Get Moving and Have Fun
MORE AND MORE we are seeing reports of the growing problem of obesity as it relates to disease. Researchers have determined that it is a health problem, and approximately 280,000 adult deaths in the United States each year are related to obesity.
While it has been scientifically determined that obesity is much more than a cosmetic problem, it has also been proven that, for most people, it is easily controlled through a combination of diet and exercise. While the word diet scares some people, in this case it simply means a well-balanced combination of foods, and a number of calories per day best determined in consultation with a physician.
That last part is true for an exercise program as well. If you have finally really decided to do something about a sedentary lifestyle, the first step is to talk to your doctor about the level of exercise in which you should participate. It’s not as hard as it seems.
A 1999 report from then-Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicated that the United States has led the world in understanding and promoting the benefits of physical activity for decades, going back to the 1950s, when the U.S. launched the first national effort to encourage young Americans to be physically active. Two decades later, in the 1970s, there was a national effort to educate Americans about the cardiovascular benefits of vigorous activity, such as running and playing basketball. And in the 1980s and 1990s, U.S. scientists made breakthrough findings about the health benefits of moderate-intensity activities, such as walking, gardening, and dancing.
By the mid-1990s, research was indicating that people of all ages can improve the quality of their lives through a lifelong practice of moderate physical activity.The 1999 federal report suggested that it was not necessary to train for marathons to derive real health benefits from physical activity. A regular, preferably daily regimen of at least 30-45 minutes of brisk walking, bicycling, or even working around the house or yard reduces the risks of developing coronary heart disease, hypertension, colon cancer, and diabetes. If that is your current exercise regimen, the report suggests increasing the intensity or duration of the activity.
The report indicated that at the time, 60 percent of Americans are not regularly active. Worse yet, 25 percent of Americans are not active at all. For young people, physical activity declines dramatically during adolescence. The report referred to these as dangerous trends, and apparently all indications are that things have only gotten worse.
The 1999 report relates three important findings about physical activity. First, people who are usually inactive can improve their health and well-being by becoming even moderately active on a regular basis. Second, physical activity need not be strenuous to achieve health benefits. Finally, greater health benefits can be achieved by increasing the amount (duration, frequency, or intensity) of physical activity.
Researchers agree that there are wide and varied benefits to physical activity. Regular physical activity that is performed on most days of the week reduces the risk of developing or dying from some of the leading causes of illness and death in the United States, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. It also reduces feelings of depression and anxiety and builds and maintains healthy bones, muscles and joints.
Given the health concerns, doctors have become more proactive in encouraging their patients to become more physically active. It doesn’t require a membership in the local fitness center to achieve some of these goals. One of the best ways to achieve the moderate amount of exercise suggested at the start is walking.
With the heat, humidity and afternoon showers we are experiencing daily in the Florida summer, think about taking that walk in the air conditioned mall. It may not be as strenuous as the outdoor walk, but it will help. For some people, a 20-minute walk may not be an option. You may have to build up to that, or there may be medical reasons why walking will not work. Swimming is a great alternative, and if that doesn’t work, walking in water may be useful.
There are other simple things that occur in daily life. Take the parking spot farthest away from the store you are going to, instead of the one that is closest. Take the stairs when you can, instead of the elevator. When you are carrying grocery bags in from the car, take one at a time, so you have to make more trips.
In fact, make it a game – especially with children. Try to come up with ideas that make your family take a few extra steps each day. In the long run – or walk – you’ll be glad you did. G