Local residents urged to shape up

By JAMES CLARK / Editor for the Southern Standard

Brittany Bowdoin, left, and Emily Cantrell use cardiovascular machines at McMinnville Civic Center to keep in shape. A six-week program called Warren County Shapes Up begins Sept. 18. (James Clark photo)

With Tennessee ranking fifth in the nation in obesity, a local organization says it’s time to make a full-fledged effort to control our waistlines in Warren County.

Members of the Warren County Shapes Up coalition are urging residents to participate in a six-week challenge that begins Sept. 18, the week after the fair.

The program combines moderate eating changes with physical activity to help people lose weight, ease stress and feel better about themselves.

“Our goal is to look at small changes. This isn’t a drastic diet,” said Hilda Lytle, one of eight founding members of Warren County Shapes Up. “We want to make Warren County one of the healthiest counties in the state.”

Participants won’t be required to eat celery and jog three miles a day. Rather the six-week program implements sensible changes such as snacking on a banana instead of potato chips.

There will be two programs available – one for beginners and another for people who are already active. Registration will take place during the fair at the River Park Hospital booth, which is located next to the petting zoo, and at the Civic Center during regular business hours.

Health experts say it’s vital to get a grasp on America’s obesity problem because it leads to a number of chronic diseases. Poor nutrition choices not only make us fat, but a poor diet raises our risks for cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.

It’s not just adults who are overweight. Childhood obesity is skyrocketing.

The solution is simple although it does take a little willpower. The answer is to eat less fatty food, consume fewer calories, and exercise more. Eating high-calorie foods while sitting in front of the TV is one of the main culprits.