Label this

Whether you’re for or against the latest U.S. legislation on health care reform, there is one feature that health-conscience folks should appreciate: nutrition labels on fast food.

For those who are trying to lose weight this will be helpful in planning meals in accordance with wellness goals.

It can be difficult to plan for where you’ll be eating out with friends or on the road, but keeping track of calories is an organized way of preventing overeating.

The new national labeling may change the eating habits for some people, but others will ignore labels at drive-through menus completely.

Calorie counts probably won’t deter Americans from eating fast food. This is a fast food nation built on tight schedules and automobile transport; calorie counts will just speed up the orders for those who are both hungry and healthy.

Only an hour

Thankfully the weather has brightened up considerably over the last few weeks—at least in Virginia.

For those fighting the battle against obesity, there is some good news in addition to warm weather forecasts.

Web MD reports that it only takes one hour of exercise per day to fend off weight gain. Need a little inspiration to get started? Check out CNN’s Fit Nation online for stories of individuals training for a triathlon.

CNN also has various articles and videos on weight-loss success stories, recipes and workout tips. There is also a breakdown of races nationwide for runners—or aspiring runners—available online.

Doubting the effectiveness of exercise in the fight against obesity? Boston.com recently ran an article on that very concern.

Getting started on an exercise regimen can be a daunting task without goals and a realistic plan. Signing up for a race or other athletic event can serve as motivation to get moving.

Finishing a race could be considered a checkpoint on the way to wellness, a goal accomplished slowly, over time.

Beyond the White House

While recent media coverage has focused on First Lady Michelle Obama’s efforts to end childhood obesity, lawmakers are also taking on fitness challenges.

For example, the governor of Mississippi, his staff and other lawmakers are doing more than just talking about the nation’s obesity problem.

They too are trying to add exercise to their weeks and shed pounds in an effort to set a positive example for others.

Perhaps with more legislators jumping at the chance to get healthy, they will be more inclined to support future initiatives to curb the obesity epidemic in the U.S.

Actually working to lose the weight and keep it off is the best way for legislators, and citizens alike, to truly appreciate the weight-loss process.

Blog entries are part of a graduate course on multi-platform storytelling at Virginia Commonwealth University and are based on guidelines by Dr. Timothy Bajkiewicz. The views expressed are of the author and do not reflect the opinions of the class instructor, the university, current or former employers.

Copyright (C) 2010 by Corey Byers. All rights reserved.

By Corey Byers

Now that we’re in mid-February, those glittering New Year’s resolutions for 2010 may be losing their motivational sparkle.

One popular resolution that people make is to lose weight and get in shape. Gyms and weight-loss companies offer membership product specials to cash in on those goals; some people follow through while others flounder right about this time of year.

First Lady Michelle Obama is taking in interest in weight-loss efforts, specifically for children. She recently announced a new initiative to coordinate public and private  sectors to “help kids get more active, eat better and get healthy.”

The White House says that “over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled…nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese.” Obama’s Lets Move! Campaign aims to curb the growing problem at a national level.

The issue of childhood obesity raises the question of how the problem got started in the first place. Health experts will always say diet and exercise are key to maintaining health—but where are children learning these skills? They could be learning them at school, or take the lead from friends, but the biggest impact could be from what they learn at home.

Obama believes parents play a “key role” in how their children make choices regarding diet and exercise. There are numerous resources out there for parents and guardians who want to make changes for themselves with the goal of influencing children.

For those interested in altering their diets for a better future, a good place to start is by taking a portion distortion quiz administered by the National Institutes of Health. The quiz gives participants an idea of how portion sizes at restaurants have changed in the last 20 years and how much exercise is needed to burn off extra calories that come with “super” sizes.

The National Institutes for Health also has an online Body Mass Index, or BMI, calculator to measure body fat based on height and weight. For parents, it might be beneficial to get a gauge on what weight-loss obstacles they need to tackle so they can better understand how to help their children.

It may be hard—and hypocritical—for parents who are unable to control their own weight to teach healthy habits to kids. Besides, how do you teach someone else a skill that you haven’t mastered yourself?

If you’d like to get a better idea on how many calories you can burn through daily activities and exercise, Fitness.gov has an energy expenditure chart posted as a reference. These calculations are based on how many calories a 150-pound person can burn in an hour.

It’s important to note that lifestyle changes and the effects they offer will not happen quickly. Perhaps that’s the reason why so many adults lose sight of their weight-loss goals so early in the year.

A new year may well be underway, but every day can be an opportunity to make long-term, beneficial changes to lifestyles. Perhaps for Obama, her timing on addressing the issue couldn’t have been better.

Blog entries are part of a graduate course on multi-platform storytelling at Virginia Commonwealth University and are based on guidelines by Dr. Timothy Bajkiewicz. The views expressed are of the author and do not reflect the opinions of the class instructor, the university, current or former employers.

Copyright (C) 2010 by Corey Byers. All rights reserved.