The Family and Consumer Sciences agent with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service in Perry County organized a 12 week Couch Potato Challenge due to requests from several clientele requesting a challenge that would give them incentive to increase physical activity by having to log daily steps and have scheduled check-ins to see how they compared to other participants.  Participants only met face to face three times: start-up, midway, and wrap-up. There was a registration fee which went into a pot that was split three ways at the end of the challenge: most steps, most weight lost, and most inches lost. The twelve-week Couch Potato Challenge was very successful. Participants walked a total of 5,681,593 steps which translated to over 2,273 miles!  Not only did participants increase physical activity but also lost a total of 8 pounds as well as a total of 19 inches.  Participants reported that this challenge was the incentive they needed to get started toward  a lifetime of healthy life-style changes.  Participants were encouraged to continued doing what worked for them and that another challenge would be offered in the new year. 

The spring challenge was also very successful but the participants had several health issues - which required hospitalization - which prevented them from walking as much as they had planned. Despite health problems and the winter weather, participants walked nearly 3,000,000 steps or around 1500 miles.  All participants felt better physically and reported more energy and stamina after the challenge.