The 50 Million Pound Weight lOSS Challenge Tops 375,000 Lbs

Fourteen weeks into its 14-city U.S. tour, 173,143 people have joined at 50millionpounds.com, losing 377,790 total pounds.

Vowing to "give up the pounds, not the fight," Dr. Ian Smith-physician, author of the NY Times #1 best-seller Extreme Fat Smash Diet and VH1 Celebrity Fit Club expert-has created The 50 Million Pound Challenge. Supported by a host of African-American leaders and sponsored by State Farm, The Challenge is coming to Atlanta on July 21 for a free special event of fitness & fun to help people take control of their health and take up the fight against weight-related illnesses. On pace as one of the most far-reaching initiatives of its kind, The Challenge is an historic campaign & commitment by the African-American community to rally people across the U.S. to get fit & lose weight -- and ultimately live longer, look & feel great.

A star-studded cast will be at Centennial Olympic Park from 12-4 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday, July 21 for a free afternoon of live music, fitness & fun expected to draw thousands. Joining Dr. Ian Smith are American Music Award-winning R&B singer/ songwriter Keith Sweat, Grammy-nominated R&B star Omarion, hip-hop/soul star singing group Jagged Edge, rapper Bone Crusher, Atlanta Falcons Tight End Alge Crumpler, national radio host Steve Harvey and renowned DJ Biz Markie. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment, get free health screenings, learn more about the initiative and its free fitness tips & tools, sign up online, and join Dr. Ian on a Challenge walk. They can also get free eshots photos, which they can keep as "before" shots to show their progress "after" reaching their personal weight-loss goals -- and motivate them to keep the weight off.

The Challenge aims to reach its ambitious goal by making it easier for millions of people to get fit, lose weight and turn back the deadly toll of weight-related diseases that threaten half of all Americans. Each week 10,000 people die from illnesses related to inactivity and diet. For 135 million Americans and 2/3rds of U.S. adults who are overweight -- double the rate a few decades ago -- people's lifestyle choices have become a matter of life and death. The African-American community has been particularly hard hit, losing too many loved ones to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and related illnesses. Among African Americans, 80% of women and 67% of men face increased risk of deadly illnesses from excess weight.

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