There I was, at a work-related function awaiting my turn for a peace of blueberry pie.  As I inched closer to the peerless slices, I could feel a host of eyes watching my every move.  It didn’t matter that this particular dessert offering was made in a healthier manner.  All eyes were on me.  The closer I came to the table; it was as if I uncovered a superpower like the characters from a Marvel Comics movie.  My newly discovered superpower was telepathy as I could have sworn that I heard the thoughts of those who possessed those keen eyes that were watching me.  “Oh my gosh…he is actually going to eat something sweet!”  “I can’t believe this!  Ash must be sick.”  Those were the thoughts I knew some were thinking.  As I picked up a slice of pie, it was obvious that there was no need for a microwave to warm my dessert.  Everyone’s piercing eyes warmed my pie to the perfect temperature.  Just kidding.

So why were those in the room so interested in what I was eating?  Why do my friends and patients like to peek in my grocery cart when I bump into them at the store?   Why do I get constantly asked about my exercise routine?  For the most part, it’s because I’m doing something they are trying to do or have failed at some point in he past.  I make my health a priority and because of that I am easily labeled “extreme”.  I am an avid exerciser and healthy eater.  I stick to a regimen, which has been part of life for years.  It makes me feel good physically and mentally.  Where as most people find my habits such a daunting task to incorporate into their lives, I see it as a necessity of life.  I am in the minority and most Americans, the majority, do not live the way I do.  For this those in the majority label me “extreme”.  I find it amusing when family members, friends, and patients label me this way.  There is a reason why I am labeled the way I am by the majority of people I know.  It’s the lifestyle choices of the majority as to the reason why my work as an exercise professional will never be complete.  Allow me to share some facts about the American majority.

I am going to paint a picture but be forewarned that I am no Picasso.  Observe the waistlines around you the next time you are at work or out in public.  Take an honest look at yours.  What do you see?  According to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), 34.4% of adults greater than age 20 are considered overweight.  That is not pretty.  The CDC also reports that 33.9% of adults greater than age 20 are obese.  That makes the whole picture look that much uglier.  In other words, more than two thirds of this country has waistlines that are at unhealthy levels!  Geez…. that’s downright scary!  The majority of Americans are well on their way to many chronic health problems such as arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease at a record pace. What about the minority?  What about those “extreme” people?  Do you really have to take nutrition and exercise to the extreme to see results?  Do these folks posses some sort of super will power?  No!  How’s that for a simple answer?

Let’s be honest.  It’s human nature to label something “extreme” when it’s foreign to us.  The unknown can be scary.  The same is true for those that have never engaged in a regular exercise plan.  The truth is that you don’t have to spend hours each day exercising to reap the benefits (a brisk 10-30 minute walk is a start).  You don’t have to eat food that has the taste equivalent to packaged tree bark in order to eat healthy.  All is takes is you deciding that you want to make a change.  That is the only catch.  YOU have to make that decision!  No one else can do it for you.  That is where it begins.  Once you have made the decision that you are going to make some healthy lifestyle changes, there are resources available (which I will discuss later) that can help you achieve your goals.

When you start working toward those goals, you will find yourself slowly realizing that those “extreme” people are not as extreme as you originally thought.  Let me be clear in saying that it won’t be easy.  Anything worth having is going to require some sacrifice.  Just remember that big things have small beginnings.

Ash Walker is a clinical exercise physiologist for Southeastern Regional Medical Center and an adjunct faculty member at UNC-Pembroke and St. Andrews University.  He is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist and Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist.  He is a passionate movie buff as his wife can testify to his extensive DVD collection.