Operation Fitness
By Michael Torchia

"SHAPE UP AMERICA"

Would you send your child out into a blizzard dressed in shorts and a t-shirt? Would you let them play unsupervised along a stretch of beach with a dangerous undertow, or climb trees during a thunderstorm? Of course not, you know better. You know there are certain basic things you have to do to protect your family and ensure their health.

Now, let’s imagine that you pick up your morning newspaper and the front-page headline warns of a dangerous epidemic that is sweeping the country. As you read the article, it becomes clear that you and your family are at risk of infection. Under the circumstances, it’s fair to say that you would consider the facts and rush into action. You’d call your doctor and find out about immunizations for your children, you’d make sure you understood the disease and its symptoms—how to detect it and how to treat it. You’d research the disease and find out what’s being done to fight it, and what you can do to reduce the risk to your family. When facing a genuine threat, taking action isn’t alarmist behavior, its common sense.

And yet, despite our love for our families and our desire to protect them, many of us are ignoring common sense every day. We are continually putting our lives and those of our loved ones in danger. In the face of daily news reports and the seemingly endless piles of mounting evidence, the majority of us are choosing to ignore a dangerous epidemic that is chiseling away at the health, livelihood and happiness of our nation. This is the epidemic of obesity and the specter of Metabolic Syndrome X. Metabolic Syndrome-X (MSX) is a condition which weakens immune systems and makes people much more susceptible to type-2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and other crippling lifestyle diseases.

There needs to be a cultural shift to occur on a family-by-family basis. The obesity revolution will not be televised, but it will happen in the living room. No matter what laws are passed or what studies are published, no matter what fitness tips your children learn at school, if they return to an unhealthy household, they will never achieve the true level of health that they’re capable of and that they deserve. People need fitness and nutrition programs that families from all walks of life can easily implement.

I realize life for many of today’s families is incredibly busy, stressful and complex. Getting in shape is usually an afterthought. People need to ease healthy life choices into their family’s everyday routine.

A habit is something we do without thinking. That’s why so many Americans today are overweight and out of shape. Studies have shown us that 90% of our normal behavior is based on our habits. That means how we treat people, how we spend our money, what we watch on TV, what we listen to and what we eat. 90% of the time we are on autopilot. It takes about 21 days to develop a good or bad habit. So if you need to create a healthy lifestyle, you need to identify your bad habits and then start to make these changes. It’s easy not to go to the gym and eat anything you want, but you can become a slave to these habits. It will be uncomfortable and a struggle to change, at times, but you will become a healthier and happier person.

Our government's health organizations need to focus on educating people about the physical impact on the body whether it’s because of being a couch potato or a baby boomer trying to regain their vigor or to prevent the weekend warrior from getting injured. Often the mental aspect of exercise and healthy living is ignored and it takes its toll on one’s self-esteem, so the antidote to depression, lack of motivation and energy goes undiscovered. There should be no stress over what and how to eat. Starting on a fitness program doesn’t mean you have to spend 2 hours a day in the gym and weigh every morsel you eat. What people need is to understand the effects and the benefits of smart decision making when it comes to exercise, nutrition and thinking healthy. So... SHAPE UP AMERICA!

Send me your opinions at info@operationfitness.com