By James Ragland

When I saw that Dallas recently was ranked as the Third-Fattest City in America, I started to dream big.

My theory: If every last one of us takes this seriously and maybe eats just one extra slice of pizza before bed or another doughnut in the morning, there's no reason we can't be No. 1.

Think of the huge marketing potential: "Big D - The city with little room for improvement, much less anything else."

The slogan may need some work.

But I even came up with a new cheer: "We're fat, we know it, and we've got the scales to show it!"

Hold on.

There's one little problem: Dallas Mayor Laura Miller doesn't want her city to be crowned the undisputed heavyweight champion of America.

She wants us to concede the elastic belt to Detroit, which came in No. 1 this year on Men's Fitness magazine's dubious list. (Houston squeezed in at No. 2.)

"The mayor wants Dallas to lighten up," said her chief of staff, Crayton Webb.

Hence the Lighten-Up Big D campaign that Ms. Miller is trotting out today. At 10 a.m., the mayor and several other bigwigs will gather at the downtown corner of Young and Houston streets to run or walk the 11/2-mile span over the Houston Street Viaduct.

That happens to be the route I take to Oak Cliff to eat Tex-Mex. Mr. Webb assured me the do-gooders should be gone by lunch.

Anyway, the mayor is shutting down traffic on the street near my office for a good cause. She's launching a citywide fitness initiative aimed at getting all of us to lead healthier lives.

I know what you skeptics are thinking: City Hall just wants us to live longer so we can keep paying taxes. Forever.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I should point out that none other than Gov. Rick Perry himself has challenged Texans to lose weight. The whole state's getting a fat reputation.

The mayor, an avid runner trying to stay one step ahead of the competition, is enlisting dozens of area companies and organizations to join her fitness crusade. "Actually, after the men's magazine ranking came out," said Mr. Webb, "companies started calling us and asking, 'What can we do to help?'"

So they devised a contest, the details of which will be revealed today, to reward companies and organizations that get their employees to start exercising more. The American Heart Association and Baylor Health Care System also are involved.

"We sent out 120 letters," said Mr. Webb, adding that responses still were trickling in to the mayor's office.

Turns out my own bosses got a letter.

Thanks a lot, mayor. There goes my extra beef burrito for lunch.

"This is more than just about eating," Mr. Webb said. "This is about changing your lifestyle. The mayor's emphasis is on fitness."

My only problem is I wish the mayor had taken her message a step further. Let's really lighten up. Let's exercise - and have fun!

Dallas has always seemed too uptight to me, and that may be why we're pigging out.

"I agree," said Lyria Howland, who runs Howland Public Relations. "I don't think the people who live here" take advantage of the city's many offerings.

Well, except for the all-you-can-eat spreads.

"Right now, when it's springtime, this is when we ought to be enjoying it," Ms. Howland said. "And you've got to include exercise in that."

Lisa LeMaster, head of The LeMaster Group communications firm, said Dallas could afford to loosen its top button.

"I do think we could have more of a fun image," she said. "Six Flags isn't in Dallas. And I don't think people think of Dallas as a place to kick up your heels."

Maybe if we captured the Fattest City title, people would know we're serious about having fun?

"No. 3 is bad enough," Mr. Webb said. "The last thing we want to do is get to the No. 1 spot. This is not a distinction we're proud of."

Dude, lighten up.

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