W. M. Jordan Wellness Director Julie Dixon is always looking for a new and exciting way to keep our team moving and burning calories. She is known for company-wide exercise and weight loss challenges, that often help people achieve fitness results they did not think were possible. After nearly a year of taking COVID precautions and social distancing, Julie was ready for a new challenge, not only for W. M. Jordan employees, but with some of our clients and colleagues! Thus, the Team to Team Challenge was born.

Julie’s goal for the challenge was simple: Get people to lose weight and get healthy while influencing others in the community to follow suit. Winners would be determined by the highest percentage of weight loss as a team. WMJ’s competition included The Pentagon’s J7 Team, An Achievable Dream Academy, Towne Bank Peninsula Staff, Hampton Roads Academy, Hampton Roads Sanitation Department (HRSD) and the Newport News Police Department.

Participants had varying fitness backgrounds, making a team challenge a great place to start.

“Physical fitness was a big part of being in the Army as an infantry officer,” said Retired Army Colonel John Norris. “My goal for the New Year is to get back into my Triathlon race weight in anticipation of spring races returning after a year off!”

An Achievable Dream Academy Middle School Program Director Rachel Sadler has a background in Muay Thai, but with the pandemic training has been sparse. “COVID forced me to hang up my gloves and put down the weights for the time being. I turned my garage into a gym that I use most mornings, but I can’t wait to train with a team again!”

“Two things that I KNOW work for me are writing down what I eat and exercising on a consistent basis,” said Hampton Roads Academy Teacher Ron Sims. “I was already doing a clean eating challenge, and this was just another way to hold myself accountable.”

After two months and some tough competition, the results were in! Hampton Roads Academy finished first place in the Team to Team Challenge, losing a collective 4.49% of their starting body weight. The Newport News Police Department came in second with 4.12% lost and the Pentagon’s J7 Team came in third with 3.69% of their weight lost.  W. M. Jordan finished fourth with 3.67% lost while the Towne Bank team lost 2.8% of their beginning weight and HRSD lost 2.6% of their starting weight.

The W. M. Jordan Team lost a total of 276.9 pounds! Project Superintendent Shane McClenahan lead the way, losing nearly 10% of his starting weight. Way to go Shane!

While everyone that participated in the challenge took a step in the right direction for their overall health, the ‘biggest loser’ from this challenge was Hampton Roads Academy’s Jennifer Massengill, who lost 10.76% of her starting weight.

“I feel good! My energy has improved and it is always a mood booster when I can button my pants without a struggle!” said Massengill. “I was very diligent tracking my calories. I enjoy cooking so I spent some time finding recipes that were under 500 calories but didn’t feel like being on a diet.”

All totaled, 103 challengers lost a total of 740.6 pounds in just two months. Congratulations to everyone who participated, taking the first step in your fitness journey is often the hardest!  Be on the lookout for news from Julie’s next fitness challenge as we continue our Relentless Pursuit of Excellence.