Iowa’s top two elected officials are hoping to lose a little weight in the new year. Governor Chet Culver and Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge plan to climb on the scales Monday and participate in the seventh annual "Lighten Up, Iowa" fitness program. "I know this isn’t easy. I’m over 60 and I really love to eat, but…I really feel committed, as I hope other Iowans are, to take time for personal well-being," Judge said this morning at a statehouse news conference.
Since its inception in 2002, over 74,000 Iowans have participated in "Lighten Up, Iowa" as teams of up to 10 people sign up for a 100-day challenge to keep track of their weight and their activity levels. The governor and lietenant governor are encouraging teams of state employees to compete in 2008. "I do hope that all Iowans will accept the challenge, too," Judge said at the statehouse today. "…Together, I think we can make Iowa a model for wellness."
Judge is a former nurse and will be leading a group of folks in the governor’s office who’re hoping to lose weight. "It’s not much of a challenge if I’m not willing to do it myself and so with great trepidation and knowing it’s past time I will be joining and participating in a ‘Lighten Up, Iowa’ team," Judge said. "…In 100 days, I hope that you will be seeing a lot less of me."
Managers of the "Lighten Up, Iowa" program say those who’ve participated over the past six years collectively have shed nearly 400,000 and walked or jogged nearly 18 million miles. Learn more at www.lightenupiowa.org .
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