SILVER SPRING, Md., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/ — With almost 500 tons lost to date, Discovery Health’s NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE returns for a fourth year with new tools and resources to help families and individuals nationwide battle the rising epidemic of adult and childhood obesity. As part of this year’s Challenge, Discovery Health is offering hundreds of new recipes, an online holiday survival guide, expanded workout resources and new original programming designed to motivate and inspire the entire family. The NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE is a free, eight-week, multiplatform fitness and weight-loss challenge that incorporates the knowledge and support of leading nonprofit health organizations the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association.
“In a country where one in every six children between the ages of 5 and 19 is considered obese, (1) Discovery Health is committed to providing the best possible information and resources for people to take control of their health and wellness,” said Eileen O’Neill, executive vice president and general manager, Discovery Health and FitTV. “This year’s NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE is more ambitious and comprehensive than ever, with more customized fitness and nutrition tools targeting a greater array of needs, tastes and preferences.”
All registered NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE participants who are 18 or older are entered in the instant win game for a chance to win weekly prizes and possibly even $1 million. All entrants are provided access to an extensive set of free tools and resources:
* A free eight-week membership to Bally Total Fitness(R) (available January through March 2007) * Online access to a customized meal plan and a personalized weight tracker * Extensive information and video assets from doctors and health and fitness experts * More than 1,000 recipes ranging from healthy comfort foods to vegetarian fare * NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE special programming premiering January 14 and 15 Online
This year’s Challenge features an unprecedented array of new online tools and features. Visit http://www.discoveryhealth.com/ for a NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE preview that includes a special holiday survival guide, recipe makeovers, stress management advice and tips designed to prepare for the Challenge. Once registered, participants will have access to more than 1,000 recipes including special menu options for kids, vegetarians and diabetics. An expanded workout feature offers more expert tips and video to keep Challengers moving and motivated.
Online registration for the NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE is available beginning December 29 at http://www.discoveryhealth.com/. Residents of Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC, and New York City can also register and weigh in on January 13 and 14 at a center court mall event. Mall kick-off celebrations will be held at Brea Mall, Brea, Calif.; Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, Ill.; Westfield Montgomery Mall, Bethesda, Md.; and Roosevelt Field, Garden City, N.Y.
In addition to the mall kick-off celebration events, Bally Total Fitness will hold NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE events in 10 club locations: the Cave Creek club in Phoenix; the South San Francisco club on East El Camino Real; the Roswell, Ga. club; the Medford, Mass. club; the Troy, Mich. club; the Severance club in Cleveland Heights, Ohio; the King of Prussia, Pa. club; the Northwest Crossing club in Houston; the Carrollton, Texas club; and the Bellevue, Wash. club.
Special Programming
Discovery Health will air two nights of special NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE programming, along with top-notch health and workout programming to inspire participants all month long. On Sunday, January 14, from 8 to 10 PM (ET/PT), viewers will meet two families with the same goal of learning healthy habits- the vegetarian Holmes family and the meat-eating Ewing family. Then, on Monday, January 15, viewers meet the Curetons at 8 PM (ET/PT), followed by a look back at a year-long transformational journey for last year’s very successful Challenge family, the Whites, at 9 PM (ET/PT). Discovery Health will also air an OZ-A-THON on Saturday, January 20, from 2 to 8 PM (ET/PT), featuring chief medical correspondent Dr. Mehmet Oz in the top rated specials, YOU: THE OWNER’S MANUAL and YOU: ON A DIET. And in a network first, Discovery Health will help Challenge participants stay motivated with episodes of FitTV’s ALL STAR WORKOUTS weekdays at 7 AM (ET/PT) and weekends at 8 AM (ET/PT), from Monday, January 15, through Sunday, March 11.
Partners and Experts
The National Body Challenge is developed and supported through the help of the leading organizations and experts in the fields of health, wellness and fitness. Returning nonprofit Challenge sponsors include the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association, providing Challenge participants with a wealth of valuable information about the benefits of living healthier lives.
On air and online, Discovery Health chief medical correspondent for nutrition and fitness Dr. Pamela Peeke and medical advisor Dr. Lydie Hazan provide expert advice for families. Dr. Peeke, an internationally recognized expert and author of The National Body Challenge Success Program for the Whole Family, develops resources targeting adult members of the family. Dr. Hazan, a licensed pediatrician specializing in childhood obesity, provides fitness and nutrition information for the younger set.
LMNO Productions, Inc., produces the NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE: THE FAMILY CHALLENGE on behalf of Discovery Health. Eric Schotz, president of LMNO Productions, Inc., is executive producer along with Kathy Williamson. Executive producer for Discovery Health is Mark Poertner.
The NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE is made possible by Bally Total Fitness(R) and Kashi(R).
About Discovery Health Media Enterprises
Discovery Health Media Enterprises includes the Discovery Health and FitTV television networks and online assets including http://www.discoveryhealth.com/, as well as its Continuing Medical Education (CME) business and Discovery’s first stand-alone VOD service, Discovery Health On-Call. Discovery Health Media Enterprises is the only fully integrated multi-platform health care media entity that provides access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for research tools, expert advice and customized products and services.
About Discovery Communications, Inc.
Discovery Communications, Inc. is the leading global real-world media company with operations in 170 countries and territories reaching 1.4 billion cumulative subscribers. DCI’s over 100 networks of distinctive programming represent 29 trusted brands including Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet. DCI’s other properties consist of Discovery Education and COSMEO, a revolutionary online homework help service, as well as Discovery Commerce, which operates more than 100 Discovery Channel Stores in the U.S. Discovery brings the real world to the whole world through its global multiplatform initiatives including Discovery Travel Media, Discovery Mobile and multiple broadband services. DCI’s ownership consists of four shareholders: Discovery Holding Company , Cox Communications, Inc., Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, the Company’s Founder and Chairman. More information about Discovery and its businesses can be found at http://www.discovery.com/.
(1) “Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance,” Institute of Medicine, 2005.
Discovery Health
CONTACT: Anna Reinhart-Marean of Discovery Health, +1-240-662-6502,[email protected]; or Amanda Sellers, +1-202-955-6222,[email protected], for Discovery Health
Web site: http://www.discovery.com/http://www.discoveryhealth.com/
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