Wellness Challenge to start earlier in 2020

Published 1:18 pm Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Those seeking a challenge to lose weight and improve their health can start earlier in 2020.

The annual Wellness Challenge is kicking off Jan. 7, a couple months earlier than usual.

Winchester-Clark County Parks and Recreation Program Director Deborah Jackson said the earlier start will allow people to build on the energy and intentions of new year’s resolutions.

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“A lot of people use this time to be accountable,” Jackson said. “We look at the overall percent of weight lost. You don’t have to step on a scale if you don’t want to.”

Those who participate and weigh in, there will be prizes at the end of the 10-week challenge, including a new fitness watch for the grand-prize winner, she said. Other prizes include gift cards and memberships to Parks and Rec.

“The prizes are pretty good,” she said. “People work really hard to get the prizes.”

Weigh-ins are not mandatory to participate, she said. Joining the challenge offers a number of classes and programs throughout the time at no cost, on topics from staying healthy through pain to metabolism, she said. There are also discounts at a number of places in Winchester for those who participate.

“There’s a lot of expertise in this community,” she said.

The Wellness Challenge is organized by the Clark County Activity Coalition, which includes Parks and Rec, the Clark County Health Department, Clark Regional Medical Center and health care providers.

In 2019, more than 400 people participated in the challenge, Jackson said.

“We’re going to try and double that number in January,” she said. “That’s where we’d really like to see it.”