February 5, 2013

Harrington, Fitness Centers Announce Weight-Loss Challenge

WEBSTER and SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass., February 5, 2013 — Harrington HealthCare System and area fitness centers and community centers are launching a Community Weight-Loss Challenge called “Weight No More.”

The goal of the competition is to promote healthiness in the region. Entrants will be weighed at the beginning of the competition, on March 7 and March 8, and will be weighed at the conclusion, 12 weeks later, May 29 and 30, each time using Harringtons Tanita Analyzer scale, which measures the participants total percentage of body fat. There will be two winners — the male who lost the greatest percentage of body fat and the female who lost the greatest percentage of body fat.

The entry fee is $25 per person. All the money will be split between the male and the female winner. Entrants can sign up at any of the participating organizations in advance of the weigh-in dates, or they can sign up at the weigh-ins. To sign-up through Harrington, please contact Wellness Coordinator Betsy Peppel at epeppel@harringtonhospital.org

Participating organizations are Harrington HealthCare at Hubbard in Webster, Harrington Hospital in Southbridge, Total Fitness at the Oxford Community Center, Sims Premier Fitness in Charlton, Focus Fitness at the Southbridge Hotel and Conference Center, the Tri-Community YMCA in Southbridge, Brookside Terrace Apartments in Southbridge and Everybodys Fitness in Sturbridge. Two wellness coaches, Dawna Salkiewicz and Lisa Barnes, will also be part of the program, offering wellness tips to participants.

Weigh-ins will be at the following locations:

Thursday, March 7: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Harrington Hospital lobby at 100 South Street in Southbridge, or 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Brookside Terrace, 11 Village Drive, Southbridge

Friday, March 8: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Harrington HealthCare at Hubbard lobby at 340 Thompson Road in Webster, or 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Harrington HealthCare at Charlton lobby, 10 North Main Street, Charlton.

Mini-health fairs will be held at the weigh-ins, complete with raffles and health tips. All participants will also get weekly health and nutrition tips by e-mail. In addition, many of the participating organizations are offering discounted or 12-week memberships during the contest.

All participants must be 18 years of age or older. Participants may not be pregnant or have a pacemaker.