Interview with Fitness Specialist
Carrie Shook

I interviewed Carrie Shook because she used to be a fitness trainer and knows why kids, adolescents, and adults are becoming more and more obese. Sports is a good workout to stay in shape, but there are many other things you can to do stay in shape like dancing, doing chores, and walking a dog. Carrie Shook knows many other things about staying in shape, and that's why I interviewed her.

Q. What is the main reason that kids and adolescents are becoming more and more obese?
A. The main reason that kids and adolescents are becoming more obese is the processed foods and "fast food" we eat too much of. Children are not as free to ride bikes, play sports at the park, and create their own activity, because the media has made us more fearful of the world. Children do not have physical chores, like paper routes and mowing lawns, and spend many more hours in front of television and computer screens.

Q. What is another way to exercise besides doing sports?
A. Besides organized sports, go for a walk, bike ride, throw or kick a ball against a wall, swim laps, clean your house.

Q. What are healthy foods to eat?
A. Healthy foods to eat are natural, not processed, like fruits and vegetables. Fish, eggs, protein for breakfast, helps your mind be ready for the school day and gives you sustained energy. Limit sugary foods that are not natural.

Q. What is a "good" workout for a 10 year old kid? How long should a kid work out, how often and what type of workout?
A. A good workout for a 10 year old kid or anyone is 15-20 minutes at a time for aerobic capacity 2-5 times per week. The more sessions or longer seesions you can do will make your heart and endurance better. I think 30-45 minutes every day leads to burn out, unless you are counting doing something fun, like bike riding, or shooting hoops with friends.

Any exercise is that is something you like to do, so that you will stick to it, can give you a good workout. Exercising at capacity, or working hard, releases endorphins, which is the natural high or being in the zone, that Michael Jordan or Kerry Woods get when they are focused, in tune with what their bodies can do when they are playing their sport.

Doing 20 push ups, sits ups, and a 20 minute jog, bike ride, lap swim, can get you there too. It is important to add some strength and flexibilty exerices to reach major muscle groups.

Yoga is an awesome way to learn to stretch because it teaches you to get in tune with the muscles you are working and is slow, which is how you must stretch. An added benefit of yoga is that it is strengthening at the same time as stretching.

Ten year old kids should not weight lift. Fourteen is a better age to start, but it really depends on how developed you are. Use your own body weight as resistance for strengthening.

Q. What is the best sport that gives you a good workout?
A. The best sport that gives you a good workout is one that you like and has more than just running, because you have to get all your muscles groups targeted, eye hand coordination, focused mind. Davey says Pee Wee football, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, basketball, dodge ball, gymnastics, wrestling.

A. What is a good workout for an adult?
A. An adult over 18 can do all of the above, but as we get older we have to strengthen stetch our ligaments to avoid injury. Weight training is important to add as we age, but swimming is the best overall for targeting everything and can be done forever.