By Dan Bayliss
runningman21@hotmail.com
I was walking through the hospital the other day and noticed how many people were using the elevator instead of the stairs. Granted, the hospital is not a place where fitness experts roam the halls, and many people there are not able to use the stairs. However, I saw a UPS man (someone whom I would guess would not have problems ambulating) take the elevator from the first floor to the second floor. I see this as a trend across America, where two out of every three people you see on the streets will be overweight or obese, and one out of four people you see don’t do any leisure-time physical activity at all. Experts agree that being overweight has many medical, social and psychological detriments, and has been shown to have severe consequences on the national budget as well. Every year, more than $2 billion (not million) is spent on related medical fees and worker’s compensation, or lost in slowed workplace productivity. Get up and move.
As an exercise professional, I am responsible for educating the public on being more physically active and the benefits of exercise. Unfortunately, most Americans do not exercise, even as they realize just how daunting the costs of being overweight are. Most people can do more physical activity, they just choose not to. Common excuses for a lack of exercise include: not having enough time, intervening family issues, and the cost of joining the gym. In addition, people often say they get enough exercise at home, or that exercise is not necessary. Most people struggle with being physically active, but the truth is you don’t have to run a marathon, cycle the Tour de France or be an elite athlete to exercise. People need to understand that physical activity and exercise should be as common in someone’s day as brushing your teeth and checking your e-mail. Yes, it takes time—but it also makes time by extending your life. Get up and move.
I believe that exercise has gotten a bad reputation— many people have a negative mindset when it comes exercise, but they really shouldn’t. A healthy lifestyle includes exercising most days a week for 30-60 minutes, as well as eating right, but it doesn’t have to be a chore. You can break this time up into smaller segments to help accommodate your daily activities. If time is your enemy, then readjust your schedule. Instead of sitting in front of the TV at night, go walk the dogs, or get up earlier and go for a stroll in the morning. Exercise should be tailored to something you enjoy doing: running, cycling, swimming, walking, aerobics, yoga—whatever you genuinely like to do. Exercise should not be viewed as a chore, but as an elixer that produces more health benefits than any single pill ever could. Resources on exercise and physical activity are all over the place; exercise specialists are there to help, so track them down and use them as resources.
The bottom line is that we Americans—who inhabit the richest country in the world, yet one of the least fit—need to become more physically active, and healthier in general. Don’t blame your parents for being obese, and simply accept that you’re going to be obese, as well. Change your exercise and eating lifestyles now and change your family history. Take the stairs instead of the elevator; park your car farther out in the parking lot when you go shopping. Be a healthy role model for your kids and your neighborhood, while also taking care of yourself. People need to know that living a sedentary lifestyle is a recipe for serious medical problems later in life. More importantly, realize that you actually have a choice in what happens to you physically. Make that choice for a better lifestyle. You’ll thank yourself later.
Dan Bayliss is an exercise physiologist for UVA Renal Services as well as a personal trainer for UVA Rec Services.