Lighten Up Georgia teams have lost as much as 100 pounds and research shows …
Team-based competitions work. A Brown University Study, “We know that obesity can be socially contagious, but now we know that social networks play a significant role in weight loss as well, particularly team-based weight loss competitions,” lead author Tricia Leahey.

New Session: May 20 – September 6, 2013

Already registered? You will automatically be enrolled in new session, just begin entering your weight on Monday 20, 2013.

Another Secret to Weight Loss Success

What is the secret to weight loss?  It appears to be no secret at all, its diet and exercise. The key to weight loss is developing healthy diet and exercise habits. Although some of you might be looking for that "magic something" that will work, it appears that we've known all along; eating healthy, lower calorie meals and becoming more active is the key to weight loss success.

Here are some strategies from The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) database which contains more than 10,000 members who have succeeded in losing at least 30 pounds and have kept their weight off for a year or more. 

• Following a low calorie low fat diet
• Cutting back on sugars/sweets and eating more vegetables and fruits
• Keeping a food diary
• Eating breakfast every day
• Eating out less than once a week
• Weighing themselves at least once a week
• Watching less than 10 hours of TV per week
• Exercising about 1 hour per day

  Here’s a diet tool app that can help you track
  your food intake MyFitnessPal.com
  One of the top-rated, free dieting apps.

Courtesy LifeHacker

It's Simple; To Lose Weight, You Must Use More Calories Than You Eat.
Research suggests that safe weight loss involves combining a reduced-calorie diet with physical activity. In basic terms; you need to eat smaller portions and burn more calories by exercising.

Make sure you get 150 to 300 minutes of moderately intense or vigorous physical activity each week. Even 10 minutes of activity at a time can add up over the week. Click here for free cardio exercise videos.

Plus, strengthen your muscles at least twice a week; strength-training builds more muscle and muscle helps you to burn more calories. Do strength-training exercises, lift weights, or work with rubber resistance bands. Click here for free weight-training videos.

Combining these healthy habits will help you to lose weight and keep it off. These practices may help lower your risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Do You Need Assistance Managing Your Diabetes?

Athens Regional Health System Diabetes Education Programs and Support can help.
As part of their commitment to helping patients reach and maintain health, they offer several classes and community programs. For more information about their services, call 706-475-5600.

Brown Bag It or Healthy Lunch Out?

Brown bag lunches don’t have to be boring or fat-laden; there are some easy and healthy alternatives! To keep you on track, we have assembled a Pinterest board dedicated to “healthy lunch” ideas such as:5-Minute Turkey, Avocado, and Hummus Wrap or a Hummus and Roasted Veggie Pizza. Check out these lunch suggestions and more here.

Healthy and low-calorie lunches at
McDonald's, Chick-fil-A and Subway. Really?

With all the demands on our time, fast food has become a fact of life. Click here for Family Circle’s guide to choosing diet-friendly menu items at fast food restaurants.

Want To More About Healthy Eating?
Putting It On The Plate
These free cooking demonstrations are provided by Margaret Earnest, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, explore new foods and recipes to keep healthy eating fun and tasty.
Register for classes at (706) 475-5600

Joining Lighten Up Georgia’s Weight-Loss Challenge, You’ve Already Taken Steps To Lose Weight And Live A Healthier Life, but, did you know that being active and keeping your BMI (a measure of body fat based on height and weight): between 18.5 and 24.9 can also help keep or lower your cholesterol to a desirable range?

In fact, do you know your number, your cholesterol number that is? Here are some quick facts about healthy cholesterol numbers and what they mean:

Cholesterol: total cholesterol, less than 200 mg/dL; “good” HDL cholesterol, 50 mg/dL or higher; “bad” LDL cholesterol, less than 160 mg/dL to less than 100 mg/dL, depending on your heart risk

If you don’t know your cholesterol numbers and haven’t had your cholesterol checked recently, it might be a good time to visit your doctor. Schedule a baseline screening with your physician and/or lab service provider to make sure you are on the right track to health. Don't have a doctor? Use our Find a Doctor button below to locate a physician near you

The more you know about your numbers, the more you can participate in maintaining and improving your health.

Lighten Up Georgia is a FREE team-based community weight-loss challenge conducted by Athens Regional. This program provides you with online resources to help you to be successful. Lighten Up Georgia is about more than losing inches and pounds; it’s about living a healthier life. And when you join as a team, studies have proven that you have better results. Here you’ll find all the resources you need to be successful, but it’s up to you to make the commitment. Let’s Get This Community Moving & Losing!!

Get Involved. Join Us Now.