That's a wrap! Biggest Winners announced

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor
  • 31st Fighter Wing public affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  Editor's note: This is the last in a series of related articles to the Aviano Biggest Winner Contest. The series took a look at how anyone with the drive and determination can lose, and win, big through the use of base programs, resources and facilities.

The third annual "Biggest Winner" contest concluded here recently with an award ceremony at the 31st Force Support Squadron Dragon Fitness Center. Nearly 400 base personnel and family members initially signed up for the 90-day event to lose, and win, big.

The annual event, sponsored by the DFC and 31st Aerospace Medicine Squadron's Health and Wellness Center staffs, provided participants from the Aviano Air Base community the opportunity to come together through fitness, health and wellness, camaraderie-related events and much more -- all at their door step. 

Of the 77 contestants who went the distance and made their final weigh-ins, Aaron LeBleu took first place in the men's division; Andrea Smith took first place in the women's division and 'Team No Name?' consisting of Carmen Colon and her daughter Gabriela Colon and Carmen Gatson and her daughter Jonece Tallant, took first place in the team division. 

"This was my second time taking part in the contest and my second place finish last year prompted me to work harder this year," said Mr. LeBleu. "As I already learned a lot last year, the key for me this year was consistency in my diet and work out routine."
For Ms. Smith, this was her second time competing in the contest as well. 

"I used the contest this year as a catalyst for my recent half marathon in Austria and for weight loss," she said. "The program motivates you, holds you accountable, and helps with goal setting." 

For the two mother-daughter duos who partnered up for the contest, it was about losing weight, getting fit, looking and feeling good, and spending quality time with each other. 

"I was really hesitant at first and it was hard to get motivated," said Miss Colon, an Aviano High School sophomore. "But then I saw the results... I learned that losing weight is hard, but it's easier when you have someone pushing you. Now I feel guilty when I go eat something not so healthy." 

Fellow tenth grader Miss Tallant didn't see the contest quite as favorably stating as soon as she heard about it, she thought to herself, "There's goes my social life." She said she likes to hang out with her friends after school and her participation in the contest put a serious dent into her play time. 

"We thought about doing the contest individually and then decided to do it as a family," said Mrs. Colon. 

Mrs. Gatson echoed her words, adding that the contest allowed them to spend more time together and recommended other families to team-up and take part. 

"This will be the first and last time we do this contest," said Mrs. Colon. "We plan to get so skinny that we won't need to do it again." 

By The Numbers 

LeBleu lost 36 pounds and finished with a final adjusted body mass index change of 16.216 percent, and accumulated 355 total points for his weight loss and participation in physical fitness and various health and wellness classes. 

Smith lost 17 pounds and finished with a final adjusted body mass index change of 12.65 percent, and accumulated 220 total points for her weight loss and participation in physical fitness and various health and wellness classes. 

Team No Name? lost a combined 71 pounds and finished with an average final adjusted body mass index change of 11.027 percent, and accumulated 715 total points for their weight loss and participation in physical fitness and various health and wellness classes. 

The 10 men who finished dropped a combined total of 155 pounds, the 18 women finishers dropped a combined 131 pounds, and the 13 coed teams dropped 400-plus pounds. Overall, the 77 finishers of the 90-day program dropped a combined 690 pounds. 

All of the winners this year were great success stories, said Jennifer Kellner, fitness programs director and personal trainer for the DFC. It was really great to have the HAWC teaming up with the fitness center this year to provide all participants a well-rounded program that teaches them about fitness and nutrition and how to track and maintain their progress. 

Maj. Lora Pietszac from the HAWC said they measured the participants' quality of life in a variety of areas at the beginning, throughout, and at the end of the program, and said everyone they talked to said theirs improved. 

For information about the fitness and sports programs, call the Dragon Fitness Center at 632-7459. To learn more about the wide array of classes offered at the HAWC, call 632-4573.