Calgarian Jonathan Karpetz is one of three finalists in Subway's Commit to Fit Ambassador search. Voting closes Oct. 21. The winner will be named Oct. 24.
Does Jonathan Karpetz have what it takes to be the Canadian version of Jared (The Subway Guy) Fogle?
More importantly, will the fitness-conscious Calgarian garner enough votes?
Karpetz is one of three finalists in Subway’s Commit to Fit Ambassador search, a national contest I first wrote about back in June.
It’s been four months since Jared launched the massive search for inspirational Canadians during a coast-to-coast tour with stops in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Halifax and Toronto.
“I can’t wait to find, well, the Canadian version of me!” Jared said back then of the one-of-a-kind contest that also nets the winners (one from English Canada and another from Quebec) $10,000 cash.
Last month, the field was narrowed to three finalists in both categories.
Public voting runs until Oct. 21, with the winners being announced Oct. 24.
Karpetz learned of the contest through my popular Keeping Fit column.
Here’s the email he recently sent me:
Hi Cary,
My name is Jonathan Karpetz and I have been selected as one of 3 finalists across Canada in Subways’s Commit to Fit Ambassador search. Your article about Jared’s story was an inspiration for me to enter. The finalist voting will take place over the next few weeks. My hope is that you will be interested in helping me tell my story to Calgarians and Canadians over the next month. I have learned a great deal over the last many years about weight gain and loss but I have also learned a great deal about what it means to be part of a wider community. I truly believe that it was a team of friends, family and acquaintances that helped me every step of the way.
My initial inspiration for losing weight came from my sister who asked me to look into my heart to understand that I really did want to live a healthier and happier life. I struggled with weight even with this realization. It wasn’t until my father became quite ill with ALS that I inspired to work hard to be a better person both inside and out. It was at that point that I changed inside and started to significantly change on the outside.
Engaging with the larger community has meant becoming a part of many teams. These include my hockey team who I have goaltended for over the last two seasons, a running team that has helped me train for 4 half marathons, a ball hockey team where I have met many new friends, as well as a wide community of DJ’s and music lovers who have embraced me as one of their own. It is now time to build an even bigger team!
When the dust settled on my weight loss struggles and months worth of surgery recovery in the spring of 2011 it became very clear to me that what I wanted most was to tell my story and hear stories from other people about their weight and fitness struggles. Unfortunately it has proved harder than I expected to get the word out. My hope is that this contest and my actions during this next month will let us share our stories.
If I am fortunate enough to win the contest I will take the Ambassadorship very seriously. It will not be a distraction from my normal life. Instead it will become my focus to best respresent both Subway and the wider community of individuals who have overcome weight stuggles. The hope is that representation will bring many many more people into the fold.
If you would like to read more about my experiences please look at the link below. There are plenty of before and after pictures on the blog. I also have the full length contest video available if you would like to have a copy.
http://jonathankarpetz.wordpress.com/
The contest page can be found here:
http://www.freshenergy.com/committofit/?p=ambassador
All the best,
Jonathan Karpetz
All the best to YOU, Jonathan!
I sincerely hope you win by a landslide (especially since you are the unofficial western Canadian representative).
But that’s out of your control.
Ambassador or not, it sounds like you’ve already won back your health. And that’s what really counts.
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Follow Cary Castagna:
Website: http://www.edmontonsun.com/author/cary-castagna
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keeping-Fit-with-Cary-Castagna/106367266730
