The Truckload Carriers Association announced the winners of the 3rd North American Battle of Trucking’s Weight Loss Showdown. Halvor Lines Inc., of Superior, Wis., swept the competition, with its team winning the company contest and one of its driver managers, Keith Kitch, also a resident of Superior, Wis., taking the top honor for individuals.
Trucking’s Weight Loss Showdown is managed by Lindora Clinic, a personalized weight management company. It addresses the trucking industry’s weight problems and related medical conditions through friendly and informative competition.
Teams of 12 professional drivers and office staff from six carriers worked hard to determine which company and which individual could achieve the greatest percentages of weight loss.
Over a 10-week period that started in June, participants followed the Lean for Life program, a moderate-carbohydrate, low-fat, moderate-protein menu plan that is coupled with exercise, nutrition education, and lifestyle changes. The competitors received weekly phone calls from Lindora’s coaches, who educated them on nutrition and behavioral changes, helped boost their morale, supported them through their personal challenges, and recorded their weight loss.
Team Halvor Lines lost a total collective weight of 380 pounds. This represented a 13.2% drop in the team’s combined weight. All 12 members of the team lost 5% or greater of their starting body weight. To congratulate them for working so hard, Halvor Lines will be receiving $11,000 worth of Lindora Clinic’s services, donated by TA/Petro of Westlake, Ohio.
Since only 12 people could participate on the company’s official Showdown team, Halvor Lines began an internal weight-loss challenge earlier this year that was open to anyone. She stated that 730 pounds were shed throughout the entire company, including the weight lost by the official team.
Kitch, the individual winner, said that he was proud of himself for managing to stick to the Lean for Life program even during his daughter’s graduation party, which featured delicious tacos and a cake. Kitch got through it by eating a protein bar. His dedication resulted in a loss of 22.4% of his starting body weight, surpassing all the other Showdown participants. To celebrate this achievement, Kitch will receive $2,500 from the sponsor of the individual contest, Cline Wood Agency of Leawood, Kansas.
Overall, 72 people – 44 drivers and 28 staff – participated in the third Showdown. Between all of them, 1,604.5 pounds were shed. On average, all teams lost about 9.8% of their collective weight, and 54 individuals – or 75% – lost 5% or more of their starting body weight.
