After 13 weeks of hard work and dedication, Stacy Cox was named the winner of Mommy Makeover challenge.

Cox, who lost 25.6 pounds and 12.34 percent of her overall weight, was surprised.

“I thought Christina had won because she was only a couple pounds from her goal,” she said. “I think it’s great, but it really was not important. The results were what mattered.”

One week out of the challenge, Cox has been staying on task of reaching her main goal by December.

“It was kind of a blessing, one day the babysitting at the Y was full,” she said. “My friend’s son and husband enjoyed watching my daughter so much, they said ‘We should do it twice a week.’”

With that suggestion, Cox has been meeting at a friend’s house to work out. They even take a walk on the trail to mix things up.

With final weigh-ins, Cox was pleased with her overall weight loss and the large decrease in her body mass index. She feels good about her overall look.

“I also know I have a long ways to go, in order to be where I need to be,” she said. “It is a tremendous start for me. I know I wouldn’t have got this far without this program.”

Each participant received a free makeover from Hair To Dye For as a reward for their hard work.

Cox said it was a fun experience. She had a manicure, two colors of highlights, a few inches cut off her hair and had her hair straightened. She also had her makeup done and received new ideas for eye shadow colors.

If she had the chance to do the challenge again, she would.

“It was the extra motivation that I needed,” she said. “It kind of takes you to a different level when you have something holding you accountable and people following it.”

Over the last 13 weeks, Cox said she learned something new about herself.

“I guess the biggest thing is that I can stick to a weight loss goal, fitness routine and diet change,” she said. “I’ve never been able to do that in the past.”

Christina Artrip finished the challenge with an 8.95 percent loss and 13.4 pounds.

“I’m disappointed,” she said. “I feel like I could have done better, but I’m still glad I did it.”

She didn’t think she would have worked as hard if she hadn’t participated in the Mommy Makeover challenge.

“It was a lot of work to get the dent made that I wanted to get done,” she said. “I don’t know if I would have kept pushing myself if it wasn’t for the competition.”

She was pleased with the overall inches lost when she was measured at the final weigh-in. Each participant had their arms, legs, waist, hips and chest measured. Artrip was surprised she had lost so much in inches.

When the challenge began, she was still wearing maternity clothes. Now, she can proudly say she fits into her post second-child clothing.

Since the challenge ended, Artrip hasn’t followed her diet as strict.

She is still eating healthy, since the family already ate healthy before the challenge.

She also continues to walk when she has the opportunity.

“I hope to be able to continue to exercise,” she said.

Her family has recently starting going to church, so most of er free time has been occupied with reading for church.

While meeting her final weight-loss goal is not her number one priority, it’s still an aim.

“I want to be healthy and secure with myself,” she said. “I want my kids to have that role model. I want to let them see it is important to take care of yourself.”

As far as her salon makeover, Artrip decided to dye her hair to her original color and add darker highlights.

She also had her eyebrows waxed, which she never had done before. Overall, she loves her haircut.

“After she put on the dye for my natural color, I thought, ‘Man, I should have gone blonde,’ but I didn’t want the upkeep.”

If she had the opportunity to participate in the challenge again, she would.

“Oh yeah, I’m a competitor and I like to compete,” she said.

Even though Laura Mize didn’t win the overall competition, she is OK with that.

“I never really cared about winning,” she said. “All I cared about was losing weight and I did what I wanted to do, so I’m satisfied.”

Mize was proud of all the participants, saying each person worked hard and lost weight.

For now, Mize is continuing to watch her eating habits and exercise routine. Even though she hasn’t worked out since last weigh-in, she’s already thinking about starting a membership with the Cass County Family Y.

“I feel guilty that I have not worked out,” she admitted. “My family wants me to stick with it. My dad tells me all the time that he’s really proud of me. That means a lot and I definitely don’t want to let him down ever, so I am going to keep on trying.”

She’s had one week off, but is planning to tell herself the challenge is not over until she reaches her weight goal.

“I’m just going to take it one day at a time,” said Mize. “As long as I stick with it, I will get to where I want to be eventually.”

She was also enjoyed the makeover from Hair To Dye For. She received a haircut, style and colored.

Mize is pleased with her new look after 13 weeks.

“I’m definitely planning to keep going,” she said. “I can’t be upset with as much as I lost. ... I had a couple of obstacles, so I’m happy.”

The only thing she was upset about during the final weigh-in was her arm measurement.

“I gained inches in arms from lifting,” she said. “I lost everywhere else and I was shocked how much I really had lost.”

When she first started the challenge, Mize never knew she would end up feeling the way she does now.

“I’m not a quitter and I knew I would stick through the whole thing and work hard,” she said. “I would like to have done better than what I did, but I have to take it day by day.”

If she had the chance to do it over again, Mize said she would.

“It’s just a really good experience and I got the extra motivation I needed and waited for so long for,” she said. “For once in my life I feel good about myself and I’m happy.”

• Denise Massie is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5151 or denise.massie@pharostribune.com