Is your waistline ready for the wonderful foods of the holiday season?  There is a popular belief that most people gain from 5 to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

However, a new study suggest that we gain only about a pound but this extra weight accumulates through the years and may be a major contributor to obesity later in life.

Alabama has the second highest rate of obesity in the country.  We also have the country’s highest rate of stroke and the third highest rate of infant mortality.

To help in the battle of obesity, the Alabama State Employees’ Insurance Board approved a plan that will charge workers an additional $25 to cover their insurance premiums, if they don’t take advantage of free health screenings.

Critics have panned this action as the “Fat Tax”.  It is not a punishment but an opportunity for better preventive care.  Only if workers fail to take advantage of the free screening will they be charged the additional $25.

Of course, state government is not taking these steps merely out of concern.  It makes sense to improve the bottom line as health costs rise. There is nothing wrong with bottom line motivations if it helps people.

As health insurance companies try to control cost, many more creative approaches will involve individual participation.

The holidays are fast approaching.  Check with your doctor and start a successful weight reduction program today.

The greatest secret to weight loss is exercise.  Fort Payne is fortunate to have many resources for exercise programs.

Rita Shirley, Curves for Women, has a November holiday special. The $149 initiation fee is waivered.  This twenty minute workout program can certainly help prevent the holiday weight gain.

Call the staff at Wills Valley Recreation Center, 844-6571, for a schedule of programs.  Fitness First of DeKalb Regional Medical Center, 997-2800, also has a terrific program for weight loss.