Week One
Welcome to the 2013 Spring Weight Loss Challenge!
I welcome you to an exciting new program of events. We will dig deep to bring about the life we want to live. Who wants to live a life full of
energy and excitement? I know that I do. One of the ways to achieve this life is by listening to your body and doing right by it. We often
feel better when we eat the right foods, get enough sleep and incorporate consistent moderate exercise. It's even better when you do it with a group of friends and family.
Last year, we focused on behavior modification and I hope some of those techniques stuck with you. When ever you want to
review what we went over last year, click on the 2012 SWLC tab. It will take you to all the techniques we discussed and you can feel free to include them in what we will be doing this time. This year's program will take a more holistic approach, looking at health in all its various elements.
By the way, please bookmark this site for your convenience since you might be a frequent guest.
Rules of the challenge, contestants will be measured 4 times throughout the contest: March 18th, April 15th, May 13th and June 10th. The winners will be announced on June 17th. The winners will be assessed by identifying the individuals who have lost the highest percentage of their original body weight when entering the challenge. I strongly suggest for you to download the My Fitness Pal or Calorie Counter apps. They are very helpful in tracking your daily caloric intake and can give you suggestions about your current eating habits.
During the next twelve weeks, we will follow The Full Plate Diet Weight Loss Program. A free ebook/audio book can be downloaded here. The site you are on now will be used as the center of communication for the 2013 Spring Weight Loss Challenge. The Blog is for any questions, concerns, or comments you may have, so be sure to visit it often. Every Wednesday evening between 8:30 - 9:00 pm, I will log onto the site to begin a live chat. We will discuss your obstacles and triumphs during the challenge; what usually happens is that we learn a lot from each other.
How can we work to achieve wellness in all areas of our lives? Stay tuned, we are going to find out.
Week Two
The Wellness Wheel
As we move toward obtaining physical fitness, using our positive energy to create wellness in all areas in our lives becomes a great motivation. The wellness wheel above shows the different elements of wellness that we need to focus on. They are:
constant flux. Seeking ways to create balanced healthy lives can change as we experience different life stages. Feel free to share the ways you work on achieving total wellness with each other. In the upcoming weeks, we will go over:
Week 3: Intellectual Health Week 4: Emotional Health
Week 5: Physical Health Week 6: Social Health
We will discuss ways you plan to obtain wellness in each of these areas.
Week Three
Intellectual Health
We live in an information age. So much is handed to us on a platter within seconds by the click of a button. This access to information can serve to broaden your horizons while limiting your ability at information retrieval. What can you do to stimulate your mind?
I would like to say that the answer to that question is to eat a healthy diet which consists of whole
foods. Although that may be true, here are some specifics to point you in the right direction. Research has shown that fish, blueberries, nuts and seeds are the front runners in supporting brain function. Take a look at this article by Dr. Moashing Ni and make sure that these items end up on your grocery list. Follow this link: 8 Foods to Keep your Brain Young and Healthy
I invite you to think about strengthening your brain as you would the muscles in your body. When left unstimulated, your
brain actually loses functional power as you would with your muscles. Our electronic devices that remembers all our pass words for us is a blessing and a curse. As the article above suggests, certain foods can help you gain the brain power that you are looking for. Adequate amounts of sleep is also essential to maintaining healthy brain function. Lastly, as you would create an appropriate workout program to ensure the proper growth and development of muscle mass, you may want to look at activities that can sharpen your mental acuity.
While looking for fun ways to strengthen my brain, I came across Lumosity.com. Take a look and have fun doing it.
Week Four
Emotional Health
Life will come with its ups and downs, how you handle those situations is the key to how successful you will be at life. Every difficult situation
needn't be a crisis. In my research, I came across a list of ways to build resilience in your life. It is a very important skill to have:
10 Ways to build
resilience
Make connections. Good
relationships with close family members, friends, or others are important. Accepting help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you strengthens resilience. Some people find that being active in civic groups, faith-based organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help with reclaiming hope. Assisting others in their time of need also can benefit the helper.
Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. Try looking beyond the present to how future circumstances may be a little better. Note any subtle ways in which you might already feel somewhat better as you deal with difficult situations.
Accept that change is a part of living. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.
Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly -- even if it seems like a small accomplishment -- that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"
Take decisive actions. Act on adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems and stresses and wishing they would just go away.
Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss. Many people who have experienced tragedies and hardship have reported better relationships, greater sense of strength even while feeling vulnerable, increased sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality, and heightened appreciation for life.
Nurture a positive view of yourself. Developing confidence in your ability so solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.
Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful events, try to consider he stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion.
Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life. Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear.
Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself helps to keep your mind and body primed to deal with situations that require resilience.
Additional ways of strengthening resilience may be helpful. For example, some people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their life. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope.
The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you as part of your own personal strategy for fostering resilience.
Retrieved from www.APA.org
energy and excitement? I know that I do. One of the ways to achieve this life is by listening to your body and doing right by it. We often
feel better when we eat the right foods, get enough sleep and incorporate consistent moderate exercise. It's even better when you do it with a group of friends and family.
Last year, we focused on behavior modification and I hope some of those techniques stuck with you. When ever you want to
review what we went over last year, click on the 2012 SWLC tab. It will take you to all the techniques we discussed and you can feel free to include them in what we will be doing this time. This year's program will take a more holistic approach, looking at health in all its various elements.
By the way, please bookmark this site for your convenience since you might be a frequent guest.
Rules of the challenge, contestants will be measured 4 times throughout the contest: March 18th, April 15th, May 13th and June 10th. The winners will be announced on June 17th. The winners will be assessed by identifying the individuals who have lost the highest percentage of their original body weight when entering the challenge. I strongly suggest for you to download the My Fitness Pal or Calorie Counter apps. They are very helpful in tracking your daily caloric intake and can give you suggestions about your current eating habits.
During the next twelve weeks, we will follow The Full Plate Diet Weight Loss Program. A free ebook/audio book can be downloaded here. The site you are on now will be used as the center of communication for the 2013 Spring Weight Loss Challenge. The Blog is for any questions, concerns, or comments you may have, so be sure to visit it often. Every Wednesday evening between 8:30 - 9:00 pm, I will log onto the site to begin a live chat. We will discuss your obstacles and triumphs during the challenge; what usually happens is that we learn a lot from each other.
How can we work to achieve wellness in all areas of our lives? Stay tuned, we are going to find out.
Week Two
The Wellness Wheel
As we move toward obtaining physical fitness, using our positive energy to create wellness in all areas in our lives becomes a great motivation. The wellness wheel above shows the different elements of wellness that we need to focus on. They are:
- Intellectual
- Emotional
- Physical
- Social
- Spiritual
- Occupational
- Environmental
constant flux. Seeking ways to create balanced healthy lives can change as we experience different life stages. Feel free to share the ways you work on achieving total wellness with each other. In the upcoming weeks, we will go over:
Week 3: Intellectual Health Week 4: Emotional Health
Week 5: Physical Health Week 6: Social Health
We will discuss ways you plan to obtain wellness in each of these areas.
Week Three
Intellectual Health
We live in an information age. So much is handed to us on a platter within seconds by the click of a button. This access to information can serve to broaden your horizons while limiting your ability at information retrieval. What can you do to stimulate your mind?
I would like to say that the answer to that question is to eat a healthy diet which consists of whole
foods. Although that may be true, here are some specifics to point you in the right direction. Research has shown that fish, blueberries, nuts and seeds are the front runners in supporting brain function. Take a look at this article by Dr. Moashing Ni and make sure that these items end up on your grocery list. Follow this link: 8 Foods to Keep your Brain Young and Healthy
I invite you to think about strengthening your brain as you would the muscles in your body. When left unstimulated, your
brain actually loses functional power as you would with your muscles. Our electronic devices that remembers all our pass words for us is a blessing and a curse. As the article above suggests, certain foods can help you gain the brain power that you are looking for. Adequate amounts of sleep is also essential to maintaining healthy brain function. Lastly, as you would create an appropriate workout program to ensure the proper growth and development of muscle mass, you may want to look at activities that can sharpen your mental acuity.
While looking for fun ways to strengthen my brain, I came across Lumosity.com. Take a look and have fun doing it.
Week Four
Emotional Health
Life will come with its ups and downs, how you handle those situations is the key to how successful you will be at life. Every difficult situation
needn't be a crisis. In my research, I came across a list of ways to build resilience in your life. It is a very important skill to have:
10 Ways to build
resilience
Make connections. Good
relationships with close family members, friends, or others are important. Accepting help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you strengthens resilience. Some people find that being active in civic groups, faith-based organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help with reclaiming hope. Assisting others in their time of need also can benefit the helper.
Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. Try looking beyond the present to how future circumstances may be a little better. Note any subtle ways in which you might already feel somewhat better as you deal with difficult situations.
Accept that change is a part of living. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.
Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly -- even if it seems like a small accomplishment -- that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"
Take decisive actions. Act on adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems and stresses and wishing they would just go away.
Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss. Many people who have experienced tragedies and hardship have reported better relationships, greater sense of strength even while feeling vulnerable, increased sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality, and heightened appreciation for life.
Nurture a positive view of yourself. Developing confidence in your ability so solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.
Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful events, try to consider he stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion.
Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life. Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear.
Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself helps to keep your mind and body primed to deal with situations that require resilience.
Additional ways of strengthening resilience may be helpful. For example, some people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their life. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope.
The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you as part of your own personal strategy for fostering resilience.
Retrieved from www.APA.org
Week Five
Physical Health
We are consumers of all the latest fads that have to do with physical health. Every year there is a new workout craze. Some have stood up against the test of time. Let us talk about the tried and true ways to take care of your physical health.
The American College of Sports Medicine has listed the top 10 fitness trends for 2013. This is what you will most likely be doing to stay fit. Number one would be acquiring a personal trainer. Although this is the most expensive solution, this is a very effective one. A personal trainer can get you the results you are looking for more quickly and give you the confidence to maintain the results. Once you see that you can achieve your fitness goals, you are more likely to maintain them or to reach them again in the future. Personal fitness is on the rise. This industry is getting more competitive and responsible for providing clients with more research based information.
Next on their list is strength training. Many people are lifting weights to build muscle mass to help manage their weight. Strength training has been identified as helping with mental well being. Four studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Vancouver shows how exercise including weight training can improve memory and lesson those senior moments. Take a look: Mind Your Reps: Exercise, Especially Weight Lifting, Helps Keep the Brain Sharp.
Rounding out the top three is body weight training. These are exercises that use your own body weight. This also is the most cost effective route, but you have to be more motivated to maintain this on your own. It involves push ups, pull ups, sit ups, and planking. Take a look at the benefits of body weight training and decide to include it in your work out routine: 13 LEGIT REASONS TO START BODYWEIGHT TRAINING TODAY.
The American College of Sports Medicine has listed the top 10 fitness trends for 2013. This is what you will most likely be doing to stay fit. Number one would be acquiring a personal trainer. Although this is the most expensive solution, this is a very effective one. A personal trainer can get you the results you are looking for more quickly and give you the confidence to maintain the results. Once you see that you can achieve your fitness goals, you are more likely to maintain them or to reach them again in the future. Personal fitness is on the rise. This industry is getting more competitive and responsible for providing clients with more research based information.
Next on their list is strength training. Many people are lifting weights to build muscle mass to help manage their weight. Strength training has been identified as helping with mental well being. Four studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Vancouver shows how exercise including weight training can improve memory and lesson those senior moments. Take a look: Mind Your Reps: Exercise, Especially Weight Lifting, Helps Keep the Brain Sharp.
Rounding out the top three is body weight training. These are exercises that use your own body weight. This also is the most cost effective route, but you have to be more motivated to maintain this on your own. It involves push ups, pull ups, sit ups, and planking. Take a look at the benefits of body weight training and decide to include it in your work out routine: 13 LEGIT REASONS TO START BODYWEIGHT TRAINING TODAY.
Week Six
Social Health
We all need each other. Some of us know this, while others of us, live in denial. Having a strong social network can dictate how healthy you will be as you age. Social Network, as defined by Answers.com - an association of people drawn together by family, work or hobby. The term was first coined by professor J. A. Barnes in the 1950s, who defined the size of a social network as a group of about 100 to 150 people. Studies have shown that those who posses a weak social network can potentially suffer from mental health issues and increased exposure to infectious diseases.
Individuals with a greater capacity to connect and interact with others have shown to live longer healthier lives. Today, our social networks can be much larger than what Barnes indicated. With the help of Facebook, You Tube and Twitter, the sky's the limit in regards to the number of people we can interact with. These websites allow us to touch the lives of others and have others touch our own lives. We have the potential of seeing the impact this has on our physical and mental health.
I came across this article from the American Psychological Association called Teaming up to Drop Pounds. It looks at how attempting to achieve weight loss as a group can have significant affects at first, but ultimately you will have to focus on doing it yourself. My hope is that what we have started over the past 6 weeks can be implemented in the lives of those who participate long after the 12 weeks are over.
Individuals with a greater capacity to connect and interact with others have shown to live longer healthier lives. Today, our social networks can be much larger than what Barnes indicated. With the help of Facebook, You Tube and Twitter, the sky's the limit in regards to the number of people we can interact with. These websites allow us to touch the lives of others and have others touch our own lives. We have the potential of seeing the impact this has on our physical and mental health.
