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Corporate meltdown sheds the pounds
Published 1/13/2010 in Local News
By MONICA SPRINGER
More than 200 people in Garden City are working toward becoming healthier by exercising, eating balanced meals, and monitoring their cholesterol.
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Brad Nading/Telegram Diana Machotka, left, and Doug Dillingham record weight measurements Tuesday in a Garden City Recreation Commission studio as participants in this yearÕs Corporate Meltdown weigh in on opening day. The event, which has 46 teams this year, is in its 11th year.
Garden City's Corporate Meltdown started on Tuesday, with 47 teams of five individuals each checking in at the Garden City Recreation Commission. Each person was weighed, had their blood sugar checked and completed stretching measurements.
Corporate Meltdown is hosted by the Finney County Research and Extension Center, Garden City Recreation Commission, Southwest Kansas Diabetes Control Program, Garden City Community College, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, along with fitness centers in Garden City and Holcomb.
"We all want the same thing — to make Garden City healthier," said Donna Gerstner, assistant superintendent of the GCRC.
Each participant in Corporate Meltdown gets a free pass to use any fitness center in Garden City and Holcomb, including the Garden City Family YMCA, GCRC, Holcomb Recreation Commission, Coyote's Family Fitness, and the Garden City Community College Aerobic SuperCircuit.
Last year, participants in the program lost more than 1,000 pounds, Gerstner said. Over the last 10 years, participants have lost 7,060 pounds.
Debbie McDaniel, who works at Golden Plains Credit Union, said she participated in Corporate Meltdown last year and lost five pounds. She's exercised for years, she said, but never lost weight before taking part in the program.
Speakers address people taking part in Corporate Meltdown each year, with topics ranging from how to cut calories from diets to how to exercise properly.
McDaniel said after listening to speakers last year, she realized she had to eat balanced meals and exercise to achieve results.
"To me, that was a lot," McDaniel said of the weight she lost last year.
Golden Plains Credit Union has multiple teams taking part in Corporate Meltdown, and McDaniel said it's fun to compete with teams to see who loses the most weight.
"When you get with other people, you try harder," she said.
Gerstner said people participate in Corporate Meltdown in teams because it's easier to live a healthier lifestyle when in groups. When people try to exercise and eat healthier alone, Gerstner said, they often don't achieve their goals.
Other than joining a team, participants also can get a lipid profile competed at St. Catherine Hospital and also can participate in group walks at the GCRC and Talley Trail.
Corporate Meltdown lasts until March.
Bob Tempel joined Corporate Meltdown with a team from Wind River, a grain export facility.
"We want to be competitive with each other," Tempel said as he finished weighing in at the GCRC on Tuesday.
Tempel said the team planned to work out together and encourage each other to meet goals in the next few weeks. He said he wouldn't mind losing weight, living a healthier lifestyle and building teamwork with coworkers.
Corporate Meltdown teams can enter in one of two categories: most pounds lost or highest team percent lost. Each winning team will get prizes, Gerstner said, and there will also be door prize drawing at every session.
Sessions in January include Jan. 19, with a fit test and fitness facilities profile given by Doug Dillingham, GCRC Wellness Coordinator, and Jan. 26, when Dillingham will speak about getting more out of a walk.
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