Participants can begin registering today in the Kansas Governor’s Weight Loss Challenge. Registration closes Feb. 14, with the competition scheduled to run from Feb. 14 to May 19.

Governor Sam Brownback recently challenged State of Kansas (SOK) employees and other interested groups to start eating healthier and to become more active in an effort to lose the greatest percentage of weight. Beginning Feb. 14, the first 500 participants that enter their weigh in on the website will be entered into a prize drawing. Five lucky winners will receive FX Trek bicycles. Several more exciting prizes will be in store throughout the competition.

In 2013, when Governor Brownback first introduced the Governor's Weight Loss Challenge, 5,000 Kansans accepted the challenge, resulting in more than 44,400 pounds of total weight lost across the state.

Kansas organizations, companies and local governments are encouraged to promote the challenge to their employees and members; however, only SOK employees are eligible for the prizes to be awarded by the Governor. The top five participants at the conclusion of the challenge will win cash prizes:

•          First place: $5,000
•          Second place: $4,000
•          Third place: $3,000
•          Fourth place: $2,000
•          Fifth place: $1,000

Additionally, monthly prizes will be awarded in March, April and May to be determined by a random drawing. Every week that participants weigh in, they will increase their chances of winning the prize drawing at the end of that month.

“I want to thank participants for their commitment to a healthier Kansas and reducing obesity in our state,” Gov. Brownback said. “I am challenging participants to lose the greatest percentage of weight. Though prizes will be awarded to the winning competitors, ultimately the goal is to be healthier long-term.”

Official contest rules and the tracking system are at www.weightloss.ks.gov. The starting weight for all participants will be validated by a health care professional—nurse, doctor, physician assistant, etc.—through the use of a simple form available on the Challenge website. Participants are encouraged to use a pseudonym as their user name when registering. Weight is entered into the system privately by individual participants and only the percentage of weight lost will be shown on the leaderboard.