How To Stay Fit

Originally Published Dec. 2012

What a topic!  How to STAY Fit.  My first thought is that there is a certain ASSUMPTION that I AM fit.  Because in order to STAY fit, one must already BE fit.  Which I’m not.

I am HEALTHY, however.  And, I believe there is a difference.  I was not an overweight or fat child – or teenager – or young adult.  I exercised.  Back in those days, however, I did not use the word “exercise.”  I just did normal things; such as, walking to school or my friends’ homes, (instead of being driven by my parents or taking a bus), riding my bike to a girlfriend’s house, playing hopscotch, climbing trees, playing tag, running races, swimming, and roller skating three hours a day/ four days a week. 

As a teenager, I had a job at the local drugstore and walked to and from my job…. No car.  No big deal.  That’s just how life was.  If I wanted to get somewhere, I either walked or biked.  No one catered to my needs or schedule.  There were exceptions, of course…. But basically, just going about my normal day was my form of exercise.  I ate three meals a day and was so busy doing things, that I rarely had time to eat anything in between!

You know, I look around me and see all of the obese kids, teenagers, and adults and can’t help but think that maybe if we didn’t coddle the little ones so much, they wouldn’t be so huge.  Life seems to center around the TV or video games or texting or playing games on one’s smartphone.  Seems like the only things that are getting any kind of exercise are one’s thumbs!

I’m generalizing, I know.  There are tons of fitness centers around.  People run marathons and tri-athalons and play tennis, baseball, and other athletic endeavors.  But, back in “my” day, in my class of 30 kids in 6^th grade, I only remember one child who was overweight…. He was maybe 15 pounds overweight; certainly not obese.  The statistic today is that between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents today are considered obese.  Not one in 30 like in my day; but 9 in 30 today.

Even as a young mother in my 20’s, I “exercised” by running after four kids, going up and down the stairs who knows how many times a day doing the laundry, cleaning, picking up toys, etc. 

But, then, when all the kids were in school, I went back to work in an office.  Sitting 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. I slowly packed on the weight.  I went back to college – taking night and weekend classes and always studying when I wasn’t actually in the class.  It took me 9 years; but I finally got my BA.  By that time, I was wearing a size 22 and 130 pounds overweight.  Miserable?  Yes.  I joined Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Overeaters Anonymous and every other kind of weight loss club or gimmic I could think of.  And, I would always lose the weight.  But, somehow, always found it again.  This is called yo-yo dieting.  Some doctors say that yo-yo dieting is actually worse for one’s health than remaining overweight.

And so, nine years’ ago (June 2003), I had gastric surgery.  I’ve lost 100 pounds and have maintained that loss.  I used to take three kinds of high blood pressure medicine.  Now, I take none.  I feel good.  I don’t have to shop at Lane Bryant stores anymore. And, yes, I could still lose more weight.  But, I’m happy where I am.  Should I be exercising more?  Sure.  Should I eat healthier foods?  Of course.  Should I GET fit in order to STAY fit?  Yes.  It’s a daily struggle and one that I am taking on – one day at a time.