Not many people get to start a life-altering decision with a nationally televised kickoff and a celebrity support system. But on Friday, more than 400 men and women from Meridian and the surrounding area did just that during a special filming of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in downtown Meridian.

The popular TV talk show host joined her personal trainer Bob Greene as they kicked off their national fitness initiative, Best Life Challenge, before an estimated crowd of 4,000 assembled at Dumont Plaza.

"We're really happy to be here," said Winfrey, who, immediately upon her appearance, prompted several minutes of yells and screams from the enthusiastic audience.

"I'm happy that my state of Mississippi (the comment prompted another rash of yells from the audience) is going to turn the tide with our fat behinds," she said. "We are going to get off our fat butts and turn our lives around. We are tired of being fat. And we are tired of all the excuses we have made for being fat."

Winfrey then made the affirmation, "No more excuses! This is your year! This is your year!" Meridian was chosen as the city for the kickoff of Oprah’s and Bob’s 'Best Life Tour' because of the community’s push toward weight loss and fitness through the "Just Lose It, Meridian" campaign. Winfrey's researchers learned about the weight-loss initiative while compiling statistics on obesity for the talk show.

During the search, it was noted that Mississippi was the fattest state in the nation and Winfrey, a Mississippi native, wondered if anyone was trying to tackle this issue. The show's researches discovered the "Just Lose It, Meridian" campaign on the Internet and contacted local officials about filming in Meridian.

"I want to give the mayor (John Robert Smith) a shout out because he tried to get 1,000 people to sign up last year to lose weight," Winfrey said. "The mayor saw where the state was headed and said he wanted to do something to turn it around. When we saw that here is a city that has actually made the effort to say, 'We want to turn the statistics of our state around because we want people to live longer and to be healthier in this community,' we saw that and said, 'Let's go to Meridian.'"

Winfrey admitted that she, like many others, has had struggles, particularly with her weight.

"The only difference is that mine is in the public," she said.

Winfrey said she is no longer trying to take care of her health to get into a pair of jeans or waiting on the next event in her life.

"This is about changing your life forever; this is it for me," she said. "And I want it to be it for you – ending the struggle forever. Taking control of your life, of your health. You want to be around to see your children, and your children's children. You want to be able to live your best life."

Greene described the Best Life Challenge as a lifestyle, not a crash diet.

"This is about making changes that are ingrained from childhood, which is one of the toughest things to do," Greene said.

The initiative – which is the same plan followed by Winfrey – includes Greene's phased approach to changing eating and exercise habits. It also features daily and weekly meal plans based on the individual's lifestyle and preferences, an extensive online Best Life Approved Recipe Database, an online video library featuring a suite of "how-to" exercise demonstrations, as well as related diet and nutrition clips and weekly newsletters and tips from Greene.

The Best Life Challenge Tour will continue in upcoming weeks in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, New York and other locales.

"We're going to hit the whole country – and it started here in Meridian," Greene said.

"One in three people in Mississippi is fat," Winfrey said. "But when the nation sees what Meridian can do, it will be a shining example for other people all over the world."

Winfrey said she does not know if she and Greene will return to Meridian to see the results of those who have signed the contract. However, they will monitor them and have regular contact with them.