speech 3
We Should Exercise More (770 words, about six minutes)
Mister toastmaster, fellow members and guests.
I'd to talk to you tonight about a subject I feel strongly about.
If you were here for my ice breaker speech two weeks ago you might recall I mentioned I felt passionately about exercise - touch football, swimming and dancing.
And I believe we as a society and as individuals should be doing more exercise.
To help me explain why I'd like to ask you to try to picture the typical Sydney family of 50 or 100 years ago.
Think of dad in his pork pie hat, mum in a floral print dress and two or three kids in tunics or shorts.
Their lives are very physical.
Maybe dad works at the docks at Darling Harbour or build houses or runs a shop where lifting is required.
Chances are mum stays at home and her life is physical too - boiling up the laundry and running it through the wringer, doing the washing up by hand and beating carpets if they need a clean.
The kids probably walk to school, muck around in the playground at lunch time and explore their neighbourhoods by bike after class.
Now think of the typical Sydney family today.
The arrival of computers and other machines means dad's job probably now involves sitting at a desk all, rather than using his hand. Mum might work in an office too and at home there's a host of labour saving devices to make life easier - a dishwasher, a washing machine, a vaccuum cleaner, a dryer.
The kids probably get a lift to school and after class play computer games or browse the internet.
It's a far less physical life.
The Federal Department of Health and ageing recommends for a healthy life we should get 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days.
But a 2004 study by the NSW Centre for Physical Activity and Health found just 20 per cent of us were getting that.
And the lack of activity is affecting our health.
Health scientists say along with an increase in the calories we consume a lack of movement in our lives has seen the rate of obesity in Australia double in the past 20 years.
It's also led to a host of other health problems.
What's needed is more exercise.
Not so we can all have six pack stomaches or perfect bodies like people on magazine covers. But so we can better enjoy our lives and be healthier and happier.
My conversion to exercise came about six years ago.
I was smoking a packet of cigarettes a day and very inactive.
Then a long-term relationship came to an end and I moved to cheap housing near the beach.
To think things over I used to get up first thing in the morning and go for a walk.
The walking led to jogging, the jogging led to running and then swimming and football.
I found myself feeling fitter and happier. The cigarettes fell by the wayside too.
That's one of the benefits of exercise - our bodies produce chemicals such as adrenalin and dopamine, endorphins and seratonin which increase happiness and our enjoyment of life.
Being fitter also increases your mental sharpness and ability to do your job.
It reduces the likelihood of you developing a host of illnesses from heart disease to stroke, from diabetes to colon cancer and high blood pressure.
If you have a bad back it can help ease the pain and it strengthens bones and joints.
For the elderly just walking daily can increase longevity.
Exercise can also be social - keeping fit by playing for a team increases your links to the community and can be a great way to make new friendships.
So what's the best way to get involved in exercise if you're not already or to increase your involvement?
The Federal Health Department says it's good to start by making small changes to your daily tasks.
Instead of driving somewhere you could walk, or if you have to drive, park further away from your destination and walk the rest of the way. If you work in a building with a lift, try taking the stairs.
Then once your fitness is up you can move onto more fun activities, things like swimming and roller blading and pilates and cycling.
One website I visited researching this speech even suggested sexercise.
I don't know what that is but I'd like to find out.
So in conclusion, I've found exercise to be a great benefit to my life.
I think if Australians exercised more we could all be happier and healthier.
Thank you.
Mister toastmaster, fellow members and guests.
I'd to talk to you tonight about a subject I feel strongly about.
If you were here for my ice breaker speech two weeks ago you might recall I mentioned I felt passionately about exercise - touch football, swimming and dancing.
And I believe we as a society and as individuals should be doing more exercise.
To help me explain why I'd like to ask you to try to picture the typical Sydney family of 50 or 100 years ago.
Think of dad in his pork pie hat, mum in a floral print dress and two or three kids in tunics or shorts.
Their lives are very physical.
Maybe dad works at the docks at Darling Harbour or build houses or runs a shop where lifting is required.
Chances are mum stays at home and her life is physical too - boiling up the laundry and running it through the wringer, doing the washing up by hand and beating carpets if they need a clean.
The kids probably walk to school, muck around in the playground at lunch time and explore their neighbourhoods by bike after class.
Now think of the typical Sydney family today.
The arrival of computers and other machines means dad's job probably now involves sitting at a desk all, rather than using his hand. Mum might work in an office too and at home there's a host of labour saving devices to make life easier - a dishwasher, a washing machine, a vaccuum cleaner, a dryer.
The kids probably get a lift to school and after class play computer games or browse the internet.
It's a far less physical life.
The Federal Department of Health and ageing recommends for a healthy life we should get 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days.
But a 2004 study by the NSW Centre for Physical Activity and Health found just 20 per cent of us were getting that.
And the lack of activity is affecting our health.
Health scientists say along with an increase in the calories we consume a lack of movement in our lives has seen the rate of obesity in Australia double in the past 20 years.
It's also led to a host of other health problems.
What's needed is more exercise.
Not so we can all have six pack stomaches or perfect bodies like people on magazine covers. But so we can better enjoy our lives and be healthier and happier.
My conversion to exercise came about six years ago.
I was smoking a packet of cigarettes a day and very inactive.
Then a long-term relationship came to an end and I moved to cheap housing near the beach.
To think things over I used to get up first thing in the morning and go for a walk.
The walking led to jogging, the jogging led to running and then swimming and football.
I found myself feeling fitter and happier. The cigarettes fell by the wayside too.
That's one of the benefits of exercise - our bodies produce chemicals such as adrenalin and dopamine, endorphins and seratonin which increase happiness and our enjoyment of life.
Being fitter also increases your mental sharpness and ability to do your job.
It reduces the likelihood of you developing a host of illnesses from heart disease to stroke, from diabetes to colon cancer and high blood pressure.
If you have a bad back it can help ease the pain and it strengthens bones and joints.
For the elderly just walking daily can increase longevity.
Exercise can also be social - keeping fit by playing for a team increases your links to the community and can be a great way to make new friendships.
So what's the best way to get involved in exercise if you're not already or to increase your involvement?
The Federal Health Department says it's good to start by making small changes to your daily tasks.
Instead of driving somewhere you could walk, or if you have to drive, park further away from your destination and walk the rest of the way. If you work in a building with a lift, try taking the stairs.
Then once your fitness is up you can move onto more fun activities, things like swimming and roller blading and pilates and cycling.
One website I visited researching this speech even suggested sexercise.
I don't know what that is but I'd like to find out.
So in conclusion, I've found exercise to be a great benefit to my life.
I think if Australians exercised more we could all be happier and healthier.
Thank you.
posted by Daniel Dasey at 11:02 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home