Will you volunteer for the 4th annual Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge?

Now entering its fourth year, the Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge is asking for the next set of contestants.

These participants will set measurable health goals, track them over six months, accept support from mentors and fellow participants, learn from a nutrition coach and share the journey’s wins and losses with the produce industry all along the way.

The challenge culminates with a grand-prize drawing at next year's Texas International Produce Association’s Viva Fresh Expo, according to a news release.

Video and podcast: What 'clean eating' means to one participant in Viva Fresh's Clean Eating Challenge

Spots are limited, and chosen participants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a member of the produce industry.
• Be able to express what is driving them to compete in the challenge.
• Be willing to share progress online up to the reveal at the Viva Fresh Keynote in March 2023.
• Show willingness to commit to the six-month challenge.
• Commit to engaging with their mentors and peer groups on a weekly basis for the duration of the program.

Those interested in joining the challenge can apply here by August 15.

All chosen participants will receive mentorship and nutrition coaching, and if they continue to meet the criteria throughout the challenge, they will also be eligible to win a grand prize. In 2022, the prize was a Tonal smart home gym, sponsored by Catania Worldwide and awarded at the Viva Fresh Expo through a random drawing. In the past, it was a Peloton bike and one-year membership.

“As a former personal trainer with a lifelong love for fitness and health, I couldn’t be prouder for our company to align ourselves with the Clean Eating Challenge,” Matt Catania, vice president of Sales at Catania Worldwide, said in the release.

The third challenge had eleven participants who tried to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their daily routines. bonus, participants have lost more than 1,000 pounds in the three years of the challenge and have enjoyed even more positive side effects.

Note: The challenge is not a diet or a weight loss competition. It is the start of a new way of life with a focus on personal wellness by asking participants to adopt a healthier lifestyle that includes eating fruits and vegetables and moving more. It is simply a catalyst for people to make meaningful, long-term changes.

Related: Why these produce leaders prioritized their health

“What TIPA offers through the challenge is the opportunity to regain control. This isn’t necessarily about weight loss, though it can be,” Clean Eating Challenge Committee Chairperson and Director of Marketing at FullTilt Marketing Jen Velasquez said in the release. “This is about taking control over what we put into our bodies, control over our health and control over making healthy decisions, such as eating more fruits and vegetables. This is ultimately what our industry is asking the world to do, so who better to set an example than us?”

In 2022, participants:

• Were more active; one participant reported more than 2.23 million steps, equaling over 1,005 miles.
• Incorporated many more servings of fruits and vegetables, the main pillar of the challenge.
• In certain cases, decreased their blood pressure numbers by more than 20 points.
• Returned to healthy cholesterol ranges.
• Improved their sleep.
• Lost more than 360 pounds and hundreds of inches.

Industry members can apply for this year’s challenge now, which will kick off in September and end at the next Viva Fresh Expo, which will be April 1, in Dallas.

“I lost 20 pounds during the challenge, but I gained so much more — confidence, friendship, better-quality sleep and ultimately the passion to keep making healthy changes and support others trying to do the same,” Elephant House PR Founder and CEO Beth Keeton said in the release. She was the 2022 grand prize drawing winner. “Winning the Tonal home gym was a surprise blessing that I’m excited to use as I continue my health journey. I’m so grateful to Catania for sponsoring the giveaway, along with all other sponsors that invested in our health.”

The Clean Eating Challenge is also a Viva Fresh Expo sponsorship opportunity. Those interested in becoming sponsors can contact Hector Garza for more information. For more information on the Clean Eating Challenge, visit http://vivacleaneating.com/.