About the Fall River Fitness Challenge

Fitness was brought to the forefront of the public eye in Fall River, MA, in 2007 when several human service organizations, including the Diabetes Association Inc. (DAI), CD REC, Healthy City Fall River and Fall River Boys & Girls Club joined together with personal fitness instructor Amy Jones to challenge adults who live or work in the city to collectively lose a ton of weight (2000 lbs)!. With Bristol County, having the highest prevalence of diabetes in the state, Bill DaPonte, Director of Operations for the DAI saw the need for a this type of program and gathered the necessary partners to make it all happen.  

Through the Challenge, participants gained access to programs and fitness centers throughout the city for little or no cost. These programs were designed to help individuals learn to eat well, lose weight, get fit and prevent Type 2 diabetes. A variety of prizes were donated by local businesses to be awarded to the teams and individuals with the highest percentage of weight loss. The Challenge was a way to call attention to already existing programs, to teach and encourage a healthy lifestyle, and to encourage people to change habits that were destructive to their health. Businesses and social groups were challenged to form teams to compete and support one another.

 

Activities offered included low cost personal training, discount use of fitness facilities (CDREC Family Fitness Center and Boys and Girls club pool/fitness room), exercise classes (Zumba, Power to Move, Kickboxing, Aerobics and Yoga) a diabetes support group, nutrition classes, monthly team challenges (seven hills challenge, tug-o-war, dodge ball, etc.), and the opportunity to win prizes ranging from “Healthy City” certified restaurant gift certificates to weekend getaways.

 

After the Fall River Fitness Challenge was issued at a public press conference in January, 2008, the program initiated a huge response, with 1,015 participants coming on board. New fitness classes were added to accommodate the large number of participants. During the four-month course of the first year's program, individuals lost a total of 3,180lbs. The winner of the challenge lost 23% of his body weight (89lbs). The team winners collectively lost 8.2% of their initial body weight. Fifty-five teams were enrolled, including five elementary schools, thee middle schools, and groups from school administration, the post office, community health centers and other local organizations. A personal/group training session was held each night at Community Development Recreation.  There were 40 people each week in the aerobics classes, 70 people in 2 the DAI’s Power to Move classes, 65 participants each week in the Zumba! classes, and even more participating in yoga, kickboxing and other classes.

 

The media followed the progress of the challenge process very closely as well as interviewed individual participants. Participants were tracked in a central data base and through bimonthly weigh-ins. Many individuals with diabetes attended the support groups at the Diabetes Association Inc, where they receive valuable education, support, and self-management education. When surveyed, 96% of respondents said that they would participate in a challenge again and 72.6% joined as part of a team.

 

The Challenge culminated in a final fitness rally on May 10 and the award of prizes for the largest percent of weight loss in the male, female and team categories. With over 150 people in attendance, an overall sense of camaraderie and support filled the room as the winners received a standing ovation for the incredible achievements. Congratulations form the celebrity guests, mayor and other public personalities rounded out the day.

 

Following a successful 2008 Challenge, the collaborating organizations put together a new Fitness Challenges in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 with an expanded agenda and a similar number of participants. When it became clear that people were coming back year after year, organizers began to think about expanding the program. Now, each Challenge begins with a Warm-Up that begins in October and offers participants from previous year the chance to get ready for the next season. "People are really beginning to understand that fitness is a year-around process," commented personal fitness instructor Amy Jones. "We working toward developing a twelve-month program and have already expanded it to participants from the surrounding towns in our sixth year," she added.

 

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