The 5-Step Weight-Loss Plan That Helped One Town Lose 7,961 Pounds

5 simple steps to help you lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle.

All around the town of New Ulm, Minnesota, people are posting lower weights, getting more exercise and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure thanks to the Heart of New Ulm (HONU) Project. HONU is a 10-year effort with the outrageous goal of eliminating heart attacks and persuading the people to drastically reduce their weight. Among the program participants, 981 people have lost a collective 7,961 pounds and very preliminary results show a 24 percent reduction in heart attacks after 15 months of the project. (Read the full story here.)

To help citizens get a jump-start, HONU created the Take Five! Community Health Challenge. Here we’ve highlighted the 5 key elements so you can get healthier at home.

—Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D., Nutrition Editor

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