Tom Henihan
Express Staff
McLennan Recreation Board’s 2016 “Biggest Loser” weight loss contest, which began on February 23 ended with some impressive results on April 28.
Thirty-nine people participated in the contest based on a percentage formula with the contestant who loses the greatest percentage of weight over 12 weeks winning the $1000 prize.
The winner of the 2016 “Biggest Loser” is Alain Johnson who managed a 19.82% weight loss with total of 57.6 pounds lost.
“Well I’ve wanted to lose some weight for a while and a $1000 prize was definitely a good motivator,” says Johnson. ”I kind of let myself slip for a couple of years so I needed to do something. It was a nice motivator.”
Johnson says being a taekwondo instructor was also a motivating factor as those at the top echelon of competition in taekwondo are usually, very slim people, very athletic with almost no body fat.
“Losing weight definitely helps with taekwondo because there are a lot of strikes, a lot of movement with the legs, to be lighter is a lot easier on my ankles and my knees,” he says. “When I was heavier, I had a hard time executing some of the movements. And being a little lighter on my feet makes it a lot easier to move around.”
However, Johnson says that while the taekwondo is important his primary objective was to get healthy, get in shape and to be active with his two young children.
“I have two little boys at home now, so it’s nice to be able to have an easier time follow them around,” he says.
The three runners up in the competition are 2nd place Jennifer Young 18.93%, 3rd place Robert Brochu 14.79%, 4th place Shaylene Johnson 13.85%.
An additional $312 raised by the Biggest Loser competition will go towards supporting the local Pond Hockey Club in McLennan.
In light of the success of the second annual Biggest Loser Contest, which is open to the entire Smoky River Region, the McLennan Recreation Committee is anticipating greater participation next year with additional second and third place prizes.