Features

Fitness Tips

by David Garred,
Club Manager Dusit Resort Sports Club.

Season’s Greetings yet again. I hope Santa was good to you. Last week I left a question burning in the air: “Do you want to make a change?” We then looked at the Six Keys to making that change. They were: 1. True Desire. 2. Strong Belief. 3. Knowledge. 4. A Plan. 5. Setbacks. And finally, 6. Progress. So the question remains: Do you want to make the change badly enough to do something about it?
Most people (i.e.: 80% of people with European ancestry) feel as though they would like to lose 5 - 10 lbs (2.5 - 5 kg). With that in mind, let’s look at “weight reduction” as the change you would like to make. With promises of fast results, many diet and weight loss gimmicks, even the weight loss industry as a whole, prey upon our obsession with thinness. Our culture’s focus on weight has brought about a number of somewhat dubious fat fighting strategies. Do they really work? Let’s have a look:
LIPOSUCTION: This process literally sucks the fat out of specific areas of the body. Tubes are inserted into half inch long incisions in the thighs, buttocks, upper arm, abdomen or hips so the fat cells can be vacuumed out. Support bandages must be worn for 2 to 6 weeks after surgery and the entire procedure, although on an out-patient basis, is very expensive. Contrary to popular belief, liposuction is not recommended for obese individuals. Many doctors require that their patients be regular exercisers and usually not over the age of 35 (the skin must be resilient) before undergoing the procedure. Liposuction has proven most useful for individuals who follow healthy exercise and eating guidelines, but are unable to reduce fatty deposits in one particular area of their bodies. However, if proper eating and exercise habits aren’t maintained, the remaining fat cells will enlarge to replace those previously removed.
LIQUID MEAL REPLACEMENTS. Oprah Winfrey’s well publicised weight loss brought international attention to these programmes. Her subsequent weight regain, however, dramatised the high failure rate that most people experience with these liquid fasts. In theory, an individual drinking 2 - 3 shakes (at 600 calories per drink) and eating one balanced meal per day would lose weight. Available as both physician supervised and over the counter programmes, theses high protein drinks do bring about rapid weight loss, BUT, statistics show that weight gain is inevitable, often in amounts greater than the original loss. Though the research is ongoing, liquid diets are also associated with certain health risks including possible heart damage, loss of body protein and potassium, and gastrointestinal problems.
PACKAGED FOODS: Many commercial weight loss centres sell their own packaged foods. While the meals are usually nutritionally balanced, the taste is often lacklustre and the cost can be astronomical. However, the biggest problem with this methodology is that it focuses on caloric restriction and weight loss rather than education. By fostering dependence rather than independence around making healthy food choices, graduates often find themselves completely lost in the real world of multiple food choices.
CELLULITE CREAMS AND MASSAGERS: Although they’ve been around for years, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that such creams and massagers work. Cellulite is simply another name for fat, and no amount of special creams off sponges can break it down or get rid of it. What we have here is a large amount of attempted “Quick Fix” solutions to a problem that has no easy solutions.
However, there is a solution to the problem! It is a two fold solution. Firstly, you need a balanced, healthy eating plan which includes all of the 5 food groups. Secondly, exercise at a medium intensity only (i.e. perspiration without puffing), 3 - 5 times per week for 30 minutes. Yes, that’s right, healthy eating and 1.5 - 2.5 hours a week to be well and truly on your way to being slim and healthy. Maybe there are some easy solutions, the hard part is patience and persistence. When is the best time to start? Now! Seize the day.
Thank you for reading, have a good week.

Fitness Tips