In America, obesity affects 26.7 percent of the population, according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 3.

Physical activity is essential to the human body. Motion is life. If one has less motion, one has less life. It is a chiropractic principle, and also a health principle. 

Since summer is coming toward an end and cooler weather is on the way, these moderate temperatures give us a perfect opportunity to exercise outside.  You can walk, power walk, jog or run.  Your body loves the fresh air and breathing the air outside definitely gives more energy and clarity to the mind, body and soul. 

In La Grange Park, there is one park I often run in, either before, in the middle or after my office hours. I've enjoyed having Memorial Park next door to my office—it is a great place to run. Each lap is one-third of a mile, which makes it easy for me to run a few miles without going around the park 30 times. 

If you do not exercise regularly, your body decays faster, toxins increase, brain activity decreases, immune system decreases, moods of well-being decrease, heart disease increases, cancer increases, body fat increases and so forth.

I am going to explain two key components to aid you in your exercise plan.  The first one is your basal metabolic rate (BMR). BMR is something great to know because it tells you how many calories your body burns without you doing anything. 

For example, I burn 2,600 calories a day without doing anything. If I want to gain weight, I need to consume over 2,600 calories a day and if I want to lose weight, I consume less than 2,600 calories a day. This is a principle to help with weight-loss. 

My recommendation is to work out for four to five days a week for at least 30 minutes with a heart rate above 65 percent of your maximum heart rate. How do you determine this number?  Here is an easy equation for you: (220 – Age) x (percentage desired).

For example, I am 26 years old. To determine what my heart rate should be for a proper exercise, I take 220 minus 26, which gives me 194—my maximum heart rate.  Since I want 65 percent of my maximum heart rate, I will multiple 194 by 0.65 to get 126 heart beats per minute.

Next time you have a moment to yourself, go enjoy a nice walk, jog or run at one of the parks in La Grange or La Grange Park. I always think of it this way—your body loves to exercise, eat healthy, function well, get recharged and always think positive. If you do this for the body, it will reward you with health, vitality and wholeness.  It's a win-win for both parties.