CLINTON —
When Mark Dann, of Clinton, walked into Iron Horse Gym in October he was looking for a way to lose some of the 280 pounds burdening him.
Two months later, he entered a body transformation competition and is now one of 25 contestants left vying for a $25,000 prize.
“I was just tired of being tired,” Dann said. “Now, I’m 45 and I feel like I’m 25.”
Shortly after getting a gym membership, Dann started a strict work-out regimen from 3:30 to 6:30 a.m. every day, eating 1,800 to 2,000 calories in five to six small meals daily and taking supplements and vitamins.
By December Dann was down to 222 pounds, 58 pounds lighter than he was just three months earlier. Little did Dann know, his transformation was just beginning.
On Dec. 1, Max Muscle, a sports nutrition company, held an open house at Iron Horse. Dann was there along with radio station 94.7 FM.
Max Muscle had just started a contest called the MaxFormation Life Challenge, in which members are judged on weight loss, increase in lean muscle mass and improved health. When Dann’s friend, a DJ with the radio station, announced on-air they’d be joining the competition, he barely flinched.
After nine months, Dann’s lost 115 pounds. He started the competition wearing an XXXL shirt and now, at 165 pounds, wears a medium.
Dann, who’s been a car salesman at McEleney’s for 15 years, said he believes if it weren’t for the competition he’d weigh more than he did when he started.
“It gave me something to reach for,” he said. “I have no plans of stopping.”
After surviving the first round of cuts based on a popularity vote, Dann moved on to the next round. Contestants were required to weigh in and be measured at local Max Muscle stores.
Dann said he was visiting the Bettendorf store once a month for the first three months, then every two weeks until the last month of the competition in June when he was going every week. He was notified this week he is one of the top 25 and one of four from the Quad-City area.
The body transformation has also given Dann a greater confidence in his work-out routine.
“Originally when I came in at 3:30 it’s because I didn’t want people to see me,” he said. “Now I’m considering getting a certification.”
Store owners from the 160 Max Muscle stores across the country are voting on their choice for the final 10, who will be announced at the end of July. The grand-prize winner will be announced in August.
“I think I have a chance. Whether I’ve won the money or not, I’ve won,” he said.
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July 21, 2012
MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR: Mark Dann
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