It’s time to get in gear and drop those extra pounds as part ofthe Scale Back Alabama fitness program.

The annual Scale Back Alabama campaign is set to begin today, withweigh-ins continuing for the following week. the campaign is a10-week contest, in which teams of four adults join together toimprove their eating habits and incorporate more exercise in theirdaily lives.

Fitness First Associate Club Director Sandy Tucker said it willserve as a weigh-in site again this year.

“The weigh-in will begin today from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.,” Tuckersaid. “It will continue through [Friday]. People can come weigh-ineach week from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.”

Tucker said the goal is for each person to lose 10 pounds over 10weeks.

Each team consists of four people, and each team is responsible forcoming up with their own name.

“There is a contest for the best name,” Tucker said. “Thefirst-place team wins $100 per person for each member and thesecond-place team wins $50 per person.”

Tucker said door prizes would also be given away for weightlost.

Team members should weigh-in every week.

“It’s a good idea to come and weigh in the same day each week,”Tucker said.

The goal, of course, is for each team member to adopt a healthierlifestyle, but there’s an added incentive to this contest: Eachteam whose members lose 10 pounds each is entered into a drawingfor a $4,000 prize, to be split among the team members. the secondteam drawn wins $500 per team member, and the third team drawn wins$250 per team member. All team members must have lost 10 poundseach to qualify.

“I think the hardest thing is, once people start with it, theydon’t want to stop,” said Rosemary Blackmon, chief operatingofficer of the Alabama Hospital Association. the AHA is a partnerin the Scale Back Alabama effort with the Alabama Department ofPublic Health.

The other sponsors are Barber’s Dairies and Blue Cross Blue Shieldof Alabama.

Officials say the 31,212 people who participated in the campaignlast year lost a total combined weight of 146,452 pounds, and 7,745individuals lost at least 10 pounds.

A comprehensive website makes it convenient for contestants acrossthe state to find healthy tips and ideas, and it includes theofficial guidelines for the contest.

To sign up, simply find three other adults who will be on yourteam. Your workplace may have a team, or teams, that plan toparticipate. Then visit one of the weigh-in sites through Friday tohave your official weigh-in. There is no charge toparticipate.

All weights are confidential, said Abby Dorminey, public relationsspecialist for the AHA, and are recorded only to verify the amountof weight lost for prizes at the end of the contest.

Then, start making your lifestyle adjustments. the team doesn’thave to workout together or participate in activities, but theaccountability of the team concept is a good motivator, formerparticipants said.

For more information, log onto scalebackalabama.com

- the associated Press contributed to this report