Iron Mike's 'losing it' again for new year

With the new year comes a new  Losing It at the Gym challenge which begins at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 18, at Iron Mike’s gym.

The 10-week challenge includes a weekly private weigh-in, weekly exercise and nutritional discussions. 

The challenge includes the constant  support from gym owner  and certified trainer, Mike Davis and his professionally trained staff. 

The competition with other participants helps motivation and also provides support while everyone tries to obtain their weight loss and fitness goals.

There is a new benefit this year that not only contestants can take advantage of but the entire community. Davis has teamed up with Nick Akins, manager of Harvest foods, to provide a good foods list.

“I think nutrition is a huge part of staying healthy and I support Mike in it” said Akins. “Diet is a huge aspect of healthy living and I am glad to help and encourage others to help in any way they can and I am glad he is doing it.”

Inside Harvest Foods items will be tagged with Iron Mike’s business card and a yellow or green thumbs up tag. The green is for excellent food choices and the yellow is for okay food choices.  These will be foods, fruits and vegetables as recognized  good foods in general, to build  a balanced diet.

“I want to make this a community event and not only for people who take the challenge with me, but for people wanting to stay healthy on their own,” said Davis.  “There is no reason why we can cooperate to make our community healthy and fit.”

Since Losing IT at the Gym began many contestants improved their health to the extent their doctors took them off their diabetes and blood pressure medications.  The health benefits and new habits they learned are priceless and everybody who loses is a winner.

“One of our last years contestants is providing entry fees for two people who otherwise couldn’t afford it,” Davis said.  “She was able to get off several medications as a result of her fitness and weight loss and she wants to provide this experience for someone else.”

Last season’s challenge produced four winners who all together lost over 160 pounds.   The 30 contestants lost nearly 1,000 pounds. The  contestants all agreed that in 10 weeks time they felt better, looked better had more energy and healthier eating habits without feeling deprived. 

The Losing It group in the season prior, lost more than 2,000 pounds and the winners received over $4,000 total in cash prizes. The amount of people who participate determines the amount of the cash prizes.

There will be two male and two female winners.  The contestants are being judged by weight loss percentages, which helps keep things fair so that every size of person will have the same opportunity.

The cost for the challenge is $60 for members and $90 for non-members. Gym members have unlimited access to fitness classes and non-members are eligible for one group fitness class per week. Davis also is adding a $5 discount for five pounds of non-perishable foods to later be donated to Community Action Partnership Food Bank.

People can join the challenge up to the first meet on Jan. 18. For information, call 267-5299.