Iowans have a competitive way to stay in shape: going head-to-head with other Iowans.

“Lighten Up Iowa is a program that focuses on adopting a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and physical activity,” said Kim Nanke, special events coordinator for the Iowa Games.

Lighten Up Iowa is a five-month competition from January to June. Iowans are encouraged to form teams of two to 10 people.

The competition recognizes achievement in weight loss due to healthy, appropriate diet and physical activity and accumulated activity in the form of miles.

Nanke said the program sends each team healthy weight loss and physical fitness tips each week. Each team recorded a beginning total team weight in January and recorded an ending total team weight in June.

Nanke said the program was initiated in 2002 by the Iowa Sports Foundation in an attempt to “find a way to get more people to become active.”

Lighten Up Iowa was the first program developed of its nature. The program was a collective effort between the Iowa Sports Foundation and the National Congress of State Games. The program went statewide in 2003, and has since been adopted by 15 states for this year. Nanke said two or three more states are expected to adopt a similar program next year.

Last year, 11,700 people participated in Lighten Up Iowa. Nanke said this year the number dropped to 8,457 people.

Although participation was down from last year, the program expanded to include a youth program called Go the Distance. Nanke said 2,500 youths participated in the program, which was operated similar to Lighten Up Iowa. The only difference was the absence of a weight-loss category.

Participants were given large wall charts to chart their progress and health tips once a month. Monetary awards of $1,000, $500 and $250 were given to the top three participants.

Lighten Up Iowa also expanded to include a Go the Distance Day, held at Iowa schools statewide. Held May 12, during National Fitness Month, each Iowa school that had 100 percent of its students do 30 minutes of physical activity was placed in a drawing for one of five $500 awards.

Nanke said nearly 27,000 students participated in different events such as school-wide hikes and other activities.

The top teams in Lighten Up Iowa will officially be recognized at the 2004 Summer Iowa Games, which start this weekend in Ames.