Is Modern Living to Blame for Obesity

Is Modern Living to Blame for obesity?

Here’s a thought…..  after being told that people are becoming obese due to sitting in front of our TV’s and computers for hours on end, Professor John Speakman (no relation by the way) simply states that the best way to combat obesity is to simply eat less. EASY :)  ….

Professor John Speakman, of Aberdeen University, said it was a delusion to blame the rise in car use, desk jobs and watching television for the surge in the number of overweight people. (“Modern living not to blame for obesity”, The Herald May 27).

Most obese people are overweight because they eat too much while taking little or no exercise, though having a genetic predisposition and other factors also play minor roles.

There is a simple equation (generally) to weight gain and that is if you don’t burn the calories you eat, you’ll gain weight, so is Professor Speakman right that we’re just eating more and bigger portions?

There is no doubt that chocolate bars are getting bigger, and for a few extra pennies you can ‘GO LARGE’ at fast food restaurants!  There is also no doubt speaking from personal experience, that we’ve been given restaurant recommendation based upon ‘food is great and the portions are massive!”  I wonder is the portion size alluring?????

Although our sedentary lifestyle almost certainly plays a part, it’s more a question of what we are doing while we’re sedentary that causes the problem. Which is a GREAT point in our opinion.

So you have to ask yourself, what do YOU do when you’re watching T.V?  Are you able to sit and watch T.V without the thought of a snack keeping you company?  What about the cinema?  Could you walk past the popcorn and candy shop without even feeling an ounce of temptation? For us, we would only generally visit the cinema on our ‘cheat day’, and if it weren’t a cheat day we would have to go armed with a pack of grapes and fruit to munch on to keep our hands busy as there’s definitely a psychological link with munching while watching a movie!

If that sounds familiar, then the answer would be ‘keep your hands busy’, although knitting isn’t our cup of tea, ironing is something that is boring so that’s what I (Eva) do when watching T.V (an odd double positive), alternatively don’t watch as much T.V and do something else that you would not link with eating like gardening or going to the gym (another double positive)……..  or as Professor Speakman suggests, simply cut down portion sizes!

I suppose it’s not rocket science but with foods inflated recreational status, perhaps we need to consider CONSCIOUS eating and being aware of how food is linked with your everyday tasks and forms of relaxation.  We have an amazing new tool we’ll share with you also in the coming weeks of how you can literally think yourself slim and stop yourself from eating the foods you know you shouldn’t with little or no effort!

But, in the meantime, you need to consider other possible ‘REWARDS’ as opposed to food that will release feel good endorphins like a massage or buying new shoes (that makes my endorphins rocket sky high   I LOVE shoes).  Also consider things to do when you’re feeling sad instead of using food to fill the void!  Try going to the gym, cycling, watching a film that makes you laugh (armed with a bag of fresh fruit to munch on of course) or going to a fun fair and being a kid again!

So until we tell you more about our fantastic new weight loss tool, what else can be done about obesity and weight gain?

Well, the type of food eaten is a factor!  Foods high in fat, sugars and refined simple carbohydrates will tend to promote weight gain.  Equally, diets high in fresh fruits and vegetables, fibre and complex carbohydrates will minimise weight gain.  Don’t forget that sitting still and not burning calories definitely promotes weight gain.

We all want to be fit, slim and healthy so would it be difficult to reduce our portion sizes, and eat more fruits and veggies while still having fun and having one cheat day each week when we can eat whatever we choose! 

Give it a go for 2 weeks and see for yourself.