Suozzi Announces Winners of ‘Biggest Loser’ Weight-Off Competition for County Workers
More Than 1,400 Lbs Shed by Employees Who Took The Challenge As Part of ‘Healthy Nassau’ Initiative
Mineola, N.Y. – As part of his “Healthy Nassau” campaign to promote fitness and health, Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today announced the winners of the “Biggest Loser” Weight-Off, a 10-week weight-loss competition that drew participation from more than 130 County workers.
The “Biggest Loser” Weight-Off was actually three competitions in one: one among the members of the police unions, one for CSEA members and one for all other County employees. The three employees from each group who lost the most weight, as a percentage of their initial weight, won cash prizes. The three First Prize winners receive $300, Second Prize is $200 and the Third Prize winners take home $100.
Nearly 500 workers started the competition and 133 went the distance, shedding a total of 1,437 lbs. Eight contestants lost more than 30 pounds, while 22 lost more than 20 pounds and 55 workers lost more than 10 pounds. The winners were determined based on the percentage of original body weight they lost during the 10 week competition.
The 1st Place winners of the “Biggest Loser” competition are: Cliff Aleck, 49, a 22-year veteran of the NCPD who lost 33lbs; Bruce Edington, 47, a CSEA member and 21-year County veteran in Foster Care who lost 45 lbs; and Roy Gier, 42, a Corrections Officer for the County who lost 27 lbs.
The 2nd Place winners are: Spiros Vouthas, 32, a plainclothes County police officer who lost 31 lbs; Peter Bello, 49, of CSEA who lose 53.5 lbs; and Matthew Horton, 35, a Corrections Officer who lost 33 lbs.
The 3rd Place winners are: Richard Hefferon, 42, of the NCPD who lost 30.5 lbs; Jose Rosa, 50, a CSEA member and County lab technician for 19 years who lost 28.75 lbs; and Peter Lilli, 28, a Corrections Officer since 2001 who lost 20 lbs.
“We may have given them the incentive to do it, but all of the winners made the commitment to lose weight and get healthy, and they stuck with it,” said County Executive Suozzi. “We are proud of their effort and accomplishments. Their stories should inspire anyone who wants to make positive changes concerning their health.”
The competition was sponsored by the police unions, the CSEA and by Suozzi. The competition began in April, when participants were given an initial weigh-in, and the final weigh-ins took place in June.
Healthy Nassau, Suozzi’s campaign to make Nassau the healthiest county in the nation, builds upon existing initiatives and adds new ones in order to sustain a healthy environment (focusing on air, land and water), while encouraging healthy living (tending to bodies, minds and spirits). Along with the “Biggest Loser” Weight-Off Competition, Healthy Nassau initiatives include: seeking a ban on trans fats and putting calorie counts on menus, working with other large municipalities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and explore mass transit options; continuing to preserve the County’s remaining open space; operating an organic farm at Old Bethpage Village Restoration; providing space for a Farmer’s Market offering fresh, local produce, and seeking a state-authorized increased cigarette tax to discourage smoking.
Healthy Nassau - “The Biggest Loser” Winners
1st Place (Police) - Cliff Alek, 49, a Nassau County Police Officer for 22 years, lost 33lbs. during the ‘Biggest Loser’ competition. He currently works as a Detective in the 8th Squad. He entered the “Biggest Loser” contest after he already started a diet and thought the contest would give him some more motivation, and credits his weight loss to a combination of exercise and the NutriSystem program. His advice to those who are trying to lose weight is to “find something you can stick to, because it is a lifestyle change.”
1st Place – (CSEA) - Bruce Edington, 47, lives in Northport, and has worked for the County for 21 years as a Supervisor 2 of Foster Care. He joined the Biggest Loser contest because he was the heaviest he had ever been. “I was at my all time high, at about 244lbs,” he said. “I saw the sign for the contest and it motivated me.” He lost 45lbs, going from 244 lbs to 199lbs, making a total loss of 18.44%. Health has always been important to him, but he said he had “just kind of gained some weight”. He ran 20 to 25 miles a day, sometimes getting up as early as 3 a.m. to do so. He said he cut down on meals and ate in moderation, saying, “I feel great, I feel fantastic, I have a lot more energy!” He sympathized with people who gain weight saying, “It is easy to get into recreational eating modes where you eat without even thinking.” His advice to others is: eat smaller meals, vary your food from the weekdays to the weekends to allow yourself a treat every once in a while, and, most importantly, try to change the focus of food from a compulsion to a controlled necessity.
