"We all know that being physically active combined with healthy eating will reduce the risks for several diseases, but it is not a 100% guarantee. If you have bad luck like I had and get sick, you are much better off if you are in good shape. That is why, in this “comeback” column, I want to talk about making health and fitness a lifestyle."

- Grete Waitz,
9-time winner of the New York City Marathon

Grete Waitz: Exercise is life
Return to Grete's Current Training Column

It feels good to be back writing my column for the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge®.

My health and dealing with cancer the last two years have not only restricted my activities, but changed my life in many ways. I am still undergoing treatments and hopefully am on the road to a full recovery. It has been a tough time, but thanks to my good condition when I was diagnosed, I have handled surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation very well. Never before have I been more grateful for my athletic background.

We all know that being physically active combined with healthy eating will reduce the risks for several diseases, but it is not a 100% guarantee. If you have bad luck like I had and get sick, you are much better off if you are in good shape. That is why, in this “comeback” column, I want to talk about making health and fitness a lifestyle.

In Norway we have a saying: “Life is movement.” That is what exercise is -- life. So by making the decision to exercise, you say yes to life.

I always say that if physical activity could be taken as a pill, it would be the most prescribed medicine in the modern world. Everybody “knows” it is important to exercise and eat healthy, but today, it is more critical than ever. Our daily life does not give us enough physical challenges like it did years ago, and our eating habits have changed as well.

As a result, “lifestyle” diseases have reached epidemic proportions in the United States and other countries. Consider that in America studies have indicated:

• Eight out of 10 people over the age of 25 are overweight.
• 78% of Americans are not meeting basic activity level recommendations.
• 25% of Americans are completely sedentary.
• There has been a 76% increase in Type II diabetes in American adults 30-40 years old since 1990.

Those are certainly sad statistics, but even more so because behind each number is a person – maybe you or a colleague at your office.

So what can help you get in better shape?

The number one excuse for not exercising is time. The solution is simple: Change your priorities to make time for exercising. You have to make the decision to make time in your weekly schedule for exercising, and you have to be disciplined about it.

The biggest challenge is probably to move away from old habits. That's not as easy as it sounds. Being willing to make a significant change is not easy to do. You may have to overcome many hurdles. But with the right information, a good attitude and a lot of willingness, you can do it.

And, having a goal – such as completing the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge – also can be a huge help in making a decision that can affect the shape of your life for years to come.

The Corporate Challenge is a running, jogging and walking event, and a very realistic goal to have in mind. The distance is 3.5 miles and it is an event where camaraderie, teamwork and having fun are trademarks. Over the years I have seen how this event has inspired men and women to make the necessary changes to a more active and healthy lifestyle. They may just walk the 3.5 miles the first year and next year they are back jogging the course.

That's fitting because providing inspiration to employees who may not get much, or any, exercise was one of the main reasons bank officials created the Corporate Challenge way back in 1977. That's why, for example, 3.5 miles was chosen as a distance. The reasoning was that it was enough of a distance to challenge people, but not so long that it would discourage anyone from trying it.

The concept has succeeded beautifully for literally millions of corporate workers in the 31 years since. No figures are kept on how many of our entrants are first-time participants, or for whom this is their first organized exercise activity of any kind. But, I know, from talking with thousands of entrants through the years, that that is the case for many.

So, by all means, use the Corporate Challenge to help you stick with your decision to make exercise and activity a part of your daily life. Or, use it to get a colleague involved. Or, if you already exercise, use the Corporate Challenge to re-inspire your commitment to exercise.

I find that walking and jogging are such great activities because they can so easily be accommodated to your needs. Find a friend, a co-worker, the right time of day and get started.

Keep in mind that a workout is not only a workout. It also can become a lifestyle, a victory over bad habits and excuses. It can make you feel better about yourself and provide dividends down the road, sometimes in unexpected ways. And, we all want that, don´t we?