General | Registration/Participation | Bally Total Fitness® | The Television Special | Meal Plan | Fitness Plan | Past Participants |
We've received lots of questions about the Discovery Health National Body Challenge, and the following are some answers you might be looking for:
Q: What is National Body Challenge?
A: Discovery Health’s National Body Challenge is a FREE comprehensive fitness and weight-loss challenge that provides the tools and inspiration – online, on television and beyond – to get in shape, shed pounds and find the real, healthier you inside. Open to individuals, groups and families, the National Body Challenge offers the flexibility for participants to make the right choices to meet their personal nutrition and fitness goals.
Q: When is National Body Challenge?
A: Online registration opens on April 13, 2009. Participants can register for the National Body Challenge at www.discoveryhealth.com
Q: Who can join in the National Body Challenge?
A: National Body Challenge is open to individuals, families and groups aged 18 and older. Anyone between the ages of 13 and 18 must receive consent from their parents/legal guardians to proceed with registration.
Q: Does it cost anything to join?
A: Not a thing, it’s entirely FREE!
Q: What do I have to do?
A: Beginning April 13, simply go to www.discoveryhealth.com to register for the National Body Challenge. Once registered, participants will set their personal Challenge goals and create a customized plan to suit their needs.
Q: What will I get if I join National Body Challenge?
A: All registered National Body Challenge participants will receive FREE online access to our customizable meal plan, one-click weight and fitness trackers, extensive information from doctors and health & fitness experts, a free 2 week membership to Bally Total Fitness®, thousands of easy, healthy recipes, personalized fitness plans, support and advice throughout the Challenge and more.
Q: How does the free membership to Bally Total Fitness® work?
A: The 2 week membership is available for download between April 13, 2009 and May 13, 2009 and can be redeemed between 4/13/09 and 5/11/09 and is valid for 14 consecutive days from date of redemption. To redeem Bally Total Fitness trial membership, must be a U.S. citizen at least 18, not a current member, sign guest register/release and take club tour & presentation prior to using club. No purchase necessary to redeem. Any sale or transfer of this pass is prohibited. Other club rules or restrictions may apply, see individual club for details. Memberships valid at any participating U.S. Bally Total Fitnessâ or Bally Sports ClubsSM hours and facilities may vary. For a list of participating clubs visit ballyfitness.com or discoveryhealth.com. Approximate retail value: $29 depending upon club location. Memberships not redeemable for cash. *
Q: Will I really lose weight on the National Body Challenge?
A: The National Body Challenge is designed to help you lose weight if you are currently overweight. If you are currently consuming more calories than the plan recommends, you're probably eating more than your body needs. Following the plan will help you cut back on calories and increase your physical activity, two proven ways to lose weight. Our experts have also found that journaling your meals and physical activity - have a positive affect on your overall results and we have built daily tracking into the Challenge. Individual results will vary. It is recommended to lose around 1 to 2 pounds per week, for safe, healthy, maintainable weight loss. When starting any new healthy eating and exercise regimen, weight loss may occur faster initially, but should slow to a steady, 1 to 2 lbs per week until the desired weight is achieved. If you are unsure about starting a weight-loss program, you should consult your physician or other qualified health provider before you begin the National Body Challenge.
The National Body Challenge is designed to help you and your family embrace a healthier way of living. The scale isn’t the only measure of good health. The National Body Challenge will help you move more, eat healthier and embrace habits to improve your health now, and in the long term.
Q: How long will it take for me to reach my weight goals? OR When can I expect to see results?
A: Individual results will vary. For most people who are overweight, losing 1 to 2 pounds per week is a reasonable goal. For additional information, we encourage you to seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider.
Q: Is there a National Body Challenge community support network?
A: While you are in the National Body Challenge, you will find support from an online community of expert trainers, nutritionists and your peers – successful Challengers from years past, and others giving it a go for the first time. Community is where you can connect personally with professionals and find support and information from a wide range of people going through the same experiences as you. You can find a wide range of topics in our forums, podcasts and blogs ranging from recipe exchanges, adapting your workouts from the gym to the home gym, to discussions on issues facing specific age groups and much more. Participating as a group increases motivation and provides support, both increasing your chances of successfully reaching your goals.
Q: How do I register for a community?
A: Registration for community is separate from your registration for National Body Challenge. You don’t need to register until you are ready to start posting your own messages. When you do register you will be asked to create a unique username, and password for this process. To register for a community click on the following link: https://community.discoveryhealth.com/users.pl?op=newuserform.
You will be asked to provide a username, email address and password. Please choose your username cautiously. While Community is intended to provide support, you do need to protect your privacy. Have fun and choose something that reflects your personality. Additionally, please use a valid email address, as you will be sent an email confirmation for your registration. Simply click on the link we send you via email to start posting in the National Body Challenge online community.
Remember, registering for the National Body Challenge does not ensure you are registered for Community or vice versa. We encourage you to take the steps to register for both so that you get the most out of your Challenge.
Q: Is my information confidential?
A: We value your privacy, so we keep your information private. When you register for National Body Challenge your personal information is not made available to other users. Except as described in our site’s privacy policy or at the time we request the information, we do not otherwise use, share or otherwise disclose your personally identifiable information to any third parties. We encourage you to read our privacy policy for more information.
Again, registration for our community is separate from your registration for National Body Challenge. Our online Community is HIPPA-protected, and any information you share cannot be used by insurance companies, medical providers, or anyone else. For that reason, registration for community is separate from your registration for National Body Challenge. You don’t need to register until you are ready to start posting your own messages. When you do register you will be asked to create a unique username, and password for this process
Q: Can I participate with friends or family?
We encourage group participation through our community support network. Through National Body Challenge, participants will find support from an online community of expert trainers, nutritionist and their peers. You will also find people who have been successful on the Challenge in previous years. These mentors will help you lead your group, family, or co-workers through your journey.
We’ll also provide simple online toolkits with helpful information you can use to organize a group of friends or family if you want to take the National Body Challenge together. These toolkits will be available for download and sharing when the Challenge begins on April 13, 2009.
Q: I want my whole family to participate. Will there be information geared towards their health and nutrition needs?
A: The core National Body Challenge tools were developed by experts and designed to work with adult metabolism. Parents looking to participate with their kids should first consult a pediatrician
The National Body Challenge website provides nutrition and fitness tools and information developed by experts, and is designed to be customized to the average individual age 18 and over. However, the website does include expert information geared to the whole family, providing customized information to help you motivate your entire family to change their bad habits. Specialized toolkits will help families make the small, consistent changes necessary for better health and fitness – with everything from expert advice on how to exercise with your family, to ideas on how to pack a healthy lunch box. There will also be tools for educators to teach the principles of healthy living to children of all ages. The National Body Challenge community will also feature a family fitness focused trainer, Jonathan Ross.
