Fitness for Health

NEW ZEALAND RATES THIRD IN THE WORLD FOR OBESITY!

How did we get into this state?

Today’s busy lifestyle, where individuals and families race from work then on from one activity to another, means we think we just don’t have the time to eat properly and get enough exercise. Unlike our parents’ generation, many people now use fast foods and pre-packaged foods for the majority of their meals. This means we are replacing vital nutrients from fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and meat or alternative protein sources, with high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt foods that have little or no nutritional value. At the same time we use the car, play computer games and watch television instead of walking to school or work and playing sports or other activities. This change in lifestyle means more of us are becoming obese, which in turn can lead to major medical problems such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer.

What can we do to improve our health?

It’s simple really. We need to change what we’re eating and increase our exercise, so:

Start Cooking Foods from Whole Foods rather than Refined Foods;  If it looks like it just came out of the garden or from the butcher, it is less likely to have been processed and had all the goodness removed.  Check the nutritional panel on the back and read the ingredients list - the longer the list, the more processed it will be. 

Include a Minimum of 30 Minutes of Exercise a Day;  Remember that doesn't have to be 30 minutes in one go, so saying you are too busy isn't a good enough excuse.  Do it in bite sized pieces of 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there.  Taking the stairs, stopping one bus stop earlier than normal, walking the children to school, are all good ways to exercise without sacrificing too much time. And anyway it's time well spent because it could save your life!

These changes will help balance the amount of energy you take in (what you eat) with the amount of energy you expend (what you use up). Balancing energy in versus energy out will help you keep fit and healthy, and help reduce the likelihood of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis or cancers.