Richland Baptist Church, Kingdom City, is urging the community to get “Fit for the Holidays.”
The church has partnered with a variety of local businesses and service organizations to offer a 12-week program to help the community reach weight loss goals in a comprehensive way.
“We are truly excited about this new outreach into our community and inreach into our church with the potential of assisting everyone in becoming healthier and more fit for service for our Lord,” said Sharon Paris, coordinator. “This is a Biblically-based program, and we are praying that attendees will come to know Jesus as well.”
The YMCA is offering a 12-week, discounted membership for participants and will be giving a free one-day pass to each week’s winner, Paris said. Bryan Beanland, YMCA’s healthy lifestyle consultant, will lead a “Weight Loss for Life, Live Longer, Live Happier” seminar.
CURVES will provide a free week to the top woman loser each of the first four weeks of the program, and will be offering half off of the one-time service fee and the first month free for new members. Diane Neterer, manager of CURVES, will conduct a Fitness and Management Workshop.
Linda Zimmerman, nutrition and health education specialist for University Extension, will conduct the “Missouri on the Move Walking” program at the regular Fit for the Holidays meetings and each participant will receive a free pedometer. Kayla Otteson, health educator at the Callaway County Health Department, will provide a Healthy Eating for Diabetics Seminar.
Some additional perks are two free sandwiches from Kingdom City’s Subway for the top losers each week of the program, a $25 gift certificate from Lasting Image and, for the top overall loser, a one-hour massage from Wellness Connections.
Every participant (15 years or older) will receive two books, Get Thin, Stay Thin and Weigh Down, along with a notebook full of resources and practical information that will help them be successful in losing weight.
This 12-week program started on Sept. 1.
Paris got the idea for the program when her daughters decided to start a “Biggest Loser” competition. Seven members of her family started a 16-week challenge. Together they have lost 70 pounds, and still have a few weeks of the challenge left.
“I gave a testimony about our family challenge in our ladies Sunday morning Bible Study class, and some of the women thought that we should do it as a church,” Paris said. “I mentioned at our church council meeting the interest and asked if we could pursue a weight-loss class if there was enough interest. They said, ‘Yes!’”
The church decided to use the program as a ministry to the community. “We started contacting weight loss organizations, businesses and agencies,” she said. “It has been a God thing since then and has continues to grow.”
