The Importance Of Physical Activity In America

Many Americans lack the motivation to engage in any form of physical activity. In fact, 27.5 percent of the United States population is considered to be obese, and 25.3 percent of the population in sedentary (“2014 Annual Report”). According to Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, children and adolescents (6-17 years old) are supposed to get 60 minutes or more of daily moderate intensity physical activity (“Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans”). They should get at least three days of vigorous physical activity and three days of muscle and bone strengthening physical (“Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans”). Adults (18-64 years old) are required to engage in two and a half hours of weekly, moderate intensity aerobic physical …show more content…
But according to the data, many Americans are not getting the recommended physical activity. Part of the reason could be related to diet. People ages 4 and above should consume daily about 5 to 6.5 ounces of protein, 3 cups of dairy, 3-4 ounces of grains, 1 ½ to 2 cups of fruits, and 2-3 cups of vegetables (Chandler). Fats are only to be consumed sparingly. Of course, I used to be one of those sedentary children. Because of my inactive lifestyle, I did not get enough nutrients, ate too much fat, and did not participate in enough physical activity. As a result, I was over 200 lbs. I decided to make a change about a year ago and would engage in physical activity three days a week for about an hour and a half. I slowly increased the days to 4 then 5 in two hour interval workouts. Even though I was getting more physically fit, my diet was still not as good as I wanted it to be. I then made this proposed behavior change in order to increase my strength and better my life. I planned to workout once a day 6 days a …show more content…
At the beginning of the proposed behavior change, I made a promise to reward myself with a big steak dinner if I attained my goals. I can now say that I will get that steak dinner. This steak dinner is well deserved and will do nothing to take away from all the hard work I just accomplished. Compared to America, I am much healthier than a majority of the nation. Many sedentary Americans are not motivated enough to realize that they can change their lives if they put their minds to it. Of course, I faced psychological adversity in attempting to complete my goal, but determination and will allowed me to push through it and fulfill my goals. This goes to show any goal can be accomplished if you put your mind to it. In conclusion, SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) goals are very effective and allowed me to achieve my goals when at a point in time I didn’t think were even