Fittest Loser Weekly Updates

Josh Steckler - Week 12 Quote

"Mike's lifestyle has entirely changed since we started this contest. He has seen how proper diet and exercise can totally transform someone in a very short period of time. He is enjoying living this healthier lifestyle. We have already set a long-term goal for Mike to focus on - losing another 50 pounds - and he is extremely determined to hit that goal."

Mike Anderson - Week 11 Quote

"I figured I would get to my goal weight before really going shopping because I didn't want new clothes to not fit in a few months. I gave away some of the old clothes to Goodwill but I just couldn't seem to part ways with that Payton jersey hanging in the closet."

Josh Steckler - Week 10 Quote

"One thing I have found particularly enjoyable about Mike is that he is completely honest with himself. He has never made excuses or tried to plead his case if he didn't follow my rules. His attitude has also completely changed since we started the contest. I sensed a lot of anger and frustration in Mike when we began training, but now with all the positive changes he has made, he is almost like a different person."

Mike Anderson - Week 9 Quote

"With the weather getting nicer, maintaining the workouts should be easier because now working out inside is not the only option. The diet should be easier as well, because now food can be grilled instead of cooked on the stove or in the oven, increasing the ways the food can be prepared."

Josh Steckler - Week 8 Quote

"He's performing exercises now that he could have never attempted when the contest began. I do have a few surprise exercises for Mike during the final weeks - mainly to show him how far he's come in such a short period of time."

Mike Anderson - Week 7 Quote

"In the beginning, it wasn't coming off like I thought it would," said Mike Anderson of Palatine. "But in the last three weeks I have lost five, six and seven pounds. We switched the diet up, made it more restrictive on what I could eat, and it is working."

Mike Anderson - Week 6 Quote

"When I started this program, riding the bike for a half hour was difficult. Now, riding the bike for 30 minutes is a warm-up, not an exercise. There are really no specific tasks that are now easier - life in general has just become easier and easier on my back and knees."

Josh Steckler - Week 5 Quote

"Mike has been responding very well to the total-body functional exercises I have him performing. Because of Mike's size, body weight exercises provide ample resistance for muscle overload and for challenging his cardiovascular efficiency. I can see his entire body getting stronger now, and with that, he is gaining confidence in his abilities every week."

Mike Anderson - Week 4 Quote

"The most difficult part of eating five meals a day is the frequency of the meals. Since the meals are supposed to be evenly spaced it gets difficult with working to find time to eat them at somewhat equal intervals."

Josh Steckler - Week 3 Quote

"Mike has shown extreme determination right from the start of the contest. Although Mike struggled to keep up during the first workout because of his asthma, we've progressed very well over the first few weeks and Mike's fitness level has already shown measurable improvements. I continue to push Mike to his limits every week and I look forward to seeing how far he can go."

Mike Anderson - Week 2 Quote

"It's different getting up early and going to work out before work instead of sleeping in until the last minute and rushing to work," Anderson said. "I'm happy with the results. Obviously, you always want a little more, but I don't have the option of working out for six hours a day."

Josh Steckler - Week 1 Quote

"I am going to teach him the value of holding himself accountable," said Steckler, who uses functional training, which works the body as a whole rather than isolating individual muscles. "I am going to teach him what he needs to know to turn his life around."

Steve Amsden - Week 12 Quote

"I believe with a seriously dedicated client who is willing to do exactly as we tell them, three months is definitely a substantial amount of time to put a serious dent in any individual's weight loss. We have shown with last year's contestants as well as this year, when people follow the design we have put together here at Push, the results can be astounding."

Deb Mirabelli - Week 11 Quote

"Most of what I have bought so far has been sweats for the workouts. But I did buy a couple new outfits for spring because my clothes just don't fit the same way anymore. I really haven't bought a whole new wardrobe yet. I keep tightening the belts when needed because I wanted to wait until the end of the contest when spring/summer season would be starting. Also, we are going on vacation in June and I wanted to save up for new clothes to take to Disney World."

Steve Amsden - Week 10 Quote

"The characteristic that has impressed me the most about Deb is her perseverance. She has had multiple illnesses and setbacks as well as being under substantial stress in her home life. Still, with all these trials Deb has kept her eye on the prize."

