I have mentioned the benefits and advantages of being in good physical fitness. This past week, I noticed several things that make me think that the benefits of fitness are not being followed. Years ago, the percentage of overweight and obese people was 67%. There was a change in that percentage when the obese percentage was greater than the overweight. It seemed the overweight were not satisfied with their weight and needed to add some more pounds to their frame. A short time ago the percentage of overweight and obese population moved up to 70%. This past week there was one report where that percentage was now 75% of the population was overweight and obese. The percentage needs to be dropping instead of increasing.
I have used as an example the difference between fit and unfit people that had the opportunity to attend a lecture on fitness. When you look at the audience almost 95% of the people there are fit and healthy. The overweight and obese individuals are the population that needs to hear the information about the health benefits of exercise and being in good physical condition. Looking for a reason for this difference comes down to the phenomena of positive reinforcement. When a fit person hears that they are doing something right it is a positive reinforcement to continue with exercise to get fit. The unfit person will not want to sit and listen to someone tell them that they are doing something wrong and need to change their habits and start exercising. And if the speaker should happen to mention the disadvantages of being overweight it is not a motivation for that overweight person.
There is a phrase that most people have heard about the runners and the thing called a “runner’s high.” When a runner enters into a zone of this “runner’s high” it seems that they are almost floating over the road, breathing is easy, the legs are carrying you faster, and running is effortless. It takes a medium long distance run to achieve a runner’s high. A short three mile run is probably not going to get a true runner’s high. And the pace has to be a good 75-85% effort. A slow jog is not fast enough to reach that level. Whether a runner achieves a runner’s high every run is usually not possible, but feeling good and refreshed is possible every run. This feeling of energy and well-being can become an addiction in a positive sense and is a form of positive reinforcement. For many runners, and overall fit people, the energetic feeling after exercise will last most of the day.
