• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Health / Medicine / Over 36,000 Iowans lose 138,000 pounds in "Lighten Up" challenge

Over 36,000 Iowans lose 138,000 pounds in "Lighten Up" challenge

April 30, 2008 By admin

Governor Chet Culver won't say how much weight he lost in Lighten Up Iowa State officials say over 36,000 Iowans lost a total of 138,000 pounds in the past four months as part of the "Lighten Up, Iowa" challenge.

Iowa Sports Foundation executive director Jim Hallihan is an organizer and co-founder of the "Lighten Up" program. "If you could picture 69 female beluga whales…that’s about the amount of weight that we lost," Hallihan says. "…That’s about 46 grand champion bulls at the State Fair. That stuff is gone."

In January, Iowa’s governor and lieutenant governor issued a challenge, urging state employees to participate and about two-thousand did. Both pledged to get involved, too.

Governor Chet Culver has slimmed down, but isn’t revealing his weight loss, just the amount of activity he’s logged in the past 100 days. "I was able to get in 60 workouts for 70 hours," Culver announced at a ceremony in the statehouse this afternoon. "Although it didn’t count, I was up this morning at five and got my exercise today."

Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge also began working out and altered her diet.  Judge says she tried "very, very hard" and lost 15 pounds. "For the first time in a long, long time I am incorporating physical activity in my daily routines. They’ve even had me at a gym with a personal trainer…who’s continues to try to convince me that doing situps at over 60 (years of age) is a good idea," Judge says. "(I’ve) got a ways to go until we’re real comfortable with that, but I am trying."

Judge says she’s not at the end of her weight-loss journey, though, and she’s praising other Iowans who embarked on the "Lighten Up" challenge this year. "With your help, we are changing the shape of the state — and I think the shape is better — one individual at a time," Judge says.

"Lighten Up, Iowa" was launched in 2000 and this year’s weight-loss total was the highest ever for the on-line competition.

In another month, the state will launch another challenge to Iowans. "The Culver/Judge 100 Way Challenge — that’s W-A-Y," Culver says. "Our challenge to all Iowans has two parts. Number one: we must build on the progress we’ve made together through the ‘Lighten Up, Iowa’ program by encouraging Iowans to stay active in their daily lives. Number two: we can do so by promoting the unlimited opportunities for outdoor recreation in our state."

Culver says Iowa’s land, lakes, rivers and streams are an "amazing" resource for activities in the summer months. "Whether it’s taking part in RAGBRAI, turning off the television and going for a walk or just deciding to eat better — every Iowan can take charge of their own health, prevention and wellness," Culver says.

The Iowa Department of Public Health plans to set up a website where Iowans can tally their outdoor activities, starting on June 1st. In September, Iowans who’ve logged the most outdoor activities will be publicly recognized. The governor says he plans to take part in the effort and will participate in the Hy-Vee Triathlon.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, Politics / Govt, Recreation / Entertainment Tagged With: Chet Culver

Featured Stories

Exhibit features lesser known works of Grant Wood

Testing finds 21 new CWD cases in deer

It may become a crime in Iowa to use fake urine in workplace drug tests

February trending 18 degrees below average temperature

Iowa House Education Committee votes to end tenure at UI, ISU, UNI

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

New look and new format at girls’ state basketball

Youngstown State takes action against assistant football coach

Iowa’s Jack Nunge lost for the season

Key stretch begins for #9 Iowa

Drake’s Roman Penn lost for the season

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC