Last year, while many of us were preparing for our seasonal conflict some call the battle of the bulge; 4 Trapper Creek students were engaged in an all out offensive of their own, losing a combined weight of 127 lbs.

As the highly successful weight loss reality show, Biggest Loser, launches its 14th season, more than 30 Trapper Creek students and staff participated in their own 8-week “Biggest Winner” program initiated by staff and students in response to a national Job Corps initiative called Healthy Eating Active Life Styles or H.E.A.L.S.

“We really want to establish the ‘wellness and work’ connection with our students”, said Annemarie McCormack, Health Facility Manager, “our goal is for the students to see the clear link between work success and lifestyle choices”.

The biggest winner this year was 19-year-old John Zacevich who stands 6’1” and weighed in at an opposing 343 lbs.  Through hard work and healthy eating, John lost an amazing 58 lbs., dropping his total weight to 285 lbs.

Volunteering their time to assist the center in measuring and assessing student progress was Doug Martin, MPT, SCS, CSCS and Kim Gillespie, P.T.A. of Hamilton Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation Center; “10 years ago we mainly dealt with sports injuries or injuries that resulted from a client engaged in some sort of sport or physical activity. Today, probably 90% of the injuries we deal with are the result of ‘chronic in-activity’”, said Mr. Martin, who also noted that “every Trapper Creek participant improved in running times and strength gains as compared to the baseline data gathered before the program began”.

Still, a healthy lifestyle must extend further than your daily activities if you want to prevent your waistline from doing some extending of its own! As part of a broader, holistic approach to the work-wellness relationship, Trapper Creek has also implemented significant changes to the dietary menu.

Christy Stanhope, Cook Supervisor and Dining Hall Manager for the campus’ 224 students noted some of the healthy changes she’s implemented in her kitchen. For instance, Trapper Creek no longer serves sodas; instead opting for vitamin enhanced flavored water. Other changes include serving only whole grain bread products, no fat salad dressings, and all ground beef dishes are now mixed with ground turkey to reduce the fat content; 80% of all Trapper Creek’s meals  are now Healthy Choice, meaning they are low-fat, low-sodium, and low sugar and they still taste great!

Based on teamwork, participation, strength gains and weight losses, the top 6 Biggest Winners won a day off from their career technical training, as well as, Subway gift cards for all participants.

Just as the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”; likewise, building a healthy lifestyle will take time, education, application and good old fashioned “stick-to-it-iv-ness” but these Trapper Creek students are off to a great start in 2013.