Friday, 13 August 2010
Awesome results just keep on coming from www.fit2dropfitcamp.com - be one of them but only if you are quick, September is filling quicker than ever before. To receive regular updates, news and articles please subscribe to my newsletter via my website www.cwfitness.co.uk Don't forget the new bridal bootcamps too at www.fit2commit.co.uk for both brides and grooms! This weeks newsletter asks the question of whether we should be asking our GPs for nutritional advice, arguments both for and against - sign up to make sure you don't miss the controversial topic!
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Bobbies's Speech
Had my first charity Fat Loss Forever Seminar today which was a roaring success. I had asked Bobbie if she would mind saying a few words and introducing me. I refused to help her write it as it was important to me that it came from her! Bobbie has been doing fit camp, losing an astonishing 10 inches in just one week and Zumba and was so nervous when she got up to speak - I am so proud of her. Here is what she had to say:
'I would like to start by showing my appreciation to an inspirational woman who has helped me in many ways that could only be shown if you attended one of her sessions!
I am 20 years old and I work with children, so I meet a lot of new people each day. My job is very fulfilling and enjoyable but the way I felt about myself was not, I was really unconfident and had low self esteem. I was beginning to feel depressed about my weight and didn't want to join in with social activities.
I first heard about Zumba and fit camp through my older sister and because of her amazing achievements I decided to give it a go. I didn't really have high hopes at first because I have tried so many diets and have spoken to so many weight loss instructors. After giving Zumba a try and seeing the energy that Cori has and how crazy she can be doing it, I found I loved it and was determined to complete the 4 weeks of fit camp. I found the diet do-able as there's no limit to how much you can eat as long as you eat the right foods, the exercises are hard work but they are definitely worth the results. I can honestly say it has personally been the best thing I have done for myself.
With the supportive encouragement I received from Cori in the first seven days I lost over 10 inches. In the second week my clothes felt comfortable and were fitting me properly. In the third week I had gone from a size 18 to a size 14, my overall result after the 4 weeks showed a change of over a stone and 25 inches. I was so amazed with the outcome I realised all the hard work and challenging exercises were worth every single inch!
There were days that I felt I couldn't carry on with the diet side of fit camp, as we all know how hard it is to beat a craving! But with the praise, encouragement and inspiration Cori will give you I now know how to fight those cravings, you will be given a handbook and it sort of becomes your bible, there are quotes that Cori has put in there that I found myself repeating on a regular basis, especially on a Saturday night - YOU BOOZE YOU LOSE! Now I lead a more active, happier and healthier life, I have a lot more energy and more confidence to walk around with a smile on my face.
I think fit camp works so well because the passion that Cori has for fitness is so great and the love she shows in helping other people achieve their personal goals shows within each session! She seems to know the areas that you're struggling with and supports you with it, she is so caring and understands what you are going through as she has done it herself. She has become a massive role model to me because every time I've needed help she gave me the best support I could have asked for, even standing here saying a few words about fit camp probably doesn't show how grateful I am for the tools she has given me to change my life for the better!
I think she deserves a huge applause for her hard work, please welcome the woman, who in my opinion, is a weight loss genius.....'
Thank you Bobbie - it still brings a tear to my eye - I am so proud to have been so instrumental in turning your life around for the better. I will be reminding you of this speech when we do Abdominatrix later next week!!!
One of Bobbe's many achievements was the Plank. She was convinced she would never master it - yet yesterday she messaged me to say she had gone from a 45sec hold (a massive achievement in itself) to a whopping 60sec hold, from a woman who struggled to complete session one.
It is achievements like these that make my job so special. I am privileged to watch you change, transform and grow and I love every single second of it!
'I would like to start by showing my appreciation to an inspirational woman who has helped me in many ways that could only be shown if you attended one of her sessions!
I am 20 years old and I work with children, so I meet a lot of new people each day. My job is very fulfilling and enjoyable but the way I felt about myself was not, I was really unconfident and had low self esteem. I was beginning to feel depressed about my weight and didn't want to join in with social activities.
