TYLER, Texas — East Texans are being motivated to lose weight and get in shape in 2020.
"You have four months to lose a little bit of weight, put your name into a hopper, we spin it around and it's the luck of the draw," program coordinator for Fit City Tyler, Terrance Ates, said.
"Lighten Up East Texas" is a weight loss challenge with participants over the age of 18 who lose at least 5% of their starting weight. They are entered into grand prize drawings, including a $5,000 prize.
"Being healthy is not only important to your individual health but to the health of our community," Ates said. "We do programs like "Lighten Up East Texas" to make sure everybody has that motivation."
Participants can weigh in now through Jan. 31.
"We encourage everyone that has weighed in to go back to your weighing location and weigh-in in April because that's when you qualify for the grand prize drawings," Ates said.
According to a press release, there were 2,618 people who entered in 2019, and 1,374 of those individuals completed the challenge and weighed-out.
"If you're keeping yourself healthy it's lowering the risk of chronic diseases," Ates said. " You just feel better, you have more energy throughout the day. It's easier and better doing what you can to stay healthy."
For information on finding a weighing location and about Fit City Tyler, click here.