For some, sculpting the perfect beach body is priority number one when it comes to summer prerogatives. For others, curling 16-ounce Miller Lite tallboys by the pool passes as an effective exercise plan. However, many Ypsilanti residents are putting in an extra effort to take a recently launched weight-loss campaign to heart and plan to combat obesity by keeping themselves fit and energized over the course of those lazy summer days.
Recently, first lady Michelle Obama initiated the Let’s Move! campaign. The campaign focuses on eliminating childhood obesity and encouraging young people to become more active and engage in healthy exercise.
“We want to marshal every resource – public and private sector, mayors and governors, parents and educators, business owners and health care providers, coaches and athletes – to ensure that we are providing each and every child the happy, healthy future they deserve,” Obama said.
In a press release from the White House, press secretary Robert Gibbs described the initiative as an action plan that defines solving the problem of childhood obesity in a generation and returning to a childhood obesity rate of just five percent by 2030, which was the rate before childhood obesity first began to rise in the late 1970s.
“I plan to eat healthy and exercise at the gym for my summer in California,” Stone High School student Jessica Juarez said.
“I try to get over here almost everyday and either hit the weight room for strength training or play basketball for cardio,” William Caldwell said in an interview at Eastern Michigan University’s Rec/IM.
“I like to use the pool to do water aerobics,” education major Brenda Johnson said.
One criticism by Johnson though, was that she wishes there were more nighttime exercise classes at the Rec/IM Center for people who have classes or work during the day.
“I get down here two to three times a week to use the weights and I always feel tons better after I do,” Planet Fitness patron Steve McCauley said.
McCauley also said he likes to run down at the mile track at Frog Island Park in Depot Town, where he also said he often sees groups of people playing soccer or ultimate Frisbee.
Formulating an exercise routine is key to helping you achieve your fitness goals. For those just starting out, a weight room consultant at the Rec/IM suggests starting out with a program that focuses on 10 minutes of light stretching; 20 minutes of elliptical training; light weight training consisting of bench presses, lat pull downs and sit ups.
Keep in mind that when starting out on your endeavor to stay in shape for the summer there are many resources within your community at your disposal and utilizing those resources together with friends while engaging in physical activity can be a healthy and fun way to spend the summer.
“Fitness is a community involvement and only if the whole community is involved can the whole community be fit,” Ray Smith, a customer service specialist at the Rec/IM, said.
