Fourth year of Pound Plunge set to start
Published on -12/10/2009, 12:19 PM
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By KALEY CONNER
It's almost time to start making New Year's resolutions, which means it's also almost time for round four of Hays' annual weight loss competition.
Registration is open for Pound Plunge 4, a program offered through Hays Medical Center's Center for Health Improvement. And several changes are planned to make the 2010 challenge even better, said Fitness Manager Stephanie Schaffer.
"It's not just about weight, but there's a lot of other factors that go into this," Schaffer said. "It's about prevention and early detection."
The competition is scheduled to begin Jan. 7, with start-up activities and presentations from CHI staff. The event will be from 5 to 7 p.m.
Along with weekly weigh-ins, participants will be invited to participate in a variety of health screenings, offered at no cost by various hospital departments. There will be blood pressure and flexibility tests, cancer prevention screenings, blood sugar tests and cardiovascular screenings, to name a few.
Besides getting the entire hospital involved, CHI staff also is hoping to boost community involvement. Local businesses will have the opportunity to sponsor one week of the 12-week competition. Canned goods will be collected and distributed to local charities.
And even the youngest residents are invited to participate. CHI staff will visit the six Hays public and private elementary schools every few weeks to conduct an evening activity. It's hoped the new Families in Training Together initiative will help kids stay active during cold winter months and encourage families to participate together, Schaffer said.
Students also will be asked to bring a canned food item, which will be implemented into the workout routine.
About 1,500 people signed up for last year's challenge, and it's hoped this year's number will be higher, or at least remain steady, she said.
"I'm hoping we can get closer to 2,000 this year, just because of all the screenings and stuff that we're doing," she said. "We hope that more people will get involved. It's just another avenue to get more people in this community healthier."
For more information, or to register a team, visit www.poundplunge.com, or follow the event on Facebook. Registration will be open until Jan. 3.
