Our nation is expanding, or should I say our nation’s waistlines are expanding. It’s a sad story. The figures are staggering, the death toll of Americans who are dying of preventable obesity related illnesses and is close to 400,000 a year. 400,000 people a year are dying because of what they are eating and the fact that they aren’t moving their bodies. Our bodies were designed to move, keeping them still and sedentary goes against nature itself! According to the Center for Disease Controls statistics of 2005 25.4 % of U.S. adults 20 years and up were obese. Not just overweight but obese. This number is a big increase over the 1997 figures which show the obesity level of the Americans to be at 19.4%. And the problem is just getting bigger…. No put intended. There are an estimated 93 million people in the U.S. who are obese and this number is expected to rise over the next few years to reach a possible 120 million people.
When it comes down to it, only about 30% of obesity is related to genetics and around 70% is related to nutritional choices and behavioral choices when it comes to physical activity.
The trick is to Get moving. If you enjoy walking or exercising start with small sessions of around ten minutes and increase from there. You can even think of starting to get more activity in your day by doing things like gardening, cleaning around the house, taking the kids out for a walk, yard work, washing the car. Whatever you do get moving, your life literally may depend on it! Whatever you do, do it with your whole heart, if llooking for equipment an elliptical machine is a great idea for people new to exercise and the pros. If we fight this battle against obesity with our whole hearts and we can win.
Diana Chaloux is Fitness Model, an ACE/AFAA Certified Personal Trainer and a WBFF Figure World Champion.
She provides one on one personal training in Kansas City, MO as well as online training, nutrition and life coaching weight loss programs available worldwide via the Hitch Fit program with Micah LaCerte (www.hitchfit.com ) . For information on how you can work with Diana as your trainer please visit www.dianachaloux.com or email to diana@dianachaloux.com
