On Monday, Feb. 14, from 11:30 a.m. until  1:30 p.m. near the Garden Café, representatives will be available from Pardee’s Lighten Up 4 Life and Footsteps to Fitness programs to answer questions, help you with registration or change your team listings.  Please note, Footsteps to Fitness is $5 to join.  February is American Heart Month, come celebrate by committing to a healthier lifestyle and taking care of yourself. Grab some friends, co-workers, or family members and start a team today.  Start living life to the fullest.  Stop by for a visit and talk with us about what the programs have to offer and how they can help make positive changes in your life. There will be healthy snacks available, as well.

Tracy, a Lighten Up 4 Life participant, shares her story of losing 26.2 lbs between June and November 2010… and she continues to lose!

“I lost 26.2 lbs during the fall session 2010 (and continue to lose). I love the newsletter from Lighten Up for Life, enjoy the support of my co-workers, and am really fired up about continuing towards my weight loss goal in 2011. Lighten Up 4 Life is an excellent program – the weekly weigh-in keeps me on track. I went from being a couch potato to racing in a 5k last October. My commitment to exercise and eating healthier has paid off in so many ways. I’ve come off my anti-depressant, and my doctor thinks I’ll soon be able to cut back on my blood pressure medication.

Thanks to Lighten Up 4 Life, I am excited about living a healthy life!” - Tracy

Pardee Hospital’s community weight-loss challenge, Lighten Up 4 Life, invites you to join and get fit.  To read more about the challenge, click here to view a recent Times-News article about the Hendersonville Chamber joining in on the competition.

To join the competition, find three family members, friends or co-workers, come up with a “fun” team name and register at Lighten Up 4 Life. We supply you with recipes, healthy eating advice, free exercise videos and tips as well as a list of local running/walking events.

The winning Pardee Lighten Up 4 Life team was highlighted in the Citizen-Times on Saturday.

Click here to read the story.

Click here to sign up for Lighten Up 4 Life, and explore the secrets to successful weight loss.

1. Make gradual changes. In other words, don’t try to do too much too soon. Start by finding out how many calories you need to lose 1 – 2 pounds a week. Then count your daily calories to make sure you stay within that range.
   1. Use Lighten Up 4 Life’s A Calorie Needs Calculator to figure out the correct amount of calories for your age, height and weight.
2. Add exercise gradually. Start by walking 30 minutes three times a week and then increase slowly to more time or days. If you try to do too much too soon you might set yourself up for failure.
3. Make it public. If you announce to your team mates, friends and family that you are going to lose weight and become healthier you will be more accountable to your goals. You will most likely gain support from your team and your family.
   1. Put your goals or challenge your team to a 5K on Lighten Up 4 Life’s Facebook Page. Once it is out there for everyone to see you’re more likely to do it!
4. Allow for failure. No one can be perfect all the time. You’re going to mess up occasionally. The trick is to keep going. Don’t allow one cookie or missed workout to make you lose confidence in yourself. Just start again. It all adds up in the long run and one mess up doesn’t have to stop you from succeeding!
5. Buddy Up. Eat lunch with people who are trying to lose weight too. You can help each other to stay on track. Plus once a week bring in a healthy, low calorie dish to share.