Newport-Mesa tackles weight gain

Alicia Robinson

Fitness advocates are taking advantage of post-holiday awareness of

the nation’s flab.

Melissa Johnson, a Corona del Mar native who was named executive

director of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports in

November, is encouraging Americans to walk 10,000 steps a day. She

even gave her parents pedometers for Christmas.

“Because of the obesity epidemic, we’re all trying our best [at]

working to reverse that trend,” Johnson said.

“Since the 1950s, it’s gotten worse rather than better, so it’s

been discouraging for health and fitness professionals.”

The problems of obesity and lack of fitness have also become a

problem for young people, said Johnson, who served as executive

director of the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and

Sports from 1997 to 2002.

In 2003, only one quarter of California students who were tested

could meet state fitness standards, Johnson said.

The council will take on a variety of initiatives in 2004 to

encourage fitness and address the nation’s growing problem with

obesity. The council’s agenda for the year includes persuading

governors to adopt the “president’s challenge” for their states,

Johnson said. The challenge is a pledge to exercise five days a week

for 30 minutes a day for children, and for 60 minutes a day for

adults. Those who complete six weeks of exercise can receive an

“active lifestyle” award.

Many fitness gurus, however, expect this January to be like most

others at area fitness clubs -- clients will start flooding in later

this month to shed their holiday weight gain, but many won’t stick

around long.

“People take a year to make the resolution, then it takes about a

month to get in and act on it,” said Derek Gard, co-owner of

SuperBodies Gym in Costa Mesa.

February to May is the busiest time at SuperBodies because people

want to get in shape to go to the beach, he said.

While people in Southern California tend to be more fit than in

other parts of the country, some are still looking for a quick fix

and follow the latest fads in diets and exercise, Gard said. He

estimates that about 25% to 30% of the people who come to his gym

make lasting changes in their lifestyles.

To keep exercise from becoming an unpleasant chore, Gard advised

picking something they like to do.

“Not everybody wants to weight lift five days a week,” he said.

Shape Up Fitness Center in Newport Beach also gets an influx of

new clients in January, receptionist Mike Ivey said. Classes such as

spinning and Pilates are very popular and the gym’s personal trainers

are always busy, he said.

Ivey also has noticed that business drops off around May. His

advice was for people to incorporate exercise into their life for the

long term.

“Stick with it,” he said. “That’s the problem. [People] want to

come in, and then they stop.”

Losing weight is a common New Year’s resolution, and diet can play

a big part in it, said Meghan Wagner, a clinical dietitian at Hoag

Hospital.

Eating holiday treats can add up, but today’s portion sizes are a

problem year-round.

“Most restaurants serve three or four times larger portions than

we need,” Wagner said.

When diners ask to super size their order, they’re also increasing

the fat and salt content of their meal, she said.

In addition to daily exercise, Wagner suggests people should eat

well-balanced meals and watch how much they’re eating.

The federal council plans to work with fast-food restaurants to

promote more healthful eating and fitness, offer sports clinics

around the country, and try to make physical activities more fun and

prevalent in national parks, Johnson said.

“Our goal is to have 20 million people using the president’s

challenge in the next two years,” she said.

People should take small steps and set realistic goals for getting

into shape, and get support from family and friends, she said.

“Work with a buddy,” Johnson said. “Sometimes the buddy system

helps because you’re accountable to someone.”

Finally, things such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator

and parking the car farther from a destination can help, too.

“All those little things count,” Johnson said.