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Lighten Up event increases local awareness of obesity
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| Hoerner YMCA Executive Director Jan Trimble does a body fat analysis for Becky Kavanagh at the Lighten Up Keokuk wrap up event Saturday. Some participants won door prizes. |
By Cindy Iutzi/Gate City Staff Writer
The Southeast corner of Iowa is lighter now than it was in January when Lighten Up Keokuk kicked-off its weight loss and activity increasing event - about 2,070.5 pounds lighter and 225,302 minutes more active.
Approximately 675 Tri-State Area residents participated in the lifestyle-changing effort held in conjunction with the statewide Lighten Up Iowa weight loss campaign.
Hoerner YMCA executive director Jan Trimble and Keokuk Area Hospital Community Relations director Rhonda Schreck coordinated Lighten Up Keokuk.
“For the first challenge in the Keokuk area it went great,” Schreck said. “Some made huge lifestyle changes while some became more aware of their habits. Everyone learned the relationship of physical activity to health and well-being. We're looking forward to next year already.”
Participants formed 84 teams that were allowed to compete in the weight loss or activity minutes competitions or combine both for a winning outcome. Seventy-three teams focused on weight loss and 10 teams selected activity, Trimble said. Of the 74 weight loss teams, 55 reported a weight loss. Eight of the 10 activity teams reported activity minutes.
Trimble is committed to making next year's program even better. She wants to see more activities and a continuation of Lunch and Learn sack lunch programs that proved to be popular.
“The one thing I learned is that a lot of people are aware of the obesity problem in our area,” Trimble said. “It showed me the interest is there. People do want to get fit and change their lifestyles. We changed a lot of mindsets and people changed their lifestyles.”
In the process of lightening up, Keokuk's first place team, Team Tubby, lost 121 pounds, 10.5 percent of its original weight, to win second in the state.
Team Tubby captain Teresa Murray cites her team members' recognition of being overweight as motivation for their successful showing.
“We saw this advertised and I kind of talked to a few people and said, ‘We've got to try this,'” Murray said. “We've got to try real hard. We tried to walk together on the weekend whenever possible.”
Murray attributed her own success to several eating changes: reduction of portion sizes, better food choices (fewer fried foods), more fruits and vegetables, less meat, more whole grain unsweetened cereal and a change from 2 percent milk to 1 percent milk.
“We changed a little bit here and there, trying not to eat out as much,” Murray said of herself and fellow teammate and husband, David Murray.
Members of Team Tubby also included Vicki Sparrow, Shirley Johnson, Barb Eaton and Debbie Wilson.
Just a tenth of a percent behind with a 10.4 percent weight loss, Keokuk Area Hospital's Big P and the Girls came in second by losing 115 total pounds.
Team captain Lorrie Pilkington talked to her team weekly, sometimes daily, she said. Four of the five participated in the activities minutes part of the program.
Pilkington is happy with her personal weight loss of 45 pounds since Jan. 18. She intends to keep her newly acquired good eating habits.
“ I was eating anything I wanted,” Pilkington said. “Now I feel better because I'm eating better. I haven't felt this good in years. I'm planning on staying on it until they do it again. We had fun.”
The secret to Pilkington's weight loss is her 1,200 calories (30 grams of fat) per day diet. She has reduced portions, introduced fat-free yogurt, fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meat and broiled fish. Her cholesterol level has dropped markedly, from 215 to 176.
Keokuk's winning activity points team, KAH Fitness Fanatics, garnered an average of 13,150 activity minutes per person.
Captained by Barb Marlin of Keokuk, the team came in 53rd on the state level. Her team members were: Patty Hymes, Cassie Marlin, Deb Hawkins, Amy Church, Kevin Church and Christina Kelly.
Barb Marlin said minutes her team logged were actual fitness minutes, not pedometer minutes at work, although that was permitted.
