An update on News10NBC's Biggest Winners

Posted at: 09/06/2012 3:48 PM | Updated at: 09/06/2012 5:59 PM
By: Rebecca Leclair | WHEC.com

Last spring, News10NBC had a contest to send four people to the newest Biggest Loser Resort in Wyoming County. The resort opened in May in North Java. News10NBC asked contestants to send videos. Viewers voted for the people they thought deserved to go. Those four winners are at the resort this week. 

When you think resort, you think relaxation time in a hot tub, right? At the Biggest Loser Resort Niagara, you get maybe ten minutes to rest your sore muscles and then it’s in the pool for another round of water resistance training.

Joellen Maples, Biggest Winner, said, “Our trainer said discipline now, or disappointment later. She said there is not any place you can’t work out.” 

Maples, a teacher at St. John Fisher College, lost 134 pounds even before our contest. The day after she arrived at the resort, she basically did a 5K and four hours of exercise classes.

Maples said, “At the end of the two hours, I looked and I had burned like 1700 calories so that was unheard of for me.” 

Basically, the resort is a lot like the “Biggest Loser” TV show. Two former contestants are trainers there. It is a strenuous schedule. The first activity starts at 6:00am even before the sun is up and doesn’t end until 5pm but a they say, as long as you’re moving, you’re losing.

Tracy Monroe said in her contest entry she wanted to help herself and her two daughters. She’s a school bus driver and had to take three personal days the first week of school, but she has a goal.

Monroe said, “Just to lose as much weight as I can this one week and then to bring home whatever I learned to my kids and my family wants to know too. My friends want to know all the secrets.” 

Michelle Zehr, Biggest Winner, said, “Is this artichoke. So since artichokes are on the salad bar, we can have artichokes all the time.” 

Zehr is a nurse, raising three kids. She actually researched Biggest Loser Resorts earlier this year and was excited one was opening up and hour from her Caledonia home. But with the resort costing $2,700 a week, she knew she’d only be able to go if she was named a News10NBC Biggest Winner. 

Zehr said, “I’m here because of the contest and you know I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise and I'm definitely not wasting a second of my time here.” 

She’s already planning to take recipes home from the resort; most meals are 500 to 700 calories. 

While all four winners knew they wouldn’t get to their goal weight in just one week, they are planning the next step. Susan Tierson, a 58-year-old nanny in Rochester flew to Ohio to try out for the “Biggest Loser” TV show this summer. She wasn’t picked as a contestant but has found new strength just from losing 20 pounds since May.

Tierson said, “Thanks to Channel 10 and everyone else. I found out that I can move and I’m going to be kicking and going strong.” 

Season 14 of the “Biggest Loser” starts in January and teenagers are being added as contestants. Plus, Jillian Michaels is coming back to the show as a trainer. You can watch the “Biggest Loser” on News10NBC. 

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