TV film crew marks progress of city mayor's diet campaign

By Sharon Dowell

Published: August 27, 2008

Enthusiastic losers in Mayor Mick Cornett's "This City Is Going on a Diet” challenge gathered this week at Nonna's Euro-American Ristorante and Bar to hear the mayor update how the program is progressing eight months after it was launched.

He told a standing-room-only crowd of 80 at Nonna's monthly Lunch-N-Learn program that the challenge has created a dialogue about obesity in our city, and that 23,000 people have signed up to participate in the challenge on the Web site (www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.com). Those participants have documented the loss of 139,000 pounds to date, though the mayor believes many more pounds have been shed but not documented.

"What I sense is we're in the midst of a cultural change” in Oklahoma City, Cornett said about the success of his challenge. The mayor said he has lost about 40 pounds and is now at his correct weight.

Guests dined on modest portions of a watermelon and yellow tomato gazpacho, spinach salad with grilled chicken and white balsamic vinaigrette and a summer fruit sorbet. Nonna's owner, Avis Scaramucci, showcased some of her locally grown produce for the event's menu.

Several participants in the mayor's weight-loss challenge attended the luncheon and were being filmed by a field director for New York-based Al Roker Productions, which has chronicled their weight loss effort as part of a series that will air on the Food Network later this year.

Doug and Dee Harrison and their sons, Matthew, 11, and Nick, 9, were present to meet the mayor and to document on film how they've changed their lifestyles and adopted healthier lifestyles.

Dee Harrison said the family is opting for healthier ingredients, making wiser food choices and shopping the local farmers markets. They even asked the mayor to post more healthful recipes on the official challenge Web site.

"This is great what the mayor is doing,” Dee Harrison said. "And he's going through it, too, and doing exactly what we're doing: losing weight. I've been so proud of our mayor.”

Matt Johns, 25, said after the luncheon he's been cooking healthful meals for his friends, eating correct portion sizes and watching his caloric intake since beginning the mayor's weight-loss challenge two months ago.

Linda Wood of Moore said she has lost some weight and now goes to the gym twice a week with her husband, Dick.

Chanda Davenport of Edmond said she has lost 55 pounds since January and is doing a cardio workout five days a week. "I have 45 pounds to go,” she said.

Lavone Foster, a single mom of three, said she stays busy with a full-time job and full-time school and has lost 39 pounds of her 56-pound weight-loss goal on the mayor's challenge.

"We go to the park, and while the kids play, I walk around the trails.”

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