By Heather Carr, Staff Writer
With sneakers laced and sport watches ticking, dozens of teachers and other faculty members have committed themselves to shaving off at least ten pounds or 10 percent of their body weight over the course of three months after signing up to participate in the campus-wide weight-loss competition known as the Barons Battle of the Bulge.
The challenge, which was started a few years ago by the campus nurse Marci Mclean-Crawford, requires that all participants submit $40 by Feb. 6. After submitting the required entry fee, a contestants is paired up with another individual as a training partner.
Every Friday until May 8, the participants will undergo a weigh-in in Mclean-Crawford’s office in order to be noted as a possible winner. The teams who lose the highest combined percentage of weight per week will receive simple prizes. On the final day, individuals who reach their goals will receive $35 and divide the cash that was lost from participants who did not. Teams whose both individuals have reached their goals will receive a donated prize.
Robert Zick, the Department Coordinator of the Performing Arts, is teamed up with special education teacher Chris Young in an effort to work towards developing a healthier lifestyle by losing approximately 20 pounds by eating more consistently and working out in the school facilities and at home.
“[I plan to achieve my goals by]… eating 1. More regularly, a change from me normally on how I wouldn’t eat breakfast or lunch and I would go through until I got home, which is often not until the evening, and eat then,” Zick said. “So I’m trying to eat a little bit more regularly, having breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And exercising a bit more, going to the gym over here at the school. I have a gym membership back at home and on weekends when I have the opportunity, going on walks or hikes or bike rides and things like that.”
Mathematics teacher Ryan Mckernan, who is paired up with baseball coach Deric Yanagisawa, is also determined to reach his own weight-loss goals, and expects this year’s competition to prove a success.
“My personal goal is to live a healthier lifestyle for myself and family,” Mckernan said. “I have been busy lately (excuse number one) and my health has not been the priority it should be. This year differs, in that, the buy-in is double and we are working in pairs instead of as a team.”
The competitive atmosphere has engaged participants in striving towards their own fitness goals while pushing others to do the same.
“We also have a sense that, a sense of competition among the other teachers so that feeds something, but it is also the idea of being here to kind of support and push the other people along,” Zick continued. “And I’m expecting that same thing from myself, this whole thing will help push me.”
