Published: November 12, 2009 02:46 am      

CITY OF LOCKPORT: Downtown Meltdown showdown is Saturday

The first Downtown Meltdown for United Way ends Saturday.

When the contenders weigh in, who’ll be the winner?

As of last week, Mayor Michael Tucker was poised to be the biggest weight-loser for charity, but he’s suddenly been pushed into second place. Papa Leo’s General Manager Gary Chapman rang up a 5-pound loss in the past week, for a total of 26 pounds shed in 38 days, thus eclipsing Tucker’s 23-pound loss.

Don’t quit counting yet, Tucker said Wednesday.

“I’m working out every day and I’m gonna work like a dog ’til Saturday. I want to win this,” he said.

Downtown Meltdown is a fundraiser for Eastern Niagara United Way, which is in the midst of its annual campaign to support dozens of local charities.

Five men — Tucker, Chapman, Papa Leo’s owner Parker Greenman, schoolteacher Anthony Molinaro and his “little” brother Mike Molinaro of Molinaro’s Ristorante — are competing to see who can lose the most weight in six weeks, through conscious dieting and ramped-up exercise regimens supervised by trainers from Lockport Fitness & Athletic Club.

The club has pledged to give United Way $10 for every pound the men lost since Oct. 5.

The price tag on success comes due at noon Saturday with the contestants’ public weigh-ins. Club owner Amer Abdallah is leading the cheering section for the biggest loser, whoever he ends up being.

“It’s been a lot of fun watching them unite to raise funds for the local United Way while also going toe-to-toe to lose the most weight,” Abdallah said. “It’s no wonder these guys are so successful in their respective lines of work. Their competitive nature and thirst for conquest surfaced almost immediately.”

The competitors remain friendly, even after a couple of them dallied in diet sabotage.

Chapman had a gift basket of cake mixes and frostings made up and delivered to Tucker — a guy with a known sweet tooth — at City Hall within days of the contest’s launch. Tucker passed it on, still gift-wrapped, to Mike Molinaro with a sincere wish that he enjoy it.

Recently one brought a box of Twinkies into the gym and presented it to the others during a group workout. Taken as a joke among friends, the “offering” prompted a sharp tsk-tsk from their personal trainer, LAFC training director Gina Nowak.

Tucker, whose battle with obesity has been waged publicly since he underwent gastric bypass surgery a few years ago, says it’s the Meltdown challenge that finally forced him to “get real” about weight management. He threw himself into the contest primarily to win “biggest loser” honors — and along the way he found out some of those fundamental lifestyle changes his doctors routinely preach to him aren’t so tough to swallow after all.

“I’m eating fruit and vegetables — string beans, for the first time in my life; I’m eating yogurt and Healthy Choice (frozen entrees). My reputation is going to be shot,” he joked. “I completely changed my eating habits, I’m going to the gym three (or more) days a week — and I feel a lot better for it. I actually feel a few sizes smaller. ... I plan to stay on this regimen (post-Meltdown) for sure.”

Ahead of the Saturday weigh-in, LAFC is hosting The Big Meltdown Auction, a live-bidding sale of more than $5,000 in prizes, also to raise money for United Way. Auction items include a 42-inch LCD TV, a Movado watch, and box seats to a Buffalo Sabres game.