Use it or lose it!

Who can forget that song from the 1980s about nobody walking in LA? It turns out that apparently many took it seriously. People just don’t walk that much these days … let alone biking, swimming, or engaging in other forms of movement that are good for the body. America has become a society of driving cars, writing, watching TV, playing video games, surfing the Internet, taking elevators, and eating fast food. Is it any wonder we’re fighting a veritable obesity epidemic, when pressing buttons on the TV remote, clicking the mouse, and handing money to the fast food clerk is the scope of our “exercise”?

Researchers, again, have recently underscored the seriousness of the problem that this lack of activity is presenting for the collective health of our nation. According to an October 2005 press release issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health, a recent study of the Framingham heart shows that ” [Americans] could become even more overweight and obese in the coming decades “and that” if the trend continues, our country will continue to face substantial health problems related to being overweight. “In response to these findings, National Heart, Lung , and Blood Institute Director Elizabeth G. Nabel, MD boils down to this: “Taking simple steps to make sure the total amount of calories you eat does not exceed the amount you burn can play an important role in reducing your risk of many chronic conditions. How do you do this? You guessed it … exercise!

Even with knowledge of the study findings and other health news events, it apparently goes in one ear and out the other. People continue down the same unhealthy path despite medical warnings about inactivity. The study’s principal investigator and Boston University professor of medicine, Dr. Ramachandran Vasan, cited a litany of dramatic, life-altering conditions that can be experienced from lack of activity. Even with the threat of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and osteoarthritis, most of us still don’t move off the couch unless absolutely necessary.

For those who really want to be more active, it is true that putting that desire into action can be difficult. In today’s fast-paced society, many of us can’t find time to sit down as a family for dinner, let alone get in the car and drive to and from the gym. Even with the best of intentions, many of those with home gym equipment end up using the devices as racks (very expensive). With enough stuff piled on it and shielding it from view, they might not feel guilty when they pass it on the way from the couch to the refrigerator to the bed.

Others who have time to hit the gym may feel intimidated by all the strange equipment. Some are uncomfortable next to the cute girl in spandex who looks like she doesn’t even belong in the gym, not to mention the burly guy who growls in front of the mirror as his biceps seem to be about to explode. And while some can afford to hire a personal trainer, many must venture into this uncharted territory on their own. This can lead to ineffective workouts, a lack of serial motivation, or worse, injury. Shortly after any of these events, the enthusiasm falls naturally and it is only your credit or debit card that is working out as the gym continues to charge, whether you show up or not.

On the positive side (sort of), the rise in gas prices has gotten some people moving a bit more. Recent news reports indicate that more people are cycling to work and, yes, even walking! So if medical advice isn’t motivation enough, perhaps a dent in our collective pockets is enough to put America on its feet.

At the end of the day, it’s all about making time to do something you want, to do that NEED. Even a minimal amount of time and effort can make a real difference compared to no body movement. In this case, something is better than nothing.

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