Winning by losing

Photo By Master Sgt. Delia Martinez | Lt. Col. Jeff Johnson, 341st Operations Group deputy commander and Master Sgt. Shawn Wiser, 341st OG first sergeant accept their award for winning the team category of the Largest Loser Competition held at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. Lt. Col. Justin Mulkey, 341st Operations Support Squadron commander and 1st Lt. Rich Gannon, 12th Missile Squadron ICBM instructor combat crew commander were also part of the winning team that lost a collective amount of 42.2 pounds. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Delia Marchick)  

GREAT FALLS, MT, UNITED STATES

03.12.2015

Story by Staff Sgt. Delia Martinez 

341st Missile Wing

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - The fitness center held a Largest Loser Competition from Jan. 5 to Feb. 27. Largest Loser is a weight loss competition that combines incentive and accountability to motivate and keep participants on track.

This year's competition was a little different from last year's.

"We added teams to this year's competition because last year's competitors said they had a hard time staying motivated on their own," said Dyan Murray, 341st Force Support Squadron fitness specialist and special events coordinator.

Murray coordinated the event this year with the help of 341st FSS Marketing and sponsors of the competition. Once the competition started, the requirements were to go into the fitness center for a weekly weigh in.

"The participants had to come in every week to get weighed on the same scale every time so that nothing was different," added Murray.

The winner of the individual category was Paul Haas, 341st Security Support Squadron combat arms instructor. He lost 24 pounds and received an upright exercise bike for his hard work.

"The hardest part of the challenge was getting rid of bad habits and understanding something that my wife has been telling me for years - portion control is everything," said Haas.

He saw the competition as a motivation to lose weight. Haas jump started the competition with a comprehensive supplementation and nutrition program, worked out six to seven times a week and completely overhauled his eating habits.

Haas said his motivation was his determination in not wanting to let himself down and offered the following advice to anyone trying to lose weight.

"If you're ready to lose weight for yourself you'll be successful," he said. " I listened to a story of an individual that was grossly overweight and now is an inspiration to others by his own weight loss story. He said he simply started by standing up and sitting down over and over again. One thing led to another and now he's several hundred pounds lighter from when he began his weight loss. Bottom line, set small attainable goals and build from your success, before long you'll feel like a new person."

The winning team consisted of Lt. Col. Justin Mulkey, 341st Operations Support Squadron commander; Lt. Col. Jeff Johnson, 341st Operations Group deputy commander; Master Sgt. Shawn Wiser, 341st OG first sergeant and 1st Lt. Rich Gannon, 12th Missile Squadron ICBM instructor combat crew commander. The team lost a combined weight of 42.4 pounds. Each received a gift basket full of protein snacks, reusable water bottles, one free tanning session and gift cards to local restaurants.

• Date Taken: 03.12.2015
• Date Posted: 04.01.2015 12:26
• Story ID: 158772
• Location: GREAT FALLS, MT, US