Can Michelle Obama Inspire Black Women To Get In Shape?

"Exercise is really important to me for the physical and mental benefits. With all the goodies folks share with you when you're campaigning, the gym is necessary."  Michelle Obama in Pink magazine Nov 2008

We love her clothes, her intelligence, her cute kids and that husband of hers with the big ears is pretty awesome too.  There has been article after breathless article of swooning Black women openly wishing for their very own Barack.

We also admire her slim, athletic shape.  Everyone has heard about the president's workouts (and seen pictures of him going to and from the gym) but the First Lady has stuck to a pretty solid workout routine as well, even with a hectic schedule.  She has recounted in several interviews how she would get up an hour before her family to make sure that she had time for herself, including exercise. Also, prior to her husband's presidential campaign - and during - the first lady worked out with her friend every morning at 4:30 a.m.

Too bad the same can't be said for everyone.  The statistics on American Black women and obesity are mind-boggling. According to a recent Surgeon General's report, 69% of non-Hispanic black women are overweight or obese compared to 58% of non-Hispanic black men.  There are also several underlying factors related to obesity that cross socioeconomic lines like eating out more often and increased television, computer, electronic gaming time.  There are also factors that  may disproportionately affect Black women in lower-income neighborhoods like a fear of crime which would prevent or limit outdoor exercise.  

There are other culturally-specific factors related to Black women that is often under reported.  For instance, a recent study by researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that Black Americans were less likely to recognize overweight and obesity, study shows.  The study found that overweight Black Americans are two to three times more likely than heavy white Americans to say they are of average weight — even after being diagnosed as overweight or obese by their doctors, according to a new study led by  researchers.  Yet another study conducted with 103 Black women by Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center found that 31% of them admitted to exercising less to avoid messing up their hair. 

Another set of researchers just laid it on the line and said that ALL African-American Women Could be Overweight by 2034.  "All" as in ninety-percent, but it is still alarming.

Mrs. Obama has stated that she would push for healthier food, if her husband makes it to the White House and now that he is there, I wonder how she plans to do it.  In February 2008, Mrs. Obama spoke with WebMD about eating healthy and her workout schedule:

How do you manage to work exercise into your busy schedule?
I make it a point to get in a good work out when we're home for a day or two between campaign trips. It's an incredible release and a priority for me.

Is it possible to eat healthy while you are campaigning? If so, how do you so it?
You know, it's tough. Really tough, when you spend a lot of time driving between stops and want to focus on meeting with voters and not sitting down to eat a healthy meal. But I make sure the girls eat right all the time, and I eat healthily when I'm home, so it's ok for a treat when we're working hard on the road.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure food?
French fries. Always.

So, I am wondering - especially if you are a Black woman.  Do you think Michelle Obama will inspire Black women to eat healthier and exercise more? Is she inspirational in this area to you?

Comments

[alicia villarosa]

I hope so. She's clearly more of an inspiration than the last 2 Bush first ladies, Barbara, (a really mean grandma) and "silent Laura. Glamazon Michelle is athletic and makes working out and taking care of herself a priority. I've written a couple of things for The Root.com on our new first lady and also how the Obama Presidency can make us healthier.

[Nichelle Gainer]

Hi Alicia,

I saw your article at The Root (and I like your blog!)

I love how the first lady makes working out and taking care of herself a priority. Hopefully it will catch on.

[SunnyJ]

This one can be tricky. Because she is who she is people may look at her and think "Yeah she can do that because she has this and that luxury time, money etc." - conveniently overlooking the fact that she is willing to get up early enough to work out at 4:30 AM.

Getting motivated to become healthier takes a dramatic shift in thinking that some people simply aren't willing to embrace. I hope she does motivate people but sadly I think they will be moved to immulate every aspect of her life except for that one.

[Nichelle Gainer]

I hear ya Sunny. I touched on that before - remember If I Only Had Millions I Would Be Hot Too!

You're right about the dramatic shift in thinking that needs to take place to be healthier. Sadly, I also think you may be right about women being motivated and excited about everything else about her except the 4:30 am workouts.

I hope we're both wrong, but maybe there will be a different if she actually speaks out more on eating healthy and working out as first lady.

[Giesse]

In 1968, the Presidential Fitness Award was a desired award of honor by all of us African-American elementary school students (in my town, anyway) and "eating healthy, from the four food groups" was part of the curriculum. Although this was common in 1968, by 1979, the standard of health and fitness was a mere shadow to the former, and fitness in school was thwarted by "mandatory" physical education courses, usually undesirable, "open campus" policies that gave us the freedom to seek junk food, and a smoking lounge that was a "coming of age" ritual.

We were set up! And at not yet 50 years, I have cashed in my health for these mind-numbing habits, resulting in hypertension and heart disease, and dodging the bullet of diabetes. I was actually surprised I reached this level so early in life, believe it or not.

I think we are trying to go in the right direction, but I would like to see the Presidential Fitness Award emphasized in our schools again, and believe our First Lady should be the spokesperson (as hard as Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign). I also believe that physical education should be required, with the freedom of choice for the activity, and should include ALL sports and dance that would at some point challenge the student aerobically. I am really saying, we should get back to "normalcy".