‘Soar into Shape’ urges competitors to adopt healthy lifestyles Published March 12, 2012 By 2nd Lt. Thomas R. Barger 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The "Soar into Shape" contest, sponsored by the Health and Wellness Center here, concluded its six-week challenge and left participants with a better understanding of healthy choices and winners all around. The HAWC sponsored the "Biggest Loser" competition in the past but decided to focus the competition on healthy habits and maintaining healthy weight, according to Kellie Jensen, Exercise Physiologist at Vance's HAWC. "Participants of the Biggest Loser competition were more likely to develop a 'yo-yo diet,'" said Jensen, referring to those who lost weight for the contest but gained it back once the competition was over. Due to the growing trend of obesity in the United States, Soar into Shape sought to educate participants and challenge teams to collectively take on healthy eating habits and exercise routines. Instead of focusing on just losing weight, Soar into Shape participants were awarded points for meeting their weight goals of losing, gaining or maintaining weight, healthy eating routines and regular exercise. "We want people to maintain an all-around healthy lifestyle," said Jensen. Overall, the Soar into Shape program was a success. According to Jensen, 115 people took part in the contest losing a collective weight of 312 lbs. Participants determined at the beginning of the competition whether they would lose, maintain or gain weight, depending on their level of fitness. Teams of four pledged their goals to each other and took part in team activities such as the Sensible Weight class, which educated attendees on healthy eating strategies, goal setting and fitness. The top three teams all attended the Sensible Weight class put on at the HAWC, said Jensen. The teams, with names like "Waisting Away," "Fat & Furious," "Quarter Pounders" and "Soar Losers" -- who took first place ironically enough -- challenged each other by keeping track of who walked the most steps during the course of a workday, standing while on the phone rather than sitting or simply journaling to reflect upon the true impact of their habits. Teams expressed their enthusiasm with the program by telling Jensen that Soar into Shape was a "good and fair assessment that motivated us toward a better lifestyle." More than one third of American adults and one fifth of American children and adolescents are obese, according to the Center for Disease Control. Over the past 20 years, the obesity rate has dramatically increased in the United States. Programs like Soar into Shape are reminding people to make healthy choices and counter the growing trend of obesity, said Jensen.