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Buzzword of the Twenty First Century: Obesity

By Bonnie Murphy

Every time you open a newspaper or magazine these days you read about obesity. What’s happening to our society? What’s causing this epidemic? Why are young people becoming obese?

Today’s life does not initiate movement. We have remote garage door openers, we have remotes for our TV’s and Radios, and we all drive or ride a bus to our destinations. How long has it been since you’ve been in a car that you actually used a crank to open and close a window?

There are hand held games now that kids play rather than going outside and playing hide-n-go-seek or “kick the can”. Our neighborhoods have become unsafe to ride bikes, play games or go for walks so consequently kids are staying inside and watching TV, surfing the internet, playing interactive games, and talking on cell phones. I’ve even experienced kids and moms in a grocery store calling each other on their cell to find out where each other are, rather than combing the isles searching! How lazy is that?

Our schools have taken out the physical education classes saying that they are a waste of time and the same people that removed those classes installed the junk food and soda machines.

Some parents have spent gobs of money trying to keep their kids active and involved and to them I say congratulations....but what about the single moms that can’t afford to pay for extra curricular physical education classes? What happens to her kids?

I couldn’t believe it when I read that the city had created a task force to find out what was causing the obesity epidemic. Why didn’t they just use their heads or call me? Now, the committee has decided that the junk food and soda has to go. All I can say to that is; DUH?

Our bodies were made for movement. If they don’t move they get sluggish and rundown and store fat easily. Just looking at our school kids we can pick out the “movers” from the “sitters”!!

There is hope. Don’t despair. Don’t give up! Let’s look at changing our perspective and our attitudes.

How about scheduling some fun outdoor activities this summer as a “family”? How about an all day hike with a “nutritious” picnic lunch? Remember family softball games? How about playing a game of catch in the back yard?

Our community is teaming with activities in the summer such as softball, soccer, community runs, even cleaning up the roadside is an event that the whole family can participate in. Some of these events are quite inexpensive and some don’t even require an entrance fee. Most of the walks that are sponsored by different groups give you the opportunity to participate by getting sponsors to support you and pay your entrance fee.

Make it a game to see how many steps each person takes during the day. You can get very inexpensive pedometers that measure that type of thing and competition is very healthy!!

Kids are mirrors of their parents, they follow examples very well. If a parent is active and involved in activities....the kids will follow suit!!!

Remember the adage “you are what you eat”? There is a perfect example of this in our society today!! If we could follow some kids and parents around for a day I think that we would find that the food choices that they make are from the brown and white world as opposed to the GREEN world. What I’m saying is that most people today eat easy, fast, processed foods which contain almost no nutritional value and are actually breaking the body down.

The way we can offset eating these convenient foods is with more exercise. Anchorage is blessed with wonderful bike trails and using it is a privilege. Make a date with your loved ones and walk a mile or two daily. As you get fitter and fitter you’ll want to go further....do it!!

A great way to get your kids involved in more activity is by using the stairs in your own house. Have your kids count how many steps it takes to get upstairs and then see if it’s the same number coming down. Then have them time themselves how long it takes to go up or down or both! Again, competition is great!! See if they can cut seconds off their time. You should join them, too!

If you live in an apartment....most of the time there are stairs; use them for the same purpose. There are great stairs off the bike trail. Lead by example.

Parents have to educate themselves and find out which foods honor their bodies and give them energy and then pass this valuable information along to their children.

Why do you think type II Diabetes is on the rise? Could it be from the food that is selected? I know that you can reverse this horrible disease by changing your diet and becoming more active. How hard a choice is that?

It’s really simple......to avoid obesity or to reverse it....all you have to do is change your diet. When you change your food choices you’ll have more energy and you will want to move your body. The combination of the right foods, water, and movement will get you to your ideal weight; rid you of your joint pain, increase your energy, and eliminate other health concerns.

About the Author:

Bonnie Murphy is certified through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She has been in Anchorage since 1968 and has been in the fitness business 27 years. In May of 2006 she was chosen as Fitness Ambassador to Alaska by the 50-Plus Lifelong Fitness organization.

Bonnie was recently interviewed by Rebecca Sheir of the AK show of APRN. Bonnie writes regularly for Alaska Wellness magazine, Alaska Women Speak, has written two e-books about exercise and aging, publishes a monthly e-newsletter, and has various fitness articles posted on the Web.


Website: www.bfitandwell.com
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