North Carolina’s “Maintain, Don’t Gain!” Holiday Challenge is underway!

Many people gain between one and five pounds each holiday season, and most never manage to return to their pre-holiday weight. Rather than focusing on trying to lose weight – a difficult task at this time of year – this free, six-week challenge provides participants with tips, tricks and ideas to help them maintain their weight throughout the holiday season.

Free online sign-up is open now at www.MyEatSmartMoveMore.com. Only an email address is needed to join. All participant information is kept confidential.

The challenge, which began on Nov. 22, continues through Dec. 31. Each week, participants receive free weekly emailed newsletters containing tips to manage holiday stress, ideas for fitting in physical activity during the busy season, and resources for cooking quick and easy meals when time is in short supply.

A calorie counter, food log and activity log also are available for download to help people track their progress. Participants can connect with fellow challenge-takers to gain extra support and encouragement on the Holiday Challenge blog.

Worksites can promote the challenge by downloading a free step-by-step Holiday Challenge Worksite Guide, available at http://www.myeatsmartmovemore.com/HolidayChallenge/Promote.html.

In 2009, more than 5,200 people from all 100 North Carolina counties and 47 other states took part in the challenge. At the end of the program, 82 percent reported maintaining their weight.

The Eat Smart, Move More “Maintain, Don’t Gain!” Holiday Challenge is a part of the Eat Smart, Move More, North Carolina movement to increase healthy eating and physical activity opportunities wherever North Carolinians live, learn, earn, play and pray. Find out more at www.EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com.

UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, director of communications, (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu.