Robbins: Sign Up Your Team for "Shape Up Pennsylvania" Competition

Harrisburg – Registration is underway for Shape Up Pennsylvania, a friendly, team competition to encourage Pennsylvanians to increase physical activity and develop healthy eating habits, state Senator Bob Robbins (R-50) said today.

The event will run from February 9th to June 29th and is organized by Keystone State Games, Inc.

Shape Up PA participants form teams of up to 10 members to work together and motivate each other over five months to achieve levels of weight loss and/or physical activity. More than 6,200 Pennsylvanians participated in 2004, the first year of the program, forming 754 teams from 22 counties. Teams participating in the Weight Loss division lost an average of seven pounds per participant.

"Participants accumulated more than 1.6 million miles of activity in last year's event," said Robbins. "That's a lot of healthy activity achieved through friendly competition and team support."

Throughout the competition, participants receive weekly e-mail newsletters containing physical fitness and nutrition information, as well as ideas for how to stay motivated, Robbins said. Teams can track their standings on the leader board at Shape Up PA website: www.shapeuppa.org.

Teams can compete in Weight Loss, Accumulated Activity, or a combination of Weight Loss and Activity. The 2005 event will include a special, four-month competition for young Pennsylvanians grades 2-8.

Wining teams will be invited to the Keystone State Games to receive gold, silver and bronze medals.

"More than 60 percent of Pennsylvania adults are overweight or obese, and one in four report having no leisure-time physical activity," said Robbins, a former wrestling coach and member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "Shape Up Pennsylvania is a great opportunity to team up with friends, family members or co-workers to make time for healthy living."

Registration is available at www.shapeuppa.org.

CONTACT: Mike Hengst (717) 787-1322