Why Take the National Body Challenge?

November 24, 2008

Why? Why should you enter another online weight-loss challenge? I bet that’s what you’re asking yourself and it’s a reasonable question. To answer whether you should participate in the National Body Challenge, I have some questions for you. Do you want to get help in breaking bad habits? Do you want the tools necessary to adopt healthy living? If either of those answers is yes, then our National Body Challenge is for you!

I do want to clarify an important point: National Body Challenge is not about losing weight; rather, it’s about learning to live healthy. Many of you will participate this year in order to lose weight, but others will enter to maintain a healthy weight, and still others will want to tone up. Personally, I’m entering because I need to learn more about the right things to eat. That’s right – I need to learn more about nutrition and exercise. Even though I’m a doctor, we really don’t learn about nutrition or physical activity in medical school. So I’m eager, just like you, to hear from experts about simple ways to break bad habits and learn good ones.

Did you know that exercise has been shown to help prevent heart disease, stroke, heart disease, and even cancer?

There’s no pill that can do all that. And best of all – it’s never too late to get the benefits of exercise. You’re never too young or too old to reap the benefits from being active. If you already have some medical problems, exercise can help reduce some of the problems and prevent further deterioration. Along with exercise, proper nutrition can help maximize health benefits even more. Of course, you have to learn the right information.

All too often, there’s confusing messages out there, and I’ve seen people in the past with the best intention fail to achieve success because they had bad information. Still others were persuaded by slick infomercials pushing some magic pill or gadget. Guess what? There’s no simple solution to getting healthy. It takes work! Throughout the next eight weeks, we’ve assembled a group of leaders in nutrition and exercise to tell you what you need to do to get healthy and how to maintain health throughout your life.

I’ll be one of your guides, with weekly blogs, daily tips, and even some video messages. I’ll keep you posted on my progress and I want to hear about yours. Be part of our communities. There’s good scientific data that shows when people have a source of encouragement and work with others striving for the same goals, they are often more successful. There’s going to be ups and downs, good days and bad days. That’s ok…because even though the challenge is for eight weeks, we’re in it for the long haul.

Let’s get started!

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Related Links:

Check out the National Body Challenge Holiday Health Guide

Comments

[Florence Carole]

Being overweight can also affect your eyes. Overweight people are at risk of conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Everyone should have a sight test at least once every two years unless advised otherwise by an optometrist. Make sure you also exercise regularly if you want to improve your eye health.

[podiatrist]

Tendonitis plagues many athletes and even non-athletes. I think it is a genetic condition.

[paxil birth defects]

I don't know where to even begin. I have looked at what other people have written and all I see are the same excuses that I have used. I have grown children, a crazy schedule and I need to lose a lot of weight. I just don't know how to get started with a healthy life style.

[paxil birth defects]

I've been calorie counting and just watching what I've been eating and snacking on and it has made a HUGE difference! Being smart about what you eat can make all the difference. Period!

[Gym please?!?]

What happened to the gym?

I first did the health challenge in 2004 when I was in between jobs, overweight, and depressed about it all. I remember driving out to the mall, waiting in a long line, and getting the materials. Included was a free Ballys gym trial that was about 10 weeks or so. During that trial period, I walked over an hour back and forth to get to the gym, spent 90 minutes at the gym and walked back. I lost about 25 pounds during the trial period. I felt so good! Bring back the gym. Please?!?!?

[GYM fanatic]

This needs to include a gym trial, if not Ballys then another one as popular and convenient. BRING BACK THE GYM

[Tawny]

BRING BALLYS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mike]

I, too, took advantage of the free Bally's offering during previous years Challenges... What happened? I know several Ballys in our area "dried up", esp the one Bally with racquetball which closed its doors 6 months prior to the end of my paid membership! How about hooking up with LA Fitness?

[AMW]

I am in generally good health, but I have found myself over indulging in sweets and really bad foods for me. I need some motivation to get to the gym everyday and cut out this bad sugar habit.

[Susanne]

What happened to the Bally 8 week membership with the National Body Challenge?

[Sonja]

Hi,
I have done this over the years and the best year was the year that the exercises included tae bo, pilates and yoga to name a few - can we get those back?
as for the person in india - for zip code either put 00000 or 12345 as the zip that is what i usually put for zip codes and they usually work.

[shac]

I liked the national body challenge years ago when it gave you 8 weeks free at Bally's Total Fitness. What happened to that promotion?

[surjeet singh]

I belong to India.I fill up the zip code of my indian city. but due to that i am not being registered.Help me.

