Verde Valley Medical Center and the Cottonwood Recreation Center have joined forces to help promote health, exercise and weight loss in 2012. Lookin’ Good Cottonwood is a weight-loss competition designed to promote healthy lifestyle choices, weight loss and exercise. Participants must register before Jan. 6.

The competition begins with the first weigh-in Wednesday, Jan. 11 and ends with the final weigh-in on Wednesday, April 25. Weigh-ins will be weekly throughout the competition. The cost to participate in the competition is just $15 for Cottonwood Recreation Center members and $30 for non-members. Participants must be 18 or older to enter.

Prizes are awarded each week to the person with the greatest percentage of weight loss for that week. The male and female with the greatest overall percentage of weight-loss at the end of the competition will each win $2,000. Additionally, the prizes will include runner-up prizes, group prizes and a couple’s prize.

To help encourage, motivate and educate participants, the program includes free weekly seminars with physicians and other professionals; exercise, cooking and fitness classes; and outdoor exercise opportunities.

Participants must register before Jan. 6. Registration must be done in person at the Cottonwood Recreation Center, 150 S. 6th Street, Cottonwood. For more information, contact Heather Klomparens, Cottonwood Recreation Center, at 928 639-3200 ext. 3210 or by e-mail at hklomparens@cottonwoodaz.gov.

To learn more about the programs and services offered at Verde Valley Medical Center, visit VerdeValleyMedicalCenter.com.