YMCA Offers A Unique Way To Put Some Distance Between You and Those Unwanted Pounds! 

At 2,360 miles, the Mississippi River is the fourth longest river in the world.  So if you could, how long would it take you to swim the entire thing?  The Scott County Family Y is giving you the opportunity to answer that question with its Swim the Mississippi fitness program.

"Swim the Mississippi is new twist on an old favorite - aquatic fitness," said Emily Jacobson, Aquatics Director, Davenport Family YMCA.  "It gives participants a visual image with a start and stopping point, which in turn gives them a goal to reach and that helps keeps them on track and motivated."

So how does this work?  You don't actually get to swim the Mighty Mississippi but for every one mile you swim in the pool, the Scott County Family Y will count it as 40 miles of the Mississippi, which means your total mileage will be 59 miles (2,124 laps or 4,248 lengths of a 25 meter pool).  Sound like a lot?  Not so, you have until June 30 to take this amazing journey - one that will benefit your spirit, mind and body.

Swimming is one of the most beneficial forms of exercise because involves the use of almost all the muscles required for movement, without the weight of your body pounding you with each move like when you are walking or running.  Regular swimming builds your muscle strength, endurance, and cardio-vascular fitness. The longer you swim, the more your endurance and speed will improve.

Anyone interested in participating in the Swim the Mississippi program can register at the Davenport Family YMCA, 606 West Second Street.  Registration fee for this program is $15 per person.  Mileage can be completed at any Scott County Family Y branch location but the official record will be kept and charted at the Davenport branch.  All participants completing the distance by Tuesday, June 30, will receive an official "I Swam the Mississippi" t-shirt and a certificate of completion.  For more information about this or other health and wellness programs, visit www.ScottCountyFamilyY.org or contact any Scott County Family Y branch location.

MILWAUKEE - With the balance of LA Weight Loss centers closing across the country, TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nation's oldest weight-loss education and support organization, is inviting former LA Weight Loss members to attend a TOPS meeting free of charge. 

TOPS recently celebrated 60 years of weight-loss support and success.  Members of TOPS embrace its philosophy of healthy eating, regular exercise, wellness education, and support from others at weekly chapter meetings.  The fee for an annual membership is $26.  On joining TOPS, members receive a complimentary copy of "My Day One," a booklet which features a six-week plan to kick-off the weight loss journey.

"We feel for the people who have lost their investment to LA Weight Loss," said Barb Cady, TOPS Club President.  "At TOPS, we offer continual support and motivation to our members as they adopt healthier lifestyles.  We want to welcome and encourage those who have been affected by the closings.  They are not alone and can continue to successfully manage their weight with our program."

Through January 31, TOPS extends a $3 discount on the purchase of "The Choice is Mine" and "The Choice is Mine Workbook," our "ready-set-go" guide to better food choices and menu planning, fitness tips, and more to the former LA Weight Loss members and anyone else who may join.  In addition to our weekly meetings, membership also includes a one-year subscription to "TOPS News," a magazine that is published nine times per year and shares inspirational stories, healthy tips, and helpful advice.

To find a local chapter, visit www.tops.org or call (800) 932-8677 for more information.

(from the RCReader classifieds):

CREATE a NEW YOU in the NEW YEAR! TOPS® Chapter IA-177 meets Thursdays, 6:30pm at All Saints Lutheran Church, 5002 Jersey Ridge, Davenport. We offer a healthy, caring and supportive approach to weight control, at an affordable price. Nationally, we've been doing this since 1948. Stop in and Take Off Pounds Sensibly.

TOPS has nearly 180,000 members in almost 10,000 chapters throughout the United States and Canada, and several chapters in Europe.



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