Mar 14, 2018 6 min read

The results are in!

After seven weeks of training and watching their diets, the six members of the Observer-Reporter’s reader team have completed the seventh annual Biggest Winner competition and realized some amazing accomplishments.

Their fitness journey began mid-January at the Washington Health System Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center with measurements and a weigh-in, plus tests of fitness, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. After that, they began working out four mornings a week with a personal trainer. They’ve kept up with their exercise routine for seven weeks and have followed a nutritional plan outlined for them by wellness center dietitians.

What are the results, and who is the Biggest Winner?

The team statistics are impressive. The six contestants lost a combined total of 58 pounds, or 10.5 percent of their starting weight. The team lost 46 total inches in their waists, abdomens and hips, decreased their body mass index (BMI) by 9 points, and shed an average of 1 percent of their body fat.

Team members took the same fitness test at the end of the competition as they did before it started and managed to run 15 more laps than before in the timed 12-minute walk/jog. Collectively, they completed 74 more pushups and 61 sit-ups. The health benefits were also noticeable, as overall blood pressure readings decreased by an average of 6 mm/Hg and cholesterol levels decreased an average of 50 mg/dl.

This year, the O-R team consisted of three couples, and the winning couple will receive a six-month membership to the wellness center, courtesy of the Observer-Reporter. All six competitors worked hard, but John and Nikki Popielarcheck, both 46, of Washington, are the winning couple. They lost a combined 41 pounds, or 15.86 percent of their weight, and 24.75 inches around their hips, abdomen and waist.

“I expected to lose a little,” said John. “I lost a lot more than I expected and that is due to Kortlyn (Carr) and the rest of the team. I went from 302 to 284 pounds and lost 14 inches. I still have a long way to go, but now I know it can be done.”

John’s wife, Nikki, described the contest as life-changing.

“I lost 29 pounds and 10 inches,” she said. “Beyond the obvious weight loss, I have gained life skills that I am taking with me to continue my new healthier lifestyle. We started this journey to feel better and take control of our health.”

She credits trainer Carr and the entire staff of the wellness center for being helpful and encouraging.

“As for my teammates, Lynn, Joe, Ashley, Megan and John … I am so impressed,” Nikki adds. “We came into this strangers and are leaving friends.”

The other members of the team were equally pleased with their results.

“It was a very rewarding experience and I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” said Joe Manning, 58, of Washington. He and his wife, Lynn, 56, signed up for the contest to jump-start their fitness program.

“In the final measurements, I had lost a significant amount of body fat and increased my performance in the baseline exercises, so I definitely saw the benefit of the program,” said Joe. “I attribute my success in the program to our team, which was made up of a great group of people who encouraged each other and almost as importantly made the experience fun.”

He also credits Carr, the team trainer, with making the daily routines challenging but interesting.

Joe’s wife, Lynn, jokes that she was the biggest whiner on the team.

“I’ve never worked with a personal trainer and have never been in a situation where others were dependent on my performance,” said Lynn, describing how the team worked out in relay situations. “When I would stop or say I couldn’t do it, everyone would cheer me on and encourage me. And it wasn’t just me – We would do it for all of us if one of us wasn’t feeling it.”

Lynn lost seven pounds, seven inches and 1 percent of overall body fat.

“I went from not being able to do one single sit-up at the beginning of the program to doing 15 at our final fitness test.”

Megan Lindley, 22, of Wheeling, W.Va., signed up with her friend and co-worker, Ashley Kanotz, 33, also of Wheeling, and the two relied on each other and the team for support.

“I am feeling more than a little sad that the Biggest Winner has ended,” said Lindley. “It seems to have gone so quickly, and I truly enjoyed every second of it. I have never felt more accomplished! I find myself always being more alert, more confident in my capabilities and truly happier.”

She is proud that her body fat fell 3 percent in only seven weeks.

“The number on the scale may not have changed dramatically for me, but every single other aspect of my life has, and I’m beyond grateful to have had this opportunity and especially to have done it with this group of people,” she said.

Megan’s teammate echoed her sentiments.

“The experience was fantastic. Kortlyn pushed us to our limits without breaking us,” said Kanotz. “I have definitely made it back onto the right path in my fitness journey. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates, Kortlyn, or the Observer-Reporter. Tomorrow starts a new journey of keeping myself accountable. I plan to continue the early morning workouts in order to make sure I stay on the right healthy path.”

The O-R team’s trainer gives all of the members kudos for their effort and dedication.

“This Biggest Winner program has been a great experience for me as a personal trainer,” said Carr. “I have learned a lot along the way, but more importantly I believe my athletes have learned many takeaways from this journey. Through workouts, team dynamics, mindset sessions and nutritional education, a well-rounded view of the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle have been offered.”