Biggest losers

Mt Barker has been caught up in a weight loss phenomenon, with more than 100 men and women taking part in Mt Barker’s Biggest Loser Competition.

Held at the Mt Barker Recreation Centre, next week marks the will see launch of the fourth series of the competition.

Recreation centre manager Ronnie Maddocks said the popular program, which started last year, attracted five to nine teams of six people each round.

“I think it works because they become accountable to the other team members and it can motivate people to work a little bit harder,” she said.

“One of our teams lost 46.2kg in the last series, they lost about 20kg in the first week.” It was amazing.”

Mrs Maddocks said the program included eight to 10 weekly group personal training sessions. “We set them tasks each week. We get the Amity Health dietician to have a chat with them in the beginning,” she said.

“This time we were thinking of doing a shopping tour as well, showing them what foods are better than others.

“We also do corporate challenges, things like the beep test and rock climbing. They get team scores and it goes towards winning the team shield.”

The program has inspired a similar competition to be set up at Denmark Recreation Centre this term.