Thrive Celebrates End of Challenge

For resident Justin Plaskett, participating in Thrive!'s recent 24-day Challenge was an opportunity for him to prove to himself that he could do it.

"To get my weight under control, I really needed to do it," Plaskett said. "I thought, 'You know what? It’s only 24 days. Let’s see what I can do.' And, I did it."

Plaskett lost 18 pounds and 6 1/2 inches in 24 days.

"I’m rather pleased with it," Plaskett said.

Tomorrow night, approximately 100 people from five Thrive! Weight Loss centers in the surrounding area will find out just how much they lost as a group during Thrive!'s recent 24-day Challenge.

Around 500 Thrivers registered for the challenge, which included daily menu plans, exercise homework, mental and spiritual tasks via email, weekly center meetings and group fitness sessions. Of those who registered, approximately 450 actually started the challenge.

"This has been the biggest challenge," said Deanna Berry, Thrive!'s Chief Operating Officer. "We had quite a few tap out along the way, which we expected."

Plaskett said that those participating in the challenge had to follow a strict diet with only 2-3 food choices for each meal and had to perform exercise routines, such as the hour-long group exercise sessions twice a week.

"The challenge was just whole lot more strict than the regular Thrive! problem is," Plaskett said. "The regular Thrive! program is a lifestyle change. This is a diet."

While maintaining the diet was easy, it was the exercising that was the most challenging for Plaskett.

"There were a lot of things that I physically couldn’t do, but I gave it my all," he said. "I tried 100 percent."

The center will end up with 30 people finishing the challenge, and in nearby , 20 people have finished so far. The challenge started with 75 people in and 50 in Kennesaw.

Thrive! holds challenges periodically throughout the year to help keep their clients motivated.

"It’s mostly mental," Berry said. "Thrive is not a diet. It’s a lifestyle change. We do these challenges really just to pump people up and get people thinking about something other than the food they can and can’t have."

During the challenge, Thrive! Founder Travis Martin took on the persona of 'Jack Jessup'.

"He stays in character really well," Berry said. "He kind of turns into a drill instructor. It’s basically Travis’ alter ego."

The event tomorrow night will be held at the Thrive Center in Armuchee Village on Martha Berry Highway in Rome at 7:30 p.m. Winners from each of Thrive's five centers will be awarded.