The Weight Is Over

I found this really interesting article in the "Healthspan" magazine by Professor Greg Whyte, a professor of Sport and Exercise Science at Liverpool John Moores University. I personally think too many people focus on cutting out calories (to an extent where their metabolism slows considerably) and not on how much activity they can do in any given day.

The 'fitness not fatness' message has re-drawn the health landscape and finally, physical activity is becoming recongnised as a fundamental part of health. It is somewhat ironic that the ancient Greeks recognised the importance of physical activity for health yet it is only in the past few years that governments have placed exercise on the health agenda.
Controlling body weight is important as there is a proven link between obsesity and a range of chronic diseases including diabetes, coronary heart disease and some cancers. Despite knowledge that weight control is a balance of energy consumption (eating) and energy expenditure (physical activity), the 'battle of the bulge' has focused on calorie restriction (dieting) for over 2 decades, with limited success. Indeed recent evidence suggests that the British are getting fatter despite a reduction in the average calorie consumption. The primary reason for this lack of success is due to the rapidly decreasing levels of physical activity. Dieting alone is rarely effective in controlling body weight. In fact only 10% of dieters manage to maintain their weight loss in the long term. In addition, this binge dieting culture can have negative health consequences as a result of malnutrition, particularly a lack of micro-nutrients (i.e. vitamins and minerals). Nutritional supplements are an integral part of diet plans as calorie restriction often leads to an imbalanced diet.
In contrast, a growing body of evidence is reporting that being fit is far more important for health than being thin. Research in the 1990s - and now supported from work across the world - suggest that being 'fat and fit' is associated with lower incidence of chronic disease than being 'thin and unfit'. A recent study in the USA stated that obese subjects who were fit had a lower risk of dying than normal-weight subjects who were physically inactive. So, even if you have a normal weight you are only protected against chronic disease if you are physically active. In other words, a diet of physical activity is the key to a healthier, longer and more enjoyable life irrespective of your weight.
Obesity is a physical sign, a symptom, of inactivity. 'The Obesity Epidemic' should be renamed: 'The Inactivity Epidemic'. A shift in our focus of attention to increasing physical activity will not only address the issue of obesity but we will also obtain all of the positive physical and psychological health gains and improve our quality of life.
When we talk about physical activity, think not only about those periods of prescribed exercise such as walking the dog or going to the gym but also think about the huge amounts of time between these relatively short episodes of exercise. Recent evidence suggests that sedentary behaviour - 'too much sitting' - is associated with chronic disease. In brief, being as active as possible throughout the day is the path to better health..
While the importance of physical activity for health is now gaining prominence, be careful not the throw out the proverbial ' baby with the bath water'! A balanced diet is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle and should remain high on your health agenda. Attaining a balanced diet with the appropriate levels of nutrients can be difficult, particularly if you are restricting calories to lose weight. Focussing on a broad ranging diet, including all major food groups and the use of nutritional supplements where needed, will support your new improved exercise diet and ensure optimal health. Remember, the health diet is a diet for all; you are not protected just because you are a normal weight.
Over 2 decades ago fatness was the crowned king in the fight against chronic disease and there grew the dieting empire that has dominated our lives. The reign of fatness has now come to an end and the new rightful leader in the promotion of health is FITNESS. Improving fitness through increased physical activity reduces the incidence of chronic disease, and not only lengthens but increases the quality of life.

In other words, try to focus on how much activity you can do every day. Take the stairs instead of a lift, walk to the shops instead of taking the car or use public transport (it's more enviromentally friendly anyway), take some of the chores back from your helper! You will find that your weight problem will no longer be a problem!