Ok so I have a bright, wonderful but overweight teenage son, interested in science and technology, and many other things, but who hates to exercise. That is, unless there is some purpose to it that he can see such as going somewhere to get food, which kind of defeats the purpose. His father and I have been so worried about him, more because of his health than for cosmetic reasons, although he is tall with wonderful wavy hair and strong bones and if he were fit he would be strikingly handsome, but health is the main concern for us.
HIs father and I are not overweight and we both try to eat healthy. He often refuses to eat the healthy things I put on the table, instead "doctoring" them to be more to his liking by breading them or doing something else I disapprove of when I turn my back, complaining my food is "tasteless."
Recently a friend suggested using a gravy separator such as this one:
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/oxo-fat-separator/s548642?a=1552
(not plugging this brand or any other, its just an example.) and I plan to pick one up, to give my food more flavor without the fat.
However, although my spouse and I exercise regularly and my husband SUPER regularly like boot camp, our son has remained sluggish about it. Even when we go to the gym together he is half hearted in his efforts. I had been reading for a year or more that thirty minutes of even moderate exercise such as walking can make a huge difference in both health and weight. Here is one of many articles promoting this idea:
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20120824/30-minutes-daily-exercise-shed-pounds
It sounds so easy, but never-the-less he is unusually stubborn and it has not been easy to get him into a regular exercise regimen of any sort.
Today we got a letter in the mail by mistake, that was meant for a neighbor. The walk to her house would have been about 30 minutes round trip. I told my son to come with me to deliver the letter. As there was a purpose to the walk beyond "mere" exercise he came along. Next to the neighbor's house, another neighbor was getting rid of an old Kougar Mark 2 model airplane with a small gas engine. He had left it out for the trash people to take, but also happened to be outside and said my son could have it. We carried it home. My son was thrilled with his find! "I always wanted a small engine" he crowed happily as we walked.
On the way home it occurred to me that this might be a way to possibly help my son get regular exercise. If I could made him see the at-least-30-minute a day walk as a regular daily "treasure hunt" to find those items that are junk to neighbors but exciting treasure to my son, he might go for it.
Well I suggested it to him and he is going to do it! I plan to write up a blog post every day to report on his progress, both in fitness and treasure finding. He is six feet tall and today weighs 225.
