COSTA MESA, Calif., Jan. 23, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- With the goal of dispelling the "cop in a donut shop" stereotype, 20 members of Southern California's law enforcement community bravely stepped on the scales and declared their weight loss goals at Lindora Medical Clinics' inaugural Battle of the Badges weigh-in ceremony. Uniformed members from the Orange County Sheriff's Department and Santa Ana Police Department officially kicked off the 10-week program, which is sponsored by Lindora. Emphasizing an "eat better, move more and stress less" philosophy, the program combines diet, moderate exercise and motivational tools and is designed to help participants lose 10 percent of their body weight in the first 10 weeks. The winning team will be determined by how close they come to reaching or even exceeding their goal. Weights ranged from a low of 165 pounds (a female member of the Santa Ana Police Dept) to her male colleague, who topped the scales at 318 pounds.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4633
According to Lindora President Cynthia Stamper Graff, Battle of the Badges is intended to help members of the law enforcement community become "lean for life," and educate the public about the problems associated with being overweight so that they, too, might be encouraged to embrace healthy living.
"We hope that Battle of the Badges calls attention to the problems associated with being overweight, one of America's most daunting health crises," said Graff. "By putting their lives on the line for us everyday, these brave men and women already are our heroes. Now they will take on a new challenge -- becoming healthy heroes. By participating in Battle of the Badges, we hope that they will inspire the rest of the community -- an estimated 66 percent of whom are overweight -- to become lean for life thus reducing their chances of developing stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes."
Also on hand at the weigh-in ceremony were El Pollo Loco President and CEO Steve Carley, Police Chief Paul Walters and OC Assistant Sheriff Jack Anderson.
To monitor the progress of the contest, the public is encouraged to visit www.lindora.com.
The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.
