SACRAMENTO, Calif. — At the start of a new year, you hear it all the time: "New Year, New Me." One of the most popular New Year's resolutions is getting fit and being a healthier person overall.
It's something worth noting. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity is becoming more common in America. It's a serious disease found in all communities, but some groups are affected more than others.
The CDC says Black people have the highest rate of obesity with 49%. Hispanic people account for 45%, white people account for 41%, and Asian people at 16%.
As a life coach, Clifford Hutchinson is passionate about helping people get fit. He owns Lion Athletics in Sacramento. Lion Athletics offers group and personal workout sessions.
"My approach to training comes with challenges and getting clients to not only get better mentally but also physically and spiritually," Hutchinson said. "We do functional training and full body service, where we help clients with weight lifting and cardio. We also offer food plans to make sure that we are giving them an opportunity to be better and healthier."
Hutchinson says Lion Athletics is all about promoting healthy communities. He goes on to explain the importance of fighting the obesity epidemic.
"Lion Athletics really represents my opportunity to teach people how much of the lion heart they possess, how much of that beast mentality they have, and how they can activate those things to become a better version of themselves," Hutchinson said. "I think we are going to be able to attack obesity by educating people and giving people the information they need to be successful. One is what to eat and how to eat. Then, two is being active."
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Tashia Miles, Rebecca Jeanpierre, and Kia McGuire started the new year in the gym. They've all been training with Hutchinson at Lion Athletics over the years. They say working out is now a way of life.
"I gained a lot of weight due to the COVID-19 pandemic, just sitting at home," Miles said. "I just was unhappy with my body. I have dropped 20 pounds and now I'm so strong and I've met my fitness goals."
Jeanpierre joined Lion Athletics to make a change for the better, too. Before connecting with Hutchinson, Jeanpierre says she only focused on cardio training and avoided lifting weights.
"I only believed in cardio," Jeanpierre said. "Weights scared me. I never really ate right. I would do the cardio to make up for whatever I ate. So, when I started with Lion Athletics, all of that changed."
McGuire enjoys working out at Lion Athletics, too. She says Lion Athletics is not just a fitness facility, but it's a welcoming space for all, especially the Black community. She goes on to explain the importance of belonging.
"It's a safe space for Black people overall," McGuire explained. "You see a lot of different people here. But you also see people who look like you, which makes you comfortable to come here and workout, no matter your body type."
When it comes to fighting obesity and living a healthier lifestyle, Hutchinson says it's important to take steps in the right direction. He also adds the significance of being realistic with fitness goals.
"If you show up, you've won. If you complete your exercises, you've won," Hutchinson said. "It's important to give yourself grace. You may make some mistakes, but as long as you're being intentional, present, and trying to eat better and do better, eventually, it will align."
The CDC says many factors can contribute to excess weight gain, like eating patterns, physical activity levels, and sleep routines. Other factors include where a person may live, learn, work, and play. To build a healthier America for all, the CDC says, the nation must confront the systems and policies that have resulted in racial health inequities.
To learn more about ways to fight the obesity epidemic, visit the CDC website. To find out more about Lion Athletics and how to join workout classes, visit their website.
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