America Takes It Off—OverFifty Million Pounds (NAPSA)—This year, millions of Americans will decide to finally get healthy and lose that extra weight. And there's no better time than the present to begin taking steps toward the goal of a healthier, fitter you. According to the Mayo Clinic, obesity leads to the death of 300,000 Americans per year. Despite these statistics, many Americans still have difficulty staying committed to their weight loss goal. To help people stay motivated, AOL and ABC’s “Good Morning America” have launched a new program called “America Takes It Off.” The goal is to help Americans lose a total of more than 50 million pounds. Many people have found that the Internet is a great resource when it comes to losing weight— not only providing helpful information but offering support from others in similar situations, anytimeof the day or night. AOL.com, for example, offers a number of practical suggestions for people facing the weight loss challenge: Mornings are Magic: Morn- ing is the best time to boost your metabolism and keep it running all day. Get your workout out of the wayfirst thing and you'll burn fat for hours to come. Beat Boredom: One of the biggest obstacles in diet and exercise programs is boredom. Walking the same loop around your neighborhood and eating the same no-carb breakfast every day can get boring fast. Shake up your routine with new moves and a varied menu. The TV Workout: Why just sit in front of the television when you can burn calories at the same To win by losing: Vary your diet and exercise routine to keep yourself motivated. time? Use commercial time for leg lifts, bicep curls and other simple exercises. Lose Weight While You Sleep: A pattern of exercise and rest is key to any shape-upplan. Incorporating as little as eight minutes a dayof activity into your schedule is enough to jump-start your metabolism and burn fat— even while you sleep. Know Your Personality: Finding a fitness program that appeals to you without seeminglike a chore can be half the battle. Choose a new activity that fits your personality. Outgoing fitness buffs might get a kick out of an aerobics class, while shy dieters may prefer to stick with the treadmill. “America Takes it Off’ helps people lose weight successfully because it not only provides people with helpful hints, it makes them feel like they're not in this alone,” said Jorge Cruise, AOL’s Weight Loss Coach and author of the best-selling “8 Minutes in the Morning” bookseries. For more useful weight loss tips and tricks, visit www.aol.com.
