The Sycamore Public Library is helping residents lose their unwanted weight with a health program.

Mission SlimPossible is a free, public weight-loss support group created by the Sycamore Public Library, 103 E. State St. The group’s first meeting was Tuesday, and it saw a turnout of about 40 people despite ice and snow.

The program is designed to encourage and bolster confidence in those seeking to improve their bodies. Fitness consultants will help with activity and recipe ideas as well as goal-setting.

“Last year, when I first got hired, we looked at the trends in the reading habits of people,” said Jesse Butz, head of adult services for the library. “One of the No. 1 reading trends is health, fitness, wellness and diet books, so what I did was identify those and then design programs around them to focus on what people wanted.”

Tuesday’s meeting was orientation and weigh-in night. Residents who opted-in were privately weighed to set a beginning weight for the three-month program.

Participants will be weighed in at the last meeting in May, and the person with the highest percentage of weight lost will win a Kindle Fire HD.

“I needed motivation to get myself in gear,” said Jelmir Atkins, assistant to the dean of engineering. “I think when you’re around people, you have someone to answer to.”

Mission SlimPossible will meet the third Tuesday of every month until the final weigh-in May 6. Each meeting will consist of discussions in which participants can air their grievances and their successes.

“This time of year is when people are looking to lose weight, and obviously there’s a lot of people out there that need help doing that, so I like to offer my services to help people find ways to make it easier to do so,” said Kate Olson, registered and licensed dietitian and certified diabetes educator.

Participants are not required to attend every meeting, and an online discussion board will be set up on the Sycamore Public Library’s website, www.sycamorelibrary.org, for those who wish to participate remotely.