(Westland,MI) - -- Stephen Thorne, 27 has a learning disability and is hearing impaired. He and his mom, Cathy, 57 wanted to lose some weight and improve their over-all health. Unfortunately, the gym that Stephen and his brother Nick were using unexpectedly closed.
The Westland Residents set out to lose weight on Westland's 'Buddy Up' Program and began a transforming weight loss journey.
"In late November, while stringing Christmas lights, Stephen broke his knee and gained the weight he lost at the gym, plus an additional 10 lbs.," said Cathy Thorne. "I just happened to see an ad for the 'Buddy Up' program and immediately had a good feeling about it," Thorne continued.
"Buddy Up" is a weight loss program created by Mayor William R. Wild as part of his "Passport to a Healthy City" Initiative.
Many experts now say "buddying up" can make the difference between failure and success with any weight loss plan.
Cathy and Stephen signed up for the program and saw not only a physical transformation, but also a change in Stephen's confidence. "Before the program, I was concerned for Stephen's overall physical and mental health; his self-confidence was very low. Today, he is confidently working full time at a produce warehouse and his supervisor sees him as an inspiration to others," Thorne explains.
Stephen originally lost around 50 pounds and his mother Cathy lost 10 pounds. "I was more of a support to Stephen, although I gained energy. I felt about 10 years younger. This time around I am doing this for me. I have a goal to lose 30 pounds," she said.
On Friday, March 13, Mayor Wild and Allen "Buddy" Shuh, contestant from Season 13 of NBC's "Biggest Loser," will kick off the Third Annual "Buddy Up" Program at Westland City Hall, located at 36300 Warren Rd. at 6:00 p.m.
Following the Friday Kick off, the "Buddy Up" Program will be held on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. at Westland's City Hall.
In 2012, Buddy Shuh started a journey to a healthier life as a contestant on NBC's "The Biggest Loser." He left the show with fellow contestant Mark Cornelison two weeks before it ended, but the lessons he learned stayed with him.
The Wayne resident is sharing the lessons he learned in his third installment of "Buddy Up", an eight-week health and fitness program.
In research published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 2005, Doctors at Brown Medical School and Dartmouth University found that people who had an exercise buddy were more successful in losing weight.
March 14th, will be the first class, and features two 30-minute segments. First, Shuh will speak about nutrition, the mental aspects of weight loss and what influenced him while he was on the show.
The second segment consists of various exercises, with programs ranging from Jazzercise to Zumba and Yoga.
The program is available to anyone who is interested.
Shuh has asked "Buddy Up" veterans to serve as team captains and, unlike "The Biggest Loser", the "Buddy Up" teams serve as a support group for members.
Each week, there will be food sampling and participants will be given exercise challenges by their captains.
Meanwhile, Melissa Nori, a Zumba instructor met Stephen in 2013 when he began to attend her classes at Skateland West. "The transformation that happened was more than just physical," said Nori. "As he worked out and lost weight, his confidence grew and his smile grew brighter. He went from standing in the middle, to dancing in the front row and he soon got the courage and confidence to rock out routines on stage with me. The students loved him. He inspired so many. His never give up attitude is contagious. I am so proud of him. He set his mind to a goal and went for it. He didn't let anyone or anything get in his way."
The transformation has led Stephen to become a "Buddy Up" Captain this year, along with his mom.
Buddy Up" has been the cornerstone of Westland Mayor William Wild's Healthy Passport program. In announcing the program, which he called "wildly popular," Wild noted that, "not only does it provide a fun way to maintain an active lifestyle throughout the winter, but it does so through an individual who truly knows first-hand how living a healthy lifestyle can change an individual's life."
Shuh stresses that "Buddy Up" isn't "The Biggest Loser" where contestants exercised six hours a day and lost two pounds a day. A more reasonable weight loss is two pounds a week.
Regardless of the amount of weight each participant loses, the effects of the program are much greater.
"He talks much more, he's no longer depressed and is very outgoing. His goal is to help others improve their health and their lives," said Thorne. "Now he has buddies, on top of learning to eat and live healthy. I thank God for answering my prayers by sending Buddy Shuh to be a part of Stephen's journey."
For more information on how to start your own journey and participate in this year's "Buddy Up" program, log on to www.healthypassport.cityofwestland.com/buddy-up-program.
