Shape Up Sikeston! winds down

SIKESTON - It looks like Excess Energy has captured first place in the Shape Up Sikeston! fitness competition but all of the participants who put out the effort are winners.

Monday was the last day to record points for the competition.

"I think it went really well," said Kylie Wibbenmeyer, wellness coordinator for ReStart. "I think the people really enjoyed doing it, from what I hear."

"I think it has been fun and challenging - haven't heard too many complaints from my team members except that they wanted to win and just wondered where everyone else got the time to get their 15 points every day," said Mark Crocker, captain of the Department of Public Safety's Terminators.

Official results will be revealed Friday during a wrap-up party with sub sandwiches, snacks and door prizes scheduled from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Clinton Building.

Unofficially, Excess Energy has apparently finished in first and "well in the lead," Wibbenmeyer said. "And second place is definitely the City Haulers from the City of Sikeston."

But there is still plenty of competition among teams to make for an exciting finish. "It's the third, fourth and fifth place teams that are neck and neck," Wibbenmeyer said.

A lot of participants are not that concerned about winning prizes or seeing how they placed but are looking forward to measuring body fat and cholesterol at the wrap-up party.

Feedback on the competition so far indicates regardless of who placed first, second and third, many consider themselves winners for having taken part.

"What I have heard from my group is that this program has 'forced' them to become more active," said Pat Davault, captain of the Buzy B's. "While we did not meet our point level each and every day, we did succeed in at least exercising - some of us were not really exercising at all before this."

Others reported that while many team members already worked out several days a week, the program motivated them to work out every day.

"It has increased my exercise level," Davault said. "I was pretty 'hit and miss' before this contest."

Some participants reported losing significant amounts of weight. Others did not lose weight, but were equally delighted to have been able to eat what they wanted through the holidays and not gain any weight.

Many have been inspired to continue working out either with their group or on their own.

Those who wish they would have participated but didn't this time will get another chance. "Everyone be ready to do it again next year with a few changes in the rules, a few modifications," Wibbenmeyer said.

Among the changes being considered for next time is cutting the number of workout days down from seven to five or six.

Rankings as of the last tally were: Excess Energy, City Haulers, Shape Shifters, Fantastic Ferrell Firecrackers, Kindergarten Kalorie Krunchers, Burch's Bod Squad, Y-Rats, ReStart Racers, Regal Eagles, Continu-Care Ambulators, Y's Guys, Terminators, Losin' It, Regal Bodybuilders, Health Facilities Elite Eight, Y Workout?, Cooney Girls Rock, The Y's Magnificent Seven, Tone-N-Teachers, Loose Change, Law Dogs, Buzy B's, Chamber Chicks + the CVB Chickadees, Kenny's Cardiac Corps, The Grant Financial Team, Shape-Up Story's, Fantastic 5+1, Kenny's Kickers, Hopin' Inches Melt, Foot Factor, Peppy Steppers, US Bodacious Bankers, Heartbreakers and Dieting Divas.