Group Competition Helps Castle’s ‘Losers’ Reach Goals

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The best weight-losers in Castle Medical Center’s “eat more, weigh less” wellness challenge
are (from left) Edwin Pacheco of Nutritional Services, Nancy Chew of
Pulama/Laulima, Stephanie Teixeira of Castle Community Care and Cheryl Galdeira of
Environmental Services. Photo from Jasmin Rodriguez.

Castle Medical Center employees have lost 1,440 pounds collectively in their eat more/weigh less wellness challenge, making them among the biggest “losers” on the Windward side.

“I was surprised that that many people wanted to participate,” said wellness educator Beth Davidann of the 172 workers involved. “They were terribly competitive. It was so much fun to see people motivated and inspired.” Davidann was in charge of the program, which ran from February to June.

Castle created Indy 500 race cars around a race track to show their progress. (The original goal was to lose a total of 500 pounds.) The 18 wellness teams adopted unique names, such as L-Abs of Steel, Nitro and Baby Fat.

Individuals and teams reported their weight each week, encouraged by e-mail pep talks from Davidann about low-fat foods, fruits, vegetables and grains. They either maintained or lost weight. Another factor was a physical challenge set simultaneously by the American Cancer Society at the hospital, where points were awarded for certain activities, and all participants were entered into a prize drawing.

The Laulima Team lost the most weight, dropping 174 pounds and claiming a trophy and a catered healthy brunch. Coming in second, The Incredibles lost 170.5 pounds. Rounding out the top five teams, the Fit-n-Fabulous team lost 142 pounds; the L-Abs of Steel lost 133.5 pounds; and the Raisinettes lost 130 pounds.

Grand prize winner for individual weight loss was Stephanie Teixeira, a certified nurse’s aide. She won a one-night stay at a Waikiki hotel. Teixeira, a Kaneohe resident who has worked for four years with Castle Community Home Care, lost 52 pounds in the fitness challenge.

“People have been asking me,’Is that you?’"said Teixeira."The hardest part about it was the exercise, as I’m not used to exercising. Without the exercise I wasn’t losing weight. The challenge gave me motivation: I took stairs, I started walking and swimming, I walk an hour a day.”

A member of the NO XQSES (no excuses) team, Teixeira was thrilled because - for the first time - she didn’t have to fly in first class (with the more roomy seats).

“I don’t need first class, it’s like a dream. I could sit, and the tray could come down, that was exciting.” Teixeira also had lost more than 100 pounds last year following gastric by pass surgery.

Participant Edwin Pacheco, who cooks for the patients and the hospital cafeteria, said he will continue to exercise now that the challenge is over. He downplayed the 20 pounds he lost because it was more important that he lowered his cholesterol and kept his sugar intake down, as he has diabetes.

He ate brown rice and fiber, and exercised with co-workers in a basketball league on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He reports that he cut back from two pills to one, and his cholesterol count went down, too.

“I enjoy playing sports,” the Enchanted Lake resident added. “I’m going to continue running, football, baseball and basketball.”

Awareness is a benefit that surgical unit secretary Nancy Chew noticed. She was in the Raisinettes team and lost 48 pounds.

“If I don’t do my exercise, then I won’t eat good,” Chew said. “I stopped drinking soda. I used to drink a couple liters a day. Now, I drink more water. I used to think water was boring, but now I like it chilled.”

Housekeeping associate Cheryl Galdeira, a 12-year employee, said she is still losing weight after her initial 28-pound drop at the end of the challenge in June. By September, this Laulima Team member had already lost seven more pounds.

She had at least one wake-up call that pointed her toward more careful eating - she got food poisoning.

“I stopped eating fast foods. I changed my eating habits. I had fruits, vegetables and green tea - no sodas. I heard bananas and water keep you full.”

With Galdeira’s active job in housekeeping she pulls, pushes and lifts every day during work, then she plays her two hanai children.

When asked about the upcoming holiday eating season, she said she’ll do her best to resist temptation. After all, Kaneohe has fast food everywhere and the hospital often has cookies, pastries and other treats around.

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