Get Fit Texas

What is GetFitTexas!?
GetFitTexas! is a free online tracking tool that allows you to keep a record of your physical activity so you can stay motivated, accountable and committed to your exercise routine. 

Why Exercise?
When we don’t exercise enough and eat more calories than we need, we gain weight. If left unaddressed, this can lead to overweight and obesity (more than 20% above your ideal weight). This extra weight can contribute to other diseases including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer. 

The extra weight takes a toll on our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing; it also takes a toll our families, friends, caregivers and communities.

The cost of treating these health concerns is also shared with our families and our communities. For example, a snapshot of diabetes between 1996 and 2004 shows:

• The number of patients with diabetes increased from 9.9 million to 13.7 million
• The average annual treatment rose from $1,299 to $1,714.
• The average annual spending for an adult on prescription diabetes medicines rose from $476 to $883 (nearly 86%.)
• Drug costs doubled for diabetic patients between the ages of 45 - 64.
• Diabetes patients are likely to be hospitalized longer than other patients are.
• In 2004, hospitals spent $58 billion on the million stays of diabetic patients (20% of hospital expenditure.)
• Overall annual care for patients with diabetes averaged more than $10,000.

These figures are staggering, even more staggering is the fact that the most common type of diabetes (type 2) can often be prevented with regular physical activity. It’s important for our own health and for the health of our communities that we adopt and engage in healthy lifestyle habits.

GetFitTexas! encourages individuals to meet the current physical activity recommendations of 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. These recommendations are based on the Physical Activity Guidelines endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine, The American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Will You Accept the Challenge?
Make the move to better health and accept the challenge today!
Individuals, groups and communities can use the free online GetFitTexas! tools and resources to help improve health and motivate others.

Individuals
Participating on GetFitTexas! is simple, just create a free myFit profile and start logging your activity. Track what type of physical activity you are performing and for how long. Use this record to measure your progress and motivate yourself to take it to the next level.

To create a free personal myFit profile, go to myFit with GetFitTexas! and start tracking your physical activity today!.

Groups
Once you have created a profile on GetFitTexas! you can create a team to share the experience with others. Invite your friends, family members, coworkers, and anyone you want to set up their own profile and join your team. Exercise and track your activity together and share the successes! Click here fore instructions on creating a team.

Communities
In the past 20 years, U.S. communities have seen a dramatic rise in obesity. A survey by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention on obesity trends by state found that:

• 34% of Americans 20 years and over are obese
• 34% of Americans 20 years and over are overweight

As community leaders, we need to find ways to slow this trend and provide opportunities for individuals to engage in healthy, happy activities.

GetFitTexas! offers communities a method for encouraging engagement in physical activity and measuring efforts.

• Develop a physical activity challenge to engage your community.
• Partner with local businesses to share the message.
• Use GetFitTexas to track and recognize participation. 

Looking for help with logging activity, creating teams, joining teams or any other aspect of using the GetFitTexas! website? Visit our FAQ page.