Post-holiday weight loss challenge issued

OTHELLO - Columbia Basin Health Association (CBHA) pharmacist Nathan Spinelli has always strived for a healthy lifestyle.

Spinelli maintained a weight appropriate to his height, worked out at Anytime Fitness and was even a body builder back in the day. Then he started to slip.

"Last fall I noticed that my waist line was expanding a bit," he said.

Spinelli decided to take action and scheduled himself for a Dexascan. That triggered an idea that may help all Basin residents who over-indulge this holiday season.

Backed by the CBHA, Spinelli and some friends have created a $1,000 weight loss challenge to start Jan. 12, after the holidays have settled - around your waist or in your thighs maybe.

A total of $1,000 in prize money will be issued at the end of the challenge on March 23. The plan has the backing of the Othello Healthy Community Coalition.

"We recognize that some participants like an element of competition to reach their goals, and we have built that in," Spinelli said.

Most people think of a Dexascan as something that measures bone density. However, the DEXA can also measure body fat and body composition.

Spinelli wasn't satisfied with the results of his scan. He discussed it with CBHA nutritionist Cynthia Rosenow and Anytime Fitness owner Janelle Andersen.

Dulcye Field & Magali Garcia met with Andersen in regards to promoting CBHA's DEXA. Together they laid the ground work to partner CBHA, The Othello Healthy Community Coalition and Anytime Fitness for the weight loss challenge.

Janelle had a body composition scan followed by a nutritional consultation with dietitian Karli Kerr at CBHA. Like Spinelli, she wasn't satisfied with the results.

Dexascan results provide patients with an A/G (android/gynoid) ratio. According to Rosenow, Android fat is the fat stored in the midsection of the body, primarily in the abdomen. It carries more risks primarily because of where it's stored. It is more common among men.

Gynoid fat is stored primarily in the hips and thighs and is more common among women. Gynoid fat is considered a healthier fat because it is not stored in the belly and around organs.

"However," Rosenow said, "too much fat anywhere on your body poses some health risks."

Andersen presented the challenge to the CBHA leadership team. It gave Andersen and her friends the green light to offer it to the community.

"We see it as an effort to introduce healthier lifestyles into our community, thereby reducing obesity levels," said coalition president Dulcye Field.

"We are all really excited about this," Spinelli said. "The program we have put together begins with a Dexascan to determine body composition, followed by a consultation with the nutritionist. Education and exercise also play an important role."

CBHA and Anytime Fitness are collaborating to offer several options to patients, ranging from one that is free of charge to several offering different levels for different prices.

Spinelli stressed that his group does not want to put a damper on anyone's holiday celebrations.

"We just want to be ready to go when people's New Year's Resolutions kick in," he said.

You may contact the Marketing Department at CBHA (509-488-5256, Ex. 2018 or marketing@cbha.org) for more information or Janelle Andersen at 509-488-3484 or othellowa@anytimefitness.com.

You can like CBHA's or Anytime Fitness's Facebook pages to watch for more information.