L’OBSERVATEUR’S ‘BIGGEST LOSER?’

Two local women take the challenge—Identities to be revealed in six months

Temptations are everywhere

By KEVIN CHIRI

Publisher

LAPLACE -One week into L’Observateur’s “Biggest Loser” challenge, Glennis ran into temptations everywhere she turned.

Coming off the Mardi Gras weekend, most temptations were magnified for Glennis, as she finished the first week of the competition to cover the next six months, when she tries to beat “Lisa” in their local weight loss race.

“Not only was there Mardi Gras food around, but I had to work extra shifts and that put me in a position to want to just grab some comfort food,” Glennis said. “It was tough, but I think I did well.”

From her starting weight of 197, Glennis reported a five pound weight loss in just the first week, putting her at 192.

“I was so excited,” she said. “I think the competition is really providing me some motivation to stay on track.”

Glennis, age 48, is a detective in law enforcement, and worked the streets of Mardi Gras last weekend. Her normal eight-hour shifts turned into 12-hour shifts.

“The extra hours on the job upset my normal eating routine,” she said. “It’s so easy to want to grab a burger while I’m working.”

But Glennis has one trick that has helped her overcome that problem. She has a small refrigerator she can plug in her car at work, keeping healthier foods.

She maintained her workout routine, going to the gym for weight workouts twice a week, and once to twice for cardio work. Glennis said her immediate goal is to make it 11 weeks on her current routine, since studies show that a habit will be established in that time frame.

“There were times I felt like skipping meals, but I want so badly to change to a healthy lifestyle. I’ve discovered that Clearview Mall is open with fast paced music early in the morning and I am utilizing that,” she said, since she works in Jefferson Parish. “I just want to get the weight under control for one final time, and not have to go through this again. That’s where my motivation is to continue.”

Her biggest temptations came when she had to pass up King Cake, and then when she passed up dessert on her usual “Friday Night Date Night” with her husband.

“Instead I ate boiled crawfish, and stopped eating when I was comfortable,” she explained. “Then I had a nice salad. That was a difficult night since I really love fried soft shell crab.”

Glennis said her husband is being very supportive to help her, and when things got tough for her, she focused on making the 11 weeks.

“It wasn’t all good this week, I can tell you that,” she said. “Some times I just didn’t know if I could do it. But I just pushed through and kept focusing on making it 11 weeks. That’s my first goal.”