Must 43% of Americans be obese by 2030?

Must 43% of Americans be obese by 2030?

Seriously?  43%!  We do realize that this number is pretty much close to half of our population.  Right?  I read an article today that states this fact.  The article is below for you to read too.

I know that my family didn't appreciate the healthier version of pizza that we had last night (the looks, comments and nibbles confirmed that) but this statistic is the exact reason why I made pizza with corn, tomatoes and black beans rather than the traditional pizza of hamburger, pepperoni and piles of cheese.  (you can find this here on Pinterest...I used the oven though...not the grill)

My kids will not be part of this statistic.  It is my job as their mom to make sure that what they are eating is a healthy choice.  What I make for them should be good for them, not make them become just another statistic.  By the way...the pizza was good and I finished it earlier today.

Healthy choices aren't just for me as I am working to get healthier.  Healthy choices have to be for everyone.  So...America...get out of that fast food lane that you are driving through.  Go to the grocery store, go to the outside areas of the store and get some fresh items and then make something with them.  Cooking isn't hard.  Changing your routine and developing some healthy habits is really the hard part.  Once you do it once, twice...7 times...you will not only realize that it isn't so hard but that you actually feel better eating good food rather than all that grease and fat.

Must 43% of Americans be obese by 2030?
By Leslie Barker Garcia
McClatchy-Tribune

By 2030, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted last week, 43 percent of Americans will be obese. More than one-tenth will be at least 100 pounds overweight.

So are we going to order the cheese supreme and take this sitting down? Not if Armando Chavez has anything to say about it. He's fitness director for Larry North Fitness in Dallas's Preston Royal Village.

"I'm passionate about this," Chavez says of his determination to get people fit. He sends health and fitness tips to thousands via his Twitter and Facebook accounts, plus offers some ideas to help America defy the CDC prediction:

Lead by example. Today's kids will be the adults of 2030, so their moms and dads need to be eating healthily now. "If you try to feed your kid healthy food and you're eating fast food, then you just set the worst example possible," Chavez says. "If you set the correct example, your child won't crave such food."

Think of healthy food as the norm. Avoid calling it "bad food" or "good food." It's food, it's fresh, it's delicious, and it's what will make you healthy. As a parent, "don't tell your kids, 'This is bad,' because they'll want to try it," he says.

Skip diets that cut out categories of food. "All those crazy Slim-Fast, Atkins, South Beach diets don't work," Chavez says. "They don't work because they take out something your body needs. Low carb. High protein. No fat. They're good for the short-term but not the long-term.

Remember that working out needn't take hours. "Most people think you have to exercise for hours and hours to get fit," he says. "You can work out 30 minutes, and that would be sufficient, depending on your goal.

Be efficient in your routine. Instead of doing calf raises, which work only your calf muscles, or curls, which work only your biceps, aim for compound movements like a seated row, squats or lunges. "Using more muscles requires more energy, and with that, you lose body fat faster," he says.

Get the community involved. Fitness festivals are fine, but Chavez recommends more ongoing efforts. "We have to find ways to develop retention on a more massive scale," he says. Start small; meet a friend regularly for a walk or workout.

Emphasize the good taste of nutritious food more than that of processed food. "Show Americans healthy food choices and how to prepare them," he writes. "Show the benefits of how it will affect their own personal well-being."

Get athletes behind a healthy-eating campaign. Let kids know that fresh and nutritious food is part of being a good athlete, he says.

"Kids will think it's cool to eat certain healthy foods," Chavez says.

"That has never been done."


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