Health experts have been taking it easy on us for the past several years: "Try and eat well, and walk a couple times a week." Well, we see where that's gotten us…
If we continue piling on unhealthy fat at our current rate, a new study predicts that 75% of Americans will be overweight by the year 2015. In case mathematics isn't your favorite subject, that means a whopping (pun intended) three out of every four people will be overweight.
Desperate times call for desperate measures which is why health experts are finally getting strict and increasing the recommended exercise routine. No more getting by with just "brisk walks" or "afternoon strolls" — though those are certainly better than stuffing your face in front of the TV.
The American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine issued statements this week emphasizing the importance of adding strength training to your regimen. People automatically associate weightlifting with images of "I'll Be Back" Arnold, but all strength training is not designed to give you cartoon-like, balloon-inflated muscles.
The right workout can increase your flexibility and mobility, improve your overall health, strengthen your heart, and burn away dangerous and unhealthy fat.
"We've got bodies that are designed to be physically active, and they don't respond well to a sedentary lifestyle," says Russell Pate, an exercise researcher at the University of South Carolina who worked on both sets of recommendations.
Of course, just because the AHA and ACSM stepped up the requirements doesn't mean anyone will actually follow them — or even know they've been updated for that matter. But, hopefully, this is only one of many steps by prominent health officials to raise awareness of just how important fitness should be to everyone.
For the official guidelines, along with recommended exercises and routines, click here to visit the American Heart Association.
Who knows? Maybe we will be able to put off the 75% stat until 2016.
If you have any tips and/or success stories on how you keep the weight off, please share…
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