God, good book make winning weight-loss team
BY MARY MITCHELL marym@suntimes.com
Every New Year’s we promise ourselves that we are going to lose weight by eating less and becoming more active.
And by the end of the year, we are still staring at those unnecessary pounds.
But this year, I think I have an advantage in this annual contest. Last October, I broke down and turned myself over to a trainer. That has made it easier for me to actually show up at the gym.
In three months, Maurice Durr, owner of Fitt Force in Oak Park, and a personal trainer, has helped me shed my “weakling” status. Now I can do repetitions with a weight bar and sling a hefty carry-on in the overhead bin on a plane without knocking someone in the head.
Yes, I’ve always known the value of daily exercise. But knowing that something is good for you and actually doing what’s good for you are two different things.
For me, the key to making this lifestyle change is accountability.
Obviously, I am not alone in my quest for a leaner body. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans have a 51 percent greater prevalence of obesity than whites, and the highest rates of obesity are in the South and Midwest.
Too comfortable for our own good
Three reasons are cited for these alarming statistics: (1) blacks are less likely to engage in physical activity; (2) black women are more accepting of their body size, and (3) the limited access to healthy food and safe places to engage in physical activity, said Dr. Liping Pan, a CDC epidemiologist in an interview with “HealthDay,” an online publication.
These folks aren’t trying to put down black women.
When I am driving along Lake Shore Drive in the summer, I can’t help but notice that between downtown and Montrose, hordes of white women are out skateboarding, riding bikes, walking and running. But on South Shore Drive, where a lot of black folks live, there are a lot fewer black women taking advantage of the walking and biking trails.
To make matters worse, in these tough economic times, fewer people can afford a personal trainer or have the money to join a health club.
That’s one reason I am so excited about a campaign that kicked off Sunday at New Zion Christian Fellowship Church in Dolton.
The church’s health team launched the “50-Day Renewal” exercise program that will focus on members making permanent lifestyle changes for better health.
Kara Davis, a medical doctor and wife of the church’s pastor, Bishop Lance Davis, is the author of Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss. Dr. Davis came up with the “50-Day Renewal” period three years ago.
“As you know, New Zion is located in an area that constitutes a ‘food desert.’ There is plenty of fast food, but not enough fresh food. We don’t have many supermarkets, but there are gas stations that sell processed foods which are high in fat, salt and calories, all contributing to obesity and other diseases,” she said.
Learning better, doing better
“I have found that young adults are not knowledgeable about menu-planning or meal preparation and resort to fast food and processed food because they don’t know any other way to eat.”
Over the next 50 days, Davis will use the church to address these health challenges.
“We will read a page from Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss each day. On Sundays, we will have exercise after service [walking and strength training] and offer healthy snacks,” Davis said.
“We will also conduct weigh-ins and waist measurements. A ‘health moment’ will be read during service highlighting a fact pertaining to nutrition or exercise,” she said.
Members also will be grouped into teams to provide support and accountability.
“We are encouraging other congregations to join with us in this effort,” Davis told me. “We have to become more proactive when it comes to preserving our health and avoid unnecessary sickness to the best of our ability.”
This is a brilliant idea for two reasons:
All one needs to join this campaign is a book, which costs less than $11 at Amazon .com, and a church home that is willing to get involved in this crusade.
Frankly, that isn’t too much to ask.
After all, the Bible tells us that the body is the temple of the holy spirit.
For more information, go to www.drkara davis.com.
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