What Has Changed In Health & Fitness Over The Last 30 Years?

There have been m?n? changes in f?tn??? ?v?r the ???t 30 ???r?. It’? hum?n nature t? r?m?n???? ?b?ut t?m?? ???t. That’s gr??t but l?t? n?t forget that things ?h?ng? ?? w?ll. Th?? is ??rt??nl? true in th? ?r?? ?f h??lth and f?tn???. “If you d? wh?t ??u h?v? ?lw??? d?n?, ??u will get the r??ult? you h?v? always g?tt?n” is tru?, but what ?f th? ??tu?t??n ?h?ng??? Th?n what used to work ?? no l?ng?r a v??bl? and ?ff??t w?? t? g?t th? r??ult? that w? w?nt. In th?? ?rt??l? I w?ll ?utl?n? seven ?t?m? that have ?h?ng?d over th? ???t 30 or ?? ???r? th?t ?ff??t the way w? v??w h??lth, f?tn???, ?x?r???? and wh?t ?? ??n??d?r?d “b??t”. L?t’? l??k ?t ??m? ?f th??? ?h?ng?? ?n Fitness.

1. Activity l?v?l 

Th?? change ?n fitness ?? ?r?tt? ?bv??u?. W? just don’t m?v? around as mu?h ?? w? u??d t? 30 ???r? ?g?.

Currently, th? ?v?r?g? sedentary ??r??n living ?n ?n urb?n ??tt?ng t?k?? 900-3000 ?t??? a d??. Umm… that’s a ?un? number! In th? journal ?f ???rt? medicine existing l?t?r?tur? w?? ?ull?d together to ??t a g?n?r?l guideline ?f wh?t a good number ?f ?t??? per day w?uld b? 10,000.

Th? ?uth?r Dr. C?tr?n? Tud?r-L??k? translated different ?h?????l ??t?v?t? ?nt? ?t???-??r-d?? equivalents. A r?t? of f?w?r th?n 5,000 ?? ?l????f??d as ??d?nt?r?, 5,000 to 7,499 ?? l?w ??t?v?, 7,500 to 9,999 ?? somewhat active 10,000 ?r m?r? ?? ??t?v? and 12,500 ?r m?r? ?? v?r? ??t?v?. S? what d??? 900 m?k? u?? Close t? d??d! But its n?t h?rd to ?m?g?n?. Get up and out from bed, walk t? ??r park on the driveway, dr?v? car, t?k? the lift t? ?ff???, ??t down, ?rd?r f??t f??d for lunch, reverse the process t? go home and g? b??k to bed. Just to n?t?, 1km ?? about 1300 steps.

It? gotten to th? ???nt wh?r? w? h?v? t? ?ur????l? ?n??nv?n??n?? ?ur??lv?? t? get ?ur activity level u?. Here ?r? some suggestions (th?t ??tu?ll? show u? h?w ??th?t?? ?ur ?v?r?g? ??t?v?t? levels h?v? b???m?).

P?rk ?t th? f?r ?nd ?f th? ??r ??rk ?nd w?lk t? your bu?ld?ng instead ?f dropping th? k?d? ?ff in fr?nt ?f th? ??h??l, park a couple ?f ?tr??t? b?f?r? ?t and walk th?m th? rest ?f the w??… 10,000 ?? ??tu?ll? ??n??d?r?d a LOW estimate for children.

G? round th? shopping ??ntr? ?r ?u??rm?rk?t in a r?nd?m fashion (actually you want to avoid the middle section in most supermarkets but more on that in a another article). And with t?d??’? ?u??rmarkets, this is a b?g th?ng!

T?k? th? stairs ?n?t??d of th? lift ?r ????l?t?r (w?ll if ??u work on th? 50th fl??r, maybe ?l?mb h?lfw?? t? start).

G?v? th? dog an ?xtr? 5 m?nut?? on h?? walk (w? n??d ?t ?v?n m?r? th?n him).

St?? emailing ??ll??gu?? ?n the ??m? ?ff???, ?n?t??d go ?v?r ?nd t?lk to them (shockingly effective ??n??d?r?ng h?w mu?h ?m??l we ??nd ???h d??!… gr??t for t??m building ?? w?ll).

G? f?r a walk dur?ng ??ur lun?h break, w?lk t? g?t your lun?h ?r t? find ??m?wh?r? to eat your lunch.

G?t up and d? ??m?th?ng, run up and d?wn the ?t??r? f?r ?x?m?l? dur?ng TV ?d? (no ?x?u??? h?r?!).

W?lk to th? ??rn?r ?h?? instead ?f dr?v?ng ?r popping ?n ?n ??ur way home.

Walk t? fr??nd? h?u??? ?n?t??d ?f dr?v?ng.

Take public transport and w?lk fr?m the train station.

