news-record.com

It’s time to pull on your sneakers and hit the pavement, High Point. The Fitness Center at High Point Regional Health System kicked off its second “Get Healthy High Point” event Wednesday.

Beginning June 21, area residents and people who work in the city will participate in the 12-week program. When signing up, participants will receive a packet with weigh-in dates and upcoming workshops. The program and workshops are free.

Bob Forman, director of The Fitness Center, said 89 people signed up for the first program in January. The goal is 100 participants this round. The first challenge resulted in a combined 223 pounds lost. Forman hopes this challenge will push that total to more than 500 pounds.

Open to anyone who works or lives in High Point, the fitness center hopes to improve the city through this wellness program.

Forman said the program is meant to be a 1-2 punch to weight management, focusing on activity and nutrition.

Obesity and excessive weight are linked to chronic disease, and the center is focusing on preventive health care to tackle the problem.

“The responsibility falls on the individual to make healthier lifestyle changes,” Forman said. “We provide the resources and, hopefully, they’ll take those back and use them in their life.”

The free workshops — at 6 p.m. on Thursday — will focus on topics such as exercise and metabolism, nutrition, gait and diabetes and weight control.

At the end of the 12 weeks, The Fitness Center will reweigh participants to gauge the total weight loss for the city. That will be added to the total from the last challenge.

The director has a pretty lofty goal: To make High Point the healthiest city in the universe.

Contact E.A. Seagraves at 883-4422, Ext. 241, or elizabeth. seagraves@news-record.com