Speechless!

As I write the final blog of the winter Team Challenge I am at a loss for words! Normally, I have some catchy title to represent the theme of the week...this week, I struggle to come up with the title. I had a client email me this morning and say that last night must have been a highlight in the history of the Weight Loss Clinic/Healthy Weigh...I agree.

So where do I begin. Let's start at noon. We have had so much fun at noon this Team Challenge. We have a group of people who are serious about losing weight and changing their lives...all while, they were energetic and hilarious!

We weighed in and announced the winner of our last noon weigh in. Team 'Boys to Thin' took home the jackets one last time with a weekly weight loss % of 2.67. Joe and Bill get to wear those jackets one more week! We had an opportunity to hear from the teams for a few minutes before we had a group hug and said farewell until we met again at the 6PM finale. Their words were powerful and uplifting...both to me and to all who were there. I'm going to miss that group!

The 6PM grand finale turned out to be just that...GRAND!
As everyone arrived for their after photos, there were hugs and words of encouragement and praise. It's awesome to watch a group of people care and support each other in that way.
With our weigh in we had a familiar group win at six too. Team 'Kick Butt and lose Gut' did it again! Congratulations to Shonda and Alyssa for their 2.48 % of weight loss this week. You two have shown us that CHICK TEAMS ROCK at the Team Challenge!!
For their third time, they are going to need to decorate the ever so important jackets! This evening group cared for each other in bigs ways. What an outstanding group of people!

Before we heard from Glenda and got some final numbers, we had a time of team testimonies! It was great to hear from our 6 PM group and feel the support from them as well. We have had laughter and tears almost every week of the Team Challenge, there was no lack of either last night.

It was time for the awards...we gave out some fun ones and some serious ones. Shonda from team 'Kick Butt and Lose Gut' was our over all greatest winner of weight loss %. She lost 18.92 % in 10 weeks and 39.4 pounds! Our Male winner lost 18.13 %...Joe from team 'Boys to thin' however, Scott from team 'Bad Jeans' took the award for the most pounds lost by any male. 42.6! Wow...congratulations to all of you!

A special award was offered this Team Challenge that had not been offered before. The returning Team Challenge participant with the greatest % of weight loss would win $250.00. That prize was awarded to Scott Higgins of team 'Bad Jeans.' He lost 15.87% his second Team Challenge! That makes 78 pounds for him between the two challenges! When he came up to receive his prize money, he surprised us all. He announced that as the winner of our Fall Team Challenge, he has 'taken' enough from The Healthy Weigh, and felt it was his time to give back. He offered up $200 of his prize money(giving $50 of it to his sister/partner for our maintenance class)to the client who brings in the most new recruits to the next Team Challenge! Scott wanted this money to be used as seed to grow the Team Challenge and to help other people succeed like he has. Scott, I can't thank you enough. What a generous gesture. I think we'll name this award "The Higgy."

Then it was time for the medal ceremony. In keeping with our Olympic theme, we gave out bronze, sliver and gold medals to our Teams this time.

Our Bronze Medal winner with a weight loss % of 13.98 was team 'BAD JEANS' Congratulations Mandy and Scott.
Our Silver Medal winner with a weight loss % of 15.93 was team 'KICK BUTT AND LOSE GUT'
Shonda and Alyssa, we couldn't be more proud!
And our Gold Medal winners of these Vancouver Winter games with a weight loss % of 17.68 was team 'BOYS TO THIN' Joe and Bill, you did it! Congratulations!

The biggest surprise of the night followed...when it was time to present the $1000 prize to Joe and Bill, Bill announced that they didn't want the money...that they too wanted to put the money back into the Team Challenge. At first I thought he was kidding, but soon realized that they were very serious. Joe and Bill have received so much from the Team challenge and they just want to help others receive it too. It was a powerful moment and they expressed their gratitude and then their desire to see others successful. After standing speechless for a few minutes, not really able to take it all in, I knew that the last order of business was to have Joe and Bill snuff out the Olympic torch! Joe challenged all of us, that this challenge wasn't over and that we had to keep thinking of ourselves and taking care of ourselves. He had it right! Bill and Joe, your gift was over the top! I pray that the outcome it brings will be over the top for others too!
So, as the Olympic theme music played one last time, Bill and Joe snuffed out(unplugged)the Olympic torch of these Vancouver Winter Team Challenge Games.

It has been an amazing 10 weeks...it ended last night, but as Joe said, let's not blow out the torch. Keep going, keep taking care of your self, make these winter Olympic games the beginning of your new, healthy, abundant life.

I love you all. I care beyond words.
Letha