Billed as a "Nutrition Challenge Rally" the third Fitness Challenge rally was held on April 5, 2008 at Community Development Recreation (CD-REC) on Bank Street. In this session, Jessica Williams, a nutritionist from the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program, challenged participants to a game of "Meal or No Meal" in which contestants had to guess the food that would complete a nutritious meal according to the new USDA food pyramid. As the guidelines specify, the first part of balanced nutrition begins with exercise, and Jessica led participants through a five-minute session of moves designed to activate their bodies. She then went through the six major food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits, oils, milk, meat & beans) and the favorite "discretionary" foods (pastry, candy, ice cream, etc.). Fitness Challenge participants were eligible to win prizes through drawings held throughout the Challenge. Click here for photos of the first Fitness Challenge Rally. Click here for photos of a nutrition seminar that Jessica offered at Bristol Community College. Contact Bill Daponte at 508-672-5671 or CD-REC Program Director Grace Gerling, 508-679-0922, for more information.

(Top row, left) Nutritionist Jessica Williams teaches the group about the new Food Pyramid and the difference between "GO!", "SLOW!", and "WHOA!" food choices. (Top row, right) She then encourages participants to get up from their seats and to get moving through a series of fun commands. (Middle row, left) Rose Maranville, Jamison Souza and Vicki Gosselin enjoy a good laugh during the "Meal or No Meal" game. (Middle row, right) Paul and Madeline Lacroix, Cecile Michno, Valrie Perry and Rose Maranville hold up their "suitcases", each with a different food in them. (Bottom row, left) Jessica answers Madeline's question about nutritional values of some foods. (Bottom row, center and right) Cecile, Vicki, Paul and Madeline pay close attention to the questions in the game after learning about the food pyramid.