You have heard it all before. Americans are experiencing an obesity epidemic. How can this be? Aren’t we being told that we Americans are beginning to pay attention to what we eat? Are we not consuming fewer calories and cutting back on our fat intake? This may well be, but we are still being told we are fat. Why is this?

Blame our sedentary lifestyles. We have developed into a nation of folks who would rather drive around the front rows of a parking lot for 10 minutes than to park in the back and walk. Or we would rather wait for the next elevator than take the stairs a couple of flights. Or we would much rather plop ourselves down in front of the TV, or computer, or PlayStation (no not even the Wii) after dinner than to get up and walk around the block a few times. Unfortunately, only about 25 percent of us get any type of regular exercise. Is it any wonder why we feel our pants getting tighter?

Not only does regular physical exercise help in the excess weight department, it has also been shown to have many other significant health benefits as well. Regular exercise doesn’t just benefit you physically, it benefits you mentally as well. Folks who make it a habit of getting up and at least walking around the block a few times a day experience a feeling of enhanced emotional well being in addition to becoming slimmer and trimmer.

In addition to helping to shed those unwanted pounds, regular physical exercise cuts your risk for a number of different diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes to name just a few. Although it is a good idea to mix up your workout routine, a regular brisk walk 4 times a week will help to strengthen your muscles and bones and keep your energy and mental alertness levels up where they should be. You will even find yourself sleeping better and feeling younger.

You may feel that you don’t have the time to exercise regularly. But you will soon find that by making exercise a part of your daily routine, you will develop the increased energy necessary to accomplish what you need to throughout the day and more.

Exercise does not have to be a chore and can actually be fun. By adding a bit of variety to your exercise routine, you can actually begin to enjoy your sessions. We mentioned above that walking is a great way to start. By purchasing a few inexpensive aerobic dance videos that you can perform in front of your TV, you can keep your routines fresh as well as challenging. Throw in a bit of resistance with a set of resistance bands or lightweight handheld dumbbells and you’ve got yourself a routine that is sure to get results. Simple!

Remember though, if it has been a while since you have exercised, it might be a good idea to touch bases with your health care provider.

Of course you can keep driving around the front row of the mall parking lot waiting to find a place up front. But I’ll bet I’ll get into the mall before you!

Debbie Parkinson is a free lance writer researching and writing on various topics. Debbie’s passions are varied and include health, pets, and woodworking. Learn more about improving your health by using the Garmin Watch and checking out the full line of Garmin Watches. The Garmin GPS Watch is sure to keep you from getting lost on your long morning jogs.

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