MADISON, Wis. -- A unique partnership between a local health club and Second Harvest Foodbank is allowing people to lose weight while also helping feed the hungry.

Kelly Mulqueen started 2010 in the gym. She said she made the decision after seeing a new program at the west side Princeton Club called the Million Pound Challenge.

"I went online, looked it up, saw what it was about, and just like everyone else's New Year's resolutions I want to lose weight, so why not do it for a good cause too?" Mulqueen said.

The Million Pound Challenge started Friday. It's a pledge by the Princeton Club to donate 10 pounds of food to Second Harvest Foodbank for every pound that people plan to lose.

"People in southern Wisconsin, they have hearts that want to give. They want to help and when they hear about something that's a win-win for everybody, there's no catch to this -- you lose the weight, we're going to buy the food," said Dave Gary, of the Princeton Club.

The challenge is for anyone who wants to sign up online -- not just for members of the health club.

And Second Harvest said it comes at an opportune time.

"We're very appreciative of the generosity that we've seen displayed throughout the year, but this is unprecedented, to have a million pounds in one source. So we're very pleased, and it's done over five months so I want to stress that it truly is a win-win," said Dan Stein, of Second Harvest.

Some participants said it feels good to stretch their resolution from just losing weight into helping others.

"I feel pretty good. I feel like it's my charity work for the month, at least because I have no extra change right now to give to a charity, so I might as well sign up for this," Mulqueen said.

The program runs from now until May, and the Princeton Club said that already residents have pledged more than 120,000 pounds of food.

Anyone can sign up, and there's no obligation to sign up for a health club membership. People can sign up individually or in teams at PrincetonClub.net.