Team Lean competition begins Jan. 21

Team Lean is a weight loss competition open to both individuals and groups of three. The person and group who lose the greatest percentage of body weight during the nine week competition will be eligible for cash prizes.

Last year approximately 200 people participated in the competition. The individual winner lost over 70 pounds and won approximately $1,000 in cash according to Sheila Duncan, wellness director at the Brad Akins YMCA.

“It’s just a real great motivator to get people going and get them moving,” she said. “It’s just a lot of fun for people.”

While Team Lean participants must decide on their own weight loss strategy, additional support is available through free wellness and nutrition classes offered at the YMCA. The goal of Team Lean is to motivate participants to stay focused on losing weight through diet and exercise.

Interested participants can register online at www.gapiedmontymca.org or in person at the Brad Akins YMCA located at 50 Brad Akins Drive in Winder. The registration fee is $45 per person. All cash collected will be distributed to participants in the form of prizes.

The first weigh-in is scheduled for Jan. 21 at the Brad Akins YMCA. Mandatory weigh-ins will be held each Thursday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. at both the Brad Akins YMCA and the Riverwalk YMCA. For every pound gained, participants must pay $1. Every missed weigh-in results in a $5 penalty. All weigh-ins are completely confidential.

Participants must be at least 13 years of age by Jan. 21, 2010. Participants between the ages of 13 and 17 must have both parental and physician release forms signed.

Barrow Regional Medical Center will offer free blood screenings to measure cholesterol profile and glucose at the beginning and end of the competition. Free blood pressure, heart rate and body fat measurements will be available for all participants.

For more information, call 770-868-2917.