ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- Thirty-five Anniston Army Depot employees participated in a Choose to Lose competition for 10 weeks to see who could lose the most weight.
The 21 men and 14 women worked out, watched what they ate and performed challenges each week ranging from the intellectual - quizzes on nutrition - to the physical - split squats across the gym floor and battle rope swings.
In the end, 541.5 pounds were lost collectively. Derek Mashburn and Brena Tyner, weighing 60 and 33 pounds less than they did in January, respectively, won the competition.
For both of the winners, it was about their health.
In January 2016, at the start of last year's Choose to Lose competition, Mashburn weighed 333 pounds. He was having a hard time keeping up with his teenage children and wanted to be healthier.
On March 15, at the final weigh-in for this year's competition, he weighed 215.
"I don't think I would have been able to do it without this contest," Mashburn said. "The process helped me be more accountable.
Tyner also appreciated the accountability she felt with the weekly weigh-ins.
While exercise was a part of her fitness program, she focused most on eating right.
"I stopped eating meat and I cut back on eating sweets and fried foods," she said.
Tyner is focused on getting off medications and improving her sleeping with the weight loss.
The Strategic Communications Office tracked a few other competition participants through the 10-weeks.
Among them was Adam McMichael who used the program to focus his attention on working out to trim his size.
McMichael lost 29 pounds during Choose to Lose and said he learned life lessons, including the fact that he can achieve the goals he works hardest toward.
"How bad do I want it, that's the thing," said McMichael.
As added incentive, McMichael had a bet with a friend as to who could lose the most. McMichael won.
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