PAPD begins own “biggest loser” contest

PORT ARTHUR January 12, 2009 03:31 pm

— Rickey Antoine, the Port Arthur cop who is well known for ticketing speeders, has been called many things in his career and now wants to be called a loser.
Not just any loser though. He wants to be the biggest loser.
The veteran officer with Port Arthur Police Department initiated a contest among officers, their spouses and other PAPD personnel, for a six month weight loss competition. The goal to shed the highest percentage of body fat began with weigh-in Monday morning at the Port Arthur Health Department.
“We all know that at the beginning of the year everyone has a fitness craze that’s short lived. That's why several officers and employees decided to accept the challenge and become the Biggest Loser at PAPD,” Antoine said. “The title itself is hilarious to me but we hope the end result will be something we can all be proud of. We believe that the constant teasing or peer pressure will keep us focused and determined to become a fitter department which will promote health and wellness and to become better officers for the citizens we serve.”
Antoine was joined by Officers Chuck Cobb and Tyre Thomas and Sgt. Frank Ramirez for weigh-in by Brenda Milo, a registered nurse at the health clinic.
Each officer entered a small room and shed their 30 pounds of police equipment including bullet-proof vest, belt, gun and more before stepping on the digital scale. The clinic will be custodian of the records and weigh-ins will be performed on a monthly basis for six months.
Participants are putting their money where they mouth is and anted $20 each. The biggest loser will win the pot with a special amount set aside for the person who lost the most weight but not the most body fat.
At 284 pounds and more than six feet in height, the former Lincoln High School track star has a weight loss plan ready. “No fried food, no soda, no sweets,” Antoine, 42, said. His goal weight is 250 although he’d be happy to drop a bit more weight.
The hardest part of his plan will be to cut rice out of his diet.
“I eat rice everyday. My mother is from Louisiana” he said. “I could eat rice with spaghetti.”
Thomas is already on the weight loss track. Early last year he lost 34 pounds then came a car accident and vacation. He’s gained 12 of those pounds back but is looking to cut red meat from his diet and starting cardio workouts.
Antoine will begin exercising on a regular basis, he added, while Cobb, at 248 pounds, will begin running again to get into shape. In years past Cobb would run about four to five miles daily in order to get down to about 215 pounds.
One of the biggest obstacles keeping the officers from hitting the exercise room is their work schedule. With refinery expansions ongoing and extra security detail necessary plus the added work due to hurricanes, some PAPD officers skip the workout and go home to rest.
“You just have to do it,” Cobb said of exercising.
Weigh-in’s will continue through Friday with an estimated 30 officers taking the challenge.
Antoine is so confident he will win the contest that he issued a challenge to other departments.
“Bring it on,” he said.

Photos

Officer Chuck Cobb, at right, slips his shoes back on after a weigh-in by Brenda Milo, registered nurse at the Port Arthur Health Clinic, at left, on the first day of weigh-in for the PAPD Biggest Loser contest. The Port Arthur News