Photos by James Glover II / Star staff Lindsay Hedges, 3, of Thousand Oaks, laughs after trying on the clown nose she got at CircusFit, a national youth fitness program produced by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.

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Losing weight can be tough; fun and exciting aren't terms generally associated with dropping pounds and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The circus is trying to change that.

On Tuesday, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey introduced Ventura County to CircusFit, a national youth fitness program that emphasizes a healthy and fit lifestyle.

The circus came to The Lakes shopping center in Thousand Oaks to offer a complimentary workshop hosted by a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey clown performer.

Circus performers must maintain a high level of physical fitness so they can perform and, according to the program's Web site, are "ideal real-life' role models who can encourage young people to be active and fit."

Acrobats, clowns and high-wire and trapeze artists are being used to show children that getting in shape can be fun instead of work, said Andy Perez, West Coast public relations director for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the number of children listed as overweight has more than doubled in the past 20 years.

"We really wanted to address the issues of obesity and the reduction of gym programs in schools around the country so we created CircusFit," he said.

Thousand Oaks, and The Lakes, provided a natural fit for a workshop, Perez said.

"We love having fun anywhere we go," he said. "We really see The Lakes area and Ventura County as very family areas."

Dancer Alex Vargas says on the CircusFit Web site that being in good shape is necessary to do what she does. She uses crunches and push-ups. She stretches her legs with splits and warms up her ankles by rotating them.

"I must be able to dance for two hours each show so I have to exercise to build my endurance," Vargas said.

CircusFit offers a flexible program. This easygoing style helps educators, youth group leaders and parents ease into the program and helps suit varying group sizes, funding and schedule restraints. CircusFit lessons average around 20 minutes. Materials can be made from available supplies, including jump ropes and plastic drink bottles.

"We try to make the whole idea of physical fitness and nutrition as fun as possible, and I think we've achieved that," Perez said.

Although it is designed for children in the second through fifth grades, it can be used by children of all ages. The circus hired educators to study what they do and find ways to apply it to physical fitness.

The fitness event kicks off the show's presence in Southern California. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus premieres at Staples Center on July 18 and runs through July 22.

More information on CircusFit can be found at www.circusfit.com. The Web site offers more background information on CircusFit and features a scrapbook where people share their CircusFit experiences, send e-cards to friends and link to fun and games. Educators can go on the Web site and download lesson plans.

— On the Net:

http://www.ringling.com.