:if only exercise
If only exercise
could be
prescribed
as a pill
Is your diet making you fat?
It's no secret that as a nation we are the fattest and most unfit we have ever been.
This is despite all the advances in health and science that should be helping us live a longer and
healthier life.
In fact, NZ Ministry of Health research puts one in four adults (aged 15 years and over) in
the obese weight category (27.8%).
It is also no secret that we are spending a lot of money on diets and diet products in an effort
to lose weight and be healthier.
So why is it that in a country that spends a fortune on weight-loss plans, food and products (in
New Zealand, low-fat food sales account for $100 million a year alone) we are still getting fatter?
Could it be that the many diet plans and products are in reality not at all helping us to lose
weight in the long run? As the old saying goes- 'if it's too good to be true then it probably isn't'.
So before you get out your credit card and start the latest diet fad, here are some clues that
your diet programme or product may not be all it promises to be:
It contains an ingredient that promises to assist in melting away fat
No one chemical, food or supplement is going to make you healthier; it's a combination of a
balanced diet and regular exercise that will help you maintain a healthy weight.
IT CLAIMS TO TAKE NO EFFORT
Any change of lifestyle is going to be challenging, and changing your
eating and moving more is no exception. Those who succeed know
it takes effort but work through the challenges. The added benefit
of exercising is that it has other benefits such as improving your
mood and increasing your energy levels, which will make the effort
worthwhile.
YOU DON'T NEED TO EXERCISE
While the latest diet product may claim that you can lose weight effectively without exercise,
the World Health Organisation reports that physical activity is fundamental to energy balance
and weight control and the Ministry of Health recommends lifestyle approaches rather than
single factor approaches to weight loss. In the words of Dr Robert Butler of the Longevity
Centre, USA, "If exercise could be put in a pill, it would be the most widely prescribed
medicine in the world".
There is no magic diet plan, pill or product required for improved health and weight loss.
The key is a combination of improving your diet and regular exercise. Rachel Marks, a REPS
Registered Trainer from All Active states, "Any plan that says that it will help you lose weight in
6-12 weeks will end in failure. The focus for any weight loss/fitness plan should be on what you
can achieve and maintain for the rest of your life."
So instead of looking for a quick fix, talk to a Registered Fitness Professional about making
exercise a part of your weight loss plan… no pill required!
Julz Darroch
www.reps.co.nz
www.h e rmagaz in e .co.n z | 51
