Let's Get Moving

Well...with no football on until August (the Pro-Bowl doesn't count), I was having a relaxing day in front of the TV (got my training out of the way this morning...whew) and a program about obesity in America came on the Discovery Health Network this afternoon. I find these shows extremely educational. In any case, there was a very interesting statistic that was presented by one of the medical professionals. American's have nominally increased their daily caloric consumption (approximately 100-200 calories) since 1960; however, our daily caloric burn rate (caused by exercise and simply moving) has gotten radically worse. Our daily caloric expenditure is now 700-800 calories less than it was in 1960. In terms of weight gain (fat gain) this is staggering. In one week an average American can gain 1/2 to 1 pound! This is unacceptable! It not only causes health related problems for the individual (Type 2 diabetes, cardiac disease, cancer, chronic joint pain, sleeping disorders, etc), but it is one of the leading causes of insurance increases. An article that I recently came across stated that obese adults incur annual medical expenditures that are $395 (36 percent) higher than those of normal weight incur (Ronald Sturm, “The Effects of Obesity, Smoking, and Drinking on Medical Problems and Costs,” Health Affairs-Mar/Apr 2002: 245–253).

As my first blog stated...as fitness professionals we have to stop passing the buck! This obestiy epidemic is our problem and is not going to just go away...and I, for one, am not going to sit on my hands and watch the crisis unfold. "If we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem." I look forward to being part of your fitness education and challenge you to reach farther, dream bigger, and believe in yourself.