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John Mougros during Fall 2007 semester
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John Mougros working out (May 2008)
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John Mougros, minus 100 pounds
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WIU Freshman Loses Self; Gains Health, Motivation

May 7, 2008

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MACOMB, IL - - John Mougros of South Elgin (IL) entered Western Illinois University in Fall 2007 as a freshman with a couple of goals in mind: first, to do well as a student; and secondly, to get rid of the excess weight he had carried all of his life.

The second goal was the hardest; but John, with the help and encouragement of three good friends on his residence hall floor, shed 90 pounds in two semesters. He dropped 10 pounds last summer before coming to Western.

What's his secret? It isn't Subway. One look at the "new" John and you see a well sculptured 5-7, 160-pound body - - and a stunning smile. John combined good old fashioned exercise with a change in his eating habits, and now he is a new man.

He was diagnosed with hypertension at the age of 13. Now his blood pressure stays well within a healthy range without medication. John competed on St. Charles North High School's football team, but he missed out on a lot of social activities because of his weight.

College was a new beginning for John, and as he said: "I knew if I didn't change now, I was never going to change."

Mougros, his roommate, Austin Hammer (South Elgin, IL) - - who is John's best friend from home - - and three freshmen friends on his floor from west suburban Addison (IL) - - Mike Capizzano, Mike Criscone and John Macchitelli - - started searching the Internet for ways to eat and exercise for healthy weight loss.

He became a regular at Western's Donald S. Spencer Student Recreation Center, with an amazing 165 check-in days in the Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 semesters. He walked three miles as fast as he could; at first it took him 45 minutes, now he can do it in 22-24 minutes. He lifted weights; he swam; he ate a sensible diet that included items such as chicken and fish, brown rice, oatmeal and egg whites and fruits and vegetables; and the weight came off. He still follows this regimen.

By this past January, Mougros had taken off 50 pounds, and people were noticing. His social life was budding, too.

"Once you see the results, it's easy to keep going. It makes everything so much easier," Mougros said.

"I was in a routine: school work, working out. Sometimes I couldn't wait to get to the rec center to work out; it's such a great stress reliever," he added. "I'd leave my problems at the door and get into my workout and not think a thing about them. They were still there when I left if I felt like picking them up."

Mougros, who is interested in studying international business, says he wants to motivate people to get healthier through good eating and workout habits.

"Sometimes when I'm with my family and we talk about how I've changed, I get real emotional; it tears me up," he said. "I'm so proud of what I've done, and I feel so great. I just want to help other overweight people understand they can be proud, too, and they can feel great, too."

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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