. If given another chance, she would re-evaluate her goals and set goals that are more obtainable.

 She will be given another chance. Those who dropped out of the challenge have one last chance to redeem themselves. The affectionately called dropouts challenged the affectionately called losers to go head-to-head beginning January 2.

posted on 01/04/12