I first heard about Zumba and fit camp through my older sister and because of her amazing achievements I decided to give it a go. I didn't really have high hopes at first because I have tried so many diets and have spoken to so many weight loss instructors. After giving Zumba a try and seeing the energy that Cori has and how crazy she can be doing it, I found I loved it and was determined to complete the 4 weeks of fit camp. I found the diet do-able as there's no limit to how much you can eat as long as you eat the right foods, the exercises are hard work but they are definitely worth the results. I can honestly say it has personally been the best thing I have done for myself.
With the supportive encouragement I received from Cori in the first seven days I lost over 10 inches. In the second week my clothes felt comfortable and were fitting me properly. In the third week I had gone from a size 18 to a size 14, my overall result after the 4 weeks showed a change of over a stone and 25 inches. I was so amazed with the outcome I realised all the hard work and challenging exercises were worth every single inch!
There were days that I felt I couldn't carry on with the diet side of fit camp, as we all know how hard it is to beat a craving! But with the praise, encouragement and inspiration Cori will give you I now know how to fight those cravings, you will be given a handbook and it sort of becomes your bible, there are quotes that Cori has put in there that I found myself repeating on a regular basis, especially on a Saturday night - YOU BOOZE YOU LOSE! Now I lead a more active, happier and healthier life, I have a lot more energy and more confidence to walk around with a smile on my face.
I think fit camp works so well because the passion that Cori has for fitness is so great and the love she shows in helping other people achieve their personal goals shows within each session! She seems to know the areas that you're struggling with and supports you with it, she is so caring and understands what you are going through as she has done it herself. She has become a massive role model to me because every time I've needed help she gave me the best support I could have asked for, even standing here saying a few words about fit camp probably doesn't show how grateful I am for the tools she has given me to change my life for the better!
I think she deserves a huge applause for her hard work, please welcome the woman, who in my opinion, is a weight loss genius.....'
Thank you Bobbie - it still brings a tear to my eye - I am so proud to have been so instrumental in turning your life around for the better. I will be reminding you of this speech when we do Abdominatrix later next week!!!
One of Bobbe's many achievements was the Plank. She was convinced she would never master it - yet yesterday she messaged me to say she had gone from a 45sec hold (a massive achievement in itself) to a whopping 60sec hold, from a woman who struggled to complete session one.
It is achievements like these that make my job so special. I am privileged to watch you change, transform and grow and I love every single second of it!
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Water or coke?
Problems with my email distributor system so thought I would bring it to you the old fashioned way!
The results from April camp have quite literally blown me away. I am still waiting on a lot of results but already I have had one lady losing 17lbs and 16.5 inches - that is just AWESOME! Some of us met up for a meal last night and we had such a giggle, along with some newbies for May camp who I had to make sure were not being terrified by stories about workouts by the others! All in all every single one of them has achieved something momentous, whether that has been a dress size, more self confidence, a new friendship or something else. There is so much to be gained from fit camp. If you are undecided whether it is for you or not, bite the bullet and do it. I can guarantee you will not regret it. I will miss my ladies this week while we wait for 17th May to kick off again. So, only one week left to register, what are you waiting for?
The nutrition workshop in September is proving popular and I am already looking at when the next one will be. I am hoping to do another one before Christmas but this will be in the Southampton, not Winchester area. I am unable to hold spaces for workshops without payment so if you would like to attend please pay £25 to my email address cwfitness@btinternet.com through pay pal. Do contact me if you have any queries or questions. To recap, in the September workshop, I will be covering the fundamentals of nutrition, how the digestive process works, what the essentials for fat loss are, exercise as well as nutrition and strategies for success. There will also be plenty of opportunity for questions at the end and you will be walking away with a wealth of information that is up to date and as current as it can possibly be!
A few facts for you this week regarding water and coke (courtesy of Dax Moy - thank you!)
WATER
1. 75% of the UK population are chronically dehydrated. (likely to apply to half world population)
2. In 37% of all the UK population, the thirst mechanism is so weak it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even mild dehydration will slow down your metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water per day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short term memory, trouble with basic maths and difficulty focusing on a computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79% and you are 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water you should each day?
COKE
1. In many states (USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
2. You can put a T bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.
3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of coca cola into the toilet bowl and let the 'real thing' sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.
4. To remove rust spots from car bumpers, rub the bumpers with a rumpled up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminium foil dipped in Coca Cola.
5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.
