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JULY 2010 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 56 THE WEIGHT WATCHERS WALK IT CHALLENGE Photo courtesy of Kevin Oules on individual success, although there are also buddy teams working on it together. The key to successfully being involved in any program to lose weight and be healthy includes making a commitment and sticking with it. Along with programs like Rudd's and Paul's and Weight Watchers, the city also provides a varied selection of classes. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine offers a wide range of classes throughout the summer, including Ultimate 3 in 1 Fitness Formula, Family Fitness and Fun, Cardio Sculpt, Tough Time Boot Camp, Cardio Kickboxing and Zumba. Rudd, well-known around the city for his zany personal training antics, has hosted a contest every year since 2007 called the Biggest Loser. While it appears to be fashioned after the television hit The Biggest Loser, Rudd said he has never watched the show, and credits his sister for telling him about a similar program in her Georgia town. The road to fitness is not that complicated, Rudd explained. "You have to cut down the number of calories you are putting in your body. You have to burn off more calories than you are taking in," Rudd said. "It's that simple." Rudd's 12-week challenge runs in the fall, and has seen dramatic increases in participation since its first year. In 2007 Rudd had 150 participants, and last year, 782 people — in teams of five — took part in the challenge. The challengers in Rudd's contest pay a total of $65 to participate, and almost all goes into the pot, which is ultimately split between several individual and team winners. Each "Loser" team creates their own strategy for working out and eating. The teams are not required to work with Rudd personally or take his classes. Everyone pays a fee and participates in weekly weigh-ins. The rest is up to the team. "We empower them," Rudd said, about the way the challenge is structured. "We want them to empower themselves to come up with a lifestyle that is going to allow them to keep the weight off." Two people who took Rudd's challenge last year are Jake Langley, 44, and his wife Jodi Langley, 40. The Langleys took the top prizes in each gender category, and their team, Revenge of the Lard Azz's took first place for the second time in a row. The team worked out individually, and all changed their eating habits. The Langleys say having the other person on the team, too, made a difference in accountability and also provided a team environment at home. After winning for the second time, Jake promised himself he wouldn't do it again — that he wouldn't gain back the 59 pounds he lost. But within weeks, his father died, and a few months later his best friend also died. "I know how to lose the weight, but I don't know how to keep it off," said Langley, a truck driver. "It was a great contest and a great motivator." Today the couple has gained some of the weight back, and they vow to get back on their own program. The benefit of having done it is that they know they can do it again. Jake did the Atkins, protein only diet, and Jodi tried the Body for Life diet. They also worked out together daily. "The thing is, that I learned I can do this anywhere no matter where I was," Langley said. "It's about making choices." The Langleys are focused on making changes because of their two sons, ages 10 and 8.