Congrats to Team ACI, the Winner of the Be Well Philly Office Challenge
Team ACI with UnitedHealthcare
On Monday, November 8, 2010, Philadelphia magazine’s Be Well Philly Office Challenge Presented by UnitedHealthcare came to an end. After eight weeks, our four, 10-person teams (WMMR’s Preston and Steve Show, Applied Clinical Intelligence, Fox Rothschild and Thomas Jefferson Family Center) had their final weigh-in. The results, which would determine the team that took home the grand-prize package (a free year membership to Sweat Fitness, a hair makeover from Salon Royale Court, a facial from O2 Skincare, Zoom! whitening from Pennsylvania Center for Dental Excellence, and a $100 gift card to Philadelphia Runner!), were announced by Sue Schick, CEO, Pennsylvania and Delaware, of United Healthcare at an exclusive party at Table 31 on Wednesday, November 17.
The big winner? Applied Clinical Intelligence, with a grand total of 166 pounds! When Anthony Venezia, ACI’s Sweat Fitness trainer, sent in the weights, I couldn’t believe it. David Beecher, who started the contest weighing 305, was down to 265. He alone lost 43 pounds! And tiny Lisa Boron, who is under 5″ and started at 140 pounds, lost 20!
Our other teams weren’t far behind. The legal team at Fox Rothschild lost a total of 112 pounds, the girls at Thomas Jefferson University Family Center dropped 91 pounds and the voices of the Preston & Steve Show dropped 87—and that was with the constant temptation of the greasy food everyone drops off at their studio in the hopes of a free plug. Intern Jake, WMMR’s tireless intern, who started at a weight of 348, was our second biggest loser: He dropped a total of 32 pounds!
The party was better than I could have hoped. Team member after team member told me how the contest had helped them jump start a healthier lifestyle, brought their offices closer together, and showed them that they didn’t have to waste one more minute feeling tired and unhealthy. They had traded in their old office routine of nonstop sitting for Sweat classes like Strip Tease, and Spinning, and Splash and Burn! They were happy, they were energetic—and they were proud.
They also couldn’t say enough good things about their Sweat Fitness trainers, Anthony, Holly Waters, Jim Pfrom, Nikki McCrae, who mentored the teams throughout the entire contest. They also loved the nutrition and yoga seminars taught by Andie Towe, director of wellness at UnitedHealthcare, and Maura Manzo and Nicole Fugo of Ryah Yoga and Health. “I couldn’t believe how much knowledge Andie, Maura and Nicole gave us when they visited our office,” one team member told me. “I will never eat the same way again and now I’m hooked on yoga!”
Vitamin Water Zero and Popchips—both of whom kept our teams stocked with beverages and healthy snacks throughout the contest—were also there, as well as all of our great sponsors.
All told, our four teams lost more than 450 pounds! Congrats to each and every one of them!
