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WALKING TO IMPROVE HEALTH

Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience to start walking in order to improve their health.

Central Idea: Regular walking can improve both your mental and physical health.

Introduction

Let's be honest, we lead an easy life: automatic dishwashers, riding lawnmowers, T.V. remote controls, automatic garage door openers, power screwdrivers, bread machines, electric pencil sharpeners. We live in a time-saving, energy-saving, convenient society. It's a wonderful life. Or is it? While today's luxuries have been welcomed by the masses, they have also been accused of turning us into passive, lethargic couch potatoes. As a reformed couch potato myself, I know how easy it can be to slip into an inactive lifestyle. I also know how sluggish and apathetic such a lifestyle can make me feel. Today I want to urge you to move off that couch and get your body moving. I want to persuade you to start walking.

Body

Need

I. Americans lead a sedentary lifestyle at the expense of their health. Adults watch between 15 and 18 hours of TV a week. (statistic - Carey 82)

This means we spend approximately 40% of our leisure time in front of the TV.
Ironically, it is also reported that we really don’t like many of the shows we watch

II. Our eating habits, combined with our lack of exercise is purported to be the second leading non-genetic contributor to death in the US.
Nutritionist Phyllis Hall stated that we tend to eat foods that are high in fat, which produce high level of cholesterol in our blood, which in turns leads to plaque in our arteries.
While modifying our diet certainly help us decrease our risk for heart disease, studies have indicated that people who don’t exercise at an even greater risk for heart disease.
III. Fortunately, there is a simple, effective exercise that we can all do. This exercise is walking.
Walking for 20 minutes at a moderate pace 3 - 4 times a week is good for our physical and mental health.
Walking is an inexpensive from of exercise that requires no training
IV. we can choose to lessen our risk for heart disease and improve our mental health by making an effort to walk.
Walking will enable you to stumble onto natural little wonders that otherwise go unnoticed

Conclusion

In closing, I urge you to start walking more. A simple, and easy activity. Such as park at the back of parking lots and walk. Walk don't drive, to your local convenient store. Walk past the bus stop and let your two feet carry you across campus. Take 20 minutes and enjoy a walk around your neighborhood. Lastly, hide the T.V remote control, then move off the couch, and walk -- for your heart's sake. :))