And the winner is …

Gerry gives all the credit for her weight loss to her trainer, Tony.

 

 From Gerry:  Me!

I didn’t actually win the 2011 Fittest Loser Challenge, but I’m doing a victory dance all the same.

In 12 weeks, I lost 36 pounds. My body age went from an astounding get-your-papers-in-order-to-sign-up-for-Social-Security 60 years to an amazing 42 years of age.

Or, as my husband put it, “From menopause to trophy wife in just 12 weeks.”

From the beginning, I joined the challenge mostly to gain a better understanding of what the contestants went through. I had serious doubts about my ability to hit numbers that would come even close to the five contestants. But I’m pleased to say, I held my own throughout.

And along the way I had the privilege of struggling, straining, stretching, laughing and shrinking alongside five incredible people.

Last Wednesday, our journey culminated in a huge celebration at John Barleycorn in Schaumburg. Just before the winner was announced, as I looked at Kristen, Jayne, Bob, Dee and John, I saw five winners. As Dr. Paul Mikulski talked about lowering cholesterol, significantly reduced resting heart rates and rescue from the brink of diabetes, I was humbled by the hard work I know it took to achieve those impressive numbers.

This competition was not for the fainthearted. It took tenacity to compete and determination to finish. Each contestant has their story, and I’ve been marked by each of them.

Today I’m stronger, wiser and, best of all, skinnier!

Fat is a sneaky thing, it just kind of creeps up on you. When Daily Herald photographer Bill Zars shot my “before” photo, I remember thinking it didn’t look so bad. When that picture was projected on the large screen last week, I didn’t recognize the woman I saw. There’s no other way to say it, she was fat!

I was so determined not to be one of those women obsessed with weight that I became a woman buried in denial.

There was a loneliness and hopelessness that came with being in the state I was in. I didn’t talk about it because I tried hard not to think about it. But the voice was always there, reminding me of my weakness. And the physical reminders were constant … gasping for air at the top of a single flight of stairs or driving the car from one end of a shopping center parking lot to the other just to avoid the tiring walk.

The painful reality of my physical limitations would catch me by surprise. When my daughter, who lives out of state, talked about bringing her boyfriend home for a visit, my first reaction was “I won’t be able to keep up.” He has never been to Chicago and it would be so much fun to show off all the places that are so much a part of life here. But the thought of days spent walking was overwhelming.

So, that’s where I was at.

How do I express my gratitude for the changes that have taken place these last 12 weeks? To Push Fitness co-owners, Mark Trapp and Josh Steckler, for taking a chance on me … I wonder if they bet on lame horses, too? And Tony, well, what more can I possibly say about Tony? My life is significantly different today because of him.

What’s different?

A few weeks ago, we had a plumbing issue that involved busting up concrete to get at it to make the repair. Guess who moved the chunks of concrete? That would be me!

In just a couple of weeks, my daughter moves from the Arizona desert to hilly San Francisco. A walking tour? Bring it on!

What’s next?

I signed on for six more months of training with Tony. Darn! I forgot to include “no stairs” in the contract. Want to follow my progress? I’ll be blogging at thefittestloser.com.

 • When she’s not in the gym, Gerry Alger, editor of the Daily Herald’s Niche Publications, can be found sitting at her desk, typically munching on a healthy snack.