SPORTS & 

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14

 Mountain Views NewsSaturday, February 22, 2025

WHY FITNESS NEEDS A LOBBYIST

Imagine a sharply dressed man in a crisp suit 
strides into Capitol Hill, briefcase in hand. He’s not 
here to push for oil subsidies or tax cuts for billionaires. 
No, this guy represents Big Exercise and he’s 
ready to make America move.

Obesity rates are soaring, physical activity is plummeting, 
and the closest thing Congress has to a 
workout is bending over backward for corporate 
donors. But unfortunately, no one is fighting for 
America’s most neglected cause: fitness.

It’s not like no one has tried. Over the years, a handful 
of famous figures have marched into Congress, 
desperately trying to get politicians to care about 
public health. Two of the most prominent are Arnold 
Schwarzenegger and Richard Simmons.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: The Fitness Terminator

Before he was a governor, before he was the Terminator, 
Arnold Schwarzenegger was a relentless 
advocate for fitness. In the 1990s, he testified before Congress as Chairman of the President’s 
Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, warning lawmakers about the dangers of 
inactivity.

He told a room full of politicians if we do not prioritize exercise in schools, there will 
continue to be a decline in physical activity among youth. Schwarzenegger spent years 
pushing for stronger national fitness programs, especially for kids. Some of his efforts 
helped keep government-backed fitness initiatives alive. Yet in the end? Congress still 
preferred lobbying dollars over lunges.

Richard Simmons: America’s Most Enthusiastic Fitness Evangelist

In 2008, the king of spandex and sweatbands himself marched into Congress, not to sell 
workout tapes but to push for mandatory PE in schools. He swapped his signature glitter 
tank top for a suit, and with his usual high-energy enthusiasm, he urged lawmakers 
to pass the FIT Kids Act.

His argument was simple: Kids were sitting too much, obesity rates were skyrocketing, 
and schools were ditching gym class in favor of more standardized testing. He pleaded 
with Congress to bring back structured physical activity. Simmons declared. “Everyone 
is not a jock. Everyone cannot play sports. Everyone cannot run but everyone can be 
fit. It’s not important if you’re a jock it’s important that you have your health and our 
children right now do not have it.”

Lawmakers nodded. Some even clapped. And then? They did absolutely nothing.

The fitness icon left Washington empty-handed, while America’s P.E. classes continued 
their slow transformation into oblivion. It turns out, if you’re not carrying a briefcase 
full of campaign donations, Congress isn’t all that interested.

So, Why Doesn't Fitness Have a Lobbyist? The cold, hard truth? In Washington, money 
talks, and fitness isn’t paying up.

Big Junk Food? They’ve got lobbyists. Pharmaceutical companies selling drugs for preventable 
diseases? Lobbyists. The diet industry? Lobbyists galore. Meanwhile, fitness 
remains an afterthought—quietly ignored while Congress debates whether pizza counts 
as a vegetable (which, by the way, they decided it does).

Now, imagine if fitness had the same lobbying power as the sugar industry. Gyms 
would get federal tax breaks. Mandatory standing desks would be required in government 
buildings.

Every senator would have to run a mile before voting on a healthcare bill. Instead Americans 
get heavier and sicker.

If Big Fitness had a lobbyist, here’s what they could push for: Mandatory daily P.E. 
for kids (no, “walking to class” does not count). Tax deductions for gym memberships 
(because being healthy shouldn’t cost extra). A requirement that lawmakers pass 
a fitness test before taking office (hey, we can dream). Health insurance discounts for 
non-smokers. Subsidies for active transportation—bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly cities, 
and infrastructure that makes it easier to move. Workplace fitness stipends (because 
healthier workers cost the country less money).

Just think if Nike, Peloton, and every equipment manufacturer pooled their money to 
fund a fitness super PAC. Instead of funneling cash into endorsements, they could get 
legislation that actually rewards Americans for moving.

We’ve already seen the power of lobbyists in action: Big Tobacco spent decades delaying 
regulations on cigarettes. Big Sugar helped turn our food supply into a dessert buffet. 
Big Pharma has made treating symptoms far more profitable than preventing them. Big 
Oil continues to reap close to a trillion dollars a year in government subsidies.

Yet fitness—the one thing that could actually reduce reliance on healthcare—remains 
an unfunded, neglected cause. One that could save trillions in dollars by reducing workplace 
sick days and increasing productivity.

Arnold Schwarzenegger tried. Richard Simmons tried. But without a powerful fitness 
lobby, their efforts got buried under corporate influence and political apathy.

Until someone pays Congress to care about fitness, don’t expect much to change. In the 
meantime, if you need me, I have some squats to do.


Michele Silence, M.A. is a 37-year certified fitness 

professional who offers semi-private/virtual fitness 
classes. Contact Michele at michele@kid-fit.
com. Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness 
Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness.

NO. GO. DO!

Cyndi Lauper was right—folks just want to have fun. And 
yet, it’s so tempting to stay under the covers, snuggled in 
that cozy nest. But what happens when the nest is empty? 
I know plenty of people who dream of starting a business, 
traveling the world, or learning a new skill once their child 
moves out.

Here’s the thing: wanting something and having it are two 
very different things. They don’t live on the same channel.

As we age, we operate on autopilot, running the same 
patterns we’ve used to survive. But survival isn’t the goal. 
After 40 (or honestly, at any point), we must ask: Am I 
choosing to expand, create, and grow? Because if we don’t 
actively choose growth, we’re choosing stagnation. And 
stagnation? That’s just a slow fade into irrelevance.

I have a friend with a brilliant business idea. She’s picked out the name, knows exactly what 
service she wants to offer, and has even eyed a location. And yet—she’s done nothing to move 
forward. She’s miserable in her current job, frustrated with her life, and stuck in a loop of someday. 
Because it is a brilliant idea, I'm sure that business will get started, but it most likely won't 
be by her. Ideas are everywhere, and the people who prosper from them are the ones who take 
action. Her frustration will grow when she sees someone else profiting from that idea. Have you 
ever experienced that?

What to do?

You can start by recognizing the preciousness of this moment. Not tomorrow. Not when it’s 
convenient. Right now.

And then? Get comfortable with the word no.

Say no to hitting snooze on your dreams.

Say no to numbing yourself with distractions.

Say no to always putting others first while your aspirations gather dust.

Sometimes, saying no means closing the fridge instead of stress-eating. Sometimes, it’s declining 
another credit card swipe on something you don’t need. Sometimes, it’s refusing to play chauffeur, 
therapist, or savior when it’s draining you dry.

Is it time to give up being a people pleaser?

As Henry David Thoreau said, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams."

Once you know what you want, you have to go. Moving toward something new means stepping 
into responsibility—ownership of the life you are creating.

So how do you do it?

Get clear. What do you want? A business? A relationship? More adventure? Write it down.

Take the first step. Register the business name. Have that hard conversation. Book the trip. Do 
the thing.

Keep moving. Small, consistent actions build momentum. Don’t let fear trick you into paralysis.

Fall in love with the process.

This is where the shiitake hits the skillet.

You say you want a more connected, loving relationship? Reach out today.

Do you crave adventure? Book the damn trip.

Do you want to make a difference? Find a way to serve.

The fun is in the doing. That’s where expansion lives.

Your life is waiting.

Go!

Lori A. Harris is an award-winning coach who helps her clients discover a life they love. You can learn more 
about her at loriaharris.com


Lori A. Harris

 
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