In a standing room only session, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett shared the story of his successful "This City is Going on a Diet!" campaign. Cornett has garnered national and international attention for his leadership in creating an effective model for addressing America’s obesity epidemic.
"This City is Going On A Diet" is a challenge created by Cornett to the citizens of Oklahoma City to lose one million pounds. The initiative provides citizens an impetus to lose weight and an opportunity to do so within a support system. Participants can sign up on a website and track their individual as well as the city’s collective weight loss. Cornett says the website is central to the program and notes that it provides a clearinghouse of local weight loss information—however, it is clear that even more central than the website, is the stewardship of Cornett who has acted as a spokesperson, motivator and coach to his community.
How does he do it? During the session, Cornett stressed the importance of demonstrating empathy, not judgment, when working to help people lose weight. The mayor, who has lost 42 pounds since April of 2007, has a unique perspective on what it takes to take of the pounds.
To date on Mayor Mike Cornett's "This City Is Going On a Diet!" plan Oklahoma City residents have lost a total of 118,387 LBS!
