Did you know that regular physical activity increases your chances of
living a longer, healthier life? It also reduces your risk for high blood
pressure, heart disease, and some types of cancer. We all need to be
physically active, but our children especially need to establish healthy
lifestyles while they are young.

Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because the extra pounds often start children on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity can also lead to poor self-esteem and depression. More than a third of all children and adolescents are overweight, up from only 5% 30 years ago.

One of the best strategies to reduce childhood obesity is to improve
the diet and exercise habits of your entire family. Treating and preventing
childhood obesity helps protect the health of your child now and in the future.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that
adults: Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity
each week. Moderate activity includes things like walking fast, dancing,
swimming, and mowing grass with a push mower. Do muscle-
strengthening activities – like lifting weights or using exercise bands or
machines at the Y– at least 2 days a week. Any activity is better than
none. Start with small steps and work yourself up. Before you begin
any new physical program it is good to talk to your doctor.

We are blessed to have a wonderful and comprehensive YMCA as
our next door neighbor and partner in ministry. The YMCA offers
something for everyone to celebrate this month! We have classes for
children from 6 months and up, sports teams for adults and youth and a
staff who can help provide orientations to our equipment and classes for
adults, personal trainers who can help you meet your fitness goals and a
variety of programs that are designed to accommodate any fitness
level. For more information, please contact Jen Fuller-Allen at
jen(at)lexingtonymca.com or 249-2177.