Impact Sports' Weight Loss Challenge

Everyone Wins Through Weight Loss Challenge

by

Cecilia Harris

Suffering from gout, one member of Impact Sports and Fitness trainer Maurice Flynn’s Weight Loss Challenge group could barely walk when she began the eight-week program promoting personal fitness and weight loss. Before the Challenge was over, she was kickboxing with the rest of her group, had lost over 20 pounds, and had lowered her blood pressure and cholesterol so much that her doctor decreased her medications.

“She came in walking with a cane, but she made fantastic improvement,” Flynn says. “She may be the one (in the Challenge) with the most improved health.”

Anita Larson, Impact Sports and Fitness personal trainer and instructor who coordinates the Weight Loss Challenge, says the woman’s progress is no surprise.

“There’s been a lot of transformations in here through this program,” Larson says, adding that while the Weight Loss Challenge offers prizes for the highest percentages of weight lost, everyone wins because they become more physically fit.

Impact Sports and Fitness trainer Maurice Flynn, right, cheers on members of his Weight Loss Challenge group, from left, Julia Anderson, Brian Cook and Leneice Anderes as they exercise with medicine balls.

Cindy and Ron Overlease of Abilene took part in the Challenge together as a couple and reaped the benefits.“We needed to get moving,” Cindy says. “We wanted to get in better shape and lose some weight. She and her husband felt stronger and noticed increased energy levels in addition to losing pounds. “We both feel good and we’re not tired out after we do something extra (physically),” she says. “We both talked about that, how we both feel so much better all the way around.”

Building muscle by exercising with bands are, from left, Lynn Waack, Hollie Gordee, Julia Anderson, Brian Cook and Leneice Anderes.

Those who sign up for the Weight Loss Challenge, which is offered to the public, participate in weekly group training sessions led by Flynn, Larson, or one of the other certified personal trainers at Impact Sports and Fitness.

Group members often develop a bond as they encourage one another during workouts and hold each other accountable when sessions are missed, Larson says.

Joking around before a workout session are, from left, Brian Cook, Lynn Waack, Julia Anderson, Impact Sports and Fitness trainer Maurice Flynn, and Hollie Gordee.

 “It’s an hour workout once a week at the same time and you stay in the same group for the eight weeks,” she says. “Consistency is the key to working out, consistency and motivation. And that’s the good thing about the group.”

Cardiovascular training includes working out on the step for, from left, Hollie Gordee, Julia Anderson and Brian Cook.

The certified trainer assigned to each Challenge group determines what exercises are done at each weekly session. Both high- and low-impact versions of an exercise are taught so that participants at different fitness levels feel at ease and injury is avoided, Larson says.

Building strength through weight training are, from left, Lynn Waack, Hollie Gordee, Julia Anderson, Brian Cook and Leneice Anderes

“They are getting an hour of training, it’s a good workout,” she says. “It hits all the components of exercise - you get your weight training, your cardiovascular and your stretching. And the workouts are never the same; workouts have to be different every time to get results, it has to be changed up.”

The trainers also encourage participants to exercise several more times a week on their own or by joining the regular classes offered at Impact Sports and Fitness. And, of course, to eat healthy.

Working out kickboxing the freestanding training bag are Brian Cook and Julia Anderson

As part of the Challenge, the participants weigh-in on a scale at each group session because the three individuals who have lost the greatest percentage of weight at the end of the eight-week contest win $500, $250 and $100 respectively. But Larson says no one has to share how much they weigh with the other members of the group.

“Pounds are never discussed, it’s only the percent of weight loss,” she says. “No weights are listed, that’s kept confidential.”

Larson says not everyone is in the program for the prize money, or even to lose weight.

“Each individual is different,” she says. “Some do it just to have a good workout, some do it to work out together in a group, and some really want to lose weight. Whatever the reason, it promotes a healthy lifestyle.”

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