Charities Will Reap Rewards Of Miles Of Smiles Health Challenge

Online, June 23, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Charities will be the big winners in the Miles of Smiles Charity Challenge, an 8-week, team-based health and wellness incentive challenge organized by Tustin-based health education company With-U (Wellness In Total Health University).

Miles of Smiles participants will compete on 4- to 6-person teams to achieve assigned exercise and nutrition goals tailored to individual fitness levels. Each team will designate a 501c3 non-profit organization to receive 25 percent of team registration fees. Miles of Smiles team members will receive a weekly online newsletter containing informative articles on health and wellness, guidance and advice from With-U's team of health and fitness professionals, and will have access to With-U's proprietary online health education and goal tracking system. Teams who complete at least 80 percent of assigned exercise and nutrition goals will have an opportunity win additional funds for their designated charitable organization.

In a new twist on the health challenge, the Miles of Smiles Charity Challenge will offer participants a chance to do good in their communities at the same time they work to improve their health, said With-U founder and CEO Lindsey Fernandez. "One of the reasons the challenges have been so successful is that most people don't want to let their teammates down, so they work harder to complete assignments and stick to healthy behaviors than they might if they were not accountable to others," Fernandez says. "With the Miles of Smiles Challenge, people have an added incentive to succeed in order to help the causes and organizations that are important to them."

Registration for the Miles of Smiles Charity Challenge will be open through July 10, when the 8-week challenge begins. Registration cost is $40 per person. The first Miles of Smiles weigh-in will be held Saturday, July 10. For more information about Miles of Smiles and other 2010 With-U Challenges, visit http://www.withu.org/public/wellnesschallenge/thechallenges.html. Or register today at http://www.WithU.org.

With-U health and wellness challenges are held quarterly throughout the year. The company has awarded some $6,000 in prizes and other incentives this year. Challenge participants have lost a cumulative total of nearly 1,300 pounds and successfully completed a cumulative total of nearly 17,000 healthy behavior goals.

With-U specializes in employee and student wellness programs for businesses and educational institutions utilizing its proprietary online POG (Plan Of Goals) system. For more information about the With-U Miles of Smiles Challenge and other upcoming health challenges, visit http://www.WithU.org.