The sixteenth and final week of the Eighth Annual Greater Fall River Fitness Challenge  brought participants to the Fall River YMCA on May 2, 2015 for a workout led by Zumba Fitness Instructor Maria Machado. Chef Jessica Williams of Creating Healthy Solutions started off the session by asking participants to create a meal by choosing proteins, fats and fast and slow carbohydrates prior to her session on the topic that followed. Participants then went through an hour-long workout to Salsa music with Maria. Sponsored by Greater Fall River Re-creation, Partners for a Healthier Community, Saint Anne's Hospital, Southcoast Hospitals, the Challenge includes programs provided by All Generations Fitness, the Diabetes Association, Inc., Fitness Fusion, FitWorks, General Fitness. Greater Fall River Re-creation, TKO Fitness, and the Fall River YMCA. The Challenge offers low cost opportunities for those who live, work or attend school in the Greater Fall River Area. Click here for a 17-minute video of the Saturday event. Click here for a seven-minute  video of the Nutrition Demo intro with Jessica Williams. Click here for photos of the cooking/tasting demonstration that followed. Click here for photos of the fourteenth week of the Challenge. Call ReCreation at 508-679-0922 for more information or go to www.FallRiverFitnessChallenge.com. 

(Top row, left) The Southcoast Health mobile van is parked outside the Y so that Challenge participants can get their heart rate, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar checked at no cost for the second time during the Challenge. (Top two rows)  Chef Jessica Williams of Creating Healthy Solutions goes over how to create a meal using foods that contain proteins, fats and fast and slow carbohydrates prior to her session that followed the workout. (Row three) Zumba Fitness Instructor Maria Machado leads an hour-long session to Salsa music. (Row four) Participants, including Luisa Tavares, right, follow Maria's moves. (Row five) Terri Greenwood, left and center, keeps up with Maria as she goes through a variety of moves. (Bottom row) Participants finish the session with some stretches before receiving their door prize tickets for a free ticket to the Challenge Finale from Jessica Galzulis.