Day 72

Considering that I’m at the Olympic conference, much of today was spent listening to world experts talking specifically on the themes of fitness, fatness and physical activity. This is what inspired tonight’s post. These are three very important aspects of our health and each one can change depending on the type of lifestyle we lead. A person can be considered fat. Another person can be considered fit. Obviously, the person who is fit is physically active. But what about fatness versus fitness?

Who do you think has a higher risk of developing diseases and, therefore, an increased risk of dying younger? Is it…

Person A: The thin person who is not fit?

Person B: The fat person who is fit?  

In actual fat, the best person to be is Person B – the fat but physically fit person. I know, it’s new ground on the world stage of health but that’s what all the new research is showing. However, don’t think that if you’re fit, it’s ok to eat yourself fat. That most definitely isn’t the message the experts are trying to communicate. The important message is that if you are overweight/fat, you need to start improving your fitness to start reducing your risk of developing certain diseases and conditions and you will have better health than the skinny person who does no or little exercise.  

So, when it comes to exercise or being physically active, how active are you supposed to be? Well, here it is…

At least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity preferably every day but at least 5 days of the week. What’s moderate intensity? You know if you’re doing a brisk walk, starting to sweat but you can hold a conversation? Well, that’s moderate intensity. Do you have to do all 30 minutes in one go? The answer is no. If you can’t manage 30 minutes in one go, then break it down into 3 sessions of 10 minutes; then, 2 sessions of 15 minutes until eventually you can manage 30 minutes in one go.

If I could bottle physical activity, I’d be a zillionaire. It’s the number one thing you can do in your life that’s free which will have such a positive impact on your health. As people in the population get fatter then so too do the number of people who develop Type 2 diabetes. Yes, Type 2 diabetes - that condition which used to be called ‘adult onset diabetes’ because it usually only developed in adults over the age of 40. However, it’s now being found in children as young as 12 which is extremely scary.

Not only does being physically active reduce the risk of you becoming obese and developing Type 2 diabetes but it also helps reduce the risk of you developing other diseases and conditions such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, certain types of cancer especially breast cancer, cancer of the colon, prostate cancer etc. Interestingly, being physically active is also incredibly good at helping treat anxiety and depression which are two aspects of mental health that are very much under researched at present. In all the years I worked as a fitness instructor, I always said to people that once you go to the gym, you never regret it. When is the last time you went for a walk and thought “Oh, I wish I hadn’t done that!”. Never, I’d say. You probably asked yourself why you don’t do it more often.

When it comes to being physically active, it’s important to find an activity that you actually enjoy. Walking is the best form of exercise for everyone in the population as it’s easy to do, it’s free and it’s the most appropriate form of exercise for people who are starting to exercise. However, it’s also very effective for people who are well-practised walkers who could walk for miles and miles. Another thing I would say is that don’t pick an activity that you don’t like just to get fit. If you hate going to the gym, don’t pick a gym to get fit. If you do go to the gym and you hate, for example, the rower – don’t go on it. What I’m saying is pick something you like doing. It is human nature to avoid things you don’t like doing so, if you don’t like rowing, pick another machine. If you don’t like walking but love swimming, go the pool. Classes are great because you push yourself harder and with all the dancing classes (e.g. Zumba) which are currently popular, enlist a friend to go with you too. Being physically active in the company of others can be as much about the social part i.e. the ‘craic’ as it is about your health.

And if for nothing else, vanity can be a good enough reason to be physically active. Did you know that by exercising, you can actually help slow down the ageing process? Yes, it’s true. I could write on and on tonight about this topic and this has to be one of the longest posts I’ve put on my blog but I have to stop now or I really will be here all night. Therefore, to summarise, put away those expensive anti-wrinkle moisturisers (and that includes you men too!) and get exercising. You won’t regret it so, on your marks, get set, go!!!