Want to lose weight, feel great and have fun doing it? You're invited to join the folks at the Central Community Center at 10 a.m. next Monday, January 22, as they kick off their first &#8220Scale Back Alabama” program.

Scale Back Alabama is being sponsored by Alabama's hospitals, the Alabama Department of Public Health and Barber Dairies.

Alabama's own American Idol, Ruben Studdard, who has recently shed 100 pounds, is leading the campaign to encourage his fellow Alabamians to lose 10 million pounds over the next eight weeks. That's basically ten pounds for each person in Alabama who is estimated to be overweight.

Locally, Debbie Bloodworth of the Family Guidance Center and Kids and Kin has organized the &#8220Fat-Fighting Grannies of Butler County.”

&#8220You do not have to be a part of Kids and Kin to do this; as long as you are a ‘fat-fighting granny' who lives in Butler County, this opportunity is open to you,” Bloodworth said.

She said the group would be meeting regularly to swap low-fat recipes, exercise together and make positive changes in their lifestyles.

As Bloodworth points out, there's a terrific incentive to be a part of a Scale Back Alabama team and to stick with it.

The team in Alabama that loses the highest percentage of weight by the deadline of March 19, 2007 will receive a very nice bonus (in addition to better health).

&#8220Each member of the winning team will receive $1,000 cash, and we could do it!” Bloodworth said.

&#8220If you are serious about being a part of a weight loss group, we'd love for you to join us next Monday.”

The winning team will be announced April 2. Teams starting after Jan. 22 are eligible to participate, but cannot win the state prize.

To learn more about Scale Back Alabama, visit their Website at www.scalebackalabama.com or contact Debbie Bloodworth at 371-0247.