I came across this article from the American Psychological Association called Teaming up to Drop Pounds. It looks at how attempting to achieve weight loss as a group can have significant affects at first, but ultimately you will have to focus on doing it yourself. My hope is that what we have started over the past 6 weeks can be implemented in the lives of those who participate long after the 12 weeks are over.
Week Seven
Half Time!!!
This year's challenge seems to be going by so fast. That must mean I'm having a wonderful time! I hope you are too! As you all know, I look forward to sharing this time with you every year. Looking at ways to improve our health and our lives is something I'm passionate about. As the weather is getting nicer, I will be reaching out to you to coordinate a few outings.
Over the next few weeks we will discuss the following topics. Please feel free to leave comments on the blog with questions or concerns regarding the upcoming topics. I would like us to be able to share our ideas.
Week 8: Spiritual Health Week 9: Occupational Health
Week 10: Environmental Health Week 11: Total Health
Please take a look at Anna D's YouTube Page. Bob Harper has some tips to keep the weight off.
Over the next few weeks we will discuss the following topics. Please feel free to leave comments on the blog with questions or concerns regarding the upcoming topics. I would like us to be able to share our ideas.
Week 8: Spiritual Health Week 9: Occupational Health
Week 10: Environmental Health Week 11: Total Health
Please take a look at Anna D's YouTube Page. Bob Harper has some tips to keep the weight off.
Week Eight
Spiritual Health
Some of us believe in the existence of a supreme being while some of us do not. Achieving spiritual wellness can be a very personal and solemn journey. As you embark on your path toward spiritual wellness, the pearls of wisdom you gain along the way will help you successfully accomplish your purpose in this life. When you live a purposeful existence, the benefits of your journey extend past your own life.
Come join us at Yoga to the People on Tuesday, May 21st and 28th at 6pm. Combine physical movement with the centering peace of Yoga. Focus on what you seek to obtain and let go of all the negative energy which holds you back. Yoga provides a mix of strength and cardio that tones and lengthens your muscles. It increases your lung capacity and calms the mind.
Come join us at Yoga to the People on Tuesday, May 21st and 28th at 6pm. Combine physical movement with the centering peace of Yoga. Focus on what you seek to obtain and let go of all the negative energy which holds you back. Yoga provides a mix of strength and cardio that tones and lengthens your muscles. It increases your lung capacity and calms the mind.
Week Nine
Occupational Health
Occupational health is very important because we spend most of our waking hours at work. It can refer simply to the physical safety of the working environment and/or the intangible interpersonal environment that is created by the various personalities in a working group. Both are very important. Learning to work together can sometimes pose many challenges for managers and staff. Often times, having identified goals or objectives can usually create a collective focus that even the most distracted employee can fall in line. Finding that job or career that fits your personality and skill set can make all the difference in your world.
Take a look at the Career Path website. There are tips and tests to show you how close of a match your personality fits with a particular career choice. It's never too late to find out!
Take a look at the Career Path website. There are tips and tests to show you how close of a match your personality fits with a particular career choice. It's never too late to find out!
Week Ten
Environmental Health
Environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviors It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments (WHO, 2013).
What do you do to maintain the health of your immediate environment? Today, we see the negative effects of our supper industrialized nation. Many of us would like to leave behind a planet that is inhabitable for the next generation. There are some practices that help you do this. Take a look at this article, How to Live a More Environmentally Friendly Lifestyle, you may be surprised at what some of those activities might be.
What do you do to maintain the health of your immediate environment? Today, we see the negative effects of our supper industrialized nation. Many of us would like to leave behind a planet that is inhabitable for the next generation. There are some practices that help you do this. Take a look at this article, How to Live a More Environmentally Friendly Lifestyle, you may be surprised at what some of those activities might be.
Week Eleven
Total Health
As human beings, our basic necessities to live a healthy life are proper nutrition, moderate exercise and adequate consumption of water. We have gone over theses before. Eating the right foods can maintain your health, create a radiant physical appearance and just make you feel good. Exercise can enhance those outcomes by increasing your energy level, having you experience better periods of sleep and increasing your physical strength. Water is the internal cleanser. Drinking 6-8 cups of water a day helps your body excrete waste at a less concentrated level, therefore protecting your kidneys and enhancing your internal environment. We know that as the internal environment is made better, we can see that externally through clearer skin, stronger nails and hair.
