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Society is losing the war against obesity.
Americans continue to eat more and move less, despite the obvious health
consequences. The only way to stop the dramatic rise in obesity is to put up
a tougher fight. However, the main battleground is not in a health club or
GNC store; it is right in your home.
The American home has received little attention in relation to the obesity
epidemic.
Many have instead emphasized the factors outside the home that have expanded
our waistlines. Specifically, an over-reliance on elevators and escalators,
cars, computers and other technologies has led to a sharp decline in
physical exertion in our everyday lives. Additionally, the growth of fast
food chains, the ability to “supersize” meals, and the evolution of the “all
you can eat buffet” have also fueled the obesity epidemic. While these
factors are clearly promoting weight gain and sedentary lifestyles, similar
problems with the American home have been given little attention.
“The first step in beating the obesity epidemic is to start setting up our
homes to promote healthy lifestyles,” says Dr. Stephen Anton, a research
scientist at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. "Identifying the
common problems in our homes that encourage poor dietary and physical
activity habits is an important start.” Dr. Anton states that a thorough
analysis of each room in the home is the key to making important adjustments
that will promote healthy living.
The Kitchen
The main problem with the American kitchen is the sheer amount of food
available. The evolution of wholesale club shopping has resulted in our
pantries and refrigerators looking like we are preparing for the aftermath
of nuclear war. Even if we do save a couple of bucks on supersized tubs of
peanut butter, pretzels, and cookies, buying food items in bulk is usually
not a good idea. Most people lack discipline when it comes to food
consumption and end up consuming about three months worth of food in about
six weeks. “Buying in bulk can actually end up costing you more while also
contributing to your weight problem,” say Dr. Anton. In other words, if
large amounts of food are readily available in your kitchen area, the odds
of you eating it are high.
Recommendation: First, limit shopping at wholesale clubs. The lone exception
may be purchasing large amounts of healthy foods, like frozen vegetables,
that won’t lead to weight gain. Second, shop more frequently and limit the
quantity of food purchased at any one visit. Dr. Anton says, “If you must
buy in bulk, make it difficult to consume easily. For example, you can keep
soda and beer warm, instead of putting all of it in the refrigerator at
once.”
The Living Room
Advancement in home entertainment center technology has been impressive.
Today’s living rooms look like high-tech movie theaters. However, the
enjoyment of home entertainment systems has transformed many of us into
sluggish couch magnets. While devices like DVD players, X-Boxes, and big
screen TVs are fun, they provide no incentive to move. In fact, these
devices can become habit forming, like anything else that is enjoyable.
Therefore, it is important to think about how individuals can enjoy their
home entertainment systems, without being completely consumed by them.
Recommendation: If you make a commitment to limiting your time in your
living room, you can then spend the balance of your free time in more active
pursuits. “The key to a healthy lifestyle at home is to create a reasonable
balance between relaxation time and physical activity,” says Dr. Anton.
“Engaging in a variety of active leisure time pursuits can make weight loss
more enjoyable, as well as increase the quality of your life.” If you do
have a nice entertainment system, use the technology to your advantage and
purchase some exercise videos or tune in to fitness shows. Bringing fitness
equipment, such as a treadmill or stationary bike, into the living room is
also an excellent way to burn calories while enjoying your home
entertainment system.
The Garage
Many garages have turned into dusty graveyards for yard tools. Many people
hire the 12-year-old next store to mow the yard or rake the leaves. The
consequence is that we miss out on a great opportunity to be active
regularly. You’d be amazed about the caloric expenditure involved with yard
and housework. In many instances, these activities can positively impact
several health areas, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood-sugar
levels, and mood. According to Dr. Anton, many people fail to recognize the
benefits of simply being more active around their home. For example, he
states “30 minutes of raking, shoveling, painting, or lifting can give an
individual roughly the same health benefits as 30 minutes of moderate
intensity exercise.”
Recommendation: First, make sure your tools and yard equipment are not
buried away collecting dust. Have tools, supplies, and equipment organized
and in good condition, so you won’t have an excuse not to use them
regularly. Next, be sure to set a regular schedule to complete yard, home,
and cleaning projects. Maintaining a calendar to keep track of projects is
an effective way to ensure you will stay active at home. If you don’t have
time for an exercise routine, yard and housework can be an effective
alternative for healthy living.
The Bedroom
Good sleep hygiene is an important part of healthy living. However, many
people have TV’s in their bedrooms, which can result in several hours of
lying in bed at night. Dr. Anton indicates that people should avoid watching
TV in the bedroom. “Watching TV in bed can disrupt sleeping patterns, which
can lead to fatigue and decrease motivation to engage in physical activity.”
Generally, the bedroom should only be used for sleeping and sexual activity,
not relaxation or leisure.
Recommendation: Beyond a good night sleep, the bedroom can be a great place
for health reminders. A visible schedule and reminder system can assist you
in maintaining your health habits (dry erase boards work very well).
Charting your progress will help maintain your motivation to achieve your
goals. Additionally, place workout apparel, gym shoes, and athletic
equipment out in the open in the bedroom. Observation of these items before
you go to sleep and when you awake will remind you to exercise. Finally, if
you have the space, consider placing exercise equipment in the bedroom.
However, the major rule is to never hang clothes on your exercise equipment
under any circumstance. Your exercise equipment should only have one
function: making you healthier.
In closing, it is clear that the war against obesity will be a long one. As
you can see, there are plenty of ways to set up your home to promote healthy
living and fight the obesity epidemic. By going through each room of your
home and strategically setting it up for success, you can take the first
step towards a healthy weight and active lifestyle.
William F. Kanasky,
Jr. is a Chicago-based freelance author who specializes in diet,
exercise, and obesity issues. Dr. Kanasky earned his Ph.D. in Health
Psychology from the University of Florida and a B.A. in Psychology from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed his medical
psychology residency at Duke University Medical Center, which included
training at Structure House, a nationally renowned weight loss facility. Dr. Kanasky can be reached at billkanasky@yahoo.com.
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