It's the 'Battle of the Flexes' as two teams gear up to take part in this year's '100-Day Challenge'.

On one side in the quest to shed those pounds is the West team, overseen by Olympic Club trainer Sharlene de Souza, and on the other, the East team, guided by Seaview Gym trainer Ross Cesar.

Fourteen volunteers are about to enter the lion's den of public criticism as they sign up to have their personal battle against the bulge played out on national television.

Each will have to endure a gruelling exercise regime, complete with boot camps, on top of resisting temptation in food and a weekly 'weigh-off' under the scrutiny of a panel of judges.

This year, the Challenge will also feature a reality TV-style elimination process, based on weight loss, attitude and punctuality.

Expect the judges to pull no punches as one contestant from each team is booted off the Challenge at the second and third weigh-in sessions.

And if the 'American Idol'-style eliminations weren't bad enough, the participants also have 'Big Brother' watching them, in the form of a satellite GPS programme. Each has been given a BlackBerry with a GPS programme developed by M3 Wireless, which will enable their trainers to monitor exactly who is sticking to their exercise regime.

It not only tracks how far, but where they are walking/running and how long it takes them.

Ms de Souza and Mr. Cesar are to develop an individual exercise programme for each competitor and will also hold group workout sessions. This year the two teams will also have to face assault course challenges.

They will compete against each other on time on the Bermuda Police Service, Bermuda Fire Service and Bermuda Regiment assault courses, with the winning team going on to face the Police, firefighters or soldiers.

Challenge organiser Sarah Fellows said: "This year we have face-offs with the Police, Fire Service and Regiment. It's going to be a lot of fun."

She said the volunteers will also have to face boot camps on Saturday mornings and circuit training on Monday and Wednesday nights.

"They also have to go to the gym four times a week, so will be doing 15 hours of activity each week. The trainers will assist them with their training but are also there to counsel them on diet."

There are several reasons why Belcario Thomas, captain of the East team, wants to lose weight.

"I thought it was a good idea, to stop the slippery slope of a sedentary lifestyle," said Mr. Thomas.

"You can easily get into a rut of being unhealthy and so I am adopting a more holistic approach to take better care of myself."

Mr. Thomas, the Unite promoter, said: "Just going out to events on a regular basis, putting them on and being in the nightlife scene, can keep you up until 3 a.m. and so then you don't eat breakfast until noon. Also, getting drinks from friends, you start packing the weight on."

However, the 33-year-old really started piling on the pounds following the death of his mother, Clara, from breast cancer in 2007.

"When my mum died it was such a blow, I was depressed for a year or so," he said. "My father died about three years ago and so I'm relatively young to lose both parents.

"I started eating comfort foods, wanting food as comfort rather than for fuel, and started being less active."

For every pound he now loses on the '100-Day Challenge' Mr. Thomas says he will donate the 'reward' money to cancer charities. He aims to lose 30 to 40 lbs.

"I also want to drop the pounds to be a proper volleyball player," he said, explaining that sometimes playing for his Unite side, he can't jump above the net to 'spike' the ball.

Mr. Thomas, of Smiths, said: "I'm excited, I think it's going to be a lot of fun."

Competitor Anthony Pitcher, 43, of Somerset, said he wants to lose 60 lbs.

Mr. Pitcher, who works in computer servicing, said: "This is all about lifestyle change. The personal trainers will be giving us workouts, we'll be working with them five days a week, and there's also a weekly challenge together as a group.

"It's better as a team because we will have to stay together and work together to get some things completed. It means you get moral support from each other."

Sherri Simmons, 39, of St. George's, who works for the Coalition for the Protection of Children, said: "It's a great atmosphere, I'm looking forward to it.

"I turn 40 this year and so thought 'let's get healthy for the big 40'. I would be happy losing 20 lbs, but would just like to get more endurance, so I can run up the stairs without getting winded."

The 'Live Healthy Bermuda 100-Day Challenge' was launched last year through the Bermuda Diabetes Association, Lindo's supermarket, Aspen Insurance, the Department of Health, and Quaker Oats. It was the first programme to be initiated outside of the US by 'Live Healthy America', a non-profit organisation from Iowa.

'The Bermuda 100-Day Challenge' will be broadcast each week on ZBM from January 26 at 8 p.m. On the last Monday of each month there will also be a special 'weigh-in' show. The '100 Day Challenge' is sponsored by M3 Wireless, BF&M, Lindo's and Capital G.