Duluze inspires healthy change WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

By Abigail Blonigen

With the weather gradually getting nicer, people are itching to get outside, get active, and shed some winter weight.

This year, hundreds of Northlanders were ahead of the game, participating in the second annual Duluze Weight Loss Challenge put on by the Duluth News Tribune.

Over 100 teams signed up to commit to a healthier lifestyle for three months, with the weigh-in event in January and weigh-out in April.

Thirteen weeks is an ideal length for this kind of challenge, as it allows time to make lifestyle changes, but isn’t so long that it feels intimidating, said Cara Swanstrom, a challenge participant.

Teams were divided into men’s, women’s, and co-ed teams of either two or four people.

Swanstrom was on a co-ed four-person team, along with Amanda Mickelson. One of their regular game night friends encouraged them to join the challenge, so their team name commemorated their game night drink of choice, “Weight Claws.”

Miranda Christensen and Jennifer Anderson made up a two-person women’s team called the “Swiftlets” for their love of country-turned-pop star Taylor Swift.

In addition to signing up for the Duluze Challenge, all four participants planned to run Grandma’s Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon in June.

“I’m more on track than I was in previous years,” said Mickelson in regard to her half marathon training coinciding with the challenge.

This will be Mickelson’s third half marathon and Swanstrom’s second; they ran their first one together five years ago. Despite the physical race being cancelled due to COVID-19, the duo still plans to run the virtual half, socially distanced from each other on the Munger Trail.

Christensen and Anderson also have a few half marathons under their belts. This will be Christensen’s fifth and Anderson’s sixth, as they, too, plan to participate in the half marathon virtually.

When putting in the time and effort to train, “the race means a bit more to you,” said Christensen, who was also glad the challenge helped her stay on top of her training.

The teams had a weigh-in at Clyde Iron Works on Jan. 16. Each week, they submitted their current weight to their team leader who was responsible for submitting weights to Duluze. The team that lost the highest collective percentage of body weight by the weigh-out on April 16 would win the challenge.

“It holds you accountable because you have to submit something, and your team knows,” said Mickelson.

The team aspect of the challenge not only aids in accountability, but also makes losing weight more fun.

When Swanstrom or her husband, who is also on the team, felt like skipping a workout or binging on some snacks, they would say to each other, “Think of the team! The team needs you!”

Their hard work paid off, as the Weight Claws ended up placing first in their category, losing 15.14 percent of their collective body weight. Swanstrom and Mickelson both placed in the top 10 for women, losing 17.99 and 13.46 percent, respectively.

Christensen and Anderson held each other accountable by consistently checking in with one another, being honest with their struggles, encouraging each other, and making time to work out together.

Christensen said having a support system is imperative; she has friends, family and coworkers who all helped her hold herself accountable to her goals.

All participants emphasized losing weight in a healthy way, leading to lifestyle changes that could be practiced even after the challenge was over.

For Mickelson, this means running at home on the treadmill and getting outside as the weather gets nicer. She tries to consume fewer calories, snack less, and drink regular coffee rather than sugary specialty drinks.

Swanstrom follows Bob Harper’s “The Skinny Rules,” which includes helpful healthy reminders like remembering to eat breakfast, drink enough water, and consume enough protein. She won a three-day personal trainer session for the New Year, so she incorporated those workouts and running into her routine.

Christensen is more mindful of tracking her food and following serving sizes. Her workout routine consists of lifting and running on the treadmill at the gym.

Anderson is intentional about drinking more water instead of coffee or soda. She runs several times a week with her hyperactive new puppy, and keeps active with Movo Studio.

A big challenge for all of the participants was the social aspect of making healthier decisions, as many times hanging out with friends includes going to restaurants and bars.

“I’m definitely swayed by other people’s choices,” said Christensen.

Anderson agreed, adding, “It’s more about discipline than motivation.”

Despite the struggles, both teams found the challenge to be worthwhile and appreciated the healthy change in mindset.

“At first [my goal] was to lose weight, but I feel better now that I’m eating healthier and choosing better options,” said Mickelson.

Swanstrom noted that her resting heart rate is lower, her acid reflux has improved, and she no longer wakes up with a “puffy” feeling.

“The Duluze Challenge has definitely inspired a change in our lifestyle. Even though I have room for improvement, I finally look and feel like me again,” she said.

In terms of advice for other folks who want to start making healthier choices, “Weight Claws” suggests finding other people to do it with for accountability.

Christensen recommends celebrating small accomplishments by breaking long-term goals down into small, attainable ones. She encourages folks to get out of their comfort zones and try something new.

Anderson’s favorite motivational quote is, “There’s no change if there’s no change,” from the Weight Watchers Connect app. “Progress is better than perfection,” she added. “You just gotta keep doing something and moving forward.” D