Walking 90,000 miles to the half-way point of the 100 Day Challenge is only going to get participants so far.

With another 50 days to go, organisers have given them another test — 100,000 more miles traipsed up and down the Island.

That's because the Live Healthy Bermuda initiative sponsored by the Bermuda Diabetes Association, Lindo's Supermarkets, Aspen Insurance, the Department of Health and Quaker Oats, is about changing a lifestyle.

The programme, which is the first to be started by Live Healthy America, a nonprofit organisation based in Iowa, outside of the United States, focuses not on weight loss, but healthy choices. That means putting down the ice-cream and putting on the sneakers and organisers yesterday said they were amazed at what had already been accomplished.

Terry Faulkenberry of Aspen Insurance, said: "Exceeding our expectation is the number of people who signed up. We wanted 250 people.

"It was going to be our pilot programme this year." Sarah Burrows, of the Bermuda Diabetes Association, said the organisation had seen a real change in people's attitudes and diabetics have started getting off their medications.

She said: "I think that the weight we have lost even the raising of our activity is remarkable. Many people even say, I haven't lost any weight, but I am making better food choices. I am doing more physical activity."

Weight changes may not happen, because the fat can turn to muscle, which is always heavier. In any case, said Ms. Burrows, the Challenge is not about weight loss but a lifestyle change.

Giorgio Zanol, of Lindo's, said: "It was a good idea at the time, but I never thought more than 250 people would sign up. When I heard of 2,000 I thought, wow.

"The important thing is that they keep going after the 100 days."

Since the first night where almost 500 people attended and 163 weighed-in at 32,198.5 pounds, 13,542 pounds of fat and the largest person to weigh-in was 490 pounds, the numbers of participants has grown exponentially as has the amount of exercise.

The result — a loss of nearly one shipping container in weight, 5,000 pounds, for more than 2,500 participants. That means 23,000 hours of activity logged, which is the equivalent of walking 90,000 miles.

In order to keep this level of activity and healthy eating going, Dr. Kathy Kulcher a nutrition and health consultant said people need to start thinking beyond the 100 Days.

Dr. Kulcher said: "There's a huge need for this in Bermuda and I like the fact that it's not a quick fix. Those short ones raise their expectations that they do something quickly and get results.

"It takes about 21 days to change a habit. So towards this later part of the programme they need to start thinking about the changes they've made.

"How do they feel now? Set weekly challenges and set a goal of say finishing a 5km walk next month."

Setting a goal of walking four km this Sunday is more than 895 people who have signed-up for the Lindo's to Lindo's walk. It's an increase that the organisers attribute to the 100 Day Challenge.

Mr. Faulkenberry, however, also wanted to stress that those who missed the first 50 days are still welcome to sign-up and they can at www.livehealthybermuda.org.