A culture of fitness leads to a lifetime of change
1/14/2010
by MC1 Heather Hines
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Getting in shape or increasing physical fitness is a common goal set by many people for the New Year. Unlike the other resolutions, this one tends to be unattainable for many Americans. So why is this?

In recently released Navy Rhumblines, the Navy encourages a culture of fitness to help maintain a mission-ready force. Fitness, according to Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)(SS/SW) Rick West, is one of the many elements of readiness.

While in agreement with the MCPON, Navy Region Southwest (NRSW) Command Fitness Leader Chief Religious Programs Specialist Dennis Abeling believes changing your attitude is the first step forward when changing your lifestyle.

"The reason most people fail in life is because they become too comfortable with life's pleasures," Abeling said. "Workout as if you want to live your life, not just exist in life."

Abeling added that Sailors can take a few steps towards maintaining an optimal outlook on starting a physical fitness regiment.

For NRSW, the opportunities to maintain optimal fitness come in the form of daily group physical training sessions, nutritional food guidelines, and monitoring and tracking results of a mock physical readiness test and body assessment.

Through command and deckplate leadership, the Rhumblines also stated that the number of Sailors with three physical fitness assessment failures in four years has decreased by more than 50 percent when comparing the first cycle of 2009 with the first cycle of 2008.

A 2009 Navy Physical Readiness Quick Poll reports that more than 85 percent of respondents account they have adequate access to physical fitness facilities and equipment located at their duty station. The same poll also results in more than two-thirds of Sailors reporting that their command leadership supports physical training, leads by example when it comes to physical readiness, and reflects the image of a physically fit Sailor.

To manage a physical readiness program, the Navy utilizes OPNAV instruction 6110.1H to support a fit, fully capable and mission-ready force. Recent policy updates are summarized in NAVADMIN 247/09.

So whether you make it one of your New Year's resolutions to get in shape financially or physically, a few successful habits to develop include eating healthy and maintaining some sort of workout routine on a daily basis. For support with recognizing sustained healthy living, the Navy has online guides to fitness, nutrition and injury prevention.