6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca Cola into the baking tray, wrap the ham in aluminium foil and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allow the dripping to mix with the coke for a delicious gravy (!!!)
8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, run through a regular cycle. The Coca Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
1. The active ingredient in coke is phosphoric acid. It's pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leached calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
2. To carry Coca Col syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about twenty years!
Still want a coke?
After reading this I thought I would try it out and put an old bra in a bowl with coke all over it - in the morning all that was left were the wires - why would anyone drink something that does that??????
Have a brilliant week!
The results from April camp have quite literally blown me away. I am still waiting on a lot of results but already I have had one lady losing 17lbs and 16.5 inches - that is just AWESOME! Some of us met up for a meal last night and we had such a giggle, along with some newbies for May camp who I had to make sure were not being terrified by stories about workouts by the others! All in all every single one of them has achieved something momentous, whether that has been a dress size, more self confidence, a new friendship or something else. There is so much to be gained from fit camp. If you are undecided whether it is for you or not, bite the bullet and do it. I can guarantee you will not regret it. I will miss my ladies this week while we wait for 17th May to kick off again. So, only one week left to register, what are you waiting for?
The nutrition workshop in September is proving popular and I am already looking at when the next one will be. I am hoping to do another one before Christmas but this will be in the Southampton, not Winchester area. I am unable to hold spaces for workshops without payment so if you would like to attend please pay £25 to my email address cwfitness@btinternet.com through pay pal. Do contact me if you have any queries or questions. To recap, in the September workshop, I will be covering the fundamentals of nutrition, how the digestive process works, what the essentials for fat loss are, exercise as well as nutrition and strategies for success. There will also be plenty of opportunity for questions at the end and you will be walking away with a wealth of information that is up to date and as current as it can possibly be!
A few facts for you this week regarding water and coke (courtesy of Dax Moy - thank you!)
WATER
1. 75% of the UK population are chronically dehydrated. (likely to apply to half world population)
2. In 37% of all the UK population, the thirst mechanism is so weak it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even mild dehydration will slow down your metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water per day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short term memory, trouble with basic maths and difficulty focusing on a computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79% and you are 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water you should each day?
COKE
1. In many states (USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
2. You can put a T bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.
3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of coca cola into the toilet bowl and let the 'real thing' sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.
4. To remove rust spots from car bumpers, rub the bumpers with a rumpled up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminium foil dipped in Coca Cola.
5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.
6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca Cola into the baking tray, wrap the ham in aluminium foil and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allow the dripping to mix with the coke for a delicious gravy (!!!)
8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, run through a regular cycle. The Coca Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
1. The active ingredient in coke is phosphoric acid. It's pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leached calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
2. To carry Coca Col syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about twenty years!
Still want a coke?
After reading this I thought I would try it out and put an old bra in a bowl with coke all over it - in the morning all that was left were the wires - why would anyone drink something that does that??????
Have a brilliant week!
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Goal setting
Set that health and fitness goal and write it down everywhere. Every single thing that you do will take you closer of further away from that goal. I know you can do it and so do you so take action today!
Make sure you listen in to Radio Solent on Monday at 1040 to listen to yours truly!
April fit campers are dropping inches so fast it is scary - want to join them? Sign up for May at www.fit2dropfitcamp.com
Make sure you listen in to Radio Solent on Monday at 1040 to listen to yours truly!
April fit campers are dropping inches so fast it is scary - want to join them? Sign up for May at www.fit2dropfitcamp.com
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Last in Body Image Series
Well here goes for the final saga but an important note first. I will be sending out separate newsletters from next week, the blog will still be updated too but different stuff! You will have received a newsletter confirmation email (check your junk mail if not) - just click on the link to continue to receive the newsletters and ignore if you would rather not - I promise I wont be offended! This will allow me to keep you updated with what is going on and focus on topics that are important to you. If you normally follow this blog or read it on face book or twitter and want to sign up simply go to www.cwfitness.co.uk and sign up for the newsletter. There - done!
Over the last three weeks we have discussed at length some of the issues of body image but this week I wanted to tackle how we solve this massive issue - no mean feat. We simply cannot just bury our heads in the sand and hope that this issue will go away. We have become a nation of extremes. We have those that are starving themselves to look like Posh Beckham and don't care about the chronic health risks associated with it and then at the other end of the scale we have those who are overweight, desperately need to look at their diet and get themselves moving yet they simply don't care. They wear ill fitting clothes and let it simply all hang out. Neither situation can be any good for their mental health never mine their physical health.
