PLATTSBURGH — At age 39, as a father and health-care professional, Steven Pierce knew he had to make some dramatic changes in his life or all he had would be in jeopardy.
Pierce, a registered nurse, knows about the health concerns related to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. With three children, age 9, 7 and 4, he also knows what it means to be a good parent.
But severe obesity is a condition that Pierce has battled for most of his adult life, and it is something he knows can only be a deterrent to his career as a professional and his role as a loving dad.
"One of my goals in life is to walk down the aisle with my little girl," Pierce said as he and fellow participant Randy Hilliker talked recently about their experiences in the North Country Biggest Loser Weight Loss Program.
"I know that if I don't take care of myself, that may never happen."
WORKING TOGETHER
Pierce is one of 10 participants in the Biggest Loser, a four-month program organized by the City of Plattsburgh and the American Heart Association to promote healthy lifestyle changes.
Participants are not competing against one another but are working as a group to help one another melt the pounds away through routine exercise and improved eating habits.
"They're approaching the 300-pound mark," City of Plattsburgh Recreation Director Steve Peters said of the group's weight loss thus far.
"Everybody is in really great spirits. They're leading better lifestyles and feeling good about the changes in their lives."
LIFESTYLE CHANGE
Pierce, who started the program at 397 pounds, has dropped to 343 and credits the group's teamwork, as well as his own determination.
"Randy and I exercise three to four times a week, along with the two times we all work out as a group," he said.
"I've been on diets for 10, 20 years, and they never work. This is not a diet; it's a lifestyle change, and it's very beneficial having a support group behind you."
"When you're losing weight, it's not always what the individual does," Hilliker added. "A good support group can help along the way by keeping you in a positive frame of mind. That way, you don't give up."
Hilliker, 43, has dropped 70 pounds, sliding from 370 to an even 300, and has set a goal to lose another 100 pounds on top of that.
"I've had a long list of health problems related to my weight," he said, listing sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and liver problems as some of the issues he faces.
"It started to interfere with my job and the way people looked on me. I had to take control and get this weight off."
Both participants have set goals to reduce the number of medications they are on for a variety of conditions.
"My doctor is pretty happy with the results so far," said Pierce, who is type 2 diabetic. "I'm hoping that within six months, I'll get off all (medications, including diuretics for the diabetes and pills to control high blood pressure)."
PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
Pierce and Hilliker have done a lot of walking and are up to five-mile treks now. They also do other cardiovascular exercise, as well as weight training.
"It's important to vary your routine," Hilliker said. "Otherwise, your body will get used to what you're doing, and you won't see results that are as good."
Mary Duprey, an experienced personal trainer, has been working with the participants during their group exercises, and CVPH Medical Center Dietician Ann Watts has been helping them adjust their eating habits to promote healthy weight loss.
"One of the things that has made this group work is that they have gelled together," Peters said. "They're not just participants; they are friends who have developed a strong support system."
The group wraps up the program during the upcoming Mayor's Cup Weekend and has scheduled a 5-K walk or run during Mayor's Cup to help raise money to support future lifestyle-improvement activities for the community.
E-mail Jeff Meyers at: jmeyers@pressrepublican.com
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