New board member Jenn Haley took up gym’s challenge
By Andrew Corselli, Staff Writer
Jenn Haley knows how to win.
Just over a month prior to winning one of the three vacant seats on the township’s school board, Ms. Haley triumphed in Powerhouse Gym’s second eight-week weight loss and exercise program.
”For me, I was extremely excited because I really put a lot of work and effort into it,” Ms. Haley said. “I was just beside myself that I won; it was really exciting.”
The program, modeled after the television show “The Biggest Loser,” started on Jan. 25 with 30 contestants, all members at the gym, and featured a woman-to-man ratio of 60:40. Weights and measurements were taken on the first day and every Tuesday thereafter participants gathered at the gym for a one-hour session.
The meetings consisted of weigh-ins and group sessions in which participants received a different nutrition tip and exercise program each week. Each member of the group would discuss how the previous week’s workout went, according to Ken Turash, owner of Powerhouse Gym.
”We went in each week and they gave us a new sample meal plan and a new workout regimen,” Ms. Haley said. “It was cardio and circuit training, weights, all kinds of exercises, things I haven’t ever done in my life. It was very educational; we learned every exercise you could think of.”
At the end of the eight weeks, the top three men and top three women of the remaining 18 contestants were recognized for their dedication and hard work. There was a point system, judged by percentage of body weight lost, total pounds lost and total inches lost, to crown the “biggest losers” of the group. On March 15, Mike Piccone of Belle Mead was announced as the winning male, dropping 22 pounds, 21 inches and 11.3 percent body fat. Ms. Haley’s stats were 31.8 pounds lost, 26 inches shed and 12.4 percent body fat lost.
”I had definitely let myself go and put on a lot of weight,” she said. “I was lazy. I went from being an athlete to doing nothing and the weight piled on. When I decided to make a change, I joined Powerhouse and when I started doing the contest it was a complete life-changer for me.
”The results were really fast for me and because of that and how great I started to feel I completely dedicated myself; I made it to the gym every day, if not twice a day sometimes.”
Ms. Haley fell in love with the program because, she said, it inspired some of her friends and neighbors to get back to going to the gym and working out. She loved with the program so much that she’s thinking about doing it again; Powerhouse Gym is hosting the program for a third go-round. It’s not too late to join; interested parties should contact Mr. Turash at 908-904-1112 or via e-mail at [email protected].

