For many people the New Year is a fresh start, which means losing weight and adopting a healthier lifestyle.

However, several individuals do not remain committed and never achieve the results they were hoping for.

The Chilton County Extension Office and Senior Connection are looking to do something about that by teaming up with the Scale Back Alabama initiative.

Both locations will serve as weigh-in sites for Scale Back Alabama, which began 11 years ago and is the state’s largest weight-loss and exercise program.

The 2017 contest will consist of teams with two adults 18 years or older with the goal of losing a combined weight over eight weeks.

Residents can stop by the Chilton County Extension Office or Senior Connection to take part in the Scale Back Alabama, a statewide program. (Photo by Anthony Richards)

Lisa McCullough works with the Nutrition Education Program at the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and will help oversee the weigh-in process in Chilton and Bibb Counties.

This is the second year that the Extension Office has been involved with the program. Teams can register for free by going online at scalebackalabama.com and are required to work or live in Alabama.

“Once you sign up you will continue to receive encouraging emails and tips to consider,” McCullough said. “It’s all about ways to keep you motivated.”

A new incentive for 2017 is a cash prize drawing that will include the names of everybody who was able to lose at least 10 pounds.

According to McCullough, Extension’s state supervisors in Auburn worked closely with NEP (Nutrition Education Program) and the Alabama Department of Public Health in the creation of the program.

“We’ll do it every year from now on, as long as they decide to do it,” McCullough said.

Last year was an experimental year for the contest in Chilton County, and McCullough expects it to grow from the four teams that took part in 2016.

Adding to the possibility of spreading the word throughout the county is the addition of Senior Connection as a weigh-in site.

Teams must go to either of the two weighing sites in order for their totals to be officially counted.

“At Senior Connection we know the importance of good health and also realize that our community could use some healthy tips and encouragement,” Senior Connection Director Vanessa McKinney said.

The Chilton County Extension Office will hold weigh-in times Jan. 11-18. The office will be open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, while closed for lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m. and on weekends.

The Senior Connection’s weigh-in times will also take place Jan. 11-18, but vary on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., while the final day on Jan. 18 will be 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

March 15-22 is the final week of the contest and will be the time when each team must stop by the locations and weigh once again to measure the total pounds lost.