I recently wrote an article on Child Obesity (a staggering one in three of today's kids is either overweight or obese) and the need to get our kids moving down the path to fitness.
Writing the piece made me think about how the drive to keep fit has changed over the years - for both adults and kids.
Back in the 1980's we witnessed the birth of Weekend Warriors. Those were the fitness-focused working adults and students who were so busy during the week that they condensed their week long exercise routine into a two-day blitz.
Unfortunately, the heavy bursts of cardio activity following five days of lethargy often resulted in injuries and pure exhaustion come Monday morning.
Today, from my own perspective as a working parent, I'd say that trend is still very much alive, but its format has done a true 180.
Many of us these days find our weekends so jam packed with kids' sports, travel, family obligations and activities, we have little time and/or motivation to exercise. Instead, we try and take advantage of random windows of opportunity during the week to sneak in spurts of physical activity.
The other week was my own perfect example of Weekday Warrior mentality.
After school drop off on Monday, I walked 4 miles (1 hour) before a business meeting and full day of projects. On Tuesday, I golfed 9 holes (1 hour, 45 min) between work deadlines. On Wednesday, I played 1 1/2 hour of tennis before school pick up and a client conference call. On Thursday, I jammed in a 45 minute work out at the gym between volunteering at school and a lunch meeting. And then on Friday, I could barely move. My shoulders and neck were in crisis and my head throbbed as I tried to pay bills and gear up for date night and then the weekend's usual frenzy.
Did I achieve the American Heart Association's recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week? Yes. Was I feeling healthy and fit? Um, no. Was I smelling like a daisy all week? Not hardly. Am I going to do the same thing again next week and the week after? Probably.
I figure whether we are weekend or weekday warriors, as long as we prioritize some semblance of a fitness routine for ourselves and our kids, we're helping reverse the disturbing obesity trend and ensure a future of healthier generations.
