Exercise - why do so few do it and not poking fun at fatties
Discussion
Pretty much every ailment that can negatively affect lives from stress, depression, back ache to even the more serious stuff (not that these aren't serious) can be avoided, cured or their effects reduced with exercise.
How many really fat old people do you see? Not many. They all keeled over in their 50s and 60s.
On 5Live this morning, they were running a piece on why models should be more representative of the reality of today's population and that - in not so blunt words - why ad campaigns should feature more fatties and that their bodies should be accepted and normalised. Why?
We all know this so why is it still a struggle for so many people to take heed and take action. Is it because of this obscure need put out there by the do-gooders to encourage acceptance of the fuller figure?
How many really fat old people do you see? Not many. They all keeled over in their 50s and 60s.
On 5Live this morning, they were running a piece on why models should be more representative of the reality of today's population and that - in not so blunt words - why ad campaigns should feature more fatties and that their bodies should be accepted and normalised. Why?
We all know this so why is it still a struggle for so many people to take heed and take action. Is it because of this obscure need put out there by the do-gooders to encourage acceptance of the fuller figure?
My mother was never overweight. Normally about 8 stone, ate well and walked regularly but never 'exercised'. She had trouble with her knees, back, elbow, you name it. Exercise was just never her thing, despite being married to an ex-Royal Marine.
Then along came grandchild number 1, and the associated lifting, and crawling and playing, and as our son got bigger, she was getting stronger and fitter. She even asked my dad what he thought these 'tumors' were in her arms - they are called biceps.
Now she is exercising regularly, and at the age of 68 did her first ever push ups and sit ups.
I think my point is, that people who don't exercise don't realise how much better they will feel until they actually do it. No matter how much they are told to do it, they always convince themselves they don't need to, because "I feel fine, I've always felt like this".
Then along came grandchild number 1, and the associated lifting, and crawling and playing, and as our son got bigger, she was getting stronger and fitter. She even asked my dad what he thought these 'tumors' were in her arms - they are called biceps.
Now she is exercising regularly, and at the age of 68 did her first ever push ups and sit ups.
I think my point is, that people who don't exercise don't realise how much better they will feel until they actually do it. No matter how much they are told to do it, they always convince themselves they don't need to, because "I feel fine, I've always felt like this".
I think the issue is that young girls aren't exercising to look like models, they're starving themselves and smoking. Which is probably what half of the models are doing too. There is also the issue that even if they get down to an unhealthy level of body fat, most women are not going to be the same shape as the models they aspire to look like. That's why they are models and the girls aren't.
Yeah, making unhealthy people normal isn't great unless whoever suggested it plans to give all their money to the NHS. I'm not suggesting we should be fat-shaming, though.
I think part of the problem is that people think of exercise as grinding for hours on the treadmill. Frankly, it is f
king boring. (I only do abstract stuff because I'm an obstinate so once I set my mind on a goal, I will do what it takes, but that is irrespective of whether it's exercise or work.)
The way forward is to make exercise fun. Or to make physical activities fun. Things like Zumba and BodyPump make me cringe but if people enjoy them, then great. Also, people need to try different sports until they find something they become addicted to - so that physical activities (and fat burning) becomes their entertainment.
I think part of the problem is that people think of exercise as grinding for hours on the treadmill. Frankly, it is f
king boring. (I only do abstract stuff because I'm an obstinate so once I set my mind on a goal, I will do what it takes, but that is irrespective of whether it's exercise or work.)The way forward is to make exercise fun. Or to make physical activities fun. Things like Zumba and BodyPump make me cringe but if people enjoy them, then great. Also, people need to try different sports until they find something they become addicted to - so that physical activities (and fat burning) becomes their entertainment.
Willy Nilly said:
being fat shouldn't be normalised, it will just make the problem even worse.
+1. The more excuses we make and try to make being fat 'normal' the worse it will become. Being fat is not a disease (in 99.99% of cases), its just lazyness and lack of self discipline. Id love to sit and eat chocolate and all the other st all day, but i dont, as it'll make me fat - in other words, i show restraint and self discipline. When I'm offshore I exercise most every day, but I always seem to have something more interesting to do when I'm home.
If we had some exercise equipment in the house I might be inclined to use it, but getting dressed up in the gym gear, driving to a gym etc, always seems to be low priority when there is the workshop or PS4 or some beer calling out my name.
If we had some exercise equipment in the house I might be inclined to use it, but getting dressed up in the gym gear, driving to a gym etc, always seems to be low priority when there is the workshop or PS4 or some beer calling out my name.
JJ55 said:
Agreed with above, I fear we are following in the steps of America which is worrying.
I live in the States and have to say that the people here are far healthier than back home, that may be where I live though! Appreciate as you head south and towards the middle it gets a little "portly". Having said that walking around the towns when I am back I'm shocked at how unhealthy people look.Boozy said:
JJ55 said:
Agreed with above, I fear we are following in the steps of America which is worrying.
