OKC Going On A Diet....Literally (Oklahoma City, Corn: work, health, home)

[2010grad]

Mayor Cornett: “This city is going on a diet”


Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has an ambitious New Year’s resolution for Oklahoma City. He is asking residents to collectively lose one million pounds in an effort to create a healthier City. An interactive Web site has been created to track the city’s weight loss progress.

“As someone who has addressed weight-loss issues my entire life, I know how difficult it can be,” said Mayor Cornett. “But we can do it. We need to pull together as a community to lose weight, exercise more often and eat nutritiously. Obesity is an epidemic in Oklahoma, and the problem is only getting worse. It’s time to end our sedentary, fast food lifestyle.”

At the heart of the program is a Web site that is being launched on New Year’s Eve: This City is Going on a Diet. The Web site is designed as a one-stop resource for people intending to lose weight.

The interactive Web site allows participants to confidentially track their weight loss progress and calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a simple method for estimating body fat and determining a goal weight. The site also features helpful information about nutrition, exercise and how to successfully set weight loss goals.

The homepage will feature a live counter to indicate the cumulative number of pounds the Web site’s participants have lost. Corporations, civic groups and individuals are all encouraged to register.

"Weight loss works best when people are surrounded by friends, family and coworkers who help them reach their goals,” said Cornett. “By changing our lifestyle we can become a healthier, more active city and reduce our chances of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis.”

According to the Trust for America’s Health, Oklahoma City has the ninth highest rate of adult obesity in the nation and the 17th highest rate of obesity for children ages 10 to 17.

“This city is going on a diet,” said Cornett. “Putting an entire city on a diet may seem a little extreme but we have to get people’s attention. We have to promote a healthier lifestyle. This is a serious public health problem that’s not going to go away unless we act.”




Mayor Mick Cornett made a new years resolution for OKC. I think this is ambitious!!! I love the idea! Even tho it does promote OKC as unhealthy, at least we're doing something about it.... Also I didnt sign up for i still have a high motabolism, but my friends signed up last nite and there was 530 members, there is 1045 members now! Thats crzy!

[Synopsis]

This is a good thing. It will bring folks together with the events and such. Go OkC!

[happytown]

Many cities in Texas and Oklahoma are in the top 25. I wonder why? Sprawl, fast food, poverty ect. Can anyone think of other reasons?
Great post. Its great for OKC to do this...Question will be if people will use it or not.

People would have to go to a YMCA for a 'weigh in' to really make it count. The city has lost more than 100 pounds since the 31st? This might be just PR for the mayor to look good...LOL.

[peggydavis]

Technically I am not in OKC, but I signed up anyway.

Too much car dependency in OKC makes people fat, in my opinion. More sidewalks and bike paths would help.

[2010grad]

Actually, that is very plausible for the city to already have lost that many pounds. If someone weighs themselves regularly. Because u can lose up to a pound just using the restroom. So say everyone on that website that has signed up used the restroom and they all lost one pound then thats over a thousand already!!! I think that 100 pounds is really just the natural fluxation of our body weights multiplied by about 500 people.

Srry thats a weird way to put it, using the restroom scenario and all but thats what i thought of...lol

[calitook]

I recently moved here from Orange County, CA and the ONLY thing I miss is the abundance of healthy food that was available there. I can see how it would be VERY easy to gain weight here if I wasn't extremely uptight about what I eat
There are Long John Silver's and fried chicken places everywhere, but no place to get nonfat frozen yogurt, fresh grilled seafood, and no health food restaurants.

[peggydavis]

Calitook, have you tried Braum's for the frozen yogurt. I'm sure they have low fat.

We think a health food restaurant is one with a salad bar.

[calitook]

Yeah, I've gone to Braum's but it isn't the same. Even their lowfat isn't very lowfat
There's this place in CA, Golden Spoon, that has nonfat soft serve, and I have literally been having dreams about it since we moved here...

[peggydavis]

If I ever did move to another part of the country, the last thing I would miss would be Oklahoma food.

Have you tried Marble Slab Creamery?

[happytown]

Originally Posted by 2010grad

Actually, that is very plausible for the city to already have lost that many pounds. If someone weighs themselves regularly. Because u can lose up to a pound just using the restroom. So say everyone on that website that has signed up used the restroom and they all lost one pound then thats over a thousand already!!! I think that 100 pounds is really just the natural fluxation of our body weights multiplied by about 500 people.

Srry thats a weird way to put it, using the restroom scenario and all but thats what i thought of...lol

I totally get what you are saying...Thats hilarious!