Some Iowa legislators are taking up Governor Culver’s challenge to lose weight during the next 100 days. The Governor recommends all Iowans participate in the "Lighten Up, Iowa" program, which launched this week. Representative McKinley Bailey, a Democrat from Webster City, says it’ll be fun for lawmakers to encourage one another.
Bailey says there are three teams already in the legislature and it’ll be like TV program "The Biggest Loser" as lawmakers compete to see who can lose the most pounds. Since its inception in 2002, more than 74-thousand Iowans have participated in "Lighten Up, Iowa" — as teams of up to ten people sign up for a 100-day challenge to keep track of their weight and their activity levels. Bailey says the legislative weight loss teams are bipartisan.
Bailey says: "We joked about going out to have a big meal last night and then start from there. It’s important to lead by example so we’re going to try to do that." Lighten Up Iowa continues through April 24th. Program managers say those who’ve participated over the past six years collectively shed nearly 400-thousand pounds and walked or jogged nearly 18-million miles. Learn more on the Lighten Up Iowa website.