Fit: Thighs on the Prize

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SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINING a slimmer, more toned body that always engages in healthy habits might be enough to entice some people to overhaul their lives for the new year. But it never hurts to throw in a prize — or at least some free stuff — too. And sorry, kids! You have to be 18 or older to bag a grand prize in these four contests.

» NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE
A million smackeroos will go to two lucky adults who sign up for the free Discovery Health Channel's weight-loss extravaganza. You get an additional chance to win every time you update your activities and weight on the site. (The winner's not chosen by most weight lost, though — it's just random.) While trying to up your chances for the million, you'll, hopefully, linger on the site to get tips from health experts and peruse some of the 1,000 recipes. Everyone who enters gets a free
eight-week membership for Bally Total Fitness.

To kick off the program, celebratory events are being held across the country this weekend (including at Westfield Shoppingtown Montgomery, 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda). You can get weighed, have a body-fat analysis, chat with nutritionists or trainers, win prizes in a trivia contest and more. Just be sure to snag an appointment before hitting the mall.

» HEALTH & FITNESS EXPO
If the promises of a rock-climbing wall, a ski simulator, an indoor soccer field and Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2 don't inspire you to haul your bum to the D.C. Convention Center this weekend for NBC4's annual expo (Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), perhaps the chance to enter a sweepstakes for a trip for four to Universal Orlando will (find out the details at NBC4's Web site). But even if you don't get the grand prize, various exhibitors are making the trek worthwhile, offering chances to score free workout passes, bicycle helmets and pedometers. And then there's all the free info you can get from the cooking demonstrations and health screenings (for cholesterol, diabetes and more).

» ROCK THE SCALES
Members of Washington Sports Clubs (including ones who join by Jan. 31 and take advantage of the special $20.07 membership fee) can enter to win in this free music-themed promotion, which will reward certain participants with a trip to Vegas, a Pilates getaway in Toronto, a $2,000 shopping spree, exercise equipment and more. Winners aren't selected based on weight loss, just participation (find out more here). But it can't hurt to follow the fitness advice you'll get in weekly e-mails or the eight-week meal plan developed for the program.

» RIGHT WEIGH CHALLENGE
While stopping in to pick up a prescription or online, you can sign up for Rite Aid's free healthy living program that promises to help you lose up to 10 percent of your body weight in 10 weeks. You just have to drop in on live, online weight loss seminars, check out routines from Fitness Magazine and download RiteAid's Healthy Weight Guide. Plus, if participants update their data for each of the 10 weeks, they can win one of five grand prizes: their choice of a $500 Rite Aid gift card, a $500 Spa Finder gift card or a year's membership for Bally Total Fitness.