DION Andrews has heard the challenge from his Local Government election rivals to lose weight and has proudly joined the Tweed Daily News Kick the Kilos campaign.

The Bilambil General Store owner said in the past he had been too exhausted to exercise after working from 6am to 9pm but he was stepping up in the countdown to the Tweed Shire Council election on October 29.

Mr Andrews is keen to jump on his treadmill at every opportunity in a bid to beat his fellow candidates in the weight loss race.

Mr Andrews admits being mortified when he checked his starting weight on Wednesday when he signed up to the Tweed Daily News Kick the Kilos App.

"I'm more overweight than I should be. I'm only a short guy, I'm embarrassed to say 95.6kg was the number on the scale,” he said.

Mr Andrews said fellow candidate James Owen (Liberals) had at a recent Meet the Candidates function challenged him to lose 10kgs.

Mr Andrews is well on his way to that target, having lost 5kg in the past week which has earned the approval of his children, aged 10 and eight, who he said "love seeing me on the treadmill”.

"Since I've started walking I've knocked off just over five kilos but I must stress I'm changing my eating habits as well,” Mr Andrews said.

"It's all about the busy lifestyle for me, I'm trying to pre-plan, if I can.

"It's a lot easier to grab junk food than have some fruit and have it cut up for the day.”

Customers should be wary when they walk into Mr Andrews' store because he's eager to enlist "fit and actives” to join him in his Kick the Kilos mission.

"Not only am I joining in Kick the Kilos I'm also trying to get my customers involved,” Mr Andrews said.

"I see people walking past here every day, the area does have to get a lot healthier, it's just a fact of life.”

More in the Saturday paper.