North Stafford, Va. — The race for a fitter, leaner Potomac Communities kicked off Saturday with North Stafford Rotary Club’s Fitness Challenge 2012.
About 200 contestants came to North Stafford High School to be weighed in and to have their percentage for body fat measured, all competing for the chance to win $1,000, a trip to the Bahamas, as well as other prizes.
Unlike previous years when the winner had to lose the most pounds, this year the person who loses the greatest percentage of body fat wins the competition.
Last year’s runner up, Patrick Bailey, said the eight-week event it challenging but rewarding if you stick to a plan.
“I got really into the competition last year at the beginning, then trailed off. During the last six weeks, I began eating better, exercising more and got the weight down from 240 to 178,” said Bailey.
There’s also a youth challenge built into this year’s competition for school-age children from 6th to 12th grades. Here, the challenge remains a reduction of body fat, and a male and female winner will be chosen and each awarded at least a $1,000 scholarship – money generously donated by area businesses and the North Stafford Rotary Club.
The Rotary collected $30 per adult and $15 per youth to enter the contest, and that money will all be used for the organization’s charitable events.
The winner will be announced a closing ceremony event March 10 at Brooke Point High School in Stafford.
