By Luz Chavez on June 21, 2010

Feature photo by Philon

After ten grueling weeks, the Gozamos Weight Loss Challenge has come to an end! I’ve lost a total of 15 pounds, two pounds short of my goal, but a good accomplishment nonetheless. Most importantly, my cholesterol is down to 185 from 248—the first time in years that it’s normal! I feel great and hopeful about losing more weight and getting even healthier. I’m also extremely proud to announce the winner of the challenge, a faithful Gozamos reader who goes by the pseudonym Vigilante Fantastica. She lost ten pounds! I sat down with the winner to talk about how she came out on top.

Vigilante Fantastica, congratulations! You are the proud winner of the ten-week Gozamos Weight Loss Challenge! How do you feel?
Wooo! Yay! I feel happy and great.

What made you do the challenge?
I wanted to be healthy. I also wanted to be able to play good tennis, and being overweight wasn’t going to help me. You also motivated me. You were losing a lot of weight.

How was your experience doing the challenge?
I had a very good experience. I changed my eating habits. I like the way I’m eating now, with lots of fruits and vegetables and no meat. I became a vegetarian before the challenge, but I think that helped me in the process–especially not eating red meat, which has a lot of fat and other toxins.

How’d you lose all the weight?
I had the Vitamin Shake every morning and ate healthily. I think that was the key–changing my eating habits.

Were you exercising regularly?
Not really. I exercised here and there, but now I feel like I have energy. I feel like I can get up in the morning and actually run. I feel better, much better. I look better, I think. Everybody, including my coworkers, are telling me that I look great, that I look younger and prettier.

What other ways has the weight loss changed your life–physically and emotionally?
Emotionally, I feel happier, with more energy. I feel positive. Physically I feel better. I used to have stomach problems, and changing the way I eat helped those problems decrease.

What advice do you have for Gozamos readers who want to lose weight?
Definitely don’t see it as a diet. For me, that’s the key–changing my eating habits and not thinking that I’m on a diet. Just try to eat healthy for you and your body.

What’s up with the pseudonym? Why “Vigilante Fantastica”?
Because I AM Vigilante Fantastica–I’m always watching! It’s the name of my favorite character from a Teatro Luna play.

Would you like to reveal your true identity for Gozamos readers?
No! Not yet.

Vigilante Fantastica, I mean this in the kindest way, you are a beautiful older woman <Vigilante Fantastica gasps>, older than the average Gozamos readers who are in their 20s and early 30s. How do you feel about beating out all the youngsters?
What are you talking about? I’m young! I’m not old at all! I feel great about beating them. I think that there’s a lot of pizza and beer out there. As time passes, you realize you have to take care of yourself and take care of your body.

Now for the most important question that all Gozamos readers want to know: Am I more beautiful in person than you could have ever imagined?
Definitely! You look great! You are more beautiful than I imagined. I love your voice, too, by the way.

One last question: Are you free tonight?
Yes!

As Vigilante Fantastica and I ride off into the sunset, I wish all Gozamos readers the best of health! May the challenge continue for all of us who still need it! Stay focused, and stay strong!