I am heading into summer with something worth more than the $100 Fit Bucks I won. I got to meet some fantastic people of all backgrounds, with whom I hope to keep in contact. Through the contest, I had the perfect motivation to jump out of bad final-exam-week habits right when exams ended. Now, I have a level of discipline and enthusiasm for fitness that I never had before. As a result, I understand this type of challenge is never really only seven weeks long. Rather, it is life-long.

Although I am honored to be one of the top three winners, there is far more to being a biggest winner than class attendance and weight loss. I could've lost the same amount of weight and attended the same number of Group Fitness classes without gaining anything valuable for my future. A new approach to health, and a greater confidence in my ability to balance work and life, is the real reward I earned from this. I hope it will make permanent that which I considered a quick and exciting success. 
Benjamin Bodnar, 3rd Place Winner