Push Play into the Future

We’ve all heard the Push Play message… 30 minutes a day. But have you considered how we will Push Play in the future?

A future where technology is likely to grow at an unprecedented rate, technology which can easily lead us to a more sedentary lifestyle with less physical activity. Think about our current technology; we can order products online instead of walking to the shop, socialise on bebo or facebook instead of meeting a friend or flick out an email instead of getting out of the comfortable office chair.

In the future we literally may only need to lift a finger to get what we want. But what about our other body parts? If we only need the tap of a keyboard or the click of a mouse are we destined for an inactive lifestyle?

Research shows we are already struggling against obesity and inactivity. The latest NZ Health survey found that nearly one third of our children are overweight or obese while the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports 60% of adults aged 15 and over are overweight. A statistic the organisation links to our sedentary ways of life, “For example, fewer children walk or cycle to school and excessive time is devoted to watching television playing computer games, and using computers.” (www.who.int/en).

The effects of a fatter future? An increase in related diseases such as diabetes and consequently to the health system is just one of many.

So how can we make sure our future is a fitter one? The first step is to recognise when we are being inactive and make the change. Make the effort to fit that 30 minutes of exercise into the day no matter how busy your lifestyle.

It is not my belief that we need to turn away from technology in order to reverse this trend. What is important is that we seek technology that works for our health, not against it. .

For a start there are a number of websites that can help with motivation, tips and advice on physical activity and nutrition; www.mapmyrun.com allows you to map about the distances of your runs, log your times and chat to other runners, while at www.activesmart.co.nz  you can sign up for a free fitness plan tailored specifically to you and created by some of NZ top trainers. See the tips box for more websites.

The video game industry, often blamed for inactivity in children, has now produced ‘exergames’ including Wii Fit and Eye Toys which promote exercise. With an eye toy game for example the player runs on the spot and the ‘race’ is projected back on screen to them.

iPods and other MP3 players are another technology that can be used to motivate – create your own exercise playlist and take it along with you while engaging in some physical activity. For those really into new gadgets, Nike has teamed up with Apple to come up with a Sports Kit. It works by placing a small sensor in your Nike shoe and a receiver on your iPod. As you run the sensor records your distance, time, pace and calories burned and displays the information on your iPod screen. You can even upload the data to www.nikeplus.com to track your progress over time and compete against other virtual runners.

These are just a few examples of technology that can encourage and motivate us to a more active lifestyle. In a country where over 70% have access to the internet (internetworldstats.com) the use of technology is inevitable, the choice of whether it helps or hinders health is yours. What do we as a country want to look like in the future? If we want to be healthy and fit for our future then we need to set a good example for our future generations. It starts now, with 30 minutes a day.

Website tips:

www.mapmyrun.com  –map your runs and log your workouts and search for runs and running events. (also see www.mapmyride.com, www.mapmyfitness.com )

www.activesmart.co.nz  – free, fully tailored fitness programmes, including nutrition advice that are professionally created.

www.sparc.co.nz/pushplay  - tips, success stories and advice on how you can fit Push Play into your busy lifestyle.

www.wiifit.com  / www.eyetoy.com  - find out more about the new ‘exergames’ available.

www.health24.com  - training programmes, health tips, stretching, how to get fit, exercises.

www.apple.com/ipod/nike/  - check out the latest sports kit from Apple and Nike which places a sensor in your running shoe.

www.livesmart.org.nz  – sign up to a free ‘live smart coach’ which provides simple tips on how to fit activity into your life straight to your email inbox.

www.sportsbuddy.co.nz  - find a sports buddy to train, play or compete with here. Plus clubs, events, gyms, trainers & physios.