Help Fix the Health Care Crisis — Step Away From the Refrigerator!

Unless you’ve been camping in the wilderness this summer — you’ve probably heard Washington has been trying to come up with a plan to solve the US Health Care crisis. Although no one can seem to agree on exactly what should be done, everyone agrees that the US spends a TON of money on health care.

A government report today reported that a significant factor in rising health care costs is the ever increasing prevalence of obesity. From 2006, health care spending actually DROPPED for normal weight individuals, while spending during this same time increased for obese individuals.

Here’s a scary statistic:

Senior survey statistician at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in Rockville, Maryland reported:
“From 2001 to 2006, health care expenditures on obese adults rose from $167 billion to $303 billion, an 82 percent jump.”

Here’s some more disturbing statistics: A report in the journal Obesity recently published staggering projections for weight in United States. Using current trends in obesity, researchers at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health predict that 70 percent of adults in the United States will be overweight or obese by 2010 and 37 percent will be obese. By 2020, three in every four adults will be overweight or obese. And by 2030, four in every five adults will be overweight or obese and half will be obese! By 2048, it is estimated that every single adult around 40 years old will be overweight or obese – EVERY adult!

If we can’t afford to cover health care costs now, this problem is not going to improve unless we also address our nation’s obesity epidemic. And don’t forget the out-of-pocket expenses YOU pay for health care. Wouldn’t it be great to get into that category of the normal weight folks whose health care costs are decreasing! Think of it as — lose some weight, it’s money in your bank account!

The good news for us dog owners is that Fido can help us get our weight back in check. It’s tough to lose weight, but research proves that dog walking is an excellent way to lose weight. Download a free Fit As Fido Exercise Diary to help log your progress and make sure you’re meeting exercise guidelines:

How much do you need to exercise for good health?
A total of 30 minutes, 5 days per week
Breaking exercise into short segments (like dog walks!) improves overall weight loss
Make sure you’re at a good aerobic pace: You should be able to talk when walking, but not sing.

And remember - you gain good health benefits from even modest weight loss.

Modest weight loss (5-10 percent) results in significant health improvements:
Improved blood sugar control
Decreased cholesterol levels
Improved blood pressure

And a study soon to be published in the journal Hepatology showed that 4 weeks of aerobic exercise in obese individuals resulted in a 12 percent decrease in harmful abdominal fat and a 21 percent decrease in the blood fats called triglycerides — even though overall body weight DIDN’T change! Abdominal fat and triglycerides are both linked to increased risk for heart disease.

So don’t get discouraged and remember these tips:

Dog walking has been proven to be a great aerobic exercise to achieve long-term weight loss
Even modest weight loss results in SUBSTANTIAL health benefits
When you first start exercising, don’t be discouraged that you’re not seeing a big drop in your weight; you get SIGNIFICANT health benefits from aerobic exercise even BEFORE your start losing weight!

So do YOUR part to fix the health care crisis — grab a leash, whistle for Fido, and start getting your weight in check. And order your copy of Fit As Fido today for Fido-approved tips on eating, sleeping, exercising, and socializing that will also help get your weight in check. Yes - sleeping IS an important component of a weight loss program! Order Fit As Fido to find out how!