Have You Signed Up for The Challenge Yet?

Have You Signed Up for The Challenge Yet?

The 50 Million Pound Challenge - Stars Come to St. Louis on Historic Campaign by African-American Community to Take Control of Health, Fight Toll of Excess Weight

Joe, Kelly Price, Shirley Murdock, Slick Rick join Dr. Ian Smith July 28 for Free Special Event of music, fitness & fun;

National campaign takes on participants, takes off pounds . Anyone can join at 50millionpounds.com

ST. LOUIS, July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Vowing to "give up the pounds, not the fight," Dr. Ian Smith-physician, author of the NY Times #1 best-seller Extreme Fat Smash Diet & VH1 Celebrity Fit Club expert -- has created The 50 Million Pound Challenge. Supported by a host of African-American leaders and sponsored by State Farm(R), The Challenge is coming to St. Louis on July 28 for a free special event of fitness & fun to help people take control of their health and take up the fight against weight-related illnesses. On pace as one of the most far-reaching initiatives of its kind, The Challenge is an historic campaign & commitment by the African-American community to rally people across the U.S. to get fit & lose weight -- and ultimately live longer, look & feel great. Since its April 7 launch, more than 178,000 people have joined at http://www.50millionpounds.com/, losing more than 375,000 pounds.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070725/AQW148 )

A star-studded cast will be in St Louis -- the ninth stop on the campaign's 14-city U.S. tour -- at Union Station, South Plaza from 12-4 p.m. (CDT) on Saturday, July 28 for a free afternoon of live music, fitness & fun expected to draw thousands. Joining Dr. Ian Smith are Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter Joe, Grammy-nominated gospel singer Kelly Price, R&B singer Shirley Murdock, rapper Slick Rick, radio host J. Anthony Brown and renowned DJ Biz Markie. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment, get free health screenings, learn more about The Challenge and its free fitness tips & tools, sign up online, and join Dr. Ian on a Challenge walk. They can also get free eshots photos, which they can keep as "before" shots to show their progress "after" reaching their personal weight-loss goals -- and motivate them to keep the weight off.

The Challenge aims to reach its ambitious goal by making it easier for millions of people to get fit, lose weight and turn back the deadly toll of weight-related diseases that threaten half of all Americans. Each week 10,000 people die from illnesses related to inactivity and diet. For 135 million Americans and 2/3rds of U.S. adults who are overweight -- double the rate a few decades ago -- people's lifestyle choices have become a matter of life and death. The African-American community has been particularly hard hit, losing too many loved ones to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and related illnesses. Among African Americans, 80% of women and 67% of men face increased risk of deadly illnesses from excess weight.

"This is an historic opportunity to join hands as a community, take control of our health and save lives," said Dr. Ian, author of the NY Times #1 best-seller Extreme Fat Smash Diet. "The groundswell of support is remarkable. People are signing up and making good on their commitment to lose weight and get fit. What began as a simple challenge has become a commitment that's spreading across the entire community. Losing weight and getting in shape has never been easier, or more important. Too many are dying from preventable illnesses. The Challenge encourages and empowers people to get fit and give up the pounds that have frustrated so many for so long. It helps us take a giant leap forward towards leading longer, healthier lives."

To mobilize support and fight back, The Challenge is hosting events April to November in 14 cities: DC, Baltimore, Miami, Memphis, Cleveland, Houston, Detroit, Atlanta, St. Louis, Chicago, New York, Milwaukee, Oakland and New Orleans. The campaign has enlisted as champions more than 50 leaders and celebrities across the African-American community, and national civic & health organizations including the American Diabetes Association, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Inc., 100 Black Men of America Inc., National Urban League, American Council on Exercise, and Institute for the Advancement of Multicultural & Minority Medicine. And The Challenge is working with State Farm to make it easier for people to get fit and reach their healthy weight with helpful tips & tools, including a go-to resource and online community at http://www.50millionpounds.com/.

