As you have read in the last couple of Fit Happens, I've reached out to all of the participants to get a sense of what they got out of the contest and what they might need to do in the near future to keep losing weight (or at least maintaining shape).
The next interview is w/ Hippo, who at the halfway mark was challenging for the lead. While he still lost over 7% of his body weight during the contest, he faded in the last few months. He speaks of those struggles as well as what he needs to do to get back on track.
1. What are your overall impressions of Fit Happens?
It was a pretty good success. I thought it was telling that the
two most overweight of the four competitors made the least net progress.
I guess this makes sense since that's how they got that way in the
first place.
2. What have you changed about your exercise regimen and/or diet during the contest?
I ate a lot less and worked out more regularly, the two things I
knew I needed to do a better job of. But I changed those things at the
beginning and didn't make any other major change once we got going.
3. What challenges were the toughest during the past six months?
I totally fell off the wagon in May and just now (early July) have
I gotten back on. It was hard to stay motivated. Even with the contest
going on, after the first couple of months it seemed like our group
enthusiasm had waned and we weren't as active with each other.
4. Did you reach the goals you set forth at the beginning?
No. I never set a weight loss goal, I just wanted to make it to the end without a major relapse and that didn't happen.
5. How much did being in the contest motivate you to lose weight? Could you have done it w/o the contest?
It didn't play all that big of a role. It gave some extra
motivation at the end of months, and because B-Bo just kept winning, but
once it was clear he wasn't going to be caught it didn't help at all.
6. Will you continue your weight loss journey?
I never went into this thinking of it as a journey because it was
about changing my lifestyle, not just losing weight. I don't think I
succeeded in that transformation so I am far from done.
7. How will you keep yourself motivated with the contest ending soon?
With the contest being over I don't think it will impact me all
that much. As I already stated, the contest wasn't motivating enough for
me that I will miss it.
8. Did anything or anyone surprise you during this contest? How so?
I never thought B-Bo would lose so much weight and dominate so
much. I was surprised in general with how much B-Bo and Chris lost since
I didn't think they had as much to lose. I also was surprised I fell so
hard off the wagon *before* the contest ended.
9. How much more weight do you want or need to lose to get to your ideal weight?
I don't have an ideal weight per se. I really just want to be
considered "healthy". Whatever weight I get to at that point is my goal.
10. Should we keep tabs on each other as the months pass to keep each other motivated? If so, do you think we will?
I definitely think we should keep tabs on each other. Since B-Bo
and Chris don't have a lot more to lose I think the goals of the contest
should vary for each person for the rest of the year. Those of us who
didn't lose enough should have to lose a bunch and Chris and B-Bo should
only have to keep their current weights without relapsing.
