Dan Cooke admits he had gotten too big for his britches.

"I’m having to squeeze in lots of things these days, like having to squeeze into my pants since I’ve put on so much weight," said Cooke, the quick-witted weather guy on Hawaii News Now’s "Sunrise" morning show.

He’s been working out with "Sunrise" reporter Ramsay Wharton and co-anchor Steve Uyehara as part of a weight-loss challenge against three University Health Alliance employees, Allie Sato, Kim Soares and Tuli Tafai.

The Biggest Loser Sunrise Challenge kicked off Jan. 7 with a weigh-in. The participants will step on the scale for a final time Monday during the show, which airs at 5 a.m. on KHNL and KGMB.

"I feel like I’m dragging my team down," Cooke said. "I haven’t been focusing enough."

Making time to exercise is a challenge for all of the TV gang, he explained, and getting together outside of work is even more difficult.

"It’s hard to coordinate group workouts. We know it’s important to have partners that help you stay on track, but everyone is so busy," he said.

Cooke is doing his part another way delivering tempting sugary treats to Team UHA Health Insurance during a recent weigh-in.

At the start of the Biggest Loser Sunrise Challenge, the UHA squad weighed in at a total of 608 pounds; Team Sunrise hit the scales at 647 pounds. At the most recent weigh-in, UHA had lost 38 pounds, a 6.3 percent drop; the Sunrise team, 22 pounds, a 3.4 percent loss.

Like the other participants, Uyehara struggles to balance a demanding career with parenthood and healthful habits. He said trainers at 24 Hour Fitness gave Team Sunrise strength-training exercises that can be incorporated into workouts at home.

"Even on the weekends, our son wakes us up early, so we’re exhausted. We have tons of stuff to do around the house as we prepare for our second baby," he said. "I don’t always have time to go to the gym, but I can make time for some circuits while our son is sleeping."

Although he said he doesn’t want to get "skinny," Uyehara looks at the weight-loss challenge as an opportunity to get fit.

"I feel great. My pants are a lot looser, and I have more energy," he said. "I know it sounds cliché, but all that stuff is really true."

Wharton, a single mom, has been using a BodyBugg, a device that keeps track of calories and steps with a built-in pedometer. She’s also worked to change her eating habits.

"I’ve cut back on portions and sugar and cream for my coffee. I eat my Subway (sandwich) lunch. I cut out fried foods, which I really love," she said.

"We get up at 2 or 3 a.m. and tend to eat more, so I try to eat bars to keep the furnace burning."

Wharton has an ankle injury, so her workouts need to be tailored.

"I’ve learned that I can modify workouts and still get my heart rate up," she said.

On the UHA team, 45-year-old account executive Allie Sato said she’s used "being busy" as an excuse not to take care of herself. Sato is a mother to two boys, ages 8 and 10, a PTA president and baseball team mom. She said she talked to her sons about her commitment to exercise and eat differently.

"It’s been a good ride for all of us," she said. "We have more well-rounded meals, better food on the table. Now I don’t get winded as much, my joints don’t hurt and my blood pressure numbers are going down."

The UHA team has been working with trainers from Crossfit Waikiki. Sato said she feels leaner, stronger and toned.

"Everyone has 30 minutes. … It’s what you choose to do with your time. It’s all about staying motivated and focused," she said. Their routine incorporates squats, sit­ups and burpees (a combination of squats, a pushup and a jump). "By the end of the workout, I don’t know if it’s sweat or tears dripping off me."

Kim Soares, a 39-year-old business development manager, said she was always active and found time to exercise until she had her fourth child.

"I got busy with work and the kids’ activities," she said.

Through the Biggest Loser Sunrise Challenge, "I’ve learned that I don’t need to go to the gym to exercise. We’ve been doing a Crossfit workout during lunch that doesn’t require any equipment. I can do it in 20 minutes," she said.

Soares had a good start toward improving her health when she quit smoking and lost 50 pounds during the first three years she worked at UHA.

Controlling food portion sizes is something she still has to master.

"I learned that I can live without bread. Before I started the challenge, I could eat a whole loaf of French bread," she said. "Now I’m not eating bad, I just eat too much."

Tuli Tafai, a 26-year-old enrollment representative, was looking to make a lifestyle change, "something to get me out of my rut. I’ve really changed my mindset about eating," he said.

Tafai said getting his family on board the Sunrise Challenge has been a big help.

"We are a typical Samoan family and needed to change some of our habits. We stopped eating rice, added more veggies to our diet and started drinking lots of water instead of soda.

"It’s so easy to grab a cheeseburger. Instead of eating bacon and eggs, I’m eating an egg-white omelet. I’m definitely more conscious of what I’m putting in my mouth."

Howard Lee, UHA’s president and chief executive officer, described the friendly competition as a "fun challenge with a serious health purpose."

At least in the short term, it seems to be working. Said Uyehara, "Working out with Dan and Ramsay and seeing the UHA guys definitely gets me fired up."