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jaybee2003
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 272 |
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Posted: 5 Aug 2007 01:25 am |
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Like many parents and grandparents, Saturday mornings find us crawling out of bed at sparrow fart and off to support a grandson playing Saturday morning sport. While deep down, I for one would far sooner stay snuggled under the sheets enjoying a sleep in on a winters Saturday morning, we are happy to make the effort, with thoughts at the back of our minds of obesity and health problems among many children in New Zealand, of behavioural problems, and the many benefits in personal growth and self esteem that participating in activity can bring - as well as our own enjoyment in being involved in his life.
Standing on the sideline on Saturday, well wrapped against the cold in a thick jacket, scarf and gloves, thinking with pride of the progress these 6 and 7 year olds had made, the working together as a team, the individual skills, the energy, the health - a small sense of pride and satisfaction in being part of encouraging children in healthy exercise and a balanced life - then thought - Do I do this for myself? Here I am, feeling so good about encouraging healthy habits in a grandson, yet I don't practise the same in my life. How hypocritical to not be practising what I am encouraging.
(Our grandson is the goalie - in yelllow.  )
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jaybee2003
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 272 |
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Posted: 5 Aug 2007 01:29 am |
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Looking down the line of others on the sideline enjoying the game, and without apology being very judgemental - I roughly calculated 90% of us, myself included, could be labelled overweight or obese. Chatting with the woman I was standing next to, others joined in the conversation. Out of 14 people, one adult consciously exercised regularly - a policewoman, who said she only did it because she had to for her job. Did we not care about our own health?.
I used to play a lot of sport. Squash, tennis, skiing, water sports - Scuba diving, swimming, water skiing, windsurfing....now, I play the occasional game of golf.....and that is about it. I've never been one for exercising in a gym or at home - it bores me to death. At the back of my mind, I use location (isolation and being so far away from anything) as my 'excuse', and, as the years pass by, it's all not so easy on the old joints.
We all know the benefits of physical activity and exersice - we don't want to think of or face the realities of cardiac disease, high blood pressure, diabetes etc etc. For myself, I tend to think that I do enough exercise during my regular daily activities anyway, but, I am kidding myself. Saturday was my wake up call. Today - I start walking - everyday - in the interest of taking better care of myself and setting a better example to my grandchildren.
Some shocking facts from a NZ Health Statistics website:
More than 1,000 New Zealanders die each year from obesity-related diseases - double the annual road toll.
New research released by the Ministry of Health in April 2006 reports 54% of the New Zealand population over the age of 15 are either overweight or obese. 34% are classified as overweight and 20% are classed as obese. That is one in three are overweight and one in five are obese.
In 1989 obesity levels were reported at 11%. If current trends continue 29 percent of all adult New Zealanders are likely to be obese in 2011.
The 2002 Children's Nutritional Survey (the first survey of its kind in New Zealand) reported that approximately one third of New Zealand children, 5-14 years are over weight or obese. (21% overweight and 10 percent obese).
20% of New Zealand's population have high blood pressure, which is defined by taking medication or a blood pressure equal to or greater than 160/95 mmHg.
New Zealand children as young as 4 have tried smoking a cigarette. (!!!!!!)
The sun is shining and we are off out the door for a walk - the first of a promise I have made to myself.
Physical Activity is defined as at least 2.5 hours of physical activity accumulated in the last week. Regular physical activity is defined as at least 30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days per week totalling at least 2.5 hours of activity in the week.
The key to starting any exercise regime is to ensure that you start slowly and build the level of activity as your fitness level increases. Doing too much too quickly may result in you not enjoying the activity or injury. Building the level of exercise slowly also means that you are more likely to stay with an exercise routine long term.
Have you taken care of yourself today?
Have you encouraged those you care about to do the same today? Attached Image (viewed 67 times):
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David Harcourt
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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Posted: 5 Aug 2007 05:20 am |
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Sombre thoughts, Jo.
My recreational activity today has consisted in going back to bed at 2pm and sleeping until 4pm.
I think I would exercise more if I enjoyed it more - "enjoyment" in my case coming from the interest of the process, not the buzz which those addicted to exercise say they get. (That buzz, if I was ever going to get it, was denied me more or less at the beginning of life when I and my fellow boarders were compelled to run, in our PT shorts and pyjama shorts, down to the bottom of Glamorgan Road every day at 7am, summer and winter. Then back to a cold shower for the four-to-fourteen year olds. When you became a fifth former you got a brief hot shower in the morning. O joy.)
