As the governor warned, "We could have all the money in the world to fund the best health care system in the world, yet if we're not making better choices as individuals we're still going to have a serious problem."

That serious problem is rising health-care costs directly linked to rising weight. The governor revealed during his speech that he and members of his family are "going on a bike ride across South Carolina this spring," explaining: "From the mountains to the seashore, we will see a little bit more of our great state, but more importantly get some exercise on the way."

He also plans to see lots of other South Carolinians along the way, issuing a "personal challenge" for them to join him on the exercise trail by cycling, walking, running or canoeing that same 300-mile distance in one year. And the governor's not the only one who's hailing the benefits of regular physical exertion -- even if it's just a daily walk.

As recently reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a study by Duke University researchers recently concluded that overweight adults who are not on a diet can prevent additional weight gain by taking that brisk half-hour walk -- or the exercise equivalent of one -- each day. According to the study of 120 overweight or mildly obese adults (ages 40-65) who did not try to avoid weight gain through their diets, that relatively moderate amount of regular physical exertion kept them at or below their starting weight.

Those who protest that they don't have the time for such exercise should ponder the reduction of life-span expectancy imposed by significant weight gain. And those who prefer shifting the blame for America's rampant obesity to anybody and anything but the obese themselves should consider the consequences of perpetuating a victim mentality in those who can lose weight, or at least avoid gaining it, through a sustainable level of personal effort.

Three hundred miles might sound like a long way to go, but it's only four-fifths of a mile per day -- and approximately five rounds of golf per month (walking instead of driving a golf cart), at five miles per round.

So let's follow the governor's healthy lead. After all, we'll never get to that 300-mile goal -- or get healthier -- if we don't get started.

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