Posted 11:54 pm Wednesday, February 01, 2012
‘10 In 10 Challenge' Gets Boost From Elementary School Students
By JACQUE HILBURN-SIMMONS
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
A public campaign about private weight loss challenges seemed to hit a feverish pitch Tuesday as some "10 in 10 Challenge" participants gathered for a health lesson at Tyler's Andy Woods Elementary.
A gym filled with wiggling second-graders added a touch of pep rally-style excitement to the occasion, which boiled down to a simple challenge between friends: lose the weight or lose the hair.
On the hot seat: Tyler Morning Telegraph publisher Nelson Clyde, who accepted a challenge this month from City Manager Mark McDaniel to lose a pound a week during a 10-week period.
If Clyde fails to live up to the challenge, off goes his hair.
The men had a similar agreement last fall, only it was McDaniel who landed on the short end of the deal, losing his tidy business cut in a public shaving at a Fit City Challenge meeting.
The Fit City Challenge is a community campaign promoting fitter lifestyles.
It's a new year and a new challenge, the men said.
In the third week of this latest weight-loss campaign, it appears Clyde is ahead of his "pound per week" goal.
"He's lost over 10 pounds already," McDaniel said, highlighting the fact Clyde's original weight was about 281 pounds.
As of last week, he was at 271 pounds, the manager said.
There are seven weeks to go, but it appears evident the newsman is determined to keep his 'do.'
"Look at this hair," Clyde roared, mussing up his locks for emphasis. "We don't want to shave hair like this ... it is great hair."
He stooped down and made a low dash past the giggling youngsters, who reached out with great enthusiasm and fluffed up his hair.
Preparing to take the scale, Clyde was intent on shedding every last ounce, emptying his pockets of goodies, namely a money clip with a few bills and a cellphone.
His weight for the week: 267 pounds.
"Whoooooooahhhhh," the crowd gasped.
McDaniel also is on a losing streak -- his starting weight was 166 pounds and on Tuesday, he tipped the scales at 158.
"It's not easy," the manager said, explaining weight loss becomes more challenging as people age.
Weekly weigh-ins for the 10 in 10 Challenge are held at various locations throughout the city, including East Texas Food Bank the first week, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler the second.
Next week, it's off to the Tyler Senior Center, 1915 Garden Valley, for another waistline reality check.
Tyler police used the occasion to reinforce the importance of good choices, using McGruff the Crime Dog and the department's drug dog, Paco, who appeared with handler, Sgt. Steve Black.
"McGruff grew big by eating green leafy vegetables," Officer James McCraw teased, prompting laughter from the students.
Educators said these types of experiences add context to lessons learned in classrooms.
Rod Kaspar, athletic director for the Tyler Independent School District, said there is a strong correlation between beneficial physical activity and strong academic performance.
Physical education teacher Ashley Phelps said a morning walking club helped Andy Woods' students last year to begin their day on a healthful note, with members logging 2,648 miles walking laps around the campus, she said.
Also, funds awarded by the TISD Foundation allowed the school to purchase special mats incorporating physical fitness into a variety of lessons, such as practicing the multiplication tables, educator Happi Byrne said.
At least 30 community leaders are participating in the campaign.
Other weigh-in times and dates include: 11:30 a.m. Feb. 14, Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, 315 N. Broadway Ave.; 11:30 a.m. Feb. 21, Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital, Fourth Floor, Ornelas Tower, 800 E. Dawson St.; 11:30 a.m. Feb. 28, Northeast Texas Public Health District WIC Clinic, 815 N. Broadway Ave.; 11:30 a.m. March 6, Smith County ,Lobby of the Courthouse Annex, 200 E. Ferguson, Suite 100; 11:30 a.m. March 13, East Texas Medical Center, Olympic Center, second floor, 701 Olympic Plaza Circle.
Final weigh in is set for 3 p.m. March 21, Fit City Steering Committee meeting, Tyler City Hall state room, 212 N. Bonner Ave.
Clyde encouraged students to talk to their parents about the importance of physical fitness, but then cautioned them to avoid the "fat" word.
McDaniel said he was pleased the children seemed really interested in the event.
"These kids get it," he said, expressing hope the lessons of the day will stick.
Little Bruce Bruckner, 7, was all grins after the fitness rally.
"It was pretty cool," he said, predicting "the big man" would ultimately lose the most weight. Ironically, the boy's favorite moment of the day had nothing to do with dieting, hair cuts or two grown men weighing in public.
"I really liked the dog," he said.