Deb Mirabelli - Week 9 Quote

"As the contest goes on there are things that are easier and things that are harder. The regimen is getting difficult to keep feeling 'up' all the time. But it is easier to get the meal plan together as now I 'get it'. The workouts are getting more intense, and it is difficult."

Steve Amsden - Week 8 Quote

"Deb is now in phenomenal shape and has been training harder and more dynamic than either of us thought possible. We will use every modality of training in the upcoming weeks, including kettle bell training, outdoor cross training, cardio intervals, medicine ball training, as well as plyometric training."

Deb Mirabelli - Week 7 Quote

"I jogged a mile for the first time this week," Mirabelli said. "Never in my life have I jogged a mile."

Deb Mirabelli - Week 6 Quote

"The biggest thing I have noticed being able to do is carrying in bags of groceries from the store. Bringing them up the stairs and into the house seemed a much bigger task a month ago and doesn't seem so bad anymore!"

Steve Amsden - Week 5 Quote

"Deb has been responding best to full body exercises in a continual circuit with minimal rest. Some examples are squatting and pressing, lunging and curling, swinging the kettle bell, anything that gets her heart rate up, will burn the most calories, and lose the most weight in the long run."

Deb Mirabelli - Week 4 Quote

"While it is difficult to sometimes fit in the five meals a day, I have learned to pack them all the night before into my cooler to make it easier to grab each meal when it is time. I have probably missed the nighttime bowl of cereal with my kids the most."

Steve Amsden - Week 3 Quote

"Without a doubt, the most important factor in losing substantial weight is nutrition. Poor nutrition also happens to be the most difficult habit for clients and fittest loser contestants to break. Deb has been extremely focused and diligent with her nutrition. People seem to think the workouts are the tough part of losing weight. For us, training them is the easy part. The hard part is getting clients to comply with the diet plan."

Deb Mirabelli - Week 2 Quote

"My first two weeks went very well," Mirabelli said. "The hardest part so far has been disciplining myself to the daily workouts at home. Steve gave me three workout plans to follow. They are brutal, but thankfully I have my two mini-trainers, (her children) Joey and Keri, to keep me going."

Steve Amsden - Week 1 Quote

"I am going to run her into the ground with a varied training program including dumbbells and stair training."

Michelle Amsden - Week 12 Quote

"Three months is truly enough time to affect a person's lifestyle! On average, it takes a person two-three months to develop a good habit. As trainers, I think we all know people who say they want to lose weight. They may stick to a weight loss regimen for about a week or two, but soon that motivation fizzles and before long, they are back to their bad habits. That's why this contest is so great. These contestants signed up for a three-month competition and it was publicized ... there was no turning back."

Wendy Kreiser - Week 11 Quote

"My clothes are without a doubt baggier. I kept a lot of my clothes from before I had my last two children, although I haven't been able to wear them. I tried them on a week ago and they fit. That's three pants sizes smaller! I'm very proud of that. I think I will donate most of my bigger clothing to obesityhelp.com or sparkpeople.com. I want to see more results before I splurge on a new wardrobe."

Michelle Amsden - Week 10 Quote

"Determination is what comes to mind when I think of Wendy. There have been times when we have weighed in and the scale didn't move much but she still kept a great attitude and stayed motivated. There were times when I felt if I were in her shoes I would feel frustrated, but she remained determined."

Wendy Kreiser - Week 9 Quote

"I love being outdoors and spending as much time as I can outside during spring and summer. I always go for walks with my kids. I know I will be active with them, but I also know there will be summer birthdays, family get-togethers and other events. I just have to remember to eat clean and keep moving. Normally, I would eat what I wanted and just sit back the entire time. I plan on being up and moving around."

Michelle Amsden - Week 8 Quote

"Now that Wendy has become quite used to the vigorous training, my plan is for her to start taking it up a notch with cardio on her own."

Wendy Kreiser - Week 7 Quote

"I have been sick, and in the fourth week I sprained my rotary joint so I couldn't use my left arm," Kreiser said. "I've been congested and my throat is really sore. Bending over and lifting things makes me dizzy, so it has been interesting for me."

