Nineteen teams made up of 85 Henry County Biggest Losers are off to a great start! If you’d still like to join, call 220-3614. Achieve maximum weight loss for your team by encouraging your teammates and holding one another seriously accountable for the next nine weeks. No secrets are hidden from the scales!

1. Have a plan for healthy eating. Share your most effective tips. Prepare in advance for dealing with temptations (like eating out or potlucks) by picking a restaurant that has healthy choices, or planning to eat tiny portions of calorie-loaded favorites, or by bringing your own “legal” alternative so that you can stick with your plan. Remember that a gradual weight loss of 1-5 pounds weekly will last much longer than an extreme, unhealthy loss.

 2. Group exercise is great for team motivation and bonding. Keep tennis shoes in the car so you can walk while you’re waiting for someone. Be ready for bad weather with an alternate indoor exercise activity that keeps you on schedule. Bowling, anyone?

3. Setbacks happen. Minimize them by promptly returning to your healthy strategies. The quicker you resume your program, the faster those extra “oops!” pounds will come right back off. Successful competitors will be those who determinedly get back on schedule after a disruption.

Persevere towards your goal! We will see you on the finish line!