The greatest “resolve” of the New Year will be to lose weight.

The resolution most often broken is … to lose weight.

To help those whose resolution is to lose weight, the Scale Back Alabama “challenge” offers the opportunity to win big bucks to the big losers.

The 2009 Scale Back Alabama program will be directed locally by Steps to a Healthier AL and the Charles Henderson Child Health Care Center.

“Scale Back Alabama” is a 10-week weight loss program with a team concept, said Christi Hill, Pike County Steps to a Healthier AL project director.

“Most people do better with their weight-loss programs if they are accountable to someone,” Hill said. “Participants in the Scale Back Alabama weight loss program are on teams of four. Each team has a captain who is the motivator and cheerleader for the team. The captain receives emails with valuable weight-loss information and passes them on to his or her teammates. Each teammate supports the other, making it easier to eat healthier, exercise more and lose those pounds.”

The weigh-in for local teams will be from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Jan. 12, from 9 a.m. until noon on Jan. 13 and 14 and from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Jan. 15. There will be no weigh-ins on Friday.

All weigh-ins will be at the Charles Henderson Health Center.

“We encourage everyone who needs or wants to lose at least 10 pounds over the next few weeks to form a team, choose a team name, designate a team captain and come weigh in,” Hill said. “Last year’s Scale Back Alabama program was very successful here in Troy and Pike County.

We had more than 380 participants who lost a total of 2,000 pounds.

Statewide the program was also very successful and we expect it to be just as successful this year.”

Losing 10 pounds is not the program’s only incentive. There’s also money to be won.

“For every team member who completes the contest and loses at least 10 pounds, his or her name will be placed in a drawing for one of 50 state prizes of $100 each,” Hill said.

“For every team member who completes the 10-week period, with each team member losing at least 10 pounds, the team’s name will be placed in a drawing for one of three grand prizes.”

The first team drawn will win $250 per team member. The second team drawn will win $500 each and the third team drawn will win $1,000 each.

“The chance for the prize money alone is worth the effort of losing 10 pounds,” Hill said.

“We would love to have even more participants than last year. Scale Back Alabama is a good incentive to lose those extra pounds. It’s fun to be a part of a team and it’s smart to begin a healthier lifestyle in the New Year.”