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March 7, 2005

ULM Kinesiology Department Placed in Top Five of Lighten Up Louisiana Competition

The University of Louisiana at Monroe Kinesiology Department stands still for no one, as is apparent after their Use It and Lose It team placed in the top five for accumulated activity in the statewide, five month long Lighten Up Louisiana competition.

Lighten Up Louisiana received its inspiration from a similar event in Iowa designed to increase physical fitness through a widespread competition involving physical activity and healthy eating habits. Lighten Up Louisiana originally targeted elementary school children for the activity but broadened its scope to include adults in the 2004 competition, which ended on January 31, 2005.

The contest recognized two separate categories: weight loss due to a healthy diet with physical exercise and accumulated activity in the form of miles.

And considering they are all about studying the anatomy, physiology and mechanics of body movement, one could hardly be surprised that the Kinesiology Department team did well acquiring that 7, 106 mile collection.

The ULM Use It and Lose It team, comprised of faculty team members Dr. Mark Doherty, Dean Luke Thomas, Dr. Wilson Campbell, Mrs. Tommie Church, Dr. Chris Washam, Dr. Kendall Honea, Dr. Lisa Colvin and three Kinesiology graduate assistants Eric Lewis, Alex Kain and Ashley Roberts, began tracking their miles based on a variety of activities-everything from walking to swimming to vacuuming-on August 30, 2004.

"Our team had as its initial goal to be one of the teams that would 'make it' to the governor's mansion," Dr. Lisa Colvin, Professor of Kinesiology, said. "After seeing how many teams were enrolled in the program, we knew that the goal was going to be difficult to achieve, but we would try our best. For the majority of the competition, we stayed in the top ten but during the Christmas holidays is when we ascended in the rankings to our final finishing spot."

On February 16, 2005, the ULM Use It and Lose It team ventured to the Governor's Mansion for a special recognition party and reception after placing fourth in the accumulated activity category.

"The competition was really between the team members," Colvin said. "We pushed one another for five months and had an absolute ball participating. We will be the state champions next year."

More information on the Lighten Up Louisiana program may be found at http://www.lightenuplouisiana.org.
Call Dr. Colvin at 342-1324 for more information on ULM's results.

By Sara Palazzo
Palazzo@ulm.edu

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