Lighten Up, Chatham: Program Helps People Improve Their Health

The Mayors’ Wellness Campaign of Chatham Township and Chatham Borough, and Saint Barnabas Medical Center have teamed up to offer the community Lighten Up 4 Life, a community weight-loss challenge. Lighten Up 4 Life is a free, community-wide weight-loss challenge aimed at helping people increase their overall health by losing weight. Through the Lighten Up 4 Life program, participants can achieve weight loss and have fun while doing it! 

“We are thrilled to offer this weight-loss program to the residents of the Chathams.  This is a great program to keep those New Year’s resolutions,” states Brian George and Kim Logsdon, co-chairpersons of the Chatham Mayor’s Wellness Committee. “If you want to 'lighten-up' and have some fun, what could be better than to participate in this free program to take steps either to start or get back on track this year to improving your overall health?” added Bruce Harris, mayor of Chatham Borough, and Nicole Hagner, mayor of Chatham Township.

Lighten Up 4 Life is a free web-based program, open to all residents of New Jersey, which provides participants with an abundance of tools and resources, including nutrition information, healthy recipes, as well as exercise and wellness tips, all provided with the common goal of helping participants reach their weight loss goals. Available online at http://www.barnabashealthlightenup4life.org/saintbarnabas/index.html, the program includes Web pages and videos featuring exercise and nutrition tips. There is an entire section dedicated to healthy recipe ideas and another which focusing on exercises and wellness routines.

The free program is available to everyone in the community, including local businesses, churches, synagogues, college students and residents.  Those interested in participating are encouraged to create four-person teams of co-workers, friends and neighbors to participate in the challenge together. Studies show that people are more likely to stick with healthy habits, such as regular exercise and healthy eating, if they have support and motivation from friends and family. Participants can sign up as individuals, or can have less than four persons on a team as well.

Registration

The Lighten Up 4 Life Challenge operates on a 16-week cycle. The initial kickoff is Monday, Jan. 23 through May 11, but those interested can begin the program at any time. Each participant or team must register by going to http://www.barnabashealthlightenup4life.org, selecting Saint Barnabas Medical Center, and registering for the challenge. From there, a registration form can be submitted online by clicking “Sign Up Now.” Residents from Chatham Township or Chatham Borough are encouraged to include CMWC as the first four letters of their team name. 

Weigh-ins are based on the honor system.  Every Monday, participants will submit their weight loss online at http://www.barnabashealthlightenup4life.org/saintbarnabas/Entry.html. Each person can submit their own individual weight loss, or designated team captains can submit for the information for their teammates.  However, weight loss numbers must be submitted at least once each month to remain in the challenge. Lighten Up 4 Life does not require you to attend meetings; however, past successful teams have formed their own meeting times and group exercise sessions.

At the end of the 16-week cycle, the team and the individual with the greatest weight loss will win valuable prizes. Grand prizes will be awarded to the top teams who have the greatest percentage of weight for the entire year!