Queens’ Biggest Losers Contest-Week 7 Of 12

The Fear Is Gone
BY MELISSA HENDRICKS
Susan Amster is proud to have successfully hit the half way mark in this year’s Queens Biggest Losers Contest and is trying to close the gap on our first place contestant, Darcy Novick.
Amster, who used to be intimidated by the gym and working out, has been training for six weeks with a personal trainer from the Fitness Consultant three times a week for one hour, and has been working with nutritionist Nicolette Pace. She attends weekly support meetings at Weight Watchers in Bay Terrace.
“The contest has changed my life,” said Amster. “I am much more conscious now of eating right, exercising, and basically living a healthier life and the gym is no longer a fear for me.”
Amster, a mother of two girls, 4- and 6-years-old, works from home. She manages EBay sales accounts.
“Everyone notices a change in me, including the kids. Now I come outside with them and go walking or play around,” said Amster. I rode my bicycle for the first time in 20 years.”
Like many moms, Amster said that maintaining her health after having children was a struggle. “Having kids changes everything,” said Amster. “Everything is about them, they become number one and you stop taking care of yourself.”
Since her kids are a little older now, Amster is comfortable leaving them with a babysitter or with her husband of 7 years.
“It’s great, I can go to the gym or the nutritionist and really devote some time to myself,” added Amster. “I get very cranky if I don’t get to go to the gym and exercise. It’s become very important to me.”
The contest has given Amster the motivation and that extra push to succeed where other diets in the past have failed. She’s tried other diets but had been unsuccessful for years.
“I never knew how important exercise was. It makes all the difference for my weight loss success,” she said.
With the help of the weight loss professionals working on a day-to-day basis with Amster, she has been able to set realistic goals for herself. “I just want to be healthy and tackle five-to-ten pound goals one at a time.”
Regardless of who wins the contest, Amster is already a winner, having lost 5.1% of her body fat and learning the tools necessary to carry on a healthier, happier life.
“I plan to continue on my weight loss regimen long after the contest is over,” she added. “At first I was scared to say yes and enter the contest but now that fear has turned to pure excitement.”