Ten teams — a total of 50 people — are hoping to put their best foot forward by competing in the Walk Yourself Fit contest sponsored by the Bee-Fit Health and Wellness Center.
Ramona Pagel, director of the center, said pedometers were expected to arrive this week.
Through Aug. 3, the five members of each team will record the number of steps walked daily. Weekly totals will be reported every Monday. Every team is expected to walk 350,000 steps a week — or five miles per person each day.
Contestants can use a chart to convert other activities — swimming, aerobics and tennis, for example — into walking steps.
Teams will be penalized $1 for every 1,000 steps short of the 350,000.
With registration costing $50 per team and a weekly fee of $25 per team, the pot of winnings at the end of the contest is expected to be substantial. The winner of the last Bee-Fit contest, the Biggest Loser Contest, walked away with nearly $700.
Pagel said the goal of the contest is to get people moving.
“We are trying to get the less active, active,” she said. “And as with the Biggest Loser Contest, money is a great motivator. If we can get them started, maybe they will keep going.”
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » Disabled