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What happened to physical education? I remember having to endure those ugly gym suits and lugging my gym bag to school daily. I remember that it wasn't my favorite subject. I never could climb that rope! I definately wouldn't make it as a monkey! I did, however, love gymnastics! I could walk a balance beam effortlessly, and do a perfect landing from the uneven bars. I did enjoy square dancing, because my little boyfriend that year was my partner. Now, my kids have gym once a week, and it's usually basics, sit up, pull ups, or sports. I for one feel that they are missing out. There is a whole world of athletics out there that they are not exposed too. In 25% of U.S. schools P.E. has been cut due to budgets. The government has realized what this is doing to our waistlines and projects that they will give more money to get that number down to 50% in the next five years. That still leaves 50% of the kids with probably little to no physical activity. Mr. Kennedy would be appalled!
Kids were given a self esteem test at a local middle school and here are the results: 55% of the females wanted to lose weight; 29% of males also wanted to lose weight; 54% of females felt that they looked "fat", and 28% of males did, too; 33% of females were afraid to gain weight, while 13% of males were; 43% of females had dieted, while 20% of males had; 11% of females had fasted, while 6% of males had, (non-religious fasting); 6% of females had actually purged, (vomited), while 4% of males had; 38% of females exercised regularly, while 27% of males did; 4% of females had used diet pills, while 1% of males had; 2% of females had used diuretics, ( I did not even know what that was in middle school!), while .8% of males had; 2% of females had used laxatives, while .7% of males had; 7% of females reported binging, while 26% of males had! Still think that we don't have weight issues?!
This can lead to serious d! evelopme ntal issues! Our adolescents are on average at a weight that is 15 lb.s over their ideal. That number grows as we get older. 24% of us report ourselves as being overweight. I think that that's because some of us are lying, lol! I think that number is alot higher. I'm overweight. I got it the hard way. I kept about 20 lb.s after having each child, I was told that it would fall off after breastfeeding and when they were weaned. It didn't. I did those goofy little exercises they send home with you, but it stayed on. It's funny, my mother gave me her pregnancy book from the 1960's, and IT says that the average woman gains 20 lb.s, and 2 inches in her waist and hips with each child! I think that my figure must be from a 1960's mother! I knew a woman who had a baby, then was back in her size 0 jeans two weeks later! She only gained16 lb.s during her pregnancy. I think some people are just lucky that way! Then I gained 30 more lb.s with my disease, and the advice that I got from my western doctor, which was to sit in my recliner and enjoy the time that I had left with my sons. Now, my eastern doctor that I found, told me that I was not sentenced to an immediate death, but if I sat in my recliner all of the time, I would go all of the faster. She got me to start exercising again 1 min. a day, then up to 30. I lost that extra 30, but never have lost the original 60! My doctor calls it estrogen, and the fact that I can only do low impact exercises due to my bone disease.
If you feel that you or your kids are too heavy, what are you doing about it? Are you eating balanced meals? Don't diet, #1! That will not work, and will set you up for more self esteem flattening. Eat a balance of foods. I'm on a maintenance diet of: Breakfast-1serv. fruit, 1serv. dairy, 1 serv. bread; Lunch-1 serv. meat, 1 serv. veggie, 1serv. bread; Tea Snack-1 serv. dairy, 1 serv. bread; Supper-1 serv. meat, 1 serv. veggie,! 1 serv. dairy, 1 serv. bread; Dessert-1 serv. fruit, 1 serv. dairy, 1 serv. bread. Your doctor may disagree, but mine had picked this one out for my own personal needs, Your doctor would be more than happy to help you make your own meal plan! Are you getting enough exercise? Walking back and forth to the buffet, doesn' count! We should all get at least 30 min.s of exercise three times a week. I do stretching, yoga, tai chi, latin dance (easy), shadow boxing, 0 impact kicking, bow staff practice-no impact, and fencing-no impact. Things I grew up enjoying, but have modified them to my body's abilities. I'm walking around on 4 inoperable slipped disks now, when in 2004, I needed my wheelchair about halfway through Wal-mart. I use my wheelchair when we go to fairs or amusement parks to hold our bags of stuff, and once this summer, I did get tired enough to need it, but I had been at it for 6 hours! So, no matter what, we can make a difference in our battles with our bulges. It just takes consistancy and common sense. NO ONE needs 3 pieces of cheesecake, trust me! It's your reality and your body's health should be a concern. It is your temple after all.
Until next blog!
Love, Angelia www.worksofheart.bravehost.com |
