Challenge Yourself to Keep Your Resolutions
Challenge Yourself to Keep Your Resolutions
By Lt. Governor John C. Carney, Jr.
– It’s that time again for New Year’s resolutions. It’s traditional to think back on the past year, remember the good days, lament the bad ones and resolve to change something to brighten the outlook for the coming year.
Unfortunately, for many of us, it’s a February tradition to leave those good intentions behind until next year.
Before that happens to you, here’s a simple way to keep at least that common resolution about getting healthier, losing weight or just getting off the couch and out the door: Join the Lt. Governor’s Challenge.
The Challenge is simple program that encourages people to increase their level of physical activity. For the past two years, our partners, the American Cancer Society, the University of Delaware, Christiana Care, the State Chamber of Commerce, and the State Division of Public Health, have been working with me to promote the Challenge up and down the state. More than 8,000 Delawareans have already signed up. For three months, participants track their daily activities and earn points toward a gold, silver or bronze medal.
It’s a simple, fun program, but the benefits are bigger than the medal you receive. After three months of steady activity, you’ll enjoy feeling and looking better and spending time being active with family and friends.
And, you will have made the move to better health. In my role as Chairman of the Delaware Health Care Commission, I have seen more and more research in recent years indicating that an increase in daily physical activity can significantly reduce a person’s chances of contracting the deadliest chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. The benefits are incredible. Regular physical activity increases your energy level and helps you be more productive at work and more agreeable at home. It also helps you sleep better and keep your body weight at an acceptable level.
In Delaware, we have higher rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer than many other states. Not surprisingly, we are not very physically active or in very good shape. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, in 2001 nearly two-thirds of all Delawareans were either overweight or obese. And, only about one in every three Delawareans engages in a regular physical activity.
The good news is that while many of us need to change our lifestyles, it doesn’t take a huge change like training for a marathon, heavy weight lifting or three-hour workouts. In fact, it takes only 30 minutes of brisk walking four or five days a week to greatly improve your overall health and wellness and reduce your chance of getting a debilitating chronic disease like diabetes or heart disease.
If walking isn’t for you, there are a host of other activities you can do to achieve the same thing. Gardening, riding a bike, housework, roller blading, jogging or dancing are just a few of the ways you can increase your physical activity.
The bottom line is to find physical activities you like to do or already do and make sure you work it into your daily schedule. You’ll be doing yourself, your family and your friends a big favor.
The Lt. Governor’s Challenge makes it easy. If your interested in signing up or have more questions, call my office in Wilmington (577-8787) or Dover (744-4333) or look for the link that says “Take the Lt. Governor’s Challenge” on my website at ltgov.delaware.gov
Consider taking the Lt. Governor’s Challenge and make the move to better health. It’s one New Year’s resolution you’ll be glad you kept.