Those of you that know me know that I am a firm believer in loving yourself warts and all but if your body shape is compromising your health then surely you HAVE to do something about it. We all have areas of our bodies that we don't like, me included. This is not the issue. Because I don't like a certain part of my body I don't go to drastic lengths to change it. However, body image issues normally start from one small thought like that and it doesn't take long for it to spiral out of control take over your life. So, how do you stop it?
Quite simply, you can't, not yet and not at the moment. All around you are images on the telly, magazines, newspapers, TV adverts promoting perfect figures and washboard stomachs. These figures are for the very few and certainly not the norm and yet we allow the media to purport that this is what we should aspire to and somehow we are not good enough unless we meet that criteria. Doesn't it sound like nonsense when you see it written down like that? When I speak with young people at schools and health fairs it is soul destroying to hear children saying that they want anorexia, they want their ribs to show, having a 6 pack isn't good enough, it has to be an 8 pack. Teaching children to believe in themselves is only a part of it. If the media wont get on a board then I sadly believe we are flogging a dead horse. The media like to say that size 0 is perfect so that is what young girls aspire to. Who gave them the right to damage so many children from such a young age and make them believe they are failures?
What saddens me even more is that this does not only affect children but men and women of all ages. We are tackling the issues with children more positively. Nigel Townsend id the executive director of Y Touring which is Central YMCA's award winning professional touring theatre company and the recently did a project designed to explore the attitudes of young people towards body image. This tour was inspired by Bodies by Susie Orbach(you may recall I mentioned this book in the first part of the series). 'Speak Out on Bodies' was deemed a huge success and is due to be repeated and I applaud this kind of workshop but how much will it help long term if people are still continually bombarded with the message that they are not good enough?
If you are self confident and don't care what others think then great - but you are in the minority. Most of us feel a little down hearted when we take a negative comment on board and these can grow very quickly but remember this works for both the size 0 brigade and the obesity epidemic brigade.
There is an exciting play underfoot that will be based on Susie's book and a young playwright by the name of Rachel Wagstaff is currently under commission to write it. You may be sat there thinking why is the book so relevant so let me try to explain, then go and read it, then go and see the play when it launches; I will certainly be first in the queue!
'Bodies' is a beautifully written, articulate and inspiring book. It touches you both personally and professionally and is such a rallying call to arms, crying out against so much that is wrong with our society. She gives heartbreaking examples of real people and how these issues have affected them as well as delving into the possible reasons for why and how this has happened.
One last though - what is wrong with wanting to look good?
Nothings, nothing whatsoever, at all. The problem arises when it becomes an all consuming preoccupation and every day is laborious calorie counting or making sure that an intense workout is fitted in. There is this horrific growing pressure on needing to look good and we foolishly attach value to being fat or thin. People wanting the 'perfect' picture but not being able to afford to go under the knife and what about the joys of Photo Shop, taking photos of their children in to correct the gap in their teeth or make them look better - how is that healthy?
Over the last three weeks we have discussed at length some of the issues of body image but this week I wanted to tackle how we solve this massive issue - no mean feat. We simply cannot just bury our heads in the sand and hope that this issue will go away. We have become a nation of extremes. We have those that are starving themselves to look like Posh Beckham and don't care about the chronic health risks associated with it and then at the other end of the scale we have those who are overweight, desperately need to look at their diet and get themselves moving yet they simply don't care. They wear ill fitting clothes and let it simply all hang out. Neither situation can be any good for their mental health never mine their physical health.
Those of you that know me know that I am a firm believer in loving yourself warts and all but if your body shape is compromising your health then surely you HAVE to do something about it. We all have areas of our bodies that we don't like, me included. This is not the issue. Because I don't like a certain part of my body I don't go to drastic lengths to change it. However, body image issues normally start from one small thought like that and it doesn't take long for it to spiral out of control take over your life. So, how do you stop it?
