My case for exercise.

There are times in our lifetime that we intuitively sense our need for change. Our bodies are talking to us. We are tired. We are overweight. We’re not as ambitious as we once were. Yet we don’t make any changes, any real, lifelong, lasting changes. As we walk along, comfortably numb, we can look anywhere to see it everywhere: Americans are fat.

This is one crisis that is just getting worse. Recent numbers posted by the National Center for Health Statistics show that more than 34 percent of Americans are obese, in addition to the 32 percent who are overweight. Yes, there are more obese Americans than just the overweight Americans.

Youfa Wang, MD, PhD, assistant professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Department of International Health says, “Obesity is a public health crisis. If the rate of obesity and overweight continues at this pace, by 2015, 75 percent of adults… will be overweight or obese.”

This should be a clear call that the time for change is now. This is a crisis that affects every single one of us, directly or indirectly. It might be you that needs change, or it might be your mom that is one double-fat burger away from a trip to ER. The alarm is going off people. Americans are fatter now than they’ve ever been.

People are just getting fat either, they’re getting sick. The U.S. Department’s Office of the Surgeon General warns us that being overweight leads to a large number of frightening health consequences. Perhaps many of the Americans didn’t get the memo. We’re talking premature death, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, reproductive complications and even depression.
If that isn’t enough, there’s always the social, academic, and job discrimination.

When is enough enough? I say now.

We can do something about this, today.

We need to do something about this today. Otherwise, for many people, tomorrow just might not come.

The answer to the end of this obesity epidemic is increased exercise and awareness.

I have spent the past couple years researching the best methods for fat loss and weight control. I have studied different health styles and diets for athletes, diabetics, and even examined Hollywood’s latest 3-day Miracle Insert Diet Name Here Diet. Despite the ever-changing fads and diets and the billions of dollars spent on diet aides, one thing remains constant: the need for exercise.

I am proposing to you today to join me as we make a new start. Embark on a new journey.

This goal is achievable and transformative and requires only thirty minutes a day. If you can walk just 30 minutes a day, you’re on your way! Drs. Oz and Roizen are best-selling authors that stress the importance of exercising 30 minutes a day, claiming it’s just as vital as a night’s rest.

Of course, people have many excuses to not being able to devote to daily exercise.

For those that don’t have the time, take the stairs at work. Squeeze in a few 10 minutes walks instead of one 30-minute walk. Park farther away everywhere you go.

There are those that say exercise is boring, change up your routine. If you hate running, don’t do it! Find something that suits you.

There are those that simply lack motivation. Make a pact with yourself to just do a warm-up exercise to start. If after ten minutes you still don’t feel like exercise, you can quit. Majority of the time though, you WILL keep going.

You know that thump-thump sound that your heart makes while you’re exercising? That’s your heart applauding you. We need to exercise it. You body knows it. Get your brain out of your body’s way.

Staying motivated isn’t easy. Set goals, make it fun, and make it a priority. Perhaps you need to rethink your rituals. Family movie nights are always fun, but family night at the park might be much more fun. And of course, the rewards are always great.
Many added perks come from regular exercise. It improves your mood, manages weight, promotes better sleep, and even sparks up the sex life. For some of you, I might have the magic word. And speaking of sex, that counts for exercise too!

Remember, the goal is to have fun!

Your mind is a powerful thing. It can take you to success or failure, depending on your attitude.

We can do this! We need to change the inside to change the outside. I am asking each one of you to rise up to this important challenge. We need to do this now. If you don’t have the need to transform yourself, then please applaud the others as we aspire for a brighter future, for ourselves and for each other.

Let’s reclaim the healthy America that our forefathers (and mothers!) wanted us to have. Reclaim the body that YOU were meant to have.