So while I agree with you (strongly, as it happens), I am going to have to find some form of recreation that has greater interest than walking or (gasp) running along the streets around here, which are lined with the intensely uninteresting houses of the intensely uninteresting (but safe, and quiet, and private) people among whom I have immersed myself.
Glamorgan Road, Miramar, Wellington, New Zealand - every morning in winter, 1950-1963: as I remember it
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jaybee2003
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 272 |
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Posted: 5 Aug 2007 10:09 am |
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David Harcourt wrote: I think I would exercise more if I enjoyed it more - "enjoyment" in my case coming from the interest of the process, not the buzz which those addicted to exercise say they get.
We spoke of this today on the way home. For us today, a 15 minute walk up (or down) the road, and we still haven't left the bondaries of our own property. It's 7 km's to our neighbours where we might find something new or of interest to look at. But, we decided that was no reason not to try make it fun - and enjoy together, even though we didn't walk together all the way as we both need different walking paces to gain to necessary cardiac workout.
My exercise of choice would be swimming, but with an hours drive to the local full sized pool and an hours drive home again, that's not going to work on a daily basis. However, after reading your comment, I now have my togs and towel in the car, with the plan of going for a swim each time I do get into town. Thank you for that thought!. Time will tell whether I actually do use them!.
We walked an extra 20 minutes today. We decided to start our 30 minute walk at the mailbox rather than the back door. It's a 9 minute walk from the back door, down the drive to the mailbox, and longer on the way back (as it is up a steep steep hill).
I decided on days when I am feeling very unmotivated, a walk to the mailbox and back and a walk around the garden to gather a few flowers for the house or a detour home cross country will give me my 30 mins and I won't feel as if it was intentional exercise.
I feel fitter already!
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David Harcourt
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Posted: 10 Aug 2007 11:03 pm |
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Nearly a week has passed since your new resolution, Jo.
What remains of it now?
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jaybee2003
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 272 |
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Posted: 11 Aug 2007 11:30 am |
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David Harcourt wrote: Nearly a week has passed since your new resolution, Jo.
What remains of it now?
It goes well!! And I am enjoying it. It has been 'time out' from my busy day. I have been for a walk everyday this week, except today. With visitors today, it was a bit impossible. A neighbour has even joined me when she can - which is great. We met on the road the other day and I discovered she too had just started walking. It means one of the other of us has to drive to meet up, but it is nice to have company walking.
We have terrible winds here tonight - the forecasters warned of gale force winds up to 140ks - and they are here. So we've battened down the hatches and have had the torches recharging. Past experience tells us these are the type of winds that could mean a power loss.
One of the joys of rural living - it's not unusual for a tree to fall throught a power line. The longest I can remember being without power was 4 days, 3 nights. So far though, all is well. We were expecting friends for dinner tonight, but they (wisely) cancelled. Travelling on our back roads isn't safe in this wind. So far I've heard one tree or big branch crash down around the garden somewhere - next years firewood??.
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jaybee2003
Member
| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 272 |
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Posted: 11 Aug 2007 11:33 am |
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David Harcourt wrote: walking or (gasp) running along the streets around here, which are lined with the intensely uninteresting houses of the intensely uninteresting (but safe, and quiet, and private) people among whom I have immersed myself.
For myself, it would be a bonus to observe houses, gardens, passing cars and people etc and would add such interest to my walks. I have walked 7 days in a row, and once in that time, aside from two walks with my neighbour for company - only once have I seen another living soul - a grumpy looking truck driver who left me choking in a cloud of dust from the gravel road.
How blase we tend to become about our own surroundings, taking them for granted.
A photo below of our driveway leading to the main road. (Don't laugh - it *is* our main road!). I see a choice of turning left or right. End of story. Up the road or down the road. My (city living) SIL today said, "How boring - walking along dirty gravel !. You should walk the paddocks, or walk up a hill....there's so much to see and enjoy...You never know what you might find...".
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David Harcourt
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Posted: 11 Aug 2007 10:52 pm |
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It is a lovely property, Jo.
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