We've received lots of questions about the Discovery Health National Body Challenge, and the following are some answers you might be looking for. Choose a topic:
General | Registration/Participation | Events | The Television Special | Meal Plan | Meal Plan and Fitness Plan | Past Participants | Why Eight Weeks?
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 extra pounds and adopt a healthier lifestyle. 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: The Challenge officially begins on January 5, 2008, and continues for eight weeks ending on March 2, 2008. Online registration opens on December 27, 2007 and you will have access to the online tools to begin the Challenge earlier if desired. Participants can register for the National Body Challenge at www.discoveryhealth.com anytime.
Q: Who can join in the National Body Challenge?
A: National Body Challenge is open to all individuals, families and groups over the age of 18. Children under the age of 13 may not sign up individually, but can participate unofficially with parents or legal guardians. Anyone between the ages of 13 and 17 may participate, but must receive consent from their parents/legal guardians to register. Please seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any weight-loss program.
Q: Does it cost anything to join?
A: Not a thing, it's entirely FREE!
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 — has 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.
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. You can connect personally with these professionals and find support and information from a wide range of people going through the same experiences as you. 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 must be at least 13 to participate.
You will be asked to create a unique username, and password for this process. To register for a community, click here. You will be prompted 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. 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 and log in to your account and you will have access to a wide variety of online support, from forums to blogs, trainers to nutritionists to people just like you.
Q: I am already registered for Community. Why am I being asked to register again?
A: Registration for community is FREE and separate from your registration for National Body Challenge. You will be asked to provide an email and password, and we recommend using the same email address as you did for the National Body Challenge. This will make it easier for you to remember, and participate often.
Q: Can I participate with friends or family?
A: We encourage group participation through our community support network. Participating as a group increases motivation and provides support.
Taking the National Body Challenge, you can find people just like you, people who have great intentions, but need the tools and resources to change their life for the better. Through the Community, you will find support from expert trainers, nutritionists and your peers.
Q: I want my whole family to participate. Will there be information geared towards both adults and children?
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 website does included expert nutrition and fitness information that can be used by the whole family. The National Body Challenge community will feature a family fitness focused trainer, Jonathan Ross. Throughout the website there are great ideas for making family meals healthier and group activities more active. Finally, The National Body Challenge community will offer additional support for parents and educators.
