Posted 1:22 am Sunday, April 22, 2012
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FIT CITY SUCCESS: Biggest Loser Big Winner In End
After 12 weeks, the biggest loser turns out to be the biggest winner in a weight-loss challenge at a Tyler doctor's office. It was the employees at Azalea Orthopedics who initiated the challenge to better health. In the end, it changed many of their lives for the better.
We first introduced some of the Azalea Orthopedics employees working hard to get fit about halfway through the challenge. It's over now, and you won't believe how much weight they lost together.
The staff at Azalea is now 257 pounds lighter. Almost 20 employees weighed in every week for three months.
"Everybody's been real supportive. We're all in this together."
Instead of a pot of food, a pot of cash, put in by the employees themselves, helped motivate them to walk more and eat less.
Tony Hernandez dropped the most weight: 46 pounds and counting.
"My legs feel a whole lot better," he said. "I think my body, my knees are thanking me for doing it."
Hernandez works in occupational therapy at Azalea Orthopedics.
He said his fellow competitors and co-workers helped encourage him to step away from the fried foods and onto to the treadmill. And to long, really long walks outside.
"I started out with four miles a day and went up to eight and finally ended up walking 12 miles a day," he said. "I saw the pounds gradually start coming off."
The doctors at Azalea supported their employees every move to lose weight and get healthier.
"Their drive is very high to improve themselves," Azalea Orthopedics physician Dr. Jan Garrett said. "The healthier they are, the better they are all over, helps our health care costs and them, too."
Hernandez keeps a list, how to mentally prepare for weight loss, so he stays on track. It includes writing in a journal, picking out an outfit in a smaller size to motivate you and lining up a support team to help achieve fit city success.
Hernandez said he plans to take his winnings and buy new clothes that actually fit him. He's only five pounds away from his goal weight.
Watch Dana Hughey's "Fit City Success Stories" each Thursday during KYTX CBS19's 10 p.m. news.
