2014 Weight Loss Challenge Results

The 6th Annual 2014 Eat Smart Move More Weight Loss Challenge was a great success! Sponsors agree that everyone who participated is a winner if they lost any weight or adopted healthier habits. They also thank the many community partners that generously offered Challenge participants discounted memberships, free classes, or prizes.

The Challenge ended with a celebration on 6/9/14 at the Henderson Family YMCA that was sponsored by Maria Parham Medical Center. The participants will be challenged again in late fall 2014 to maintain their weight lost or to meet their original 10 pound goal if they didn't quite make it yet.

2014 WLC Statistics:
* 390 people weighed in & 51% of those individuals weighed out losing over 1500 pounds!
* Five teams of 3 & 90 individuals qualified for the prize drawings by meeting the goal of losing 10 pounds during the 10 week period.
* 97% of survey respondents said the challenge was worth their time.
* 99% of survey respondents plan to continue to work to achieve or maintain a healthy weight
* 92% of survey respondents commit to continue the changes they made.

Sponsors:  Maria Parham Medical Center, the Henderson Family YMCA, & the Granville-Vance District Health Department

Community Partners:
* Henderson:  Henderson-Vance Recreation Dept & Studio Mainstreet.
* Oxford:  BodyWorx Fitness Center, Zumba with Gwen, Oxford Parks and Recreation Dept, & Starting Fresh Nutrition
* Creedmoor:  The Road to Fitness

The winners present at the award ceremony with MPMC COO Tim Harclerode (back row - far left), new CEO of the Henderson Family YMCA Paul Ross (back row - 2nd from left, & Health Director Lisa Harrison (back row - 3rd from left).

Prize Winners
* New Prize Category - Every Pound Counts! (Participants lost 3 pounds or more)
- 1 Month Membership to Henderson Family YMCA:  Vikki Williams, Alexis Byars, Amy McFalls
- $25 Gift Card Winners: Desree Twisdale, Jean Ayscue, Barbara Felts, Learnetta Speed

All following participants lost 10 pounds or more.

* Individual Winners of Partner Prizes:
- Gift Basket from Starting Fresh Nutrition in Oxford: Emillee Johnson
- 10 Class Pass From Gwen Hernandex Zumba: Cathy Hight
- 1 Month Membership to Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson:  Phylis Carter, Cassandra Evans
- 6 Class Pass to Studio Mainstreet in Henderson: Monique Allen
- 1 Month Membership to BodyWorx in Oxford: Debra Montegue, Detroit Yancey, Deanna Katz
- 3 Month Membership to Road to Fitness in Creedmoor: Shana Clegg
- 6 Month Membership to Henderson Family YMCA:  LaRonday Ray, Katrina Williams
- $50 Gift Card Winners: Heather Wade, Cheryl Ellington, Tonya Jones, Anna Walker, Catherine Sledge, Betty Moss, Penny Glover, Kelly Anderson, Kay Burke, Kyle Blackwell, Paulette Adams, Chantel Cronk, Goldie Davis, Barbara Jones

* Team Gift Card Winners:
- $50/member - Team Time Warner:  Eddie Blake, Davis Edmonds, Jeremy Paul
- $75/member - Team Awesome:  Monica Boyd, Rachel Cox, Cheryl Dalman
- $150/member - Team Beauty and the Beasts:  Leigh Ann Fowler, Timothy Fowler, Randy Smith

How to Eat More Fruits & Veggies

During summer, fresh local produce is easy to find & tends to have great texture & taste. Availability often makes the price more reasonable. Check out the NC Department of Agriculture's Produce Availability Chart to find out what's in season. However, to get the most for your money, shop around-- even at a Farmer's Market.

Make sure you choose fresher items & store produce properly.
- Fruits & Veggies More Matter's Fruit & Vegetable Storage 101
- Clemson Cooperative Extension's Selecting & Storing Fresh Fruits & Vegetables.

