National health and fitness correspondent encourages a healthy lifestyle that helps feed the hungry
Heather Hawk has long espoused the virtues of healthy living as a means for individuals to feel better about themselves. Now, the national health and fitness correspondent is using her expertise to help the St. Louis Area Foodbank get the word out about the Pound for Pound Challenge, a free program which encourages healthy living and raises money to feed the less fortunate. Now in its third year, the Pound for Pound Challenge encourages residents in the bi-state region and Americans across the country to lose weight to combat hunger.
Taking the Challenge is fast, easy, and free. Individuals can go online to www.pfpchallenge.com to pledge their weight-loss goals. All weight-loss is on the honor system. For every pound pledged, the Pound For Pound Challenge donates 11 cents to Feeding America, up to a maximum donation of $1,040,000 nationally. Feeding America then donates the funds raised to local food banks chosen by individuals at registration. The St. Louis Area Foodbank is the only designated Feeding America food bank in the St. Louis area, serving 14 counties in eastern Missouri and 12 counties in southwestern Illinois.
New this year, participants can enter the Challenge by pledging to maintain their current weight for a contribution equal to five pounds of weight loss. Additionally, this year marks the introduction of a team option on www.pfpchallenge.com. In the spirit of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser: Couples,” teams can compete online and will be ranked nationally.
“I’m thrilled to partner with the St. Louis Area Foodbank and the Pound for Pound Challenge,” said Hawk. “I encourage all St. Louisans to make their personal pledge for health. Now your fitness goals can improve your life and the lives of our neighbors in need. Create your own team or join the ‘Foodbank Fit Club.’ Together you can shed pounds and help the hungry,” Hawk concluded.
In 2010, the Pound For Pound Challenge generated a final count of 6,203,347 pounds pledged – an increase of over 70% from 2009. The St. Louis Area Foodbank finished in the top 10 out of over 200 participating food banks in total pounds pledged in 2010 and has a goal of finishing in the top five this year. For more information, log onto www.pfpchallenge.com.
About The St. Louis Area Foodbank
The St. Louis Area Foodbank is a non-profit food distribution center for organizations that feed hungry people throughout 26 counties in both Eastern Missouri and Southwestern Illinois. The Foodbank gathers and distributes over 23 million pounds of food for local communities in need. Over 261,000 people in the bi-state region rely on the St. Louis Area Foodbank for food assistance. For more information, visit www.stlfoodbank.org.
About Heather Hawk & Hawk on Health, LLC
Heather Hawk is a national health and fitness correspondent for television and radio. Heather has been seen on all the major networks as well as various cable stations including Discovery Health, Lifetime, ESPN, ESPN 2, HSN, and QVC. She is a spokesperson, consultant, and fitness advisor for numerous corporations and organizations in the health and fitness industry. In 2002, Heather founded Hawk on Health, LLC to promote the significance of fitness, nutrition, wellness and medical issues encompassing every aspect of the Health and Fitness industry. As the mother of two girls (under the age of 2), Heather understands the challenges of a busy schedule. Her philosophy is to provide realistic information and options to help everyone achieve a healthier lifestyle.
About Feeding America
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks operate 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit www.feedingamerica.org.
About The Biggest Loser
The Biggest Loser airs locally on NBC affiliate, KSDK, Tuesdays at 7pm (CST). The first reality series where everybody “loses,” The Biggest Loser challenges and encourages overweight contestants to shed pounds in a safe and recommended manner through comprehensive diet and exercise as they compete for a grand prize of $250,000. Hosted by Alison Sweeney (Days of our Lives), the series provides the contestants with challenges, temptations, weigh-ins and eliminations until the final contestant remains to claim the title of “the biggest loser.” Each team works out under the supervision of professional trainers Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper. The Biggest Loser is a production of Reveille LLC, 25/7 Productions and 3 Ball Productions.
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