DURANT, OK--The Spinal Clinic in Durant held a kick-off party tonight to jump start its second Slim Down Durant Competition.

Dr. Cottingame said, "Our main purpose to do this is because we want to help Durant get healthy. Obesity is really one of the plagues of the 21st century."

Many of last year's participants are back for a second round.

"I've gained about forty-pounds back, so I'm a repeat offender," Deborah Pickerill, said, "So I'm ready to be motivated again to get this off."

Participants need to attend eight of twelve weekly weigh-ins and three weekly discussions.

Several of the weekly health talks Dr. Cottingame has planned, focus on eating healthy foods.

Just 60 miles to the south of Durant, Carol Moss tends to organic crops on a small farm near Celina, something she says she's always been passionate about.

Moss said, "My dad would get organic gardening magazines and I would take the magazines because I was a big reader, so I was reading about organic gardening when I was fifteen-years-old."

Moss is part of a community supported agriculture farm that delivers produce to customers at the peak of freshness.

"You can come and see what's growing and see what's happening and ask questions about how it's grown and what's being done," Moss, said.

Moss's crops and several farmers markets across Texoma are scheduled for operation in April, but it's never too early to start working on eating healthy.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health says variety is one of the keys when it comes to healthy weight loss. Vary your exercise schedule and fruit and vegetable intake to keep things exciting.

Back in Durant, participants say working out in a group also helps them stay on track.

Deborah Pickerill said, "That was a big motivator, you don't want to gain weight when you have to come in and weigh every week."

Contact: Charlee Crouse at the Spinal Clinic
580-920-2555

chirohealthy@yahoo.com