Energy Express by Marilynn Preston

Charity may begin at home, but more and more, the charitable impulse winds up spilling over into our leisure time. Millions of Americans are walking to beat breast cancer, cycling to benefit people with MS or HIV, playing golf or beach volleyball to help find and fund a cure for Alzheimer's or some other nasty disease.

It's a good thing. Exercising your instinct to help others is one of the healthiest fitness trends of the last 10 years, right up there with workplace yoga classes and the end of trans fats. If you're leaning toward fitness philanthropy but find yourself a few steps short of commitment, here are some reasons why you might give it a try:

DOING GOOD MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD. Fitness isn't just about sports, exercise and tighter abs. It's a journey you take to achieve a happy and healthy balance in your life, at home, at work and in your neighborhood, too. Look around — in the papers, online, and in gyms and clubs — and talk to friends, and you'll discover all sorts of fitness events that raise money for worthy causes. House the homeless. Feed the hungry. Support a local hospice. Like exercise itself, doing good makes you feel good. And longevity experts will tell you it contributes more to a long and happy life than mango-scented candles or a new flat-screen TV.

TRAINING AS THERAPY. When someone we love dies, we feel depressed and powerless. Training for an event in the name of that person is a healthy way to deal with the pain of personal loss. It's something very specific you can do to feel helpful instead of helpless. You are taking action. And by your action, you are memorializing your dear one in a way that brings pleasure instead of more pain.

Here's one example I know about; there are zillions more just as touching: A pal of mine had a younger sister who died of leukemia more than 40 years ago. Since that time, my friend Lisa has run 27 marathons in Lori's name. "It's how I keep my memory of her alive," says Lisa, "It's our time to connect. I'm training for the race, and I feels she's right there with me, every step of the way." This year, Lisa's cut back to a half-marathon, a much saner, safer distance for her 66-year-old knees.

STAYING MOTIVATED. Motivation is a tricky thing when it comes to sticking to an exercise plan. It's easy to get bored or too busy and lose the will to train. But when you're in training for a specific charity event — a 10K run, a 50-mile bike ride, a three-day walk — you have the benefit of tuning into a higher purpose, the cause behind the cause. Staying true to that intention can be a great motivator.

MAKING LIKE MANDELA. July 18 is Mandela Day, a new way and a new day for you to make a difference in the world by doing a minimum of 67 minutes of community service.

"Nelson Mandela has spent 67 years making the world a better place. We're asking you for 67 minutes" is the headline on the www.Mandeladay.com website, where you can find out how and where you can volunteer your time.

Mandela Day celebrates the idea that each one of us has the power to help transform the world and advance the cause of social justice and racial equality. Is 67 minutes one time a year enough? No. But a journey of 10,000 miles begins with a single step.

EAT THIS UP! TIME TO DESERT DESSERT

Want to lose 30 pounds by next Saturday? Who doesn't? So here's what I suggest for June, July and August, months when delicious fruits and berries and melons are coming to market: Instead of pies, cakes and ice cream, eat fresh fruit. Fresh fruit — organic if you can get it, the more locally grown the better — is the perfect dessert: high in nutritional value and low in calories. The good news? Delicious. Cantaloupe instead of cake. Peaches instead of pies. A bowl of blueberries instead of a 400-calorie blueberry muffin.

Small changes can bring big results, especially when it comes to fitting into your jeans.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O! PRESCRIPTION FOR A HEALTHY HEART

"If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble." — Bob Hope

Marilynn Preston — fitness expert, personal trainer and speaker on healthy lifestyle issues — is the creator of Energy Express, the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the country. She has a website, http://marilynnpreston.com and welcomes reader questions, which can be sent to MyEnergyExpress@aol.com. To find out more about Preston and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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