“Our big thing was healthy lifestyle changes and to eat better,” Marlin said. “I had posters, motivational information in the break room. We changed the lunch menu and snacking styles. We altered a lot of stuff to make it healthier for everyone in our office.”
Several people won door prizes at the Lighten Up Keokuk wrap up Saturday at the Hoerner YMCA. Sarah Rothgeb won a bicycle donated by Hy-Vee, Keokuk.
Approximately 675 Tri-State Area residents participated in the lifestyle-changing effort held in conjunction with the statewide Lighten Up Iowa weight loss campaign.
Hoerner YMCA executive director Jan Trimble and Keokuk Area Hospital Community Relations director Rhonda Schreck coordinated Lighten Up Keokuk.
“For the first challenge in the Keokuk area it went great,” Schreck said. “Some made huge lifestyle changes while some became more aware of their habits. Everyone learned the relationship of physical activity to health and well-being. We're looking forward to next year already.”
Participants formed 84 teams that were allowed to compete in the weight loss or activity minutes competitions or combine both for a winning outcome. Seventy-three teams focused on weight loss and 10 teams selected activity, Trimble said. Of the 74 weight loss teams, 55 reported a weight loss. Eight of the 10 activity teams reported activity minutes.
Trimble is committed to making next year's program even better. She wants to see more activities and a continuation of Lunch and Learn sack lunch programs that proved to be popular.
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In the process of lightening up, Keokuk's first place team, Team Tubby, lost 121 pounds, 10.5 percent of its original weight, to win second in the state.
Team Tubby captain Teresa Murray cites her team members' recognition of being overweight as motivation for their successful showing.
“We saw this advertised and I kind of talked to a few people and said, ‘We've got to try this,'” Murray said. “We've got to try real hard. We tried to walk together on the weekend whenever possible.”
Murray attributed her own success to several eating changes: reduction of portion sizes, better food choices (fewer fried foods), more fruits and vegetables, less meat, more whole grain unsweetened cereal and a change from 2 percent milk to 1 percent milk.
“We changed a little bit here and there, trying not to eat out as much,” Murray said of herself and fellow teammate and husband, David Murray.
Members of Team Tubby also included Vicki Sparrow, Shirley Johnson, Barb Eaton and Debbie Wilson.
Just a tenth of a percent behind with a 10.4 percent weight loss, Keokuk Area Hospital's Big P and the Girls came in second by losing 115 total pounds.
Team captain Lorrie Pilkington talked to her team weekly, sometimes daily, she said. Four of the five participated in the activities minutes part of the program.
Pilkington is happy with her personal weight loss of 45 pounds since Jan. 18. She intends to keep her newly acquired good eating habits.
“ I was eating anything I wanted,” Pilkington said. “Now I feel better because I'm eating better. I haven't felt this good in years. I'm planning on staying on it until they do it again. We had fun.”
The secret to Pilkington's weight loss is her 1,200 calories (30 grams of fat) per day diet. She has reduced portions, introduced fat-free yogurt, fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meat and broiled fish. Her cholesterol level has dropped markedly, from 215 to 176.
Keokuk's winning activity points team, KAH Fitness Fanatics, garnered an average of 13,150 activity minutes per person.
Captained by Barb Marlin of Keokuk, the team came in 53rd on the state level. Her team members were: Patty Hymes, Cassie Marlin, Deb Hawkins, Amy Church, Kevin Church and Christina Kelly.
Barb Marlin said minutes her team logged were actual fitness minutes, not pedometer minutes at work, although that was permitted.
“Our big thing was healthy lifestyle changes and to eat better,” Marlin said. “I had posters, motivational information in the break room. We changed the lunch menu and snacking styles. We altered a lot of stuff to make it healthier for everyone in our office.”
Several people won door prizes at the Lighten Up Keokuk wrap up Saturday at the Hoerner YMCA. Sarah Rothgeb won a bicycle donated by Hy-Vee, Keokuk.
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