Annual Classic Loser’s youngest contestant already hitting goals
It’s never too early or too late in your life to make a big change — Hatter Jonathan Ritz is out to prove that.
The 32-year-old is the youngest contestant to ever compete in the Classic Loser, and through nine weeks of the contest, Ritz has already surpassed his goal weight set by trainer Todd Schneider at the beginning of Classic Loser 7.
“I weighed myself this (Sunday) morning and I weighed in at 180 pounds,” he said. “Todd and I set the goal weight at 182 pounds, so to already be past that is a really great feeling — I’m just trying to keep at it and see what number I can get to.”
Ritz says getting into better shape has always been something that’s been on his radar, and a last-minute conversation with Schneider got him to sign up for Classic Loser 7.
“I’ve always known Todd, and during the last week to sign up we talked and I just did it,” he said. “I’ve wanted to do something like this and had tried other methods, and after I talked with Todd it seemed like a good time to go for it.”
As a mail carrier for FedEx, Ritz says he has noticed small, but meaningful changes to his day-today routines after dropping 36 pounds.
“It’s little things like waking up and not having a very sore back that I’m really enjoying,” he said. “Doing things throughout the day just seems to be a bit easier — this contest has been pretty great for me.”
While some changes are great, some have forced Ritz to go on a bit of a shopping spree.
“A lot of my clothes don’t fit that that well anymore, which is a good thing, but it also means I’ve had to buy a few new pairs of jeans,” he said.
With a few weeks before a winner is selected, Ritz says he is trying not to think too hard about winning the grand prize.
“Staying on top of my meals and making sure I come to the gym is still really important, even close to the end,” he said. “I’ve flipped back and forth on whether or not I would want the trip, or the piece of equipment — I’ll try and think about it more if the time comes.”