A big loss is a big win for Classic Loser 7 champion
In just 12 weeks, Hatter Celeste Coderre has changed her life in a big way.
After joining the Classic Loser 7 competition as a wild card and working her way into the final six, something no winner has ever done, Coderre was named the winner of the competition, and was given the choice between free workout equipment or an allexpenses-paid trip to California.
“I joined the Classic Loser competition just to see if I could get some steady results — I never thought about winning,” said Coderre. “When I was up there I didn’t even know which prize I wanted because I never pictured it. After looking over to my husband I decided we’d take the trip.”
In the 12 weeks Coderre went from 280 to 242 pounds, losing nearly 14 per cent of her total body weight. She said the secret to her success was keeping at it, no matter what.
“I quickly learned through training with Todd (Schneider) that this is a slow process about making a completely new lifestyle,” she said. “Rather than trying to get quick and fast results, I just kept with it. There are days when it’s hard to do and you don’t want to work out, but to really see results you need to be consistent.”
That consistency is what trainer Todd Schneider said allowed the judges to bump Coderre from a wild card to the final six, which gave her a shot at taking home first place.
“We implemented a rule two years back so wild cards could bump out members of the top six if they were not losing weight,” he said. “Celeste continually showed us every week that she was here to play, she was here to win.”
Though Coderre did win the grand prize, it was not an easy choice, said Schneider.
“This is the closest competition we have seen so far,” he said. “The top three were within a percentage or two from each other. The essay portion played an especially large role in this year’s choice — we were deciding on who to pick the morning of the finale.”
Second place winner was McKenna Berg, who lost 39 pounds. She will be taking home brand new gym equipment. Third place winner was Jonathan Ritz with a total weight loss of 42 pounds, and who won a $1,000 TKO brand shopping spree at the Body Building Depot.
All members of the final six win a one-year membership to the Caloric Responsibility gym.
Next year the contest will be under a new name, which has yet to be revealed yet.