This call goes out to those who want to sweat.

Physique 4 Life Fitness of Temecula is challenging Murrieta and Temecula residents in a weight-loss challenge. Much like the popular reality television show "The Biggest Loser," participants will compete on teams and individually to lose the highest percentage of body fat.

But organizers are taking this competition one step further and pitting the two cities against each other.

"There's just kind of that rivalry between Murrieta and Temecula," said Josh Hubby, a co-owner of the fitness center and organizer behind the challenge. "They're neighboring cities, they're about the same size, so it's kind of about who is better."

Rather, it's about who has the most weight to burn off. Or who most wants to win $10,000 and a year of free fitness training.

Registration for the contest costs $39. From the total number of registrants, trainers from the gym will select 18 candidates from each city -- nine women and nine men. Also, residents from each city can enter a fundraising drive to benefit two charities, Michelle's Place, a breast cancer support center in Murrieta, and Thessalonika Family Services, a nonprofit organization that serves abused children in Wine Country, with the top two fundraisers from each city also receiving a seat on a team.

After the selection process is complete, the teams will get to sweating. For 12 weeks, each team will work to shed the pounds.

Their sessions with their trainers will be posted online so residents can follow the training at home.

Those who participate from home can also enter the contest at the end of the 12 weeks to win $1,000 and a year of fitness training.

Vicki Bong, a trainer who will work with one of the teams, said weight loss will be tackled with cardio-aerobic exercise, weight training and in-depth looks at nutrition.

"We're going to make them weigh in every week to keep them accountable," Bong said. "They'll have to e-mail me their food log every night because, at the end of the day, it's all about the calories."

Hubby said the ideal candidates will be people who could stand to lose between 50 and 150 pounds, and who have received permission from their doctors to enter a weight-loss competition. Hubby said he expects contestants who push themselves could lose more than three pounds a week, and expects that many will lose between 35 and 70 pounds throughout the course of the contest.

But many of them, Hubby guessed, will likely be forced to face the tougher issues that caused them to gain so much weight in the first place, such as food addictions or emotional eating.

"That's going to be tough," he said. "But when you're ready to make a change, you'll do anything.

"There's not going to be room for people saying 'I don't want people seeing me do jumping jacks,'" Hubby continued. "I don't care if you're crying, I don't care what it is -- I'm here to change your life."

And Bong said she anticipates that the 12 weeks will be more of a launching platform.

"Once people get a taste of what thin feels like, they usually continue" on that path, Bong said. "Which is what we hope for them."

Participants will be weighed each week, and the person who has lost the lowest percentage of body fat from each team will be eliminated.

At the end of the 12 weeks, eight people on each team will be left standing. The overall winner will be named at a closing ceremony. That winner will receive $10,000 and a year's worth of free fitness training. And the city with the residents who lost the highest combined body fat percentage will be named the winning city.

Another fitness challenge is also planned to kick off this month. Registration for Temecula's Biggest Weight Loser challenge begins Jan. 13. In that competition, money charged for registration will be paid out as prizes for the winners. Call (888) 282-8177.

Contact staff writer Nelsy Rodriguez at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2626, or nrodriguez@californian.com.

Valley's Biggest Loser

- What: Physique 4 Life Fitness will hold two informational meetings on Tuesday and Jan. 23.

- Info: www.ValleysBiggestLoser.com.