People need sunshine for various reasons. Studies have revealed that small amounts of daily sun actually decreases depression. Get out there for 10-20 minutes on a sunny day and burn the blues away. Temperance is something that we all need, to live a nice and long life, almost free of any altercation (I don't think there is any way to actually escape this one, temperance helps you deal with them.). I like this one because I call it "centering one's self". Don't let anyone or a situation land you away from your center. Aggravation can cause you to do or say things that you don't really mean and you can't take them back. How can you repair the damage that this leaves behind? A preventative approach is to monitor your own behavior and to be in control of your own output. This can prevent a lot of undesirable situations in life. I teach this to my own children and live by it for myself. We are all human, at least I think so. What I'm saying here is not always easy to do, but when it is the hardest is probably when it should be put into practice.
The three top layers of this pyramid are Air, Rest and Trust. Can you tell me in which order they appear? Do you agree with what the author chose to be the top element on the pyramid. The pyramid above was taken from an article called Anti-Aging Strategies - Part 2. This is not the fountain of youth, but I assure you that reading this article can provide you with ways to live a long and healthy life.
People need sunshine for various reasons. Studies have revealed that small amounts of daily sun actually decreases depression. Get out there for 10-20 minutes on a sunny day and burn the blues away. Temperance is something that we all need, to live a nice and long life, almost free of any altercation (I don't think there is any way to actually escape this one, temperance helps you deal with them.). I like this one because I call it "centering one's self". Don't let anyone or a situation land you away from your center. Aggravation can cause you to do or say things that you don't really mean and you can't take them back. How can you repair the damage that this leaves behind? A preventative approach is to monitor your own behavior and to be in control of your own output. This can prevent a lot of undesirable situations in life. I teach this to my own children and live by it for myself. We are all human, at least I think so. What I'm saying here is not always easy to do, but when it is the hardest is probably when it should be put into practice.
The three top layers of this pyramid are Air, Rest and Trust. Can you tell me in which order they appear? Do you agree with what the author chose to be the top element on the pyramid. The pyramid above was taken from an article called Anti-Aging Strategies - Part 2. This is not the fountain of youth, but I assure you that reading this article can provide you with ways to live a long and healthy life.
Welcome to Week Twelve!
This is the last week of the 2013 Spring Weight Loss Challenge. Go ahead and incorporate all the things that we have learned along the way and make the complete shift that you are looking for in your life. It has been great to see how dedicated so many of you have been to making changes to your diet and exercise plans. I have to say that I have been impressed by the results that I have been able to see with my own eyes.
I hope that you will continue in like fashion, working together to reach your individual goals. The positive energy gotten from this experience can only give way to more success for those of you who haven't gotten hooked yet. I will weigh everyone next Monday, June 10th and the winner will be announced on June 17th.
The Results Are In
I had such an amazing time facilitating this year's weight loss challenge. So many of you were dedicated to changing your lives and your bodies. This can only inspire us to keep moving in the right direction. This year's winners are many, but I will mention a few:
5th Place 6.1lbs 4.7% Jolene Bastas
4th Place 12.3lbs. 5.3%. Tammy Gilliam
3rd Place 11.2lbs. 5.9%. Diane Benjamin
2nd Place 12.7lbs. 6.0% Havid Carrillo
1st Place 9.6lbs. 6.7% Iris Pizarro
There were two special recognitions this year: one award for Determination and the other for True Behavior Modification. Determination
award went to Dr. Berkowitz for 11.9lbs during the last two months of the challenge, which came out to 5.6 % of his weight from the second month of the challenge. Bethsaida Hernandez the Behavior Modification Award for loosing 21.1lbs consistently over the last 3 years. These are amazing accomplishments. Please feel free to congratulate all the participants for working towards creating a better life!
I hope that you will continue in like fashion, working together to reach your individual goals. The positive energy gotten from this experience can only give way to more success for those of you who haven't gotten hooked yet. I will weigh everyone next Monday, June 10th and the winner will be announced on June 17th.
The Results Are In
I had such an amazing time facilitating this year's weight loss challenge. So many of you were dedicated to changing your lives and your bodies. This can only inspire us to keep moving in the right direction. This year's winners are many, but I will mention a few:
5th Place 6.1lbs 4.7% Jolene Bastas
4th Place 12.3lbs. 5.3%. Tammy Gilliam
3rd Place 11.2lbs. 5.9%. Diane Benjamin
2nd Place 12.7lbs. 6.0% Havid Carrillo
1st Place 9.6lbs. 6.7% Iris Pizarro
There were two special recognitions this year: one award for Determination and the other for True Behavior Modification. Determination
award went to Dr. Berkowitz for 11.9lbs during the last two months of the challenge, which came out to 5.6 % of his weight from the second month of the challenge. Bethsaida Hernandez the Behavior Modification Award for loosing 21.1lbs consistently over the last 3 years. These are amazing accomplishments. Please feel free to congratulate all the participants for working towards creating a better life!