WAISTLINE EXPLOSION by Coach Jim Massaro.
Recently, my wife and I and another couple spent a Saturday evening taking in a high school play. Of course this was quite a contrast from what I usually spend my time doing. Usually when I am at a high school, the reason is sports. I don't know, maybe this is what they call getting in touch with your feminine side. One thing for sure was that the talent on stage was absolutely incredible. These kids could sing and dance-two things I can't do. But even though the play was the "Zombie Prom," the most frightening part of the evening wasn't the story but the total number of obese kids on stage.
What are we doing wrong? All of these kids have talent coaches. In the entertainment industry, it seems most of the time looks count more than talent, so why don't they advise them about the health/image issues?
Don't get me wrong. I'm not picking on just this group of kids. I see it at all levels on the athletic fields, in malls, and in school halls. Where should the finger be pointed? At the fast food restaurants? Parents working too many hours with no time for sit-down meals? Kids too lazy to work out?
By no means should we give the school system a free pass on this. How healthy are the school meals? Soda machines are in every cafeteria. All you need is a buck and you get one unhealthy drink. The biggest offender is the actual school curriculum. Gym classes are given only two to three times a week. These classes can consist of Ping-Pong, badminton, and archery. Why aren't we teaching calisthenics and other more physically challenging classes, like aerobics or kick boxing to get them to move more? Let's teach them to be active instead of slow and lazy. At this age, we as professionals should be instilling work habits that last a lifetime.
Kids are not the only problem here. Look at the adult population. There are more and more out of shape adults than ever before. This leaves me to believe in that old saying, "lead by example." No wonder there is such a problem with the younger generation. Let's stop putting all the blame on the fast food industry. Remember who drives the kids there. Adults have to go out and set a good example for the kids today. Start with a healthy lifestyle, good eating habits, exercising more often. One thing I am tired of hearing is, "I don't have any time." That's the biggest lame excuse in the world. Let's do some simple math; there are 168 hours in a week. For argument's sake I have broken the week-and the hours needed for each activity-into 5 categories
That gives us a grand total of 141 accountable hours. Subtract that from your 168 total hours per week that leaves 27 unaccountable hours. In those 27 hours we can't find 5 hours per week to exercise? But in the grand picture it's not just about exercise; it's about setting an example that shows that you will make time to do something about your health no matter how busy you are. We as adults have the ability to make a lasting impression on the young. Why not make it a good one.
As I stated before, no one gets a free pass on this issue. The fitness field and its professionals are also letting us down. Look at what's on the market today-everything to make workouts sound simple: the 8-minute abs workouts; fat blockers; carb blockers; bun blasters; thigh burners; celebrity endorsements on everything out there. People are making millions of dollars, and as a society we are getting fatter. The hard fact is that in order to get in shape you must work hard. There isn't any quick fix. You must be disciplined in your nutritional habits and exercise routine. You must be motivated to realize that you are in this for the long haul. There must be a lifestyle change. In order to sell a ton of products, advertisers will tell you that all you need is a short period of time each day to work out, such as 8 minutes. Well, it doesn't work. The hard truth is that you need to dedicate a lot more time to achieve a healthy lifestyle. It is a 24 hour, 7 days a week effort. You need to make conscious decisions every day on your food intake and exercise plan. You must find ways to diversify your plans so you can keep it fresh. It is a lifestyle change that you are making, so it must be adapted to what you can handle and enjoy at the same time.
To live a healthy lifestyle is not easy, but the rewards are priceless. You cannot get in shape overnight. I don't think I will be able to market my plan for healthy living to the masses for millions of dollars, but if you follow it, it will make a world of difference in your life. And just like me, when those info commercials come on, you too will have a great laugh knowing that people are just fooling themselves when they look for the quick fix.