THE REAL SKINNY... ON HEALTH & NUTRITION IN AMERICA

Welcome to The Real Skinny... where I will dissect some of the myths surrounding the health, nutrition, food & fitness industries in the United States. I started this blog because I am exasperated by all of the misinformation and propaganda we are fed (pun intended) by the government and the mainstream media about our food supply and the fitness industry here in the U.S.

Like many of you, I have long considered myself to be a healthy person. I regularly followed the advice of so-called experts in the nutrition fitness industries about the latest diets and exercise regimens. I exercised almost every day - sometimes for several hours at a time – and I ate what most people consider to be a very healthy diet. I always ate whole grains, low fat dairy, veggies, fruit and lean meats. I counted “calories in” vs. “calories out” religiously. Despite all of my efforts, I was still plagued with a host of issues including excess body fat. My frustration with this predicament – some might call it my obsession – led me to dig a little deeper into the nutrition/health advice I was getting.

My research began with a few magazine articles and websites. Gradually, as I did more independent research, I started to believe strongly that much of what passes for mainstream thinking on nutrition and fitness is complete nonsense. I now spend a big chunk of my free time reading everything I can on this topic – and the more research I do, the more convinced I am.

I am not big on conspiracy theories. I don’t think the CIA introduced crack cocaine into the inner city, and I don’t think George Bush had a heads-up about 9-11. But I have come to believe that the federal government and the agribusiness community have so dominated the debate on this issue that the American people are not exposed to any other line of thinking. And where has this gotten us? Americans are unhealthier and more overweight than ever.

I would like to share some of these concerns with a wider audience outside of family and friends - the poor souls who have already been subjected to my rants these past few years. For their sake and yours, I decided to take my rants to the masses. I look forward to sharing some of what I learn along the way as I attempt to educate myself and anyone who will listen about what it truly means to be healthy in America.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Support the Personal Health Investment Act!!

I write this blog post with (perhaps) impure motives…

When I first read about the Personal Health Investment Act, which allows individuals to deduct a percentage of their costs for health and fitness classes and memberships, I saw dollar signs.  I am a Jazzercise Instructor (and have been for more than fifteen years) and this type of legislation can help lure new customers to my classes.  If I weren’t typing this right now, I would be rubbing my hands together in glee.  My profit motives aside, however, this legislation is needed now more than ever – and America’s ever-expanding waistlines prove it.  We simply must exercise (in addition to eating right) if we want to live long and HEALTHY lives. While many Americans understand this, many are too willing to make excuses for not making a commitment to fitness. 
The number one excuse is that we don’t have enough time to work out properly.  The number two excuse, especially these days, is an economic one:  it’s too expensive to join a decent gym or fitness center. 

Think of it this way, exercise is an investment in our collective futures and it cannot fall by the wayside just because times are tough. Enter the Personal Health Savings Investment Act (H.R. 2649), a piece of legislation introduced this year by Congressman Kevin Brady (TX-8).  This bipartisan legislation would allow individuals to take a medical care tax deduction of up to $1,000 per year for qualified sports and fitness expenses. This includes gym memberships, physical exercise programs and exercise equipment. What does this mean to you? It means you can use your Health Savings Account to pay for your gym membership, yoga classes, youth sports leagues and more… up to a thousand bucks a year.

Again, selfishly, this is great for me as a Jazzercise instructor. But if this legislation were enacted today, all of us would be winners.  Think about getting tax benefits for proven, effective personal fitness programs like weight training, yoga, pilates, bootcamp classes and entry fees for races. Hooray for you and me and all of our waistlines!

One more point about this legislation… I really do think it is plain old good policy. Not only is it a great tax incentive, it will help prevent higher health care costs down the road – since a healthier society spends less on health care. Additionally, I believe this legislation qualifies as a “jobs” bill because this type of spending is an economic stimulus in your own community.  The fitness industry is largely comprised of small businesses – either independently owned fitness clubs, local franchisees or boutique studios.  These businesses employ a whole lot of people.  Now this is a jobs plan I think everyone should get behind!  We need your help to get other members of the U.S. House of Representatives to co-sponsor this important bill!

If you agree, click on the following link to register your support with your Member of Congress:  www.ihrsa.org/phit4health
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