[Renae]

I am a 31 year old mother of 2 a 4 year old and a 2 year old. Before my kids I lost over 30lbs with weight watchers and was feeling great. Then I had the kids now I have 50lbs. to lose and my husband and I are really trying to work on it. We have changed to whole grains and cut out white potatoes. I am going to sign up for this and see if it helps any.

[Mary]

I don't know where to even begin. I have looked at what other people have written and all I see are the same excuses that I have used. I have grown children, a crazy schedule and I need to lose a lot of weight. I just don't know how to get started with a healthy life style. I know most of the rules but just don't follow them. :-) If someone out there is like me, PLEASE let me know how to get this rolling...

[tdrh]

I have been trying to sign on for 2 days. It told me my password that was just sent to me the same day has expired. When I try to create a new one it says account can't be found. I am ready to give up.

[annie]

I need to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle!

[Annie]

Hi everyone I am 22 years old and decided to join this challenge to learn more about eating healthy and meal ideas. Im pretty much obsessed with nutrition lately and getting my health where it needs to be. In June I weighed 215lbs. I joined a website called sparkpeople.com and lost 50lbs to date. Its an amazing site that has a food and exercise log so you can see exactly how many calories you take in vs. how many you are using. Its not hard at all and the best part is that its FREE. You do not have to pay a penny ever. There are so many support groups, teams, message boards, and discussions to help you with whatever problems you have. Basically its a social networking site that gives you a ton of info and helps you stay on track so you can get the weight off and keep it off to live a healthier, longer life.

[REebecca]

Can't register for the NBC because of poor website design and implementation. Most of the links are broken- 404 page not found message. Wasted hours over several days trying to navigate the site and getting off-topic responses from email queries.

[AMBER MARSHALL]

HOW DO YOU GET STARTED WITH THE NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE

[Katelyn]

I'm not writing this to make myself sound like a victim of obesity or to put the blame on anything or anyone else, I'm just trying to accept my weaknesses and improve them. I am a 19 year old full time college student who works at a fast food resturant for some extra cash. I've been overweight almost my whole life except for last year when i lost 40+ pounds, this year i've gained it all back even though i told myself i would never be fat again. I'm 5'4 and 180 pounds. I want to learn how have a healthy life style not just lose some weight and gain it back again later on. I need help before my weight affects my health.

[Connie Rollins]

I will be 43 this year. I have a right labrum tear in my right hip, and scoliosis of the lower lumbar with degenerative disk (Arthritis). I am 45lbs over weight for a 5'8" frame. My LDL (bad cholestorol) is 121, BMI is 29 which is considered overweight.
I will have sugery for my hip this month of August and plan to start right now to lose weight and exercise. I want to change everything. The way I eat, what I put into my mouth, how much,and my mental attitude, and add exercise. I just want to move...of course, without pain. I'm struggling as to where I should start. Get the surgery, then rehab, then start my new healthy way of living? Hmm! where do I start? when do I start?

[AMY]

I AM A 33YR OLD MOTHER I AM PRACTICALLY SINGLE. I AM 5'2" AND WEIGH 250+ LBS. I AM UNCOMFORTABLE IN MY OWN SKIN. AT AGE 9YEARS, I FELL 17FT TO AN UBRUPT CONCRETE LANDING THAT PUMMLED MY WHOLE BODY AND BEING A PASSENGER IN 2 SEVERE ACCIDENTS ALSO HAMMERED MY LARGE FRAME BODY.I HAVE ARTHRITIS IN ALMOST ALL MY BODY AND HAVE HAD RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY OF BOTH KNEES WHICH MAKES MY WALKING VERY NOTICABLE AND PAINFUL.I REALLY NEED SOME ONE TO HELP ME WITH AND EXERCISE/DIET PLAN SPECIALLY FOR ME THAT WILL HELP ME LIVE MY LIFE WITH LESS PAIN AND HUMILIATION.

[Kaye]

hello out there. i have thought about getting on this website for a long time and have finally made it. i really need to loose 40# and need and want your support to help me get there...i don't necessarily just eat sweets, i am one of those who takes more than i should. I even know that i shouldn't but............HELP!!!!

[Mackenzie]

Just eat like Michael Pollan says:
Eat food.
Not too much.
Mostly plants.

And when he says "food" he means real food. Hint: real food doesn't come with a seasoning packet and usually doesn't have instructions printed on the packaging. Real food rarely has packaging to begin with (though yeah, sometimes beans and rice come already in a bag instead of you scooping them into a bag yourself).

Even better, do that as a vegan and walk for every errand that's within 3 miles. I went from a size 9 with a little round the middle to an hourglass size 2.

Currently snacking on carrots with hummus. Yummy!