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Health and Fitness: Separate paths, yet parallel journeys
by Angela Barnes
Managing editor
thenews@centurytel.net
Here at the news office we’ve been discussing health and fitness. This time of year, so many people start up with resolutions to lose weight, get more fit, or change their lifestyles to be healthier. It’s not an easy task, especially if you have some specific health challenges or have let yourselves backslide, but it’s crucial for quality of life.
Our nation as a whole are growing into a population that is growing into “super size”—super sized meals and beverages, which unfortunately lead to super sized clothes and super sized health issues.
According to research done through the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, most adults in the United States will be overweight or obese by 2030. It’s a terrifying thought when you consider that you will be one of those adults.
Think of the 200-some-odd million Americans right now—all of them will be adults in 2030, having to face medical problems and bills associated with their new “super size”.
And with healthcare being such a hot topic nowadays, we’ve decided to challenge ourselves and become fitter healthier—despite the public humiliation we may feel because we are baring all to you—in hope that our journeys will help you with your own health concerns.
We are going to expose the experiences of two of our people to you. Each has different reasons for wanting to go on their health kick, and each will take a different path. But the goals are the same, and will hopefully have similar results.
Different paths, yet parallel journeys.
We will publish an update on each once a month, in which the challenges, progress, setbacks, what’s been done to address the problems, and anything discovered that will help success.
Debbie Dakin will be following a path that many of you will be following, that of joining a club, service, or organization that will mentor and give encouragement and tips. She has joined TOPS for this. Her goals are weight loss, lower blood pressure, and general health—basically to feel better.
I will the second person, following a self-designed path, which many folks either without the time or resources are probably trying to do on their own. My plan will focus on various physical fitness routines, no calorie counting but very healthful meals, a tight focus on proper nutrients, and also include mental health by focusing on stress relief, meditation and prayer. My goals aren’t necessarily for weight loss but for improved health and energy—weight loss is expected as serendipity (a happy accident).
Read on for specifics on what each will be doing on their journey to health, more details on what their current challenges are and why they are doing this, and maybe, if you decide, you can join one or the other on their paths. You are even welcome to contact us about your own path, need encouragement or suggestions if you’re facing some challenges.
And please, we know you’re likely to watch, and whisper behind out backs as you watch our journey, you’re only human. But please be kind ... the public scrutiny will be enough of a challenge.
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