Shape-Up Challenge trainers review contestants’ achievements
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Shape-Up Challenge contestants Frank Schreck (left) and Phil Michael circle around the ramp to Route 40 as the head up the Summit Mountain.
Shape-Up Challenge participants start their climb up the Summit Mountain. The exercise served as the final group workout.
For one of the Shape-Up Challenge contestants, the final week began with awesome news.
Phil Michael, who was prompted to join the challenge because of diabetes, learned from his doctor that he no longer needs to take any medication for it.
“His doctor has 100 percent taken him off of all his medications because he lost so much weight — no insulin shots, nothing,” said Matt Howrylak, wellness director and personal trainer for the Uniontown Area YMCA. “I almost cried when he told me that. That’s phenomenal.”
Personal trainer Dustyn Pastors agreed.
“Think about how much better the quality of his life will be,” Pastors said.
With the Shape-Up Challenge entering its final week, Howrylak and Pastors, reflected back on the individual journeys of each of the contestants.
Howrylak said it’s been exciting to watch how the contestants’ motivation changed throughout the 13-week program.
“At first, some seemed more excited about the contest than others,” he said. “It’s funny watching how their motivations changed, and their excitement for it has changed. For some of them, it has grown stronger.”
Howrylak pointed to contestant Frank Schreck as an example.
“Frank was a little apprehensive about things. Now, Frank is Mr. Shape Up Challenge — he talks to everybody about it,” he said.
Howrylak added that Schreck should be the “poster boy” for the challenge.
“Frank has had two heart attacks, and a laundry list of muscular, skeletal problems. I remember our first workout. Frank could barely get through it,” Howrylak said. “He was having back pain, and it was a very, very mildy intense workout that he was struggling with, but now you can throw the kitchen sink at this guy.”
Fay Cohill was another contestant who had some serious health concerns throughout the early part of the competition.
But once she began to feel better, she pushed through, Howrylak said.
“She was have some very very terrible health problems — her stamina, her strength were not up to par,” he said. “But now, her strength impresses me. She’s a very, very strong woman. She’s a very strong-willed woman. Her endurance and her stamina have just improved drastically.”
Although in the end it will come down to the numbers, as it is a weight-loss competition, Howrylak said he’s proud of all of this contestants, even those who did not see a huge decrease in weight.
“All of our contestants have made tremendous strides in bettering their overall health, even some of the ones who have not lost of a lot of weight,” he said.