Wendy Kreiser - Week 6 Quote

"I am able to get down on the floor to play around with my kiddos for longer periods of time without risking any back pain or knee pain. I'm also able to jog for longer periods of time now. I have not been allowed to run ever since I broke my hip when I was just 10 years old. Now I am able to jog in short bursts."

Michelle Amsden - Week 5 Quote

"When I first started training Wendy I was afraid to do plyometrics (jump-training) with her. I slowly eased in a few modified burpees and finally I took the plunge and challenged her to a full-on burpee. To my surprise she was able to do it!"

Wendy Kreiser - Week 4 Quote

"The biggest challenges are the portion control of those foods and late-night eating. You can overeat healthy foods and gain weight easily and when you have nothing to do at night it's hard not to want to snack."

Michelle Amsden - Week 3 Quote

"Wendy is very tough and I know the training is a huge challenge but she always keeps a good spirit. I think the hardest thing Wendy has done in our workout regimen is the stairs. Usually the stairs in our building are used for punishing a client who has failed to bring in a food journal, arriving late, or is not losing weight. Today I made her take the stairs (eight flights). It wasn't because she was late... but it was because she has suffered a bit with her food and she did not lose weight this week. The stairs was a huge challenge for her and she hated it! But hey... she survived."

Wendy Kreiser - Week 2 Quote

"I was sick with a bad head cold for almost the entire first two weeks, but I kept going," Kreiser said. "I feel confident with myself enough to work harder. Going to a normal gym usually makes me feel uncomfortable, that I feel out of place or don't belong. Being at Push with Michelle (Amsden, her trainer) I feel awesome, like I can do anything."

Michelle Amsden - Week 1 Quote

"I am going to put Wendy through high intensity circuit training to help her reach her goal."

Ryan LeBreux - Week 12 Quote

"Every client takes something different away from the challenge. Some of them take more than others. A couple of them took advantage of it and learned a lot while others roll with it. I do think Jan will be permanently affected by it. Sometimes all it takes is a kick in the butt, and they can get something done in half the time.

Jan Vitullo - Week 11 Quote

"I haven't lost enough weight yet to send me out shopping, although I look forward to the day when I literally 'have nothing to wear' because everything is too big rather than too snug! For the first time in awhile I'm actually comfortable in my clothes, and getting dressed no longer an anxiety-filled part of my day."

Ryan LeBreux - Week 10 Quote

"Jan has made my job very easy the past 10 weeks. She does everything I tell her both inside and outside of the gym. I would say her most obvious personality trait that has affected her progress in this competition is her drive for perfection. She is very stubborn, but in a good way. There are no excuses for her and she doesn't quit for even a second. Sometimes I have to remind her the importance of rest and recovery, because she goes nonstop!"

Jan Vitullo - Week 9 Quote

"I love this time of year. I just never loved what had been hiding under my oversized sweatshirts all winter long. It is easier to eat lighter in the summer months. I am happy it is grilling season. Also, being able to trade in the treadmill for a walk outside in the sunshine will be helpful in keeping me moving and motivated. Starting this program in February was perfect timing."

Ryan LeBreux - Week 8 Quote

"She has made amazing improvements on her balance, core strength, and overall coordination, so now I can throw the good stuff at her. We will be doing more advanced exercises working multiple muscle groups and core simultaneously, shorten the rest times between exercises, and A LOT more boxing."

Jan Vitullo - Week 7 Quote

"By Push, there is a smoking section for people in the offices upstairs," Vitullo said. "They were puffing away and I was working out, huffing and puffing and looking for oxygen, knowing there is no way I can smoke like I used to. Most of the people sitting outside were overweight, and now here I was, the person who was huffing and puffing because I was exercising. It was such a good feeling."

Ryan LeBreux - Week 5 Quote

"Jan is responding well to everything I have thrown at her. She has really enjoyed the boxing portion of the workout. We only work on it a little at the end of the workouts, but I plan on working more of it into her program as the competition progresses."

