The Carz are still Kings. The Shake Weight Shedders psyched themselves up to second. The Northwood Skinny just got skinnier.
They and all the rest of the teams that last week ranked in the Top 10 of the Tribune Chronicle-St. Elizabeth / St. Joseph Centers Fitness Challenge this week remain in the - Top 20.
It's Week 2 of the 10th annual weight loss competition to benefit charity and it's more than bodies that are moving. Entire teams seem to be getting exercise by bouncing up and down the standings.
The Kings of Carz, a five-man team from Toyota Volvo Jaguar of Warren who finished third last year, strengthened its lead at 6.21 percent of starting weight lost.
The PsyCare Shake Weight Shedders jumped from third to second and the Northwood Skinny from fourth to third. The Well Wishers leaped from 10th place last week up to fifth this week.
Meanwhile, PB's Pastry Puffs slipped from second to seventh and Why Weight had a bit of setback, plunging from fifth to 20th place. They are waiting to see if they can recover next week.
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At stake in the 10-week competition is more than just being able to once again wear the clothes pushed to the far end of the closet.
The teams that lose the greatest percentage of their starting weight gain the largest share of the prize money for the nonprofit agency of their choice. The winner will donate at least $1,350 to its charity of choice; second place, $900; third, $540; fourth, $360; fifth to seventh, $315 each; eighth to tenth, $270 each; all others, $225. Also, the team with the best one-week showing earns a bonus $10 for its charity that week, putting another $100 in play.
GROUPS WE'D LIKE
TO TAKE TO DINNER
Three of the 61 teams this year chose Dynamite TKD Kids Foundation as the service group for which they are shedding the pounds - Taylor's Martial Arts, Jr. Tae Kwon Do School and Taylor's Cardio-Fit Kickboxing.
Bart Adkins, captain of the Kickboxing team, said, "We are all students, instructors, or family members of martial artists at Taylor's Martial Arts in Warren Ohio. The Dynamite TKD Kid's Foundation raises tuition money for underprivileged or at-risk children.
"We want to help more kids reap the benefits of a quality after-school and summer martial arts program.
"While our team members' fitness levels may vary, our common goals are self-improvement and helping children."
And there's another goal - tease the other teams based out of the school.
"Jerry Bartlett (Jr. Tae Kwon Do team) brought in a box of doughnuts to tempt Kat (Damstoft, Kickboxing team) with, and Jamie Wilcox is always offering me steak or homemade oatmeal raisin cookies," he said. "Abbie Taylor (Taylor's Martial Arts team) brought in a whole plate of pastries and said it was for Jerry's dinner."
The teams themselves have some interesting matchups. Adkins' wife, Kathy, is on the Jr. Tae Kwon Do team.
"I am competing with my husband's team and another teammate of mine, Ryan Hopson, is competing with his girlfriend, Kat Damstoft, also on my husband's team," Kathy Adkins said. "Not only are we competing as a team but we are competing with our significant others, and having a great time doing so!"
Bart Adkins said, "The teams were divided the way they are partially by luck of the draw. However, my wife, Kathy, did not want to be my teammate. She was concerned that I may drag her team down!"
Still, he said, "although we are competing against each other, we are all a big family and the martial arts school is our home."
TIPS AND TASTY TIDBITS
Throughout the Fitness Challenge, experts from St. Elizabeth and St. Mary health centers will offer tips on nutrition, health and exercise. This week, Ryan Foertch, manager of the Humility of Mary Health Partners Competitive Edge Sports Medicine, checks in on how to get started safely.
"Consult your physician if you have any medical needs prior to starting an exercise program," Foertch said.
Once that's done, "I would start by just getting out there and doing something. Most individuals that begin exercise programs are not used to doing a lot of physical activity, and something is better than nothing.
"I would shoot for two to three days per week to start, and then progress to three to five days once you get a little more comfortable, and increase your fitness level.
"I would start by doing two to three days of cross-training exercises. This would be working on strength as well as cardiovascular training on the same days. Once your fitness level increases, you can break strength, and cardio into its own days and workouts, but initially combine them for best starting results."
Foertch will return with more workout advice in the coming weeks.
FOOD?LABELS
Each week, we ask a team how it came up with its name. Janice Buckler said it's pretty simple for the Believers Bulge Busters.
"Our church is Believers. We have bulges. We want them busted."
'Nuff said.
SMACKING?OF?THE?LIPS
Speaking of the Bulge Busters, Janelle Buckler of the Shake Weight Shedders (second place) said last week that her personal goal was to beat the Bulge Busters (fourth place this week) since her mom and dad were on that team.
Janice Buckler whispered this week, "Don't tell her, but we've been fortifying her meals with hydrogenated fats and sugar."
If you have some friendly smack talk or want to issue a challenge to another team, send it to the e-mail address below.