By KEVIN FRYLING
Reporter Staff Writer

It was hard work, but the 44 UB faculty and staff members who participated in Move It to Lose It, UB’s version of the popular reality television show “The Biggest Loser,” lost a combined total of more than 600 pounds.

The winning team of Sharon Wilczynski, center, and Kathy Garcia, right are congratulated by their student mentor, Melissa Bungo, a junior exercise science major. PHOTO: NANCY J. PARISI

That effort and dedication were recognized on Monday during an official celebration event held in Allen Hall, South Campus.

A 12-week fitness challenge that pit two-person teams against each other in order to get fit, lose weight and win prizes, Move It to Lose It was administered by Wellness & Work/Life Balance, a new unit within University Human Resources, in collaboration with the School of Public Health and Health Professions and Recreational and Intramural Services in the Division of Athletics.

“I mainly did it for my weight and to be healthier,” said Sharon Wilczynski, who along with her teammate, Kathy Garcia, came in first by shedding a combined total of 76.7 pounds. “I went to the doctor after it was over and the doctor said it saved my life—my blood pressure went down, my good cholesterol went up, my bad cholesterol went down.”

Both first-place winners put in significant effort to lower their weight and improve their physical fitness. Wilczynski said she went to the gym every day throughout the competition, increasing that time to twice a day—once before work and once after work—during the final three weeks. She also took walks during lunches and breaks. Garcia also put in a strong time commitment by going to the gym about four times a week throughout the challenge.

“This was something I wanted to do, but kept putting off,” said Garcia. “The program was the stepping stone we needed. We feel we got a lot out of it.”

All participants in Move It To Lose It were presented with a certificate of achievement during the celebration event. As first-place winners, Wilczynski and Garcia, both of University Facilities, each received a flat-screen LCD television set, courtesy of the university.

Karen Bauer and Claudia Samulski, both personnel associates in Human Resources, were recognized as the competition’s second-place winner with a combined weight loss of 74.9 pounds. Eugene Spiak and Jack Thompson, both of University Residence Halls and Apartments, came in third with a combined weight loss of 50.6 pounds.

Also receiving accolades was a second group of contestants. Due to manpower restrictions in the School of Public Health and Health Professions, Move It to Lose It participants were split into two groups—“movers,” who were competing for the flat-screen TVs, and “shakers,” who were competing for two iPod touch screen MP3 players. Everyone participating in the fitness challenge was given a free membership to fitness facilities on the North and South campuses, free exercise and diet advice, and an initial and final weigh-in. Movers also received weekly weigh-ins, kept a biweekly online journal and were assigned a student from the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences to serve as their mentor by shepherding them through the program.

As first-place winners for the shakers with a combined weight loss of 42.5 pounds, Phyllis Dusel, a keyboard specialist, and Bertha Hill, a customer service manager, both of Human Resources, received the MP3 players. Eric Berg, a senior systems administrator, and Christopher Williams, a senior systems analyst, both of Enterprise Infrastructure Services, came in second with a combined weight loss of 30 pounds. Michelle Grasso, a project support specialist for the Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology, Graduate School of Education, and Sheau Chyi Lim, a graduate assistant in the Region II Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program, came in third with a combined weight loss of 29.2 pounds.

For those who chose not to compete in the formal contest, Wellness & Work/Life Balance created the “personal weight loss tracker” in which employees could record their weight loss each week between Feb. 8 and May 2. The randomly selected winner in this category was Cynthia Schlabach, assistant director of the Student Response Center in Porter Quad, Ellicott Complex, who received a digital camera.

“I just want to say congratulations to all of you on your fantastic accomplishments and dedication,” Jennifer Bowen, assistant vice president for human resources, told those gathered at the event. “You’re an outstanding group of people—and thank you for helping make this program such a big success our first time around.”

Also offering congratulations was Scott Nostaja, interim vice president for human resources and chief of staff for President John B. Simpson, who praised participants for their efforts to not only lose weight, but also achieve greater general health and wellness by lowering their blood pressure and pursuing stronger overall physical fitness.

“We’re trying to change the culture and engage the campus,” added Kathie Frier, director of wellness & work/life balance. “It’s not just people who are overweight who need to get fit—we want everyone to get the message. That’s what this is really all about.”

She encouraged Move It to Lose It participants to also consider joining the UB team for the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge, the Ride for Roswell and UB’s Start Walking Program, a new program developed by Wellness & Work/Life Balance that promotes physical activity by providing employees with information on walking routes on campus and small incentives and prizes for participation, as well as promoting friendly competition among departments.

Frier also noted that Wellness & Work/Life Balance plans to check in with those who participated in this year’s fitness challenge to help ensure that everyone remains successful at staying fit.

UB’s next Move It to Lose It fitness challenge will begin at the start of the fall 2008 semester, she said.