Not using what you buy is truly a waste of money!
- WebMD's 15 Tips for Veggie Haters
- WebMD's Quick Tips: Adding Fruits & Vegetables to Your Diet
- US News' 5 Ways to Sneak More Veggies Into Your Diet

There are lots of recipes available online (including Prevention, Cooking Light, Fruits & Veggies More Matters, etc.).

If you already routinely eat fruits & veggies, expand your diet to include a wide variety of types & colors for the most benefit.
- HowStuffWorks' Health Benefits of Fruits & Vegetables: Eat a Rainbow

Sensational Summer Salads

When the temperatures rise, who wants to stand near (or heat up the house with) a hot oven??? Take advantage of the plentiful fresh fruits & veggies with a colorful entree or side salad.

Fruits & veggies have vitamins & minerals; help keep you hydrated; & are typically low in calories, fat, salt, etc. Remember to add in various colors for a full range of benefits.

Be creative! To make a complete, nourishing meal, include a lean protein & some healthy fat with your salad. For salads made with mayo, choose a light version, use less, &/or consider substituting a healthier alternative (e.g., greek yogurt).

For inspiration, check out:
- WebMD & EatingWell's 500 Calorie Salad Menus
- Cooking Light's Great Summer Salads
- Epicurious's Healthy Main Course Salad Recipes
- Reader's Digest Australia's Salad Recipes

Take Your Healthy Habits on Vacation

For many people, summer means that it's vacation time. However, don't let your hard work (or hard work in progress) during the Weight Loss Challenge evaporate! Here are tips for having an enjoy & healthy vacation.
- SparkPeople's Healthy Vacation Guide
- WebMD's 10 Ways to Eat Healthy While on Vacation
- Prevention.com's What Nutritionists Eat at Fast-Food Restaurants
- Fox News' How to Eat Healthy at 16 Fast-Food Chains
- Cooking Light's Road Trip Snacks: Healthy Convenience Store Foods
- Active.com's 10 Ways to Get a Workout on Vacation
- University of Nevada, Reno's Exercising While on Vacation

Can't get away? Try an active stay-cation!
- Go for a hike, bike ride, or swim at Falls Lake or Kerr Lake.
- Go for a boat or kayak ride at Lake Devin (Oxford), Lake Holt (Butner), Lake Rogers (Creedmoor), or Wilton Slopes (Wilton). For more info, check out Granville County Recreation. Or, try Kerr Lake. Some of these facilities offer rentals.
- Buy a one day (or month) pool pass for Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson or Rucker Park in Oxford. Or, try the Granville Athletic Park's Splash Pool with small children.
- Play a round of golf at a public course.
- Go to the NC Zoo in Asheboro.
- There's also lots of opportunities nearby in Raleigh, Durham, & Chapel Hill.

Regardless of what you choose, remember to stay hydrated & use any recommended safety gear (e.g., sun protection, helmet, PFD/life jacket, etc.) If traveling outside the US, ensure that your vaccinations are up to date before leaving.

Rewarding Yourself is Rewarding!

Boy, it feels good to accomplish something! Think about the pride & satisfaction of seeing your hard work pay off... But, when working towards big goals, it can be easy to get bogged down or lose your drive.

Try breaking down bigger goals into smaller, achievable parts. Celebrating those smaller milestones can recharge your motivation & help you proceed.

Many celebrations involve splurging on food. However, when your goal involves weight loss, health, or fitness, food rewards can start undoing your hard work. So, consider some of these other ideas:
- Today Show's Celebrate Your Mini-goals with Non-food Rewards
- Anytime Fitness's 41 Awesome Non-food Rewards for Weight Loss
- Food Network's How to Reward Kids (The Healthy Way) (also for kids at heart!).

When choosing a reward, remember to make it comparable to your goal (i.e., small goal = small reward). Search our blog (left sidebar) for help in setting SMART goals.