Exercise becoming common in Ellis County

By STACIE R. SANDALL

Hays Daily News

Exercise is good, said Ellis County Health Administrator Butch Schlyer, but is anyone in Ellis County picking up the jump rope?

“From the information I see and hear and observe, there seems to be a lot more emphasis on exercise in the county,” Schlyer said. “You hear a lot of people talking about exercise. I think there's been more in the media and more people are aware of the benefits.”

But while exercisers are increasing, Schlyer said, the county is not equipped to meet the rising demand.

“There's more interest in exercising, but we still have a long way to go as a community. We lack so much opportunity to do so much in the communty. And the community doesn't try to provide access trails for that. I think Ellis County is a hard place to exercise for the simple fact that we don't have walking trails, we don't have biking trails, we don't have Roller Blade trails. We're so limited with what we can do,” said Schlyer.

Schlyer said, according to his own experience, to bicycle around Ellis County is risky and there “ought to be a safer place to ride a bicycle.”

Schlyer would like to see more trails, but knows that to have outdoor trails would take tax dollars to construct and maintain.

“There is all kinds of space out here. They would be a great asset to the community,” he said.

To compensate for this lack of outdoor fitness venue, Schlyer recommends heading to the local health club to sweat it up.

“Exercise is not a matter of convenience, it's a matter of conviction. One has to make due with what they've got.”

And it seems that Ellis County residents are doing just that.

Visits to Hays Medical Center's Center for Health Improvement has jumped from 136,000 in 2003 to 144,000 in 2004. It currently has 2,400 members, said Fitness Manager Stephanie Schaffer.

Schaffer said that attendance to the various classes and the pool has also risen dramatically.

It may have another boost in enrollments in a few months when it expands the aerobic studio and introduces new incentive programs such as camps and triathalons.

It has, recently expanded the free-weight area.

Main Street Gym & Fitness owner Kris Desbien said that his enrollment has gone up around 10 percent.

“We got more college kids this semester than normally. They are probably getting ready for spring break and summer,” said Desbien.

Sturdy Bodies has also seen a “marked increase” in enrollment, said owner Rick Sturdy.

“We can't fight human nature, but we try to do everything we can to help,” said Sturdy.

Curves' enrollment has also amplified, but Judy Rohr, who owns the center with her husband, Donald, was unsure of just how much.

Over the past year, Curves has doubled its floor space, added several new machines and now offers weight-loss classes.

“We try to incorporate some games at times to make it a more fun workout and try to make it as enjoyable as possible,” Judy Rohr said.

Rohr said that people are increasingly becoming more health concious and are finally realizing that they have to take time for themselves and take the time to get healthy.

“It is not only good for your body, it's great for your mind. It's a great stress-reliever. As far as your self-esteem, exercise can boost that. You have a better, positive outlook,” Desben said.

Rohr agrees.

“Exercise is very beneficial. As we get older we tend to get less flexible, lose muscle and bone. Exercise increases muslce, strengthens bones and increases flexibility,” she said.

Schlyer has also received great feedback regarding the new program at the Center for Health improvement at Hays Medical Center called Healthy Hays 2010.

Healthy Hays 2010 is a way for the center to help 2,010 Hays residents to get physical and track their progress over a five-year period. People came to the center on Jan. 14 to go through five-station mini-assessments for blood pressure, flexibility, strength testing, BMI and aerobic function.

Healthy Hays 2010 is designed to provide information on healthy cooking, the benefits of staying physically active and activities that participants can take part in.

A total of 288 enrolled as of the middle of February. Another sign-up session will be at the Center from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 8.

Exercise could be as close as the other side of the living room for those whose only time to hit the gym is when their doors are closed. Schlyer has purchased professional equipment for his home and finds it to be a great way to fit fitness into his schedule.

Rick Sturdy has also noticed an increase in the purchase of fitness equipment from Sturdy Bodies, primarily the elliptical type because it simulates low-impact running.

Desbien stressed the importance of taking things slow to prevent wash-out. He suggests starting out slow and easy, making exercising a more consistent part of your lifestyle.

“People expect too much too fast and they get burned out. It takes a lot of will power,” he said.

He also suggested logging food intake or exercise progress.

“If one is going to build their heart-lung capacity, it's going to take exercise that will cause you to sweat for a good 30 minutes,” Schlyer said. “Exercise what works you. There is some aspect to the theory of no pain, no gain. If you're pushing yourself, you are building and toning muscles.”

Schlyer said that any successful weight loss program involves dieting along with the exercise.

“In a reality sense, the equation to losing weight is very simple. It's the application that's hard. The equation is to utilize more calories than you consume. It's a pretty simple equation,” Schlyer said. “We find ourselves in a society that every time we do something it centers around food, whether you're hungry or not. What people need to do is eat limited amounts of meat. The less fat you consume the better you are, and then when you start looking at carbohydrates you don't have to embellish.”

Schlyer showed great concern for today's youth and hopes parents encourage their children to become more active.

About 20 percent to 30 percent of kids in the United States are either overweight or at risk of becoming so — numbers that have grown dramatically over the past 30 years, according to the latest government statistics.

Extra pounds put kids at a greater risk of becoming obese adults and increases their chances of developing health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Schlyer said that while parents are trying to get their kids more active, sometimes it can be very difficult to get them away from technology.

“It's tough to get kids active with there's TV, video games, cell phones, text messaging and computers,” he said. “I think there are some children naturally inclined to be active. But for those children who don't have that inclination, there's not a lot of motivation to make them move.”

Schlyer said that driving by the high schools or grade schools, bicycles are few and far between. The same goes for biking adults.

Reporter Stacie Sandall can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 136, or by e-mail at

ssandall@dailynews.net.