Kaiser Permanente Southern California recently announced plans to pilot FitOrbit's online and mobile fitness training services to selected members who are trying to lose weight. KP Southern California serves some 3 million residents but the pilot is open to members who are 29 to 45 years old, 25 or more pounds overweight, and have regular Internet access at home or work.

FitOrbit offers a "dedicated, online, certified personal trainer" who provides each participant with a personalized daily workout and nutrition plan that is designed to prevent obesity and other preventable diseases. The pilot also includes access to FitOrbit's iPhone app which extends much of the online coaching functionalities to the smartphone -- plus it is free to FitOrbit subscribers. FitOrbit launched the app launched last September.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," FitOrbit founder Jake Steinfeld said in a release (Same Jake as Body By Jake). "Getting people to lose weight and get in shape is the best way to prevent many health issues in the first place."

During the pilot, participants will receive 13 weeks of FitOrbit and one-on-one personal training and meal planning with their FitOrbit personal trainer. FitOrbit's trainers also promise "unlimited access and support" and to provide motivation. Here's where the mobile app might come in handy: "Participants will log their daily fitness activities, including what they actually ate for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, and what exercises they accomplished. FitOrbit personal trainers monitor and track participant activity logging to provide time-sensitive fitness guidance and workout and meal plan modifications to accommodate any challenges that arise during the week."

For more, read the release here