MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO -- The winning team in this year’s “Mission: Slimpossible” contest has been announced.
Operations Division’s Gary Matthews, Carol Shelton and Ashley Emmerton, calling themselves the G-3 Stooges, were named the winning team April 29, when each claimed their prize: a personalized stein from Semper Fit, a coupon for a free 12-inch Subway sandwich and an insulated bag for transporting healthy lunches.
The Stooges beat out 11 other teams to take first place, collectively losing 27 pounds. More than half that weight came off of Matthews, deputy of the Operations Division, who has lost 32 pounds since last year, 14 of them during the contest period from Jan. 9 to March 22.
He was also named individual male winner for the competition. The individual female winner was Ann White, director of Marine and Family Programs for Marine Corps Community Services.
“It was a motivation to come in here once a week and weigh in and see how we were doing,” Matthews said.
Brian Hancock, Semper Fit’s lead trainer and fitness events coordinator for Quantico, emphasized that Slimpossible is not just a weight-loss contest.
“There’s a lot more involved with health and wellness than just weight loss,” he said, noting that the competition aimed to educate participants and help them modify their behaviors to keep weight off, rather than simply gaining it back after the contest.
Accordingly, the team members got points for taking a nutrition class, weighing in each week, keeping a food journal, calculating their body mass index and working out. Shelton, the base emergency planner, and Emmerton, Operations Division’s financial management analyst, went to spinning classes at the Barber Physical Activity Center, and the teammates also worked out both at the gym and at home.
Hancock noted that the people who do what it takes to earn points, coming to the gym regularly, changing their behaviors and holding themselves accountable, not only are more likely to win the competition but also tend to lose more weight.
This was Mission: Slimpossible’s second year, since it replaced the simple weight-loss program that preceded it.
“This program is all based on fat loss and also, on an individual basis, injury prevention,” said fitness trainer Brooke Hymas. She said participants’ fitness programs were tailored to their initial assessments, personal goals and injury history.
Shelton said it was Matthews who kept her motivated throughout the contest period. “He asked me what I’ve done today, or what I’m going to do — how am I getting my points,” she said.
“I’m retired Marine Corps, and I want to get down to my Marine Corps weight,” Matthews said. “I’ve still got a ways to go.”
“I wanted the prize at the end,” Emmerton said. “Really. Seriously.”