During the last exercise station, Daniel Laskowski, 39, of Tyler, does TRX pull ups as part of the Fittest Tylerites competition. (Raquel Villatoro/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Tyler resident Daniel Laskowski, 39, decided to participate in the inaugural Fittest Tylerites competition because he likes to challenge himself. As part of the Fit City Tyler Health and Wellness Expo on Thursday, the Fittest Tylerites competition was added to have a competition for those who are already active.

Initially when Laskowski saw Fittest Tylerites, he thought, “No way I’m that person.” But he wanted to support the new endeavor and push himself.

“It’s all about trying to work to something and if that is being fit or what you determine what that is, that’s what’s important … But it’s OK, in your own lane, to try to achieve whatever that is to you,” Laskowski said.

Laskowski began his fitness journey 12 years ago. In high school, he was a book nerd and his mom could not afford to put him in athletics. Now, he enjoys being outdoors and encourages his family to do the same.

“It’s cathartic,” Laskowski said. “I think the best thing for everyone is to get out in the sun and just be active. It doesn’t matter if you’re running, you just walk, take a hike.”

The Fittest Tylerites competition consists of nine exercises: lunge jumps, sit ups, shoulder taps, reverse lunges, mountain climbers, hand release pushups, lateral step overs, burpees and TRX pull ups.

In addition, competitors have to run in one Tyler-area 5K. The best runtimes are calculated as part of the scores. In May, a winner will be selected.

While participating in Fittest Tylerite, Laskowski was encouraged to keep going as he did the various exercises.

“Don’t be afraid to be the newbie,” Laskowski said. “Go out there, because everyone will have open arms and what’s great, you can always ask questions.”

If his high school-self saw Laskowski now, he would be “blown away.” When he was younger, he thought, “I couldn’t do that.” Now, he runs, hikes and has completed a triathlon.

At the second annual Fit City Tyler Health and Wellness Expo, attendees walked around the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center and learned about the various local businesses and health organizations including Kourage Health, Bethesda Health Clinic, Any Lab Test Now, Natural Grocers, UT Health East Texas and Christus Health.

“This program is good to help people,” said Tyler resident Winnifred McCullough, 52. “It’s resources to help people find avenues to lose weight and different exercise programs, mental health, coupons for going to Natural Grocerers (and) massages.”

McCullough signed up for the Lighten Up East Texas competition for the first time in 2024. After going through her weight loss journey, she found it helped her health issues, such as her Type 2 Diabetes. Her A1C went from 8 to 4.7.

Before starting her weight loss journey, McCullough was nearly Type 1 insulin dependent and was experiencing 50% renal failure. McCullough weighed 293 pounds in 2021.

Since going on her weight loss journey, she has lost 79 pounds and now weighs 214 pounds. She can walk faster, drinks more water and eats healthy. In addition, she is no longer tired. Through the process, she learned she was not alone in her weight loss journey.

“It’s a lot more people going through the weight loss journey too,” McCullough said. “I was like, ‘I thought it was just me.’”

As she continues on her weight loss journey, she signed up for Lighten Up East Texas again to possibly win some money. She advises those on their own journey to go at their own pace.

“Because it’s a lifestyle … you have to go at your own pace,” McCullough said. “You can’t just go cold turkey, start eating healthy. You have to start, go at your own pace and, and figure out what’s good for you.”

Fit City Tyler was started in 2010 to combat the obesity rates in East Texas. When NET Health CEO George Roberts and former Tyler Paper editor Dave Berry began Fit City Tyler, obesity rates were at 28%. Fit City Tyler helped reduce obesity rates. However, the pandemic stopped the progress. In Smith County, obesity rates have increased and are close to 38%.

“When we started this whole effort was basically we were seeing issues not only adults, but also children were becoming obese,” Roberts said. Children don’t need to be obese and neither do adults because it causes so many other health issues such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes. There’s so many things that caused by people not taking proper control of their health.”

The Lighten Up East Texas program encourages people to be active. Anyone can enter for a chance to win $5,000. In order to be eligible for the prize, you need to lose 5% of your starting weight. Weigh-in locations are located in multiple locations, visit https://www.fitcitytyler.com/lightenupeasttexas to find a location near you.

Last year, over 1,300 people signed up for Lighten Up East Texas. NET Health officials hope as they continue to host the expo and various programs, people get more involved. After the pandemic, Fit City Tyler paused its programs. In 2024, it returned with Lighten Up East Texas and the first expo.

“We’re real pleased with our turnout today,” Roberts said Thursady. “This is our second year so people are kind of hearing about it. So hopefully as we do this, maybe next year we’ll see an even greater crowd. So as we go through, I think people are starting to come out more and more now.”

The goal for Fit City Tyler is to encourage people to get healthy through “one step, one bite, one healthy decision,” as their motto states. As Tyler revitalizes parks and downtown, NET Health hopes people get active whether it is walking park trails, riding a bike or through a gym.

“We wanna see Tyler become a fit city,” Roberts said.