I live in the States and have to say that the people here are far healthier than back home, that may be where I live though! Appreciate as you head south and towards the middle it gets a little "portly". Having said that walking around the towns when I am back I'm shocked at how unhealthy people look.grumbledoak said:
I would imagine our nation's issue with exercise starts at school. Sadistic PE teachers, smelly changing rooms, freezing showers after freezing runs, full contact 'sports' for children. Most kids cannot wait to get away from it and I don't blame them.
It's a long time since I was at school, and things have probably changed for the better, but it seems to me that if you want kids to have an active life when you aren't forcing them to do it, you need to help them find a sport they enjoy and are built to be good at. Exercise doesn't have to be exercise though, it's only very recently exercising for the sake of it has become desirous. It's activity which is important - walk more, 'vigorous' housework, cycling as a mode of transport (don't need to dress up and get sweaty - popping to shops, work, etc), gardening... all the things our parents/grand parents did.
Things like the gym and cycling have been ruined by knobbers who preach you need to spend a zillion quid on the latest kit and race everywhere in funny clothes, silly shoes and a hat.
Things like the gym and cycling have been ruined by knobbers who preach you need to spend a zillion quid on the latest kit and race everywhere in funny clothes, silly shoes and a hat.
LordGrover said:
Exercise doesn't have to be exercise though, it's only very recently exercising for the sake of it has become desirous. It's activity which is important - walk more, 'vigorous' housework, cycling as a mode of transport (don't need to dress up and get sweaty - popping to shops, work, etc), gardening... all the things our parents/grand parents did.
Things like the gym and cycling have been ruined by knobbers who preach you need to spend a zillion quid on the latest kit and race everywhere in funny clothes, silly shoes and a hat.
And that's just for the gym! Things like the gym and cycling have been ruined by knobbers who preach you need to spend a zillion quid on the latest kit and race everywhere in funny clothes, silly shoes and a hat.
I agree the issue is primarily sedentary lifestyles. Wall-E wasn't that far off the truth! We can all make little changes that will have a positive effect without needing to do "exercise" - take the stairs, walk/cycle to the shops, park further away at work etc.
King Herald said:
When I'm offshore I exercise most every day, but I always seem to have something more interesting to do when I'm home.
If we had some exercise equipment in the house I might be inclined to use it, but getting dressed up in the gym gear, driving to a gym etc, always seems to be low priority when there is the workshop or PS4 or some beer calling out my name.
It's a shame that your employer keeps you in good shape for their gains but you can't apply the same logic for your own. If we had some exercise equipment in the house I might be inclined to use it, but getting dressed up in the gym gear, driving to a gym etc, always seems to be low priority when there is the workshop or PS4 or some beer calling out my name.
As has already been said, it starts at creating the habit at school – it needs to be made the ‘normal’ thing to do rather than a chore.
These day's it’s too easy to watch 100+ channels of crap on TV or play on the iPad instead of doing sport / exercise which in my experience, even the ‘sporty’ kids seem to love TV / iPads.
My kids do sport but they still moan like anything when I drag them out to take the dog for a walk at the weekend, yet once they’re out on the walk, they have a lot of fun – it needs parental discipline to help make the ‘habit’
Then when you leave school, you start a career and finding time for exercise becomes harder. I went from 1st IV Rugby every Saturday to client entertaining 3 times a week and eating restaurant food / drinking too much and not finding any time for exercise, not mentioning the hangovers – I put on 3 ½ stone in around 2 years.
Then you start a family and that demands time as well as still trying to juggle the career, if anything working harder to earn more money to provide for the family.
I struggle to find time to do exercise, I have to work bloody hard to find 3 hours a week to exercise with all my other commitments. I just about manage it since I’ve cut back on client entertainment. I’m lucky I have other people in my business I can now delegate this to. Not everyone is in such a privileged position.
I’m probably still classed as a fatty in the OP’s eyes, someone to poke fun at, but I’m trying my best to work it off.
These day's it’s too easy to watch 100+ channels of crap on TV or play on the iPad instead of doing sport / exercise which in my experience, even the ‘sporty’ kids seem to love TV / iPads.
My kids do sport but they still moan like anything when I drag them out to take the dog for a walk at the weekend, yet once they’re out on the walk, they have a lot of fun – it needs parental discipline to help make the ‘habit’
Then when you leave school, you start a career and finding time for exercise becomes harder. I went from 1st IV Rugby every Saturday to client entertaining 3 times a week and eating restaurant food / drinking too much and not finding any time for exercise, not mentioning the hangovers – I put on 3 ½ stone in around 2 years.
Then you start a family and that demands time as well as still trying to juggle the career, if anything working harder to earn more money to provide for the family.
I struggle to find time to do exercise, I have to work bloody hard to find 3 hours a week to exercise with all my other commitments. I just about manage it since I’ve cut back on client entertainment. I’m lucky I have other people in my business I can now delegate this to. Not everyone is in such a privileged position.
I’m probably still classed as a fatty in the OP’s eyes, someone to poke fun at, but I’m trying my best to work it off.
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