Alabama hospitals and the state Depart-ment of Public Health are challenging overweight citizens to make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight with their annual Scale Back Alabama campaign and contest. The 10-week weight-loss program begins the week of Jan. 10, 2009, with the goal of empowering people to begin a healthier lifestyle.

“Scale Back Alabama is about making healthier choices, and we’re hoping people will have fun doing it,” says Bonnie Sanderson, Ph.D., manager of CardioPulmonary Rehabilitation.

The contest enables people to compete in teams of four against teams from across the state. Team members will be weighed the second week in January and a final time in March. All teams that complete the 10-week contest with each team member losing 10 pounds (about one pound per week) will be put in the drawing for three grand prizes of up to $1,000 per team member. In addition, individuals who complete the 10-week contest and lose 10 pounds or more will be put in a drawing for 50 individual prizes of $100 each, even if the other team members do not reach the 10-pound goal.

UAB employee weigh-in sites, dates, and times are:

• UAB Campus: West Pavilion Atrium,
Monday, Jan. 12, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday, Jan. 13, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Health Services Foundation: JNWB, Suite 116, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Highlands: Third floor conference room, Monday, Jan. 12, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Jan. 13, 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• The Kirklin Clinic: Employee Health Office, Monday, Jan. 12 through Wednesday, Jan. 14, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 15 through Friday, Jan. 16, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• The Campus Recreation Center: Campus Recreation Center, Monday, Jan. 12, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, Jan. 13, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 15, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• EatRight (for UAB employees and general public): Second floor Webb Building, Monday, Jan. 12, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday, Jan. 14, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Friday, Jan. 16, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Remember to consult your health-care provider before beginning a weight-loss or exercise program. Contact uabwellness@uab.edu for more information, or visit www.scalebackalabama.com for details.