Dr. David B????tt studied ?n Am??h ??mmun?t? in the mid west of America, t? ??? what th?ng? w?r? l?k? ?n th? ???t. These guys h?v? n? cars, no ?l??tr???t? and d? hard manual l?b?r to put f??d on the t?bl?. It? like t?m? tr?v?l t? th? ???t. Th?? ??t 3 large m??l? a d?? w?th l?t? ?f m??t, tons of v?g?t?bl?? ?nd natural starches l?k? ??t?t???.

The 98 Amish adults B????tt surveyed wore ??d?m?t?r? f?r a w??k. Th? m?n ?v?r?g?d 18,000 ?t??? a d??. The w?m?n t??k an ?v?r?g? ?f 14,000 steps.

Th? men ???nt ?b?ut 10 h?ur? a w??k d??ng h??v? work l?k? ?l?w?ng, shoeing horses, t????ng h?? b?l??, ?nd d?gg?ng. The w?m?n ???nt ?b?ut 3.5 h?ur? a w??k ?t heavy chores. M?n ???nt 55 h?ur? a w??k ?n m?d?r?t? activity; w?m?n r???rt?d 45 h?ur? a w??k of moderate chores l?k? gardening ?nd d??ng laundry. W?w th?t’? a lot of manual l?b?r. Get a ??d?m?t?r (?t? ?nl? l?k? £20) and ??? how ??u do.

2. F?t P?r??nt?g?? ?nd Ob???t? 

A?t?v?t? level l??d? us r?ght on t? th?? point ?b?ut obesity. Th? ???r? ?b???t? rate is ?n? of th? m??t obvious changes in f?tn???.

The ?b???t? rate ?m?ng th? ??rt?????nt? ?n the ?tud? ?f th? Amish ???ul?t??n w?? 4 percent, ?? d?t?rm?n?d by body m??? ?nd?x, or BMI. The ?urr?nt obesity r?t? among the urban populations ?? 30% ?r m?r?. OK th? ?b???t? ??r??nt?g?? ?r? a ???r? thing b???u?? ?b???t? ?? already ?n th? “VERY h?gh risk ?f a l?t ?f b?d w??? t? die” ??t?g?r?. Th?r? ?? ?t?ll th? overweight ??t?g?r? (obviously fat but n?t h?tt?ng th? m?d???ll? obese range) t? ??n??d?r. These ????l? are at a high r??k ?lr??d?!

Th? total ??r??nt?g?? of ?v?rw??ght + ?b??? are r??ll? w?ld… hitting close t? 70% in some major ??t??? not just in UK but worldwide. Compare this t? th? ?v?r?g? ?n th? 1980s. 10-15% ?b???t? ?n most ??t???. It r??? to th? m?d 20% ?n 1995 and its now at an ?ll t?m? h?gh.

3. D??t 

OK l?nk?d t? point n?.2 is ?f ??ur?? diet. Th?? is ?n?th?r ?bv??u? ?h?ng? ?n fitness. Its v?r? ??m?l? ??tu?ll?. We now ??t m?r? refined processed f??d? (white br??d, sugar, pizzas, microwave dinners etc.). In th? body th??? g?v? pretty much th? same r????n?? – FAT ?t?r?g?. The only t?m? w? ?h?uld ??t some of these processed it?m? is ?mm?d??t?l? ?ft?r h?rd training (by that I mean heavy weight session, hill sprints, 3 hour bike ride, the Yorkshire three peaks challenge). A? w? can tell from ???nt n?.1, n?t much ?f ?n? tr??n?ng ?? going ?n. But l?ts ?f eating ??!

W? ?l?? eat l??? fr??h fru?t?, v?g?t?bl?? and good quality m??t?. We eat m?r? ?n??k? like crisps, biscuits and cakes (wh??h are ?l?? refined despite what advertisers claim).

Th??? ?h?ng?? ?n f?tn??? ?r? m?d? m?r? tr?ubl?ng because ?v?n natural foods t?d?? are n?t ?? g??d f?r u? as they phentermine used t? b?. In fact the word ‘natural’ is a advertising buzz word. Curr?nt industrial f?rm?ng methods make v?t?m?n ?nd mineral content ?n fru?t? and vegetables dr?? about 10-40% depending ?n the m?n?r?l. Corn fed m??t? don’t give us ?? good ?n ?m?g? 6 t? ?m?g? 3 ratio ?? we u??d t? get fr?m gr??? fed and free r?ng? ?n?m?l? (that means not ?? m?n? healthy f?tt? ???d? for us).

And ?f course, w? are also ??m?l? ??n?um?ng m?r? ??l?r??? on a daily basis. Th? Am??h ????l? ?n the ?tud? ?n ???nt n?.1 ?t? ?b?ut 3600 ??l?r???/d?? f?r men ?nd 2100 ??l?r???/d?? f?r w?m?n. M?n? ??d?nt?r? ????l? ??n?um? th?? mu?h and more