TOLEDO, Ohio — The Super Fitness Weight Loss Challenge contestants have come to the end of their season and the champion lost almost 100 pounds in this nine-month challenge.
Chris Siegel is the 2023 Super Fitness Weight Loss champion, losing 93 pounds since the beginning of the season in October.
“I really wanted to lose this weight,” Siegel said. “I have lost weight before, but not this much. And I was feeling really run down."
Siegel credits his daughter for his focus this season.
“I had to find something to wear for her daddy-daughter dance. And I was embarrassed that I couldn’t find a suit to fit me," he said. "I knew I had to make a change.”
Host Kelly Heidbreder praised this year's contestants for their effort.
"This has been an incredible journey this season," she said. "Our top five challengers had very close percentages.”
Jodi Johns lost more than 45 pounds and took second place, losing 25 percent of her body weight. Matt Tucker took third place losing 48 pounds, which is just over 21 percent of his body weight.
Fourth place went to Beth Thornton. She lost 37.8 pounds, just over 21 percent of her body weight. And fifth place went to the wild card challenger, Andy Tucker. Andy lost 48.2 pounds, just over 20 percent of his body weight.
“This group has been motivated from the start," Heidbreder said. "And one of the most supportive challengers truly deserves our Neil Heiden Award.”
Neil Heiden was the 2018 champion, who died in 2021. During the year he competed, he lost almost 125 pounds and encouraged everyone in the challenge. Emily is the third person to receive this award.
“Emily Goodwin has been in our challenge two years and she has recruited six people into the challenge this season," Heidbreder said. "That is the most recruitments from one person we have ever had. And Emily works out with many of the other challengers in the group and is very encouraging."
Super Fitness Weight Loss champion Chris Siegel won more than $1,000 in prize money as well as a year membership at Super Fitness.
Next year's kickoff for the next Super Fitness Weight Loss Challenge will be in October.
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