NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

By: Jim Hodges

Debra Oakley won $400, which will buy a lot of pizza or her primary vice, dark chocolate.

Better, though, it will help her with a new wardrobe, necessary now that she has lost two dress sizes, 37.4 pounds and 6-¾ inches off her waistline in winning Langley's Biggest Loser contest.

"She has a waistline now," jibed 15-year-old daughter Casey, who helped her mother pick out a brown and white dress for Wednesday's celebration for the 24 contest participants at the Pearl Young Theater.

Debra Oakley (third from left) with her "support team": 13-year-old son Mitchell, 15-year-old daughter Casey and mother Ann Bowie. Credit: NASA/Sean Smith

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Oakley, a Tessada & Associates contractor with Center Operations Contracting Branch, earned that $400 for losing 18.86 percent of her body weight, which was the judging criterion for the contest.

That edged out Jennifer Keyes, who lost more pounds -- 39.6 (18 kg), but slightly less body mass at 18.05 percent.

Richard Winning was declared the men's winner after having lost 5.3 percent of his body mass. More important, even if it's not a contest statistic, is the satisfaction he has been getting every day for 12 weeks.

"I take my blood sugar (reading) every day, and when I started it was 140," he said. "This morning it was 105, and I've seen the gradual loss as it's happened: 135, 130 …"

Winning said the support showed in the contest -- help in diet and exercise -- has given him incentive to continue. "If I can do it 12 weeks, I can do it 24," he said. "If I can do it 24, I can do it 48."

"I've never done it over two weeks. I quit easily. Maybe I'm 25 years too late, but in two years I'm going to step on scales and be my ideal weight."

Oakley said she got involved with the Biggest Loser contest "because I'm getting close to the big five-oh."

Debra Oakley receives a $400 check from Arnice Johnson (left), the Biggest Loser contest coordinator, Wednesday in the Pearl Young Theater. Credit: NASA/Sean Smith

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Before she turns 50, she wants to lose more weight.

She also experienced a revelation at the contest's beginning. "I didn't know it, but my cholesterol was high and so was my blood pressure," she said. "With the weight loss, I don't know about the cholesterol, but the blood pressure has come down."

Keyes said she wouldn't be trolling for more clothes, but that it was nice being able to haul some out of her closet that she hadn't worn in a while. She has a goal of losing 30 - 40 more pounds (13.6 - 18.1 kg) and admits, "my Christmas list is going to be a little longer."

In all, the group of 24 lost 230.9 pounds (104.7 kg), or 4.4 percent of its body mass, over the 12 weeks of the contest.

And the 12 weeks are significant. During it, the Memorial Day holiday with all of its cookouts, several birthdays and one wedding occurred for the group.

"I'm glad Memorial Day fell in there," said Arnice Johnson, who coordinated the contest. "We wanted this to be a regular period in your lives. The idea was to show that you could change your life and realize that thee changes don't have to be that hard."

It can be harder for some that others.

"I still miss dark chocolate a lot," Oakley said, "but I don't miss it as much as I used to."

An occasional look in the mirror at herself in a new dress has to help.


 
NASA Langley Research Center
Managing Editor: Jim Hodges
Executive Editor and Responsible NASA Official: H. Keith Henry
Editor and Curator: Denise Lineberry