1st Place – (Sheriff) - Roy Gier, 42, has been working for Nassau County for 17 years and is now a Corrections Officer. He joined this contest for some incentive to lose weight and he succeeded – he lost 27 pounds. He attributes his weight loss success mainly to diet and exercise. He ate less and went on a low-carb diet and participated in the State Park’s Summer Run Series. When asked if he feels better physically having lost the weight, Roy responded, “Yes. Oh, yes.” His advice to those trying to lose weight is simple: eat less and exercise more.
2nd Place – (Police) - Spiros Vouthas, 32, has worked for the County for 9 ½ years, and is a plainclothes police officer in the 6th precinct. Along with his partner Richard Hefferon, Spiros joined the contest not believing he would win, but just trying to lose some weight. He and Hefferon took second and third place, respectively. Vouthas lost 31 lbs, going from 231 lbs to 200 lbs, making a weight loss of 13.42%. He kept to a low carb diet, lifted weights and ran 3 to 4 days a week, and says he now feels much healthier. He said, “I’m not tired all the time anymore.” His advice to others is: “Once you start, just stick with it. After the first two weeks, it goes into cruise control.”
2nd Place – (CSEA) - Peter Bello, 49, a Glen Head resident, lost an astounding 53 ½ pounds during the competition. He has worked for the County for 17 years and is currently an accountant in the Department of Social Services. He began a diet two days before the “Biggest Loser” contest and, when he heard about it, decided to participate. His weight loss strategies centered around cutting back on his carbohydrate intake and late night eating, as well as a lot of walking – “I walked 2 or 3 times a day for half an hour to an hour and a half each time,” he says. Bello also says that he feels noticeably better having lost the weight, and explains that he has more energy and feels like he can do more things. And to others who aspire to similar weight loss success, he advises them to “figure out your problem and try to key in on a strategy from there.”
2nd Place – (Sheriff) - Matthew Horton, 35, has been working for the County for 7 years and he’s now a Corrections Officer in the Sheriff’s Department. Horton, who lost 33 pounds, entered the contest with the hopes that he would feel better if he lost some weight. And, after an effective weight loss program that involved eating more vegetables and protein and less junk food and fat, as well as half an hour of cardiovascular exercise per day, Horton does, in fact, feel better – he no longer experiences acid reflux. He advises others who are trying to lose weight that, “the only thing that works is hard work and a good healthy diet.”
3rd Place – (Police) - Richard Hefferon, 42, has worked for the Nassau County Police Department County for 13 years and is currently a plainclothes police officer in the 6th precinct. He and his partner, Spiros Vouthas, heard about the contest and saw it as an opportunity to lose some excess weight. Neither of them believed they could win, but sure enough both of them did. Coming in third for the Police winners, Richard lost 30.5 lbs, going from 232.5lbs to 202 lbs, making it a total loss of 13.13%. He said he lost the weight by sticking to a low-carb diet, running 3 miles every workday and continuing to weight train. He feels great to have lost the weight, and said, “It was much easier to do with a younger partner participating with me.” His advice to others was to stick to your diet, exercise, weight train, and try not to eat an abundance of carbohydrates.
3rd Place – (CSEA) - Jose Rosa, 50, lives in Uniondale and has been working for Nassau County for 19 years as a laboratory technician. A CSEA member, he placed 3rd in the competition. He joined the “Biggest Loser” contest because he wanted to lose some weight, and this contest was the extra incentive he needed. He modified his diet and began aerobic exercises as well as weight lifting. He joined Relay For Life, a charity event where money is raised by walking. He feels much better now, having lost 28.75 lbs, a 15.35% weight loss going from 187.25 lbs to 158.5 lbs. Mr. Rosa’s advice to others was that losing weight is not something you have to do alone. “Have a support system because it’s not easy by yourself. My wife and daughter helped me out a great deal,” he said.
3rd Place (Sheriff) - Peter Lilli, 28, has been a Corrections Office in Nassau County since 2001. He entered the “Biggest Loser” contest to lose some weight and get in better shape, and he did just that – he lost a total of 20 pounds. He lost weight by eliminating junk food from his diet and following an exercise regimen that included both running and weight lifting. And to others who are trying to lose weight, Peter says, “It’s a whole lifestyle change if you want to lose weight and keep it off. It takes time and effort.”
