Biggest Loser revealed

It's been all about exercise and healthy eating at City Parks over the past few months, as staff have worked to lose the excess kilos and boost their health.
SYLVIA Mashegane has been named City Parks’ biggest loser. No, it’s not because her colleagues don’t like her, but rather that she lost the most weight in the organisation’s Biggest Loser competition.

Jubilation as Sylivia Mashagane is named City Parks Biggest LoserJubilation as Sylivia Mashagane is named City Parks biggest loserThe mood was ebullient as Mashegane was rewarded for her hard work and weight loss at the prize giving ceremony, held at Kloofendal Nature Reserve on 11 November. In total, she lost 16,1 kilograms and 13,8 percent of her total body weight.

“This comes through hard work,” she said. “I used to go to the gym during my lunch hour.”

To encourage her to keep up the healthy lifestyle, her prize was fitness equipment. Mashegane was not the only one being lauded for her dedication to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, though, and the two runners-up also won fitness equipment for their efforts.

Mmasephiri Seabelo came in second, losing 11,5 kilograms and 12,6 percent of her total body weight, and Francisca Magoete finished a close third, losing 9,2 kilograms and 12,4 percent of her body weight.

Body weight
It was the percentage of body weight lost during the competition that was used to calculate the winner, explained dietician Ronelle Vermaak. Vermaak and her colleague, Carina Rossouw, were the contestants’ dieticians throughout the Biggest Loser, and helped to formulate a healthy diet to follow.

Dietician Ronelle Vermaak receives her certificate of thanksDietician Ronelle Vermaak receives her certificate of thanks“It doesn’t matter how little you have lost, even that little bit has tremendous health benefits,” Vermaak said. “For the biggest losers, you look like the biggest winners.”

In addition to a change in diet, contestants also underwent a vigorous exercise programme and learned about the best way to get results by combining the two. Exercise included general body conditioning provided by activities such as pilates, yoga, tae bo and zumba, as well as more personalised sessions with trainers.

The acting head of human resources, who was also a contestant, Brenda Dlakavu, said: “We started this journey in April, and it has been a wonderful journey so I want to encourage everyone to continue.

“It is not just about weight, but the health benefits. You can play around with your children. I know it was hard work, but it was worth it.”

The competition, based on the reality TV programme of the same name, started on 1 April and although it was meant to last for three months, challenges and obstacles such as deaths in contestants’ families, meant that it was extended.

Wellness
It was launched as part of City Parks’ employee wellness programme.

Contestants show off their zumba moves Contestants show off their zumba moves Overall, the contestants lost an impressive 164 kilograms. “It is a great achievement,” said operations executive Patrick Meyer, “but you should view this as the beginning of the journey. Keep it up, don’t let it slip.”

As further encouragement to all City Parks employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle and so improve productivity and concentration levels at work, phase two of the Biggest Loser will be launched in January 2012.

This, Meyer explained, tied in with the results of a recent survey carried out by healthcare company, GlaxoSmithKline. According to the survey, obese South Africans are in denial. Of the people polled, 74 percent thought their fellow citizens were overweight; only 34 percent thought they were overweight themselves. In all, 61 percent of South Africans are, in fact, overweight.

Certificates were handed out to sponsors and dieticians, and envelopes containing their scientific results from the competition and vouchers for two more weeks of training were given to all 28 contestants, and gift vouchers were awarded to the trainers.

“We would like to commend you for your courage and commitment to persevere through the journey,” Meyer said. “This competition helps in ensuring that all of us look good and can hold up the brand of Johannesburg City Parks with pride.”