I have been writing articles for The Tidewater News for over a year, and I have really enjoyed all the responses and feedback.

This also made me think that the majority of Franklin, Southampton and Isle of Wight citizens must be taking the initiative to exercise at home.

The reason I say that is your local fitness centers are not full. So this leads me to think that everyone else must be working out at home daily. That is great.

On the other hand, it also leads me to believe that many people still do not exercise or think that they even need to exercise. Maybe you just do not have time, or you do not want to exercise, or even the thought of it just makes you cringe.

You avoid it like the plague, you do not even want to discuss it nor read about it. And maybe heart disease, cancer or other diseases will not catch up to you. But why take the chance? Or just maybe you cannot afford it, or you cannot find a certain fitness facility that you are comfortable with.

On the other hand, maybe you are among the few that are exercising, and that you have found out that you feel so good, your heart is happy, your body is changing for the better, and you have

taken the initiative to join a facility.

Franklin and its environs has a population of more than 10,000 people. The fitness facilities should be packed. They should have a waiting list. Instead more and more people are becoming obese, due to lack of physical activity. This obesity level is a cycle: Parents who do not exercise or show any reason to have less than a 25 percent chance of their children ever exercising.

The statistics are staggering, and not only does not exercising cause obesity but emotional problems in our teens.

It is up to us the adults to show our children that exercising should be part of their lives. The time is now to start on a new and healthy lifestyle.

Taking pills to try and change your body style is only temporary. The only way to have a healthy body and life is to exercise; there is no other way. Still, people are trying to find the easy way out of trying to be healthy.

Have you ever heard the term, “You are what you eat?” If we truly are what we eat, then what do your eating habits say about you? Or your exercise habits?

We live in a society today that demands instant gratification or instant meals. You do not even have to cook meals anymore. You can go to your local deli, fast-food places or even just order it on the Internet.

Here is a thought: Instead of buying magazines that tell gossip in the stores about movie stars, reach for a nutritional magazine that gives out healthy recipes and nutritional advice.

The majority of people who depend on diet pills — or any pills — to stop the cravings of hunger pains will not last. When you stop taking the pills, you will still have to deal with those same hunger pains. You have to mentally accept that you and everyone else on this earth needs to exercise and eat healthy.

We are all in this battle together. Let’s all do our part and make a difference for our younger society.

I encourage everyone to eat healthy and exercise daily.

Since our local facilities are not packed I assume everyone is exercising at home. That is wonderful. Keep up the good work, folks. (Please make exercise a part of your life.)

Debbie Britt Estienne is a certified fitness instructor. She promotes health and fitness in various aspect throughout the community. She can be reached at 562-7517.