Healthy competition

Community programs transform lives

The Rio Grande Valley kicked off its 15th year of The Challenge-RGV, a free community-wide campaign encouraging residents to “have fun and be healthy through a friendly competition.”

Lisa Mitchell Bennett, senior project manager for the UT Health Houston School of Public Health, helped in the creation of the campaign.

“It came out of our Collaborative Action Board … [with] representatives from across the RGV,” Bennett said.  

Initially centered on weight loss, it has expanded its focus to encourage physical activity, social engagement and balanced nutrition.

“Not only have people been successful in losing weight and in establishing healthy habits, it’s also been a way to bring the community together,” she said.

Bennett said they “want people to be active, to get outside, be social, to choose healthy food, to reduce their portion sizes and eat more fruits and vegetables.”

“What we don’t want is for people to do diets and extreme weight loss.”

Despite the challenges of higher rates of obesity in the RGV, Bennett said that the issue is not solely due to lack of effort or willpower.

“We … have some real challenges with poverty and … some history of social justice issues that have impacted the RGV,” she said. “And that has played out in the health [of the community]. … A lot of people also don’t have access to health care.”

Bennett said obesity can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension and fatty liver disease.

Laura L. Cerda, benefits and wellness manager for the City of Edinburg, said she and her husband decided to make their health a priority.

“Before that, we were extremely overweight,” Cerda said. “We have children, and it was hard to keep up with them.”

Cerda began her personal health journey by participating in It’s Time Texas, a health and wellness initiative that offers virtual programs with 513 Edinburg residents registered this year.

“[Being overweight] finally took a toll on us, physically, mentally so we decided … we’re going to jump in and change our lives,” she said.

After losing 57 pounds, an illness led to the incidental find of a kidney tumor, ultimately diagnosed as cancer.

“I got the call … and I was terrified,” Cerda said. “It’s true what people say, it’s like your life flashes before your eyes.”

Despite the emotional toll on her family, Cerda was grateful for the crucial role her primary doctor played and the importance of her weight loss journey.

“We don’t know if this tumor would have been detected … had I not lost the weight,” she said.

Sandra Y. Alaniz, the 2024 health and wellness committee chair for The Challenge-RGV, said about 275 people were registered.

The Challenge-RGV offers free access to gyms, exercise classes, health screenings, cooking classes and outdoor fitness opportunities for participants.

“This gives our participants a way to test all the different [wellness options] out there,” Alaniz said. “And then hopefully at the end, they’ll decide which one fits them or suits them best.”

Alaniz, who is also the market director of ambulatory growth for South Texas Health System, encourages participants to form teams and support systems throughout the journey.

 “I think that’s important, to reach out to friends and family and ask them for some encouragement,” Alaniz said.

The Challenge-RGV kicked off on Jan. 20, including Edinburg for the first time, with weigh-ins and opening ceremonies.

Alaniz said participants underwent blood pressure checks, weight measurements and body composition analysis, receiving the results via-email as a baseline for the challenge.

“At the end, we’ll do it again,” she said. “And that way, you will be able to compare much more than just simply your weight.”

As of press time The Challenge-RGV registration is closed, but residents can still join It’s Time Texas for its eight-week challenge.

Cerda told The Rider, “anybody that wants to take their health to the next level … I think [It’s Time Texas] is a great start to jump in and get your feet wet.”

She developed a structured plan involving daily reports on activities, including park visits, healthy meals and physical exercises.

“It really did help that the whole family committed to it, that I had my husband’s support and my childrens support,” Cerda said.

Post-cancer survival, she has maintained a commitment to physical activity by participating in 5Ks with her husband and father.

“My dad … crosses the finish line with me every single time,” she said. “My husband will usually finish and then he runs back and catches up to me, and encourages me to finish strong.”