Notes from the field

In this case, the field is really academia though I will  eventually relate this to the real world. In continuing with the theme from yesterday that Lee Ann or "anonymous" noted in her comment - starting where you are and what you have re: physical activity...

One of my favorite topics in regard to obesity is calorie control versus physical activity and in that discussion I am always having to clarify that I am only talking about weight, as physical activity itself,both engaging in it and not doing it, has a HUGE impact on the state of one's health. 

I also make the argument that government get healthy messages are about physical activity and not calorie control. In talking with a professor today, he was not buying my argument and to make his own, said, "if you look at the data, the research, you will see that since the 1980s the levels of physical activity in America have NOT changed."  I said, 'exactly!'  What has changed in the last thirty years is the amount of calories we consume because of cheap, processed and over sized foods.  BUT - the message, the Get Active message, is heard.  The public may not be more active but when asked why they are overweight they say, "because I do not exercise enough."

The next part of our conversation was about WHY people don't exercise and it was brought back to those get active messages - Dr. Perko said, "We need to END with 10,000 steps not START with them." To try to get someone to start where they want to be, not where they are, is an obstacle.  "The start is getting up from your chair."  YES YES - start with breaking up the hours you spend on your ass.

BTW, our physical activity and exercise may not have changed in 30 years, but our amount of sedentary activity, sitting, has.