"We're coming to St. Louis to help people take control of their health, make healthier lifestyle choices & give up the pounds, not the fight," said Dr. Ian. "Working together, we will reverse these deadly health trends, one small step at a time. So join us in taking The Challenge. It's free. It's fun. And the reward is worth the weight -- it can save your life, and you'll look & feel great."

Challenge supporter & Grammy-nominated R&B singer Joe said, "Life can be filled with such beauty and grace, but only if you're around to enjoy it. Too many people in our community are having their lives cut short because they aren't giving their health the same respect we demand from each other. The Challenge is showing us the way things really are -- and helping us see the serious consequences of making unhealthy choices in what we eat & how we take care of ourselves. It's also showing us the way things can be -- if we make better choices we can succeed in our own journeys to become the person we know we can be. If you believe in yourself, you can reach your personal health goals & find a new 'you.' There's so much in life worth fighting & living for. We have the power -- let's come together & use it. We'll live to appreciate it."

Challenge supporter & gospel star Kelly Price said, "Life is a gift God gives us and we need to guard it carefully. There's too much music & love to share, too much beauty inside us all to do otherwise. We all have a lot to juggle. But we have to make room for those we love, and make room for our health, because it can go away so quickly. The Challenge is a welcome alarm telling us it's time to make a change. It's time to take control. Losing weight and getting in shape is never easy. It takes faith and determination to climb the mountain. But The Challenge is giving us all a great lift. It's helping us navigate the peaks & valleys, giving us a guide to get to our destination. The view from the top makes it all worthwhile."

Signing up for The Challenge is easy, free and anyone can join at http://www.50millionpounds.com/, where participants can see the total pounds lost by everyone taking The Challenge, and find tips, tools and a private personal weight tracker to measure their own progress. Free Challenge kits are available from participating State Farm agent offices, with a CD and brochure from Dr. Ian with menu and fitness advice, and a pedometer to measure steps.

Dr. Ian is working on The Challenge with State Farm, which is sponsoring the initiative as part of its long-time commitment to the African-American community and all communities. "This campaign is ultimately about helping people live longer, more productive lives," said Pam El, Vice President of Marketing for State Farm. "We care about the health of our communities. State Farm is proud to work with Dr. Ian on a campaign that can have such a positive impact on so many people's lives." Said Dr. Ian: "State Farm's support and concern in this initiative has been outstanding. They really get it."

About The 50 Million Pound Challenge

Dr. Ian Smith's 50 Million Pound Challenge, sponsored by State Farm(R), is a campaign supported and endorsed in name and deed by leaders across the African-American community and national civic and health organizations. The Challenge is an historic opportunity and commitment by the African-American community to come together and help people take control of their health by getting fit, losing excess weight and turning back the deadly toll of weight-related diseases that threatens almost 50% of Americans and is hitting the African-American community particularly hard.

About Dr. Ian Smith

Dr. Ian is a diet expert for VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, and author of the NY Times #1 best-seller The Fat Smash Diet and The Extreme Fat Smash Diet, and other works of fiction and non-fiction. He hosts his own TV & radio shows, BET's Meet the Faith and HealthWatch on the American Urban Radio Network. Dr. Ian is a contributor to the View and Men's Health Magazine. He has filed reports and written for NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, Essence, Ebony, People, Cosmopolitan and University of Chicago's Medicine on the Midway. He's a new dad and lives with his family in Chicago.

About State Farm

State Farm(R) insures more cars than any other insurer in North America and is the leading U.S. home insurer. State Farm's 17,000 agents and 68,000 employees serve over 75 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and more than 1.6 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No.22 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com(r/) or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca(r/).

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Source: 50 Million Pound Challenge

CONTACT: St. Louis-area media, Meryl Moss, +1-203-226-0199,
meryl@mediamuscle.com, national media, Marc Smrikarov, +1-212-486-7070, cell,
+1-917-595-9481, marcs@brownlloydjames.com, other media & inquiries, Mia
Jazo-Harris, +1-309-766-5242, cell, +1-309-533-2011, mia.jazo-
harris.sfdx@statefarm.com, all for 50 Million Pound Challenge

Web site: http://www.50millionpounds.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment