The 50 Million Pound Blog

Birmingham, Al—Miles College caught the spirit of The Challenge! Dr. Ian was an honored guest during last weekend's Golden Classic activities on the Miles Campus. He was able to participate in several on and off campus events and issue The Challenge to the student body and administration in Birmingham.

It was a great visit and opportunity to interact with young adults who are at a critical point in their lives. Now is the time for them to design healthy life-long values and habits. They can carry our movement into the future, and they are joining us in making changes to live longer, healthier lives.

The energy on a college campus during this time of year is unlike anything else. You can feel something in the air when the bands, the football, and the anticipation for new experiences, fill the atmosphere… and you realize that this is where the future begins to take shape.

It’ll truly be an honor to work with HBCU’s and other colleges and universities across the country.

Enjoy the photos from our trip, and keep spreading the word about The Challenge!
 
 
Dr. Ian with Miles College students
 

Dr. Ian with Miles College President Dr. George French
 

Dr. Ian and Miles College dancers

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My name is Ricketa Love and I want the world to know how the 50 Million Pound Challenge and Dr. Ian Smith’s Fat Smash Diet books have changed my life. 

In the beginning of my weight loss journey I was so overweight that I couldn’t bend down and tie my shoes.  I am 28 years old and hearing a doctor say that I could die at a young age due to obesity made me turn my life around. 

One day I was watching Celebrity Fit Club. I saw a lot of myself in Bone Crusher because he took on every challenge and won. Although I’m overweight, I am always ready for a challenge.  In high school I ran track, played softball, volleyball and even danced Hip Hop.  My true CHALLENGE in reality has been weight loss. 

When Dr. Ian released Fat Smash Diet, I purchased it online.  After the first nine days of detox (Phase I), I lost 10 pounds in one week.  For the first time I found something that worked.  Daily, I get up every morning at 5:00AM & walk 2 1/2 miles around my neighborhood with friends.  On weekends, I ride my bike, work out with a personal trainer and exercise in my swimming pool.  My weight loss goal is to get down to my ideal weight between 150-175lbs.  To date, I have lost a total of 86 pounds in 11 months. When I first started I was weighing close to five hundred pounds.  I was so uncomfortable in my own body.  It was hard for me to do some of the basic things in life like taking a bath and even putting my clothes on without being tired or out of breath. Losing weight has made a dramatic change in the things I able to do now. 

My cousin, Patricia (skinniest family member (LOL) told me that Dr. Ian Smith would be launching the 50 Million Pound Challenge on Miles College Campus.  She made me and my sister come to her house and register. My total weight loss is 86lbs and since registering for the 50 Million Pound Challenge I have lost 12 lbs.  I met Dr. Ian Smith and it is an experience I will never forget.  He looks you in your eyes and he listens to your story.  He brought tears to my eyes and made me feel like somebody.  Dr. Ian Smith’s book has taught me that if you just keep your body moving and eat healthy along with drinking plenty of water, you can lose the weight and feel good about yourself.  It is amazing what your body will do when you take care of it. Take care of your body and your body will take care of you.

When I get down to my goal weight I will continue to live a healthy lifestyle.  Thanks Dr. Ian Smith and State Farm for CHALLENGING ME to live a healthier life style. 

Ricketa Love, Birmingham, AL

Did you hear Dr. Ian on the Steve Harvey show this morning?!  You can celebrate the end of the kick-off tour with us at the historic State Farm Bayou Classic Thanksgiving weekend in New Orleans!  

We’re serious about getting healthy, hitting the one million pound milestone and growing our community. So serious, in fact, that we’re presenting 2 opportunities to win tickets from Southwest Airlines^® to fly you and a friend to the Bayou Classic in New Orleans!   

You can win a package for two people that includes: airfare, hotel, tickets to the game, tickets to the battle of the bands competition, spending money, and much more!  This is how we’ll pass the million pound mark and keep marching our way to the big goal of 50 million pounds.  

Here’s what you need to do between September 13, 2007 and October 31, 2007 to have a chance to win one of our travel packages:

•  Update your profile regularly – every time you update your progress by entering the weight you’ve lost into your Personal Weight Tracker on the site, you will receive ONE entry into the sweepstakes (limit one per day).  Check in every day and you can have up to 49 entries!!  Not only does that increase your chances to win, but your Challenge commitment will be top of mind and you'll be making the Challenge a good habit!

          Another way to win the trip package:

• Invite all of your family, friends, and co-workers to join The Challenge – every person who joins from your referral (through the ’Tell a Friend’ feature), grants you ONE entry into the sweepstakes. There's no limit to how many friends you can get signed up or how many entries you can have in the sweepstakes.  Remember, the more people you get to sign up through the link, the greater your chance of winning one of the 2 trip packages. Get out your address book and spread the word.  It could by your ticket to the Bayou.  And it doesn’t cost you or your friends anything to join.  Remember, it’s all FREE!!

You've put us where we are—more than 217,000 participants who’ve lost over 716,000 pounds in just 5 months! You can keep our momentum going and building. Tell everyone you know to join us, and remember to keep your profile up to date.    

We hope you're the one who will be strutting your stuff at our final kick-off tour stop— the Bayou Classic!  

Check out more of the details in the ‘Win as You Lose’ section of the homepage.

