Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

Avery County Cooperative Extension Wants You to Move It and Lose It

Story by Ron Fitzwater

The Avery County Cooperative Extension Office will hold an awards ceremony for current participants in the Move It and Loose It weight loss program Tuesday, May 15, at the Newland School cafeteria.

Cooperative Extension started Move It and Lose It as a healthy living program and it quickly turned into a “team-based approach to healthy weight loss, the no-fat way,” said Tres Magner, Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.

Currently 12 teams with a total of 117 people are participating in the program that offers classes and individual assistance in choosing the right foods, healthy eating practices and exercise to promote a healthy lifestyle. To date, the teams have collectively lost 591 pounds.

Teams include The Beautiful Losers, The Trans-Fatties, The Extension Butts Fruits and Nuts, and The Hip-Huggers. Team members are from county agencies and local businesses and schools.

“You simply track your weight in the privacy of your own home and report any weight loss or gain to your team captain,” Magner said. Tools and instruction to aid in losing weight are provided during regularly scheduled meetings.

The summer session will begin June 5 and continue through July 31. The cost for the program is $10 and all fees are donated to Relay for Life.

For additional information about forming or joining a summer team, contact Magner at 828-733-8270.