Meet the Biggest Winner Participants

Len Larson

Age: 55
Height: 5’ 11”
Starting Weight: 279
Goal Weight: 175

Excerpt from Biggest Winner Entry:  "Instead of being a 'plodding, pokey, sometimes procrastinating' assistant principal, I look forward in being a 'peddling, paddling and pounding the pavement' assistant principal. As one of The Biggest Winners, I would share my learned knowledge of fitness with others who want to be lifelong learners of fitness.

> Read Len's Blog

Greg Jackman

Age: 54
Height: 5’ 11”
Starting Weight: 263
Goal Weight: 200

Excerpt from Biggest Winner Entry: "My medical history is working against me.  Cardiac, diabetes, hypertension all run in my family.  As a healthcare professional I know all about what I should be doing as far as eating and exercising, but knowing it and doing it are two different things."

> Read Greg's Blog

Melissa Strasser

Age: 32
Height: 5’ 9”
Starting Weight: 283
Goal Weight: 200

Excerpt from Biggest Winner Entry: “Nine weeks ago, my reason was simple: I would have said that I wanted to lose weight to improve my self-esteem and increase my energy. I had a 20-month-old boy that was bouncing off the walls, and it was becoming apparent that I wasn't going to be able to keep up with him for long. Now, my reason is as knotty as they come. Eight weeks ago, that magic little boy, my inspiration, my Nate, drowned in a retention pond, and I am beside myself with sadness, heartbreak and longing. Now my reason is recovery."

> Read Melissa's Blog

Michele Alvarez

Age: 43
Height: 5’ 2”
Starting Weight: 263
Goal Weight: 158

Excerpt from Biggest Winner Entry: "I want to be The Biggest Winner because I am hoping to find myself. I look in the mirror and wonder who that is staring back at me. I have lived my life with trepidation. Afraid to really try."

> Read Michele's Blog

Carolyn Roesner

Age: 62
Height: 5’ 3”
Starting Weight: 268 
Goal Weight: 175

Excerpt from Biggest Winner Entry: "I want to be The Biggest Winner because of the promise I made my sons on the night their father died. I lost my husband, Ron, on October 30 from pancreatic cancer. Our pain from his loss has been intense. As we wept together on that sad day, I made this promise to my boys: 'I will lose weight and be as healthy as possible so you will not lose me anytime soon.'"

> Read Carolyn's Blog