Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Contact: Spence Jackson, 573-751-0290
Governor Announces New-And-Improved Fitness Program for Missourians
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt announced the kick-off of Shape-Up Missouri, a fitness challenge designed to combat obesity and improve Missourians’ overall health and fitness. The new, team-based program is designed to help Missourians make positive changes so they can attain and maintain a healthier lifestyle.
“Unfortunately, too many of our state’s youth and adults do not participate in regular physical activity, and we all know this lack of activity can lead to obesity and health problems,” Blunt said. “Shape-Up Missouri is designed to make physical activity fun, and the group approach should provide support for participants.”
The governor noted the Shape-Up Missouri program will run through two sessions: a Fall Shape Up session (September 18-November 20) that focuses on the health and fitness basics of activity and nutrition, and a Spring Shape Up session (January 22 – April 16) that focuses on weight loss and activity. During the two sessions, teams will compete in a wide variety of fun-but-effective challenges to increase their physical activity, change their eating habits, and strive for weight-loss and more challenging exercise goals. Team captains will track and report each member’s progress and combined team achievements as part of the overall competition. Monthly incentives and prizes will be awarded for participation.
Blunt is encouraging schools across the state to participate in Shape Up Our Students, which also will run through the fall and spring sessions.
The governor said Shape-Up Missouri combines the best features of two previous fitness challenges: Shape-Up Missouri, which was sponsored by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Health and the Show-Me Shape-Up, which was sponsored by the Show-Me State Games.
“Because the Council on Physical Fitness and the Show-Me State Games exist to create environments and opportunities for Missourians to improve their health, we thought it only natural for the two to join forces in a coordinated effort through Shape-Up Missouri,” Blunt said. “By creating teams that will be challenged to attain certain goals, we have built in a system of mutual support, encouragement and fun that, we believe, will provide the optimum environment for participants to succeed in achieving their health and fitness goals.”
To get involved in Shape-Up Missouri, teams should form, choose a captain and a team name (every team captain must have an e-mail address). All teams must then register online at www.SMSG.org, or fill out a registration form included in program brochures available by contacting Larry Luetjen at (573) 882-7326. Any group of two to ten people can become a Shape-Up Missouri team. Members should be motivated to change their lifestyles and committed to the program.
For more information about Shape-Up Missouri, call Larry Luetjen at (573) 882-7326 or go to the Shape-Up Missouri web site at www.SMSG.org/SUM/.
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