‘Loser’ wins in Summerlin Shape-Up

Alisa Millich, a Summerlin resident since 1997 and busy mother of three, is one of Summerlin's biggest losers, in that she weighs 22 pounds less than she did on January 20 when she enrolled in The Great Summerlin Shape-Up, the first-ever community-wide fitness initiative in the master-planned community.

"Of course, I really feel like a big winner," she said. The 22-pound loss resulted in Milich dropping two dress sizes in three months. "Thanks to this program, I finally got the motivation to get fit and I am on track to stay that way."

Millich is one of nearly 100 residents who signed on to the three-month program designed to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle for Summerlin residents.

Organized by the Summerlin Council, the nonprofit arm of the Summerlin Community Association dedicated to community enrichment, the program included four and eight-week weigh-ins, as well as lectures on health, nutrition and fitness offered by specialists at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center, along with twice-weekly walks and a variety of fitness classes.

"I was tired of being tired," Millich said of her decision to enroll in the program. "The Great Summerlin Shape-Up kept me focused and accountable with the monthly weigh-ins," she said. "I cut my calorie intake significantly, took advantage of the organized weekly walks and relied on my friends and family for support."

Millich, who is living in her second Summerlin home since moving to the community 10 years ago, said the program was one of a number of reasons why she loves living in the community. "Only in Summerlin would you find such a well organized and timely program as this. It ranks right up there with all the things I love about Summerlin living, including the parks, trails, schools and shopping centers. With never-ending trails and parks, there's no excuse to not get out and walk and move around in Summerlin."

According to Lezlie Barnson-DeNardin, director of community relations for The Summerlin Council, the program brought together residents with a common interest in fitness and weight loss. "We are pleased that so many residents had such a positive experience, and we are already planning how we can make it even better next year," Barnson-DeNardin said.

Summerlin Hospital Medical Center and General Growth Properties partnered with The Summerlin Council to sponsor the program. Summerlin Hospital provided medical personnel to advise residents in setting weight loss goals and hosted lectures on fitness and health for program participants.

General Growth Properties provided two $500 gift cards that were awarded via random drawing for all participants who met or exceeded their weight loss goal. The cards are good at Fashion Show, Meadows Mall, The Boulevard Mall and The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian.

Developed by The Howard Hughes Corp., an affiliate of General Growth Properties Inc., the master-planned community began to take shape in 1990. By 1992, it ranked as the country's best-selling master-planned community, a distinction it held for a decade.

The 22,500-acre community is located along the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley. It features an unparalleled number of amenities and is home to more than 95,000 residents. With as many as 7,500 acres still to develop, including its urban core, Summerlin Centre, the master plan is home to more than 100 neighborhood and village parks, more than 150 completed miles of the Summerlin Trail System, 19 public and private schools, houses of worship, shopping, medical and cultural facilities; in addition to business parks and more than 60 model homes.

Homes are available in a variety of styles -- from single-family to townhomes, condominiums and lofts -- priced from the high $100,000s to more than $1 million. Custom home sites in The Ridges are priced from the $500,000s. Luxury apartment homes offer monthly rents starting from the low $1,000s.

For more information on Summerlin, call 791-4500 or visit summerlin.com.