“I have been involved in similar contests at other newspapers I have been involved with,” says SRIN Publisher Terri Leifeste, “and they have always been very successful. Not just in terms of participation, but in terms of actual weight lost and lives improved. In the past, these cooperative programs have resulted in thousands and thousands of pounds being lost.”
One way to win by losing is through the team approach. Readers will join up in teams of four and pit their combined weight losses against other teams within the SRIN readership area. The other way to win is through individual weight loss. Winners of both the team and individual competitions will be judged by the percentage of weight lost, not by the total poundage lost. Therefore a 150-pound person losing 10 pounds would beat a 250-pound person losing 12 pounds.
The purpose of the competition is to help educate and motivate people in the SRIN readership area to establish and maintain healthy eating and exercising practices.
“We are very much a part of the social fabric of the towns we cover,” says Leifeste, “and we want to show that by helping people reach their goals. And healthy eating habits combined with a reasonable exercise program is one very important way we can show our concern for – and interest in – our area towns.”
The YMCA and SRIN are instituting programs that will be effective in helping people lose weight.
“We are stressing the healthy lifestyle aspect in this program,” says SRIN Executive Editor Joel Barrett. “The diet program, the motivating aspect of being part of a team striving to attain team goals through individual acheivement is, together with the exercise options available at the YMCA, a proven way of getting down to your desired weight.”
The YMCAs will be weighing in team members throughout this week and the beginning of next week. Subsequent weigh-ins will take place at the end of February and at the end of March. The final weigh-in will be at the end of April.
One can join in the Weight Loss Wars by a number of methods. Fill out the form in today’s paper and send it to Southern Rhode Island Newspapers at P.O. Box 232, Wakefield, RI 02879, or fax it to (401) 789-1550. Teams can also be formed by contacting one of the area YMCAs:
Kent County YMCA, 900 Centerville Road, Warwick (828-0130).
South Kingstown YMCA 45 Broad Rock Road, Wakefield, RI (783-3900).
North Kingstown YMCA 7540 Post Road, North Kingstown (295-6501).
