The Fitness Myth Buster

So the medics have this past week been calling for alcohol to be made more expensive to halt the rise in alcohol related deaths.

Here go the ‘Big Brother’ crowd again! Do they really think that is the answer?

Their figures, which appear to try to fool people into thinking that they are massive, just don’t seem to add up. The promoted figure of an expected 250, ooo deaths over the next 20 years equates to 12, 500 per year from England and Wales. Now don’t get me wrong, that is a big figure but let’s put this into perspective.

Deaths from obesity in England alone from 1995 to 2006 were 8, 450. Now you may think this is low compared to the alcohol related deaths but you have to consider that most deaths from obesity are not classified as such; they are usually attributed to some other underlying cause (Ref:), so the real figure WILL be much higher.

So does this mean that the government will start taxing food to stop people eating so much?

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore said about alcohol…

“It is a drug, it happens to be legal, but it is a drug and there are more than 1.5 million people addicted to alcohol. We think, like other areas of public health, like smoking, like seatbelts, there is a strong case for tougher regulation and the most effective regulation would be around price.”

Well, so is food a drug to a lot of people. Making it more expensive won’t stop people eating and why should sensible drinkers suffer because of the ‘few’? And I bet there is a darn sight more Obese people in the UK than 1.5 million, as we keep hearing that the UK is catching up the States for the percentage of people with expanding waists; especially the kids!

Food abuse costs this country a hell of a lot more than alcohol abuse but unfortunately, those under the influence tend to create more harm to others.

Do you not think that education and warnings about what both eating and drinking to excess can do to you would make more sense? The schools are starting to educate kids on sex at ever younger ages so why not do the same about alcohol (and food).

Would it not be better to stop allowing food companies to poison us with their ’safe’ preservatives, colourings and additives?

Doesn’t influenza kill more people in the UK than either of the above issues every year? Wouldn’t better education on nutrition, hydration and hygiene dramatically reduce these deaths, and stopping vaccinations that cause a host of issues? I think so but then what about all that lost income for the government and Big Pharma companies? Ahh, yes, that what most of this boils down to. Fleecing us of even more money with some half baked excuse.

Again, there seems to be a knee jerk reaction to hit the majority of people when looking at the cause, not the effect of an issue, would be far more appropriate. As with most things, the government, and most people for that matter, tend to try and solve the symptoms and not the cause of whatever their problem may be.

Educate people with the RIGHT information and not stuff that purely brings in money to the coffers…

So what is the publics obsession with cutting corners and looking for the quick fix? Or is it that the media and/or advertising geeks are just too damned good at their jobs (at fooling us)?

The BBC News website http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12218673 today reported that Coca Cola has to withdraw its advertising for Vitamin Water as it is misleading consumers into thinking that it contains nutrients beneficial to health.

The Advertising Standards Association (ASA) claims that the drink has the equivalent of 5 teaspoons of sugar in each 500ml bottle, or 23g.

Coca Cola was disappointed (Awww) saying that the drink contained 100% vitamin C requirements along with a quarter of the required levels of four vitamin B’s.

So what, I hear you cry?

Well, for those people that are thinking they are doing themselves a favour by drinking this ‘water’, especially those that are trying to lose weight, you could be doing more damage than good. Let’s consider you are getting your minimum requirement of 2 litres of water a day from this source!!! You will be consuming nigh on a 100g of sugar which is thereabouts your daily maximum requirements…

Now what really gets my back up is that this storm is only about the use of the term ‘nutritious’ from an advertising point of view. If the govenrnment really wants to do something about the obesity levels in the UK, reduce the burden on the National Health Service and businesses, then why not just ban these types of products or at least tax the hell outta them?

If you want to do yourself a favour in terms of health, just go with ‘normal’ bottled water or reverse osmosis filtered tap water. If you can’t stand the taste, add some lemon juice, but stop looking for the quick fix…

I said in a recent post that I would get a video up of me preparing a smoothie. Well here it is below. Maybe I ought to redo it but with my happy head on

Just in case you don’t get all the ingredients, they are;

Half a bag of spinach
A Banana or two
Cup of frozen (or fresh) berries
A whole raw egg (optional)
Tablespoon of peanut or almond butter
Shake of Himalayan salt
Coconut milk (quantity as desired)

Blend it all up to a consistency you desire and slurp away. I usually make up around a litre and a half and drink/eat it down in one sitting. This will take me right through until lunch time.

Here it is…

Got really annoyed yesterday after reading an article about a woman who has won the right to have  Gastric Band surgery. She had been refused the procedure on a number of occasions as she was not obese enough and at a cost of up to £15k, the local authority would not authorise it. She had previously had a similar operation many years before and dropped over 7 stone in weight but after complications and having the band removed, she regained the weight.

The woman has a glucose intolerance and a large appetite! She stated “I know this is my only chance – the last thing in a long line of diet and exercise.”

Now I don’t know the full ins and outs of the persons problems but I do resent having my taxes spent on something like this when surely some counselling, correct nutrition advice and professional fitness coaching would be more appropriate. Education and guidance leading to self help and personal responsibility for your current position in life should be the ‘default’ route rather than spending already stretched to the limit funding that could be used for people with genuine, unavoidable health issues.

I had a client not so long ago that was 3 days away from agreeing to gastric band surgery but sought out a better alternative. We worked together for a few months with exercise that was appropriate for her, we discussed correct nutrition principles, and we also talked in length about long held beliefs that created her issues. Once she knew WHY she was doing this to herself, it became easier (not easy) for her to control and not put herself in that situation.

It’s not just the fitting of a device and end of problems. What about the psychological impact on the person (both of surgery and having foreign body in body)? What about the physical impact of being cut open and the physical scars?

This is just another example of the quick fix culture we are now in and where people are not prepared to take responsibility for their own lives and health. It is not up to the government to decide on what you or your kids eat, or whether you exercise or not. In these hard financial times, I think this has sent out the wrong message to those that are too lazy to live…

Ah, so the last post got a few people talking and had quite a few responses on our Facebook Page. Mainly from other Personal Trainers and the majority of whom agreed to some extent but others that thought the TV programme WAS actually inspiring to potential clients.

Well, if you want to promote Subway and Muesli to your clients, go right ahead!

Actually, this reminds me of something many clients ask about – what can I have for breakfast?

Well, this is what I had this morning and actually have maybe two or three times per week. And yes, it takes less time to prepare than porridge. Here we have  a base of rocket, watercress and spinach, overlaid with sliced up plum tomatoes, asparagus, corn, and a sliced up boiled egg that was done the day before.

Drizzled some olive oil over the top along with some sea salt and pepper.

This was washed down with a nice mug of peppermint tea.

So the egg took 5 minutes (the day before), the asparagus and corn took 6 minutes and the rest was done while those items were boiling away. We have great,   usable  carbs, protein, healthy fats along with a host of micro-nutrients and this kept me full until lunch time. No major spikes in insulin, no crashes, just plain and simple good, nutritious food to start the day with.

It seems so strange that people will complain when you suggest they eat something like this salad for breakfast or a smoothie or a veg stir fry and say it takes to long to prepare, or that it’s not right to eat that for breakfast or even that it’s boring. But they will eat cereals and/or toast EVERY day and think nothing of it. They load up on carbs (carbohydrates), almost no protein, and no good fats (but plenty of bad ones), crash big stylie mid-morning then grab the nearest quick-fix they can lay their hands on, and their fat loss quest is down the pan.

Want to know how to prepare a fantastic breakfast smoothie?

I’ll video myself making one up in the next day or so and will get it up here for you.

Keep an eye out for it and let me know what your favourite breakfast concoction is in the comments below…