According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the estimated annual medical cost of cardiovascular disease or stroke is $209.3 billion; cancer is $60.9 billion; diabetes is $92 billion; obesity is $61 billion. That’s a total of $423.2 billion! What’s more, many of these diseases can be prevented by simply exercising and eating correctly.

Why is it that more people aren’t out there exercising and making sure they put nutritious food into their bodies? Of course, there are the vested interests – companies with vast quantities of money creating attractive advertising pieces to invoke desire for their (in truth) undesirable products. The last time I went to the cinema I was bombarded with maybe five highly entertaining and beautifully produced ads for a famous cola beverage, a product that dissolves teeth overnight and would probably make a good engine cleaner. What really happens when a person drinks a sugar-loaded soda? Their blood sugar peaks and then drops rapidly making them feel tired and listless, hardly a state for anyone to want to get out and exercise. They’re more likely to pick up another soda to get some more “pep”.

Many people simply don’t know how to change their diet and exercise habits.

Poor diet and lack of exercise is a big problem in many western nations. It’s expensive for the citizens as it results in disease that must then be treated and time off work and school (reduced productivity). What to do about it?

Each person can simply start with themselves. Take a first step towards health whether it’s cutting out excess sugar or doing some exercise every day. At first the changes are very difficult but they do get easier and the better you feel, the easier it is to keep going.

The easiest and fastest way to change your lifestyle is to join a gym and get a program to work from or hire a professional to help you one-on-one. Choose a reputable and qualified personal trainer to get you exercising safely and efficiently. You could also start doing some of the fun classes on offer at Foothill Athletic Club like Zumba, Yoga, Aerobics or Body Sculpting. You could get a group of friends together to play racquetball or have a workout date every couple of days at the gym. You could even take advantage of the heated pool and swim some laps. With other people involved it’s more likely you’ll stick with the program even when it gets a bit hard.

It’s important that more people start changing the way they eat and exercise. Not only will their individual lives be more enjoyable but they’ll be part of the solution for reducing the massive cost of chronic disease in the USA (and no doubt other nations). Imagine what an extra $423.2 billion could do for everyone!

Tracey Thatcher

Writer for www.gofitnow.com

The #1 New Year’s resolution is losing weight and everyone at Foothill Athletic Club is ready to help you meet your goals. Did you know that obese Americans make up almost a quarter of the U.S. population? Obesity is responsible for a $40 billion jump in annual medical spending and those that are obese spend on average $1,400 more than people of normal weight. Your taxes, which help pay for Medicare and Medicaid, go towards $600 and $230 per patient, respectively, to help pay for obese patients. Reports attribute this spike to treatment for obesity-related ailments such as diabetes and heart disease. The total annual medical costs related to obesity is now estimated at $147 and is increasing at neatly 9% per year.

Obesity isn’t just a risk to your wallet; it’s a risk to your personal health as well. Being overweight increases the chances of heart problems even at an early age. Diabetes and all of the potential complications associated with the disease such as Stroke are reason enough to decrease your chances of getting the disease. Another health concern related to obesity is vision. Being obese can cause a number of conditions, which result in vision loss. Obesity can also reduce your lifespan.

Suddenly that hamburger and fries doesn’t sound like such a good deal, right? Eating right is a big part of leading a healthier life. But it isn’t enough. That’s why we want to ask everyone to take an active role in changing his or her lifestyle. And the best way to do that is to join us at Foothill Athletic Club. Getting a good workout is the healthiest way to lose weight and get fit.

We have plenty of workout classes as well as personal training available. Our Starter Aerobics are a great place to start losing weight. We have many other classes as well including STEP, Body Sculpting, and High-low impact aerobics. Check out our fitness schedule to find a class and time that fits your schedule. Our personal trainers are here to help you workout and get fit efficiently and effectively. And if working out in a class or using the machines isn’t something you are interested in we also have a heated lap pool as well as 3 racquetball courts to help you get a great workout.

We look forward to seeing you at Foothill Athletic Club very soon!

-Kevin