If you are holding on to some extra winter weight or struggling to get your new year’s wellness resolution in check, you’re in luck. Once again the Clark County Activity Coalition is ready to begin its annual challenge aimed at improving local health.

The 2018 Clark County Wellness Challenge begins today and will run until May 16. The challenge is a 10-week countywide program meant to encourage physical wellness and health education.

Residents ages 12 and older of Clark and surrounding counties are eligible to participate.

For just $12, participants have access to a massive list of classes, workshops and discounts.More about the challenge is available at cactivitycoalition.com/wellness-challenge.

While the challenge’s major goal is to improve wellness, there are many benefits to this popular annual initiative.

The challenge helps expose people in the community to many options for health, wellness and fitness programs right here in Clark County. Participants get to try free group fitness classes at College Park gym, free classes at The OM Place, CrossFit Strode Station and The Barre: A Fitness Boutique. These punch cards offer a no-pressure, affordable way to try these fitness programs that might be intimidating to newcomers.

The benefit of trying programs during the challenge window is that many other “newbies” will likely be in the room. Instructors will also be more keenly aware that many first-timers will be in classes, and can modify instruction to make it less intimidating

There are discount punch cards for locally-owned restaurants, like The Cairn and Guances, that offer fresh, healthier choices for meals on the go. This gets exposure for local restaurants, but also encourages participants to look at the many healthier options available on menus when eating out.

Most importantly, at such a low price, the program makes these great health and fitness programs accessible to more people. Sometimes exercise and fitness programs can be cost prohibitive. By offering this opportunity at a low price, hundreds more people will be exposed to healthier lifestyle choices.

About 900 people participated in last year’s program and many of them likely would not have been able to take advantage of some of the programs otherwise.

So, look more into this great program. Learn something new. Try something different. Implement something from one of the workshops. Fellowship with other local people eager to make some lifestyle improvements.

It’s a winning scenario all around.