Levi Locke, marketing coordinator at UMSL, lost 30 pounds in a university weight-loss contest.

Losing weight was serious business for Levi Locke. It wasn’t just about looking slimmer; he was determined to be victorious when he signed up for the University of Missouri–St. Louis Biggest Loser Weight Loss Challenge in January.

“I had been interested in getting in better shape for a while,” said Locke, marketing coordinator at UMSL. “This ended up being a good catalyst for it.”

The competition lasted 12 weeks and included biweekly weigh-ins and five free educational seminars on fitness and wellness.

Locke’s co-workers in University Marketing and Communications tracked his weight loss on a dry erase board in the office. Each week, a new cartoon depicted an updated weight and a slimmer Locke, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English at UMSL in 2004.

At the end of the 12 weeks, he had lost 30 pounds. He did it by sticking to a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet and exercising occasionally.

“Basically, I reduced my carb intake to under 20 grams per day, ” Locke said. “I exercised here and there, particularly biking once it got warm. The vast majority of the weight loss was from changing my diet, however.”

And the change worked. He claimed first place and half the sign-up pool. His winnings totaled $500. The remaining money went to second place ($300) and third place ($200). Locke said he plans to purchase parts and build a new computer with his prize money.

For now, he’s stopped dieting and said he’s content with his current physique.

“It was a good experience, but I’m happy to be finished,” he said.

The College of Nursing sponsored the UMSL Biggest Loser Weight Loss Challenge.