You can celebrate the end of the kick-off tour with us at the historic State Farm Bayou Classic Thanksgiving weekend in New Orleans!

We’re serious about getting healthy, hitting the one million pound milestone and growing our community. So serious, in fact, that we’re presenting 2 opportunities to win tickets from Southwest Airlines® to fly you and a friend to the Bayou Classic in New Orleans!

You can win a package for two people that includes: airfare, hotel, tickets to the game, tickets to the battle of the bands competition, spending money, and much more! This is how we’ll pass the million pound mark and keep marching our way to the big goal of 50 million pounds.

Here’s what you need to do between September 13, 2007 and October 31, 2007 to have a chance to win one of our travel packages:

1. Update your profile regularly – every time you update your progress by entering your weight into your Personal Weight Tracker on the site, you will receive ONE entry into the sweepstakes (limit one per day). Check in every day of the sweepstakes' duration and you can have up to 49 entries!! Not only does that increase your chances to win, but your Challenge commitment will be top of mind and you'll be making the Challenge a good habit!

Another way to win the trip package:

2. Invite all of your family, friends, and co-workers to join The Challenge – every person who joins from your referral (through the ’Tell a Friend’ feature), grants you ONE entry into the sweepstakes. There's no limit to how many friends you can get signed up or how many entries you can have in the sweepstakes. Remember, the more people you get to sign up through the link, the greater your chance of winning one of the 2 trip packages. Get out your address book and spread the word. It could by your ticket to the Bayou. And it doesn’t cost you or your friends anything to join. Remember, it’s all FREE!!

You've put us where we are—more than 220,000 participants who’ve lost over 732,000 pounds in just 5 months! You can keep our momentum going and building. Tell everyone you know to join us, and remember to keep your profile up to date.

We hope you're the one who will be strutting your stuff at our final kick-off tour stop— the Bayou Classic!

The Challenge is headed to New York this weekend! We’re not hosting our typical event in NY, but the message of The Challenge will be alive throughout the city.

This visit is different from the rest in that we’re joining up with Circle of Sisters, Abyssinian Baptist Church and the Central Harlem Health Revival to share The Challenge with people and partner in some existing health efforts in NY.

We’re looking forward to a great weekend with these organizations. If you’re in NY, please check out the Web sites we linked to above to find out how you can join us!

The sweepstakes to WIN 2 tickets, thanks to Southwest Airlines®, to New Orleans and the full Bayou Classic experience are in full swing! This is how we’ll pass the million pound mark and keep marching our way to the big goal of 50 million pounds. You can win a package for two people that includes:

• Airfare,
• Hotel,
• Tickets to the game,
• Tickets to the battle of the bands competition,
• Spending money, and much more! 

Here’s what you need to do between September 13, 2007 and October 31, 2007 to have a chance to win one of our travel packages:

• Update your profile regularly – every time you update your progress by entering your weight into your Personal Weight Tracker on the site, you will receive ONE entry into the sweepstakes (limit one per day).  Check in every day of the sweepstakes duration and you can have up to 49 entries!!  Not only does that increase your chances to win, but your Challenge commitment will be top of mind and you'll be making the Challenge a good habit!

Another way to win the trip package:

• Invite all of your family, friends, and co-workers to join The Challenge – every person who joins from your referral (through the ’Tell a Friend’ feature), grants you ONE entry into the sweepstakes. There's no limit to how many friends you can get signed up or how many entries you can have in the sweepstakes.  Remember, the more people you get to sign up through the link, the greater your chance of winning one of the 2 trip packages. Get out your address book and spread the word.  It could by your ticket to the Bayou.  And it doesn’t cost you or your friends anything to join.  Remember, it’s all FREE!!

Check out more of the details in the ‘Win as You Lose’ section of the homepage.

New York City has more active Challenge participants than any other city or town in the nation. And, after this weekend, they have even more!

We had a remarkable and different experience in NYC than in other areas. This stop was different because we didn’t host a full-blown Challenge event; and remarkable because awareness of The Challenge spread throughout “the greatest city in the world”.  

We had an excellent time joining and encouraging the Circle of Sisters, Abyssinian Baptist Church and the Central Harlem Health Revival in their efforts to help the people of NYC make healthier decisions.  

Steve Harvey, Shirley Strawberry, Freddie Jackson and Biz Markie joined Dr. Ian in bringing the life altering message of The Challenge to the Circle of Sisters. Councilman Comrie shared a compelling personal story highlighting why he taking The Challenge seriously. As a matter of fact, he created and is leading a Challenge Team for citizens under his provision to make healthy lifestyle decisions throughout Queens. 

The Challenge also joined up with the 2^nd annual Central Harlem Health Revival to raise awareness and take action for healthier lifestyles in the heart of Black America—Harlem, NY.

Keep up the fight NYC and thank you for a fantastic weekend!

Welcome a couple more Challenge participants!

Freddie Jackson soothes the crowd

 
Councilman Comrie invites Circle of Sisters to join his Challenge Team

Shirley Strawberry and Steve Harvey sharing their Challenge stories  

Part of The 50 Million Pound Challenge is getting more churches involved.  To that end, I had the pleasure of visiting and speaking at Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City.  It was a Sunday I will not forget.  Rev. Bernadine Ladson was the guest speaker at 9 AM morning service. She took to the pulpit with authority and grace only God can provide.