A local fitness studio is holding a weight loss charity challenge in January.
The 1,000-pound Meltdown Challenge begins on Jan. 14 at One-to-1 Fitness and runs until Feb. 13. All proceeds will be donated to the Red Deer Firefighters Children’s Charity.
The press release for the event says it is part of an effort by the international fitness franchise Fit Body Boot Camp to raise awareness of obesity. Fitness facilities in nine American cities are participating, as are three in Ontario.
“We’re aiming to get 100 to 150 people participating,” said Jessica Vossler with One-to-1 Fitness.
The goal is to get local participants to drop a combined total of 1,000 pounds in 28 days.
Participants pay an entry fee of $49, and then can attend free boot camp classes at One-to-1 Fitness starting on Jan. 3.
The official weigh-in and measurements are on Jan. 14, Vossler said.
According to Statistics Canada, 18.3 per cent of Canadians, around 4.6 million people, classify as obese.
When combined with Canadians who are overweight, 60.1 per cent of men and 44.2 per cent of women have health risks because of their weight.
A report published last week in the The Lancet, a British medical journal, argued that obesity is now a bigger problem globally than hunger.
To register for the challenge or for more information, call 403-341-4041.