Salisbury Resident in Lead in Local Biggest Loser Competition

On June 25, six men and six women from the Delmarva community made their official entry into a contest they fervently hope will change their lives.

The first weigh-in for “Delmarva’s Biggest Loser,” held at Olympia Fitness Clubs in Salisbury, Md., was the beginning of a competition in which the tables are turned and, in the end, a loser does win.

A week into the competition, 25-year-old Salisbury resident Carroll Nicholson Jr., who is a driver for Carey Distributors, was in the lead, having lost four percent of his total body weight. For Nicholson, who weighed in at 410 pounds and is determined to lose weight to be healthy for his son, that’s 16.4 pounds lost.

Nicholson considers the competition as a means toward an end – that end being an eventual weight loss of 190 pounds. He is determined to learn how to combine diet and exercise properly to lose weight and keep it off. The constant encouragement and health information provided by Olympia Fitness Clubs’ trainers will be his springboard to a healthier lifestyle.

For Tiffany Scott, who began the competition at 283 pounds, Week 2 revealed her determination with a total loss of 6 percent of her body weight. Now at 266 pounds, she is working toward her goal of 200 pounds and a healthier lifestyle. Scott, an instructor at Dove Pointe in Salisbury, is the mother of three children and wants to around to care for them.

“Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone,” said Scott. “I want to be healthy enough to help my children and enjoy and make the most of each and every day.”

“Delmarva’s Biggest Loser” is sponsored by Olympia Fitness Clubs, Healthy U, Atlantic General Hospital, ClearChannel Communications, and area merchants. The goal of the competition is to introduce a healthy lifestyle change to each participant as well as impact the lives of those around them.

The 12-week competition will end on Monday, September 17. An awards ceremony will be held at the conclusion of the Visions for Total Health Conference on Saturday, November 3, when the dietitian who helped the nation’s biggest losers reach their goals on NBC’s hit reality show visits the Shore to impart her wisdom on nutrition and healthy eating.

The conference, which is hosted this year by Stephen Decatur High School in Berlin, will include free screenings, exhibits, and 12 breakout presentations on a wide range of health topics. The keynote address will be presented by Cheryl Forberg, RD, highly sought-after food expert and consulting dietitian for NBC's The Biggest Loser.

For more information about “Delmarva’s Biggest Loser,” contact Cody Mackie at Olympia Fitness Clubs at 410-543-9999.

For more information about the 2007 Visions for Total Health Conference or sponsorship opportunities, contact Dawn Denton, Atlantic General Hospital’s Community Education Coordinator, at 410-641-9268.