Challenge prompts lasting results

MAT-SU — It may not be the weight of the world, but letting some air out of that spare can make a world of difference.

After losing 46 pounds over the past 12 weeks, Frontiersman Sports Editor Jeremiah Bartz is a lean, mean sportswriting machine. Bartz and his wife, Amber, have been the public faces on the newspaper’s annual community weight loss challenge, Trim to Win.

Since Jan. 18, the Valley couple has changed their eating habits, have established a workout routine and have shared their weight loss battles with the public through the Trim to Win virtual community at frontiersman.com. It’s an experience Jeremiah is familiar with. He lost more than 50 pounds in the first Trim to Win challenge in 2008.

This year, however, the weight is gone and he plans to keep it that way.

“The big difference from the first time I did it is (during) that last week,” he said. “You were counting down the days and making plans for all the crap you were going to eat. I haven’t had that urge this time.”

In fact, since he completed his final weigh in last Thursday, Bartz hasn’t missed a day working out at the AT&T Sports Center.

“I’m definitely happy with the results, and I definitely tried to do it the right way this time,” he said. “I think I took a little more of the crash diet mentality the last time. I don’t think it was that way this time. I tried to take a different mindset, to be realistic about my choices, that I’m not going to live my life without (ever) having a burger and a beer.”

Jeremiah wasn’t alone, sharing his weight loss experience with Amber, who also lost more than 16 pounds. Her time in the gym has been noticed, she said.

“Oh yeah, I know there has been a difference,” she said. “I can see it in the way clothing fits. I don’t miss fast food as much. I can’t lie and say I don’t miss it at all, because it is convenient when you don’t want to cook.”

One of the most noticeable changes has been her energy level, Amber said.

“I feel much better,” she said. “I feel like I can keep up with my kids now, and hopefully it gets better from here.”

Doing Trim to Win as a couple “was better, I think,” she said, “because we have each other to rely on and push each other. There were a couple of times I was, like, ‘I don’t want to go to the gym today,’ and he’d say, ‘Yes you do.’”

She’s also proud of her husband, who is wearing pants three sizes smaller than he was in January.

“He did an amazing job,” Amber said of Jeremiah. “He says he’s committed to it this time, and I’m hoping he is.”

The big difference this time around was having access to the AT&T Sports Center and a personal trainer during the challenge.

“I had a lot more opportunity to exercise and took advantage of it,” Jeremiah said. “Honesty, now I get irritable if I don’t make it to the gym.”

Both are looking forward to the results of a body composition test this week, which will measure their percentage of fat to percentage of muscle.

The deadline for Trim to Win participants to have their final weigh-ins was Friday. Keep reading the Frontiersman for final results after they’re tallied.

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.