New Year's Resolution

By Lt. Governor John C. Carney, Jr.  

As the noisemakers of New Year's Eve fade and we get settled into 2006, many of us are left with the resolutions we so eagerly laid out at the start of the year. A popular one for many: Exercise, eat better and generally get healthier. Unfortunately, it is just as popular to let that resolution wither on the vine by mid-February.

Anyone interested in getting healthier should know that it really isn't that difficult to keep that resolution. A little physical activity and some simple food choices go a long way toward improving health.

In Delaware, we're already improving on the physical activity side. According to the most recent data (2004), the number of adults who get recommended levels of physical activity has gone up. In a time when preventable chronic diseases kill many, drive up our healthcare costs and negatively affect the lifestyles of even our youngest children, it is important that we keep the trend going in that direction.

Multiple efforts to educate the public have undoubtedly had a positive effect as have programs like the Senior Olympics' Walk Delaware and, I hope, my own Lt. Governor's Challenge. Nearly 25,000 Delawareans have joined The Challenge, including more than 14,000 students.

Those participants have improved their lifestyle by adding at least the minimum recommended physical activity to their daily schedules. If that sounds like a huge commitment, it isn't. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control, that means 30 minutes of brisk walking five days a week. That's all.

In my mind, the benefits far outweigh the commitment. It starts with a greatly reduced risk of getting the most deadly chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, but the list of benefits is much longer.

And it doesn't take much. A little physical activity and improved nutrition can lead to significant improvements, like lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and more energy.

So for those who resolved to exercise and eat better in the New Year - and even those who didn't - follow through on that promise to yourself. It won't take long for you to feel the benefits.

For some, it'll happen in only a few weeks. You'll feel better, look better and find the energy to do more. For others, it'll take a little longer. The Lt. Governor's Challenge is a 12-week commitment, the length of time that it generally takes someone to develop a habit like daily physical activity.

Keep in mind, I'm not talking about training for a marathon or Olympic power lifting. I'm talking about 30 minutes of brisk walking by yourself or with a friend, your family or a pet. If you're interested in joining The Lt. Governor's Challenge, call my office at 577-8787 or 744-4333, or go online to ltgov.delaware.gov for more information on the program and how to signup.

Whether it's with The Lt. Governor's Challenge, another program or through a new gym membership, make the commitment to better health. It's one resolution you shouldn't let go unfulfilled.

John C. Carney, Jr., is Lt. Governor of Delaware and chairman of the Delaware Health Care Commission.