Jan Vitullo - Week 4 Quote

"The word 'diet' translates to saying 'no' to food; therefore, wrapping my brain around eating every two to three hours and never being hungry took a bit of getting used to. Meals do have to be planned out and portioned out, as well as packed up when away from home ... since the drive-through dollar meal is no longer a dining option!"

Ryan LeBreux - Week 3 Quote

"She has done awesome. We are on a time crunch compared to working with normal clients, so I have thrown more advanced exercises at her than I have thrown at clients I have trained for three months already. She has improved on her balance, and she is coming along really well."

Jan Vitullo - Week 2 Quote

"The workouts have helped curb my urges to smoke," Vitullo said. "It's been the biggest challenge of all for me. The hardest part, believe it or not, is getting used to eating five meals per day. I used to go from morning until early afternoon without eating. Now, by noon, I have eaten twice. It's made such a difference in the way I feel."

Ryan LeBreux - Week 1 Quote

"I am going to keep her sweating the entire time she is here," LeBreux said. "I believe in beneficial punishment. Whenever she has a craving, she has to do push-ups."

Mark Trapp - Week 12 Quote

"With diet and exercise, the obvious point is that it is meant to be a lifestyle change. Your first three to four weeks are going to be an adjustment into getting the education and implementing it into your lifestyle. From there it is a matter of practice and make it more of a ritual. For Frank, I would say if you took him out of here and he was on his own, I believe he would manage himself well. I think he got enough education along with motivation to continue to make progress on his own."

Frank Valenti - Week 11 Quote

"I haven't gone shopping for new clothes because I'm expecting to lose more weight. Instead, I've just been tightening my belt and I've been looking like a clown with big clothes on ... but I'm a happy clown. I haven't thrown out my old clothes yet, because I'm having a hard time believing that isn't me anymore."

Mark Trapp - Week 10 Quote

"What is unique about Frank is he has the ability to consistently be positive. Some people have to be reminded to be positive and to keep a positive state of mind, but Frank has the ability to always be positive, not just with himself but talking up the other contestants to try to get them to do well. Even with our clients who are not in the contest, he is encouraging them to get healthy."

Frank Valenti - Week 9 Quote

"The warmer weather has actually motivated me to go outside for my daily exercise because I love enjoying the outdoors. While being outside, I have been stopping by my neighbors and they have been giving me compliments on my weight loss and sharing words of encouragement."

Mark Trapp - Week 8 Quote

"Any time you can add more muscle, the more fat you are going to burn. The last week we are changing up his diet. I have a very specific diet that we'll hope to push it through to win it at the end."

Frank Valenti - Week 7 Quote

"They [sit-ups] were very hard for me at the beginning," Valenti said. "But now I use a (exercise) ball and it is coming easier and easier."

Frank Valenti - Week 6 Quote

"I drive a pickup for Napa Auto Parts, and before I had a hard time getting in and out of the truck. Now it is so much easier. I have lost 24 pounds and I feel like a different person, like I am 20 years younger."

Mark Trapp - Week 5 Quote

"Frank is enjoying working on the stability ball because at the very beginning he couldn't do it. Now, we are at the point where when he is warming up he is using it. It's motivating him because he can actually do the exercises now."

Frank Valenti - Week 4 Quote

"The most difficult part of my diet is missing my pasta, pizza and bread, but I'm following the diet because I'm already starting to see results. This diet that requires eating five times a day was a challenge at first, but I got used to it and I love it!"

Mark Trapp - Week 3 Quote

"Frank has done an exceptional job. He has done everything I have asked him to do, and done it with as much effort and as much focus as he can. He is putting in 150 percent right now. Frank is the type of person that he would be successful with any sort of direction, any type of education. He puts everything he has into it. He is getting his blood sugar under control, and that has been a life changer for him."

Frank Valenti - Week 2 Quote

"I'm very, very excited and enthusiastic, and full of energy," Valenti said. "This whole journey has been as expected. The first week's workout was the hardest, but I have been able to increase my stamina."

Mark Trapp - Week 1 Quote

"Starting out, we are going to look at his ability to move his body," Trapp said. "We want to change his lifestyle more than change his diet."