Have you ever heard a teen say that they do not want to join you for a walk because they "would rather watch TV" or they "do not want to mess up their hair by sweating" or that it is "too far"?
Whether exercise habits are inherited or not, our society is getting used to a sedentary lifestyle. Americans sit 10 hours per day on average. We sit when we eat (although not always a bad thing!), we sit when we watch TV, we sit in our cars to drive anywhere we need to go, we sit at a desk for work or school, we sit when we meet with people, we sit when we watch sporting events, we sit when we are checking our email, we sit through the many drive-thrus around town, we sit when we are waiting for a bus or other ride and even I am sitting right now while I type this blog post!
If our teens continue to get used to this "sitting" the predicted rates of obesity and diabetes in American are going to become a reality in the near future! Wee need to stop sitting and start moving more. Review this link for potential solutions for encouraging teens to Move More and you might even find some encouragement for yourself too!
One of my favorite tools for moving more is a pedometer. My workplace offers a Walking Challenge at the beginning of every summer to get people moving more. Strapping this device on my hip each day is a constant reminder that I need to get out of my chair and start moving. 10,000 steps is a good goal for everyone and pedometers are relatively inexpensive.
This one can be found for $5.00 at local discount stores.
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