Are Hawai'i people clued in to the new federal guidelines for diet and exercise? Will they fit 90 minutes of exercise into their day, every day?
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| Dennis Sanchez of Wahiawa, a former personal trainer, suggests a gradual approach to getting fit.
Photos by Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser
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| Amy Portugal, left, of Kaimuki, and her son Kahlil, 5, discuss exercise over lunch in the Ala Moana Center food court. Amy runs before work each day and is encouraging her kids to choose healthy options too. |
If a first response from a sampling of O'ahu residents is any indication, the answer is "maybe."
Even though most people we talked to learned about the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, issued last week by the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture, from our questions, they were certainly aware that they needed to exercise and watch their diets to be fit.
But now the standards have been raised. The feds want people to get moving every day, not every other day. People who want to lose weight or keep weight off are being advised to exercise daily for 90 minutes — none of that flabby 20 to 30 minutes, anymore.
Can busy Hawai'i people do that? Do they want to? Will they try?
Striving for health
At the Ala Moana Center food court, Amy Portugal of Kaimuki, her daughter, Monica, 10, and son, Kahlil, 5, both students at Wai'alae Elementary School, were eating a healthy lunch.
Mom Amy had not heard of the guidelines, despite all the media hoopla last week. But she recently bumped up her workout regimen for personal health reasons.
"I recently started running for 30 to 45 minutes every other morning before work. I plan to increase that to lower my cholesterol," Portugal said.
She has set two goals for herself: to complete the Great Aloha Run this year and the Honolulu Marathon, either this year or in 2006.
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| Monica Portugal |
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| Casey Sakaguchi |
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| Leah Peters-Valdez |
Daughter Monica is also health conscious and practices tae kwon do three times a week. "I like it, but it's very hard. You have to keep up with the other kids in class but at the same time make sure you don't hurt yourself," she said. She would like to increase her activity by joining the track and basketball teams.
Three 14-year-old 'Aiea High School freshmen were chatting over pizza and salad when we caught up with them. Erica Lamug and Leah Peters-Valdez play soccer and jog. Casey Sakaguchi runs track (sprints and long distance) and surfs. They, too, had never heard of the federal guidelines.
For Sakaguchi, the pumped-up expectations "came out of the blue."
"I don't know why they're changing them now," Sakaguchi said. She said she plans to exercise more anyway, because she would like to "lose weight and get in better condition for my sports."
Peters-Valdez said she practices every day any way, getting her exercise that way. "There's never a day when I don't. For me, it's about trying to improve how far I can jog. I compete with myself."
When she first began exercising, it was "about being attractive," Peters-Valdez said. But now she's hooked and works out because she enjoys it.
All three active girls said the word "diet" is not part of their health and fitness vocabulary.
Finding the time
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| Kevin Akiyama |
Kevin Akiyama, 25, of 'Aina-Koa was warming up for a volleyball match at Ala Moana park when we asked his opinion on Monday afternoon. Even though Akiyama is an athlete who surfs, runs, plays volleyball and studies muay Thai (a Thai martial art), he expressed surprise at the new guidelines and wondered how busy Island people would find the time.
"For someone who works from 8 to 5 and has a family — wow! How can they do it?" Akiyama asked.
Akiyama said his fitness regime "is more about peace of mind. It's more spiritual for me than just a workout."
Dennis Sanchez, 28, of Wahiawa, who is working toward a doctorate in physical therapy, asked, "How will people fit that much time into their busy schedules? Many people are way too busy for that. Maybe 45 minutes would be more do-able."
The former personal trainer added, however, "If they can fit it in and it helps them increase their strength and aerobic capacity, then I hope they'll do it." He cautioned that getting fit has to be a gradual process to reap the benefits. "If they go from nothing to 60 or 90 minutes, they are going to get fatigued, for sure," he said.
The Punahou paddling team was just finishing a walk/jog around Magic Island and, as the girls launched the canoes into the water, we spoke with their coaches.
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| Reney Ching |
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| Camille Chong |
Reney Ching, 49, of St. Louis Heights, was not only aware of the guidelines, she said she had posted them in her office. She increased her exercise dramatically three weeks ago after a fainting spell sent her to the emergency room. "I found out I had high blood pressure, and I immediately took the fat, salt and sugar out of my diet. I've always eaten a lot of fruits and vegetables, but now I'm eating even more of them, and oatmeal every single day," she said.
Although she has to get up at 4:30 a.m. to cram everything into 24 hours, she set up a buddy system, working out with a friend nearly every day. In those three weeks, she said, she has lost 10 pounds and feels terrific.
"The guidelines are great, but they only fit certain people. It (how long and how hard a person works out) should depend on the individual and where they are physically," said Camille Chong, 31, of Kapahulu, a school teacher and conditioning coach for paddlers.
Chong cautioned, "My 60 minutes of aerobic activity may be different from someone else's. It's so important to have realistic goals. A lot of the success I've seen is due to being on a team. The social interaction helps."
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| HOW FAR CAN YOU GO?
What might you achieve in 90 minutes?
- Walk 4 1/2 miles* at an average pace.
- Run 7 miles* at a moderate pace.
- Swim 2-plus miles* in a pool or ocean.
- Bicycle 18 miles* at a moderate pace.
* Many variables apply to each individual's rate, including overall fitness, age and gender
AMONG THE GUIDELINES ...
Calories
• New guidelines: Balance calories between the amount you eat and the amount of energy you burn. For moderately active people between the ages of 31 and 50, recommended calories would be 2,000 per day for women and 2,400 to 2,600 for men.
• Old guidelines: Aim for a healthy weight, based on Body Mass Index.
Exercise
• New guidelines: Thirty minutes of exercise is the minimum. Exercise for 60 minutes to maintain weight and prevent weight gain.
If you've lost or are trying to lose weight, exercise for 60 to 90 minutes daily.
• Old guidelines: Be physically active every day, accumulating about 30 minutes of exercise daily.
Nutrition
• New guidelines: Eat a variety of foods that are high in nutrients and low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars and salt. Follow government recommendations such as the food guide pyramid.
• Old guidelines: Let the pyramid guide your food choices and pick a variety of grains, especially whole grains, and fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables
• New guidelines: Eat at least 4.50 cups of fruits and vegetables a day if you have a 2,000-calorie diet. Eat more or less depending on the calorie level.
• Old guidelines: Eat 3 to 4 servings of vegetables and 2 to 4 servings of fruit a day.
Carbohydrates
• New guidelines: Eat fiber-rich whole fruits and vegetables and whole grains often. Eat and drink little added sugar or caloric sweeteners.
• Old guidelines: Choose a variety of grains, especially whole grains, and a variety of fruits and vegetables daily. Choose food and drinks to moderate sugar intake.
Fat
• New guidelines: Keep trans fats as low as possible. Get no more than 10 percent of your calories from saturated fat and no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol daily.
• Old guidelines: Keep your diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat.
Salt
• New guidelines: Limit salt to about one level teaspoon a day.
• Old guidelines: Eat and prepare foods with less salt.
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