Governor Holden's Fitness Challenge

Now is the time and today is the day for your business/corporation to join others in your community in a great event, -- SHAPE UP MISSOURI! -- a program of the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Health (GCPFH). In Missouri 60% of adults are overweight or obese. One of the primary reasons for obesity is lack of physical activity. With 26.5% of Missouri's adults having no leisure-time physical activity and 44.1% of high school students not being enrolled in physical education classes, Missourians suffer from many chronic diseases caused by obesity. Costs associated with obesity in Missouri are estimated at $1.6 billion.

Governor Holden believes it is time to take action against obesity and all the diseases to which it leads, by kicking off the 2nd annual SHAPE UP MISSOURI! program. This year SHAPE UP MISSOURI! will kick off on September 13th and run through November 5th (Registration begins July 1st) with individuals, families and seniors from your community registering to participate in the challenge. Join them by registering online on the Single Adult/Senior Citizen registration form. You will be assigned to the proper community by the zip code you provide on the form.

Please report to your community leader (contact information will be provided by September 13th) each Monday indicating whether or not you participated in some kind of physical activity during the previous week. Each Tuesday the community leader will send in a newly tabulated percentage of those who participated to the GCPFH. On Thursday check out the web site and see where your community ranks. At the end of the 8 week program the community with the highest percentage of participants will be recognized as the "City in the Best Shape." Special awards will be presented at a festive ceremony following the conclusion of the challenge.

This is going to be an exciting, statewide competition. You will appreciate the benefits of better health as you become more physically active. Your heart will be strengthened, stress reduced and fun will be enjoyed.

If you have any questions concerning SHAPE UP MISSOURI!, please contact our office at (573) 751-0915 or email us at fitness@oa.mo.gov. We are looking forward to you being a member of our SHAPE UP MISSOURI'S CAN DO CREW.

This year SHAPE UP MISSOURI! is proud to announce that the St. Louis Metro Area is joining the Governor's Council CAN DO CREW by establishing the Get Hooked on Health St. Louis program. St. Louis Metro area participants will jockey against the other teams across the state to determine what community has "THE BEST SHAPE". Also, communities in the St. Louis Metro area will compete against one another for the highest participation percentage. Check out the challenge results weekly at www.mofitness.org/shapeupmo.htm. For more information regarding Get Hooked on Health St. Louis go to www.GetHookedOnHealth.com. St. Louis communities, schools and businesses will also be ranked in the Missouri challenges in each category. Those results can also be found at the "mofitness" web site.