Statistics show that in almost every state in the United States the population is getting fatter. This is attributed to many factors; fast food, more meals in restaurants something related to working more hours with working mothers and fathers. This leads to less time to exercise and a higher calorie intake.
People of all ages, but especially young people, spend more time indoors with computers and less time outdoors in physical activities. Children no longer walk to school, they are all bussed or taken to school. Worse yet, they are taken to the bus stop, even if it is at the end of their driveway! With all these statistics on the population getting heavier and less healthy, you’d think there would be more content online showing people how to exercise more.
A lot of work could be done to get people to eat healthily, or eat less, to stop the supersize craze, but in reality people would be healthier no matter what they ate if they got the right amount of exercise. I have to be honest, I get bored of going to a gym and lifting weights, running down a small track, or using machines that do reps and share the sweat with a group of strangers. This also costs money for memberships and it takes some effort to plan to go to the gym and keep track of it. Private gyms seem to be crowded when I want to go, and inexpensive municipal facilities are few and far between.
I admit I could be in better shape myself, my long work hours and a longer commute to and from work than I would like to be time consuming than I could (should) exercise. So how can you motivate people to exercise more? With the high costs of health care and overweight population growth projections further driving health care, it would be one thing for the government to be promoting ways for people to exercise.
Funding for things like rails and trails from the government is abysmal. This is where the tax dollars should go instead of paying raises to politicians when no one else receives them, premium healthcare and golden parachutes for minimal time in office. Taxes should pay for things that benefit society. There is a rail trail in Hamburg, Michigan that was paved in the last few years. People are using it and it is a huge benefit to the area. The problem is, it ends abruptly at Pinckney Michigan back on unimproved dirt and loose gravel, which isn’t even good for mountain bikes. Only riders seem to benefit from the loose gravel trail. This trail, if improved and paved up to Stockbridge Mi, would make it a true resource for year-round recreation and exercise. State and local governments very shortsighted about where to spend the meager tax dollars. There is a fantastic rail-to-trail system in Midland Michigan if you want to see a long paved trail. Unfortunately this is far from being a large population center like the Hamburg area near Detroit.
Searching online, I found very little information linking health, exercise, and most importantly, fun ways to exercise. There is virtually no content linking biking, kayaking, rollerblading, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating to health and weight loss. With the current health crisis, I find this lack of content very strange.
There are many more sports than the ones I mentioned above that could be included. Many of the ones I listed can be started by people who are overweight, out of shape, or older, and it’s fun to do. It’s not like dragging yourself to the gym, they get people active and many times the activities don’t feel like exercise. Calories can be burned without feeling like torture or a lot of work.
Kayaking, for example, is an open sport for many people with walking disabilities. If you’ve lost the ability to walk but still have upper-body ability, you can kayak and exercise, having fun without being slowed down by disability. Certified instructors are available to show disabled people how to safely kayak. Ann Arbor Michigan along the Huron River has been offering these types of clinics through local rowing groups. The Great Lakes Paddlers website is one of many resources for finding classes in the water or in the pool.
With anything, it takes a bit of effort to start something new. To kayak, it took me a little while to get comfortable sitting in one place for extended periods of time, but once I got used to it, I don’t even think about it now. A comfortable seat and the right kayak are important. Don’t give up on a try or a kayak. Riding a bike has to get used to being in the seat, again the right bike and seat are important. My butt needs a couple of trips every year to get used to the seat. The benefits of riding a bike at a good pace are great. You need to exert yourself a little on a bike to get your heart rate up. I found that a one-hour bike ride several times a week does wonders for my weight and mental outlook; A secondary benefit of exercise is that it makes you feel better mentally and eliminates stress. I went through a couple of divorces riding my bike.
The bottom line is to get out there and do something. Get off the couch, away from sports TV and computer games. Your body will thank you. You may find that you do not go to the doctor as much and that you call all the time to report that you are sick. If you say you’re sick, it’ll be kayaking, biking, or skiing on a perfect day (but don’t tell your boss if you’re not lucky enough to be self-employed). More companies should support “health days off” to exercise, it benefits them too. Just go out today.