Quite simply, you can't, not yet and not at the moment. All around you are images on the telly, magazines, newspapers, TV adverts promoting perfect figures and washboard stomachs. These figures are for the very few and certainly not the norm and yet we allow the media to purport that this is what we should aspire to and somehow we are not good enough unless we meet that criteria. Doesn't it sound like nonsense when you see it written down like that? When I speak with young people at schools and health fairs it is soul destroying to hear children saying that they want anorexia, they want their ribs to show, having a 6 pack isn't good enough, it has to be an 8 pack. Teaching children to believe in themselves is only a part of it. If the media wont get on a board then I sadly believe we are flogging a dead horse. The media like to say that size 0 is perfect so that is what young girls aspire to. Who gave them the right to damage so many children from such a young age and make them believe they are failures?
What saddens me even more is that this does not only affect children but men and women of all ages. We are tackling the issues with children more positively. Nigel Townsend id the executive director of Y Touring which is Central YMCA's award winning professional touring theatre company and the recently did a project designed to explore the attitudes of young people towards body image. This tour was inspired by Bodies by Susie Orbach(you may recall I mentioned this book in the first part of the series). 'Speak Out on Bodies' was deemed a huge success and is due to be repeated and I applaud this kind of workshop but how much will it help long term if people are still continually bombarded with the message that they are not good enough?
If you are self confident and don't care what others think then great - but you are in the minority. Most of us feel a little down hearted when we take a negative comment on board and these can grow very quickly but remember this works for both the size 0 brigade and the obesity epidemic brigade.
There is an exciting play underfoot that will be based on Susie's book and a young playwright by the name of Rachel Wagstaff is currently under commission to write it. You may be sat there thinking why is the book so relevant so let me try to explain, then go and read it, then go and see the play when it launches; I will certainly be first in the queue!
'Bodies' is a beautifully written, articulate and inspiring book. It touches you both personally and professionally and is such a rallying call to arms, crying out against so much that is wrong with our society. She gives heartbreaking examples of real people and how these issues have affected them as well as delving into the possible reasons for why and how this has happened.
One last though - what is wrong with wanting to look good?
Nothings, nothing whatsoever, at all. The problem arises when it becomes an all consuming preoccupation and every day is laborious calorie counting or making sure that an intense workout is fitted in. There is this horrific growing pressure on needing to look good and we foolishly attach value to being fat or thin. People wanting the 'perfect' picture but not being able to afford to go under the knife and what about the joys of Photo Shop, taking photos of their children in to correct the gap in their teeth or make them look better - how is that healthy?
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Body Image Part 3 - Fat or thin?
FIRST THINGS FIRST! ZUMBA STARTS AT STANMORE COMMUNITY CENTRE ON 16th MARCH 1030 - 1130. Come and enjoy the dance fitness sensation that is Zumba and discover fun fitness that you never thought could exist!!!
This weeks article focuses on our obsession with being fat or thin, there is there never any emphasis on being fit? Fit and healthy no longer seem important, but looking back, were they ever? It is possible to be thin or fat and fit but we associate heavily on the thinner we are the more healthy we will be but this just simply isn't true.
Low levels of physical activity and poor physical fitness can significantly increase the risk of developing certain conditions such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. People will excess body fat are also at increased risk of developing these conditions.
Setting aside the physical implications there are also the huge psychological benefits. We know that physical activity forms an effective element of treatment and rehabilitation for such lifestyle diseases. People starting a programme of exercise report improved mood, increased self confidence and sense of well being. This feel good factor is vital in getting people to continue with their exercise programme and then hopefully increase it!
However, we must make the distinction between being fat or thin and being fit. Being slim, thin, skinny or whatever you wish to call it - or not having the stereotypical body image 'ideal' is not an indicator of good health and/or fitness. In our society today with all our processed foods and take always along with our affluence make it even more difficult to lose weight and then fight to maintain it. The challenge is to increase physical activity and fitness for ALL, regardless of their body size and shape.
I am a huge fan of the Dove Real Women campaign as it shows real womanly body in all their glory, wobbly bits and all! Dove commissioned research before they launched their Real Women campaign and found that two thirds of women wanted advertisers to be honest about air brushing, women felt that beauty advertisers were selling them the unattainable image of perfection and of those women 40% had low body confidence as a result.
In the research over 1000 women were questioned originally in 2004 and then again in 2009. They found that advertising images impacted negatively on self esteem, 42% of women questioned are self conscious about how they look with 28% of those feeling inadequate and 20% being less confidence in their daily lives and this has nothing to do with health and fitness, this is just body image!
Dove changed their advertising to show how diverse our beauty is and we can only hope that other advertisers follow suit although I think this will be sadly lacking. We need to accept ourselves for what we are, warts and all! Love what we have got and then make the effort to improve our fitness level. How many of you will go out for a walk today? Go for a bike ride in the woods? Go swimming? How many of you will take the opportunity to have a lazy day and relax? None of those are right or wrong but you must make a choice and accept that choice, not try to defend or excuse it as you right! Rest and relaxation are as important as exercise and training after all but you need to get the right balance as in everything in life!
This weeks article focuses on our obsession with being fat or thin, there is there never any emphasis on being fit? Fit and healthy no longer seem important, but looking back, were they ever? It is possible to be thin or fat and fit but we associate heavily on the thinner we are the more healthy we will be but this just simply isn't true.
Low levels of physical activity and poor physical fitness can significantly increase the risk of developing certain conditions such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. People will excess body fat are also at increased risk of developing these conditions.
Setting aside the physical implications there are also the huge psychological benefits. We know that physical activity forms an effective element of treatment and rehabilitation for such lifestyle diseases. People starting a programme of exercise report improved mood, increased self confidence and sense of well being. This feel good factor is vital in getting people to continue with their exercise programme and then hopefully increase it!
However, we must make the distinction between being fat or thin and being fit. Being slim, thin, skinny or whatever you wish to call it - or not having the stereotypical body image 'ideal' is not an indicator of good health and/or fitness. In our society today with all our processed foods and take always along with our affluence make it even more difficult to lose weight and then fight to maintain it. The challenge is to increase physical activity and fitness for ALL, regardless of their body size and shape.
I am a huge fan of the Dove Real Women campaign as it shows real womanly body in all their glory, wobbly bits and all! Dove commissioned research before they launched their Real Women campaign and found that two thirds of women wanted advertisers to be honest about air brushing, women felt that beauty advertisers were selling them the unattainable image of perfection and of those women 40% had low body confidence as a result.
In the research over 1000 women were questioned originally in 2004 and then again in 2009. They found that advertising images impacted negatively on self esteem, 42% of women questioned are self conscious about how they look with 28% of those feeling inadequate and 20% being less confidence in their daily lives and this has nothing to do with health and fitness, this is just body image!
Dove changed their advertising to show how diverse our beauty is and we can only hope that other advertisers follow suit although I think this will be sadly lacking. We need to accept ourselves for what we are, warts and all! Love what we have got and then make the effort to improve our fitness level. How many of you will go out for a walk today? Go for a bike ride in the woods? Go swimming? How many of you will take the opportunity to have a lazy day and relax? None of those are right or wrong but you must make a choice and accept that choice, not try to defend or excuse it as you right! Rest and relaxation are as important as exercise and training after all but you need to get the right balance as in everything in life!
Sunday, 21 March 2010
Body Image - Part 2
Let me get the admin stuff out of the way before I start ranting again!
NO PILATES AT UPHAM On 3RD and 10th APRIL 2010 and 24th APRIL 2010 - You are more than welcome to attend Pilates on Tuesday evening 6-7pm at Hedge End.
2 HOUR CHARITY ZUMBATHON - UPHAM VILLAGE HALL - 2-4pm, SEE YOU ALL THERE
Body image - well I have certainly opened a can of worms based on the feedback I have been getting but reassuringly mostly positive. However, most of you are assuming that this is an issue that only affects women - not true! There is growing evidence that the size of the problem among men is growing at an alarming rate.
Since 1974 GI Joe (American equivalent to Action Man) found that their human equivalent chest size has expanded by 6 inches and their biceps by 10 inches, their waists, typically, have shrunk by 3 inches. (Men's Health Forum MHF)
However, it is not only toys that are being misshapen. We are constantly being bombarded with images in the media (as we are with twiglet women - why I do not know - they have no shape, no curves and normally look gaunt!) and the relatively new male beauty products which seem to always focus on a washboard stomach. So men are being routinely exposed to this when the overwhelming majority of men bear no resemblance to the man on the ad!
43% of men say they feel worse about their own bodies after reading men's magazines. (MHF)
The number of men opting for cosmetic surgery is increasing - male breast reductions increased by 44% between 2007 and 2008.
Muscle dysmorphia is on the increase (where there is a belief that the body is not muscular or athletic enough) and anabolic steroid use is known to be increasing among male gym users.
It is no coincidence that male body image issues are rising at the same time that we are in an obesity epidemic. Most of us (especially men) are getting bigger. Only approximately 13% of men will have a healthy BMI in 2025 compared with around 1/4 of women. (Those of you that know me know my thoughts on BMI but this is still a useful statistic!!!)
As a nation I think it is really important that we tackle both female and male body image issues. Both sexes need to understand the need for a healthy weight and the need to eat well, not strive to be something created in a magazine - remember it is CREATED, tweaked and smoothed with all their computer gadgets.
Many of us do need to lose weight, do need to exercise more and do need to improve our diet. However, it is where the motivation comes from to do this that is important. It shouldn't be coming from a need to feel included in society, it shouldn't come from feeling inferior. It should come from wanting to be healthy, yes that dreaded H word! Our health is what is of paramount importance here and that is sadly what seems to get forgotten in amongst our quest to look ten years younger, to banish the cellulite, to lose 2 inches from each thigh - stop it!
You have to change to prevent disease, joint problems, try not to be motivated by a corrosive self hatred that will end up undermining any of your attempts to make positive lifestyle changes. Change for the long term will make you feel amazing, vibrant, full of energy and positive about yourself - not someone constantly striving to be something they are not.
NO PILATES AT UPHAM On 3RD and 10th APRIL 2010 and 24th APRIL 2010 - You are more than welcome to attend Pilates on Tuesday evening 6-7pm at Hedge End.
2 HOUR CHARITY ZUMBATHON - UPHAM VILLAGE HALL - 2-4pm, SEE YOU ALL THERE
Body image - well I have certainly opened a can of worms based on the feedback I have been getting but reassuringly mostly positive. However, most of you are assuming that this is an issue that only affects women - not true! There is growing evidence that the size of the problem among men is growing at an alarming rate.
Since 1974 GI Joe (American equivalent to Action Man) found that their human equivalent chest size has expanded by 6 inches and their biceps by 10 inches, their waists, typically, have shrunk by 3 inches. (Men's Health Forum MHF)
However, it is not only toys that are being misshapen. We are constantly being bombarded with images in the media (as we are with twiglet women - why I do not know - they have no shape, no curves and normally look gaunt!) and the relatively new male beauty products which seem to always focus on a washboard stomach. So men are being routinely exposed to this when the overwhelming majority of men bear no resemblance to the man on the ad!
43% of men say they feel worse about their own bodies after reading men's magazines. (MHF)
The number of men opting for cosmetic surgery is increasing - male breast reductions increased by 44% between 2007 and 2008.
Muscle dysmorphia is on the increase (where there is a belief that the body is not muscular or athletic enough) and anabolic steroid use is known to be increasing among male gym users.
It is no coincidence that male body image issues are rising at the same time that we are in an obesity epidemic. Most of us (especially men) are getting bigger. Only approximately 13% of men will have a healthy BMI in 2025 compared with around 1/4 of women. (Those of you that know me know my thoughts on BMI but this is still a useful statistic!!!)
As a nation I think it is really important that we tackle both female and male body image issues. Both sexes need to understand the need for a healthy weight and the need to eat well, not strive to be something created in a magazine - remember it is CREATED, tweaked and smoothed with all their computer gadgets.
Many of us do need to lose weight, do need to exercise more and do need to improve our diet. However, it is where the motivation comes from to do this that is important. It shouldn't be coming from a need to feel included in society, it shouldn't come from feeling inferior. It should come from wanting to be healthy, yes that dreaded H word! Our health is what is of paramount importance here and that is sadly what seems to get forgotten in amongst our quest to look ten years younger, to banish the cellulite, to lose 2 inches from each thigh - stop it!
You have to change to prevent disease, joint problems, try not to be motivated by a corrosive self hatred that will end up undermining any of your attempts to make positive lifestyle changes. Change for the long term will make you feel amazing, vibrant, full of energy and positive about yourself - not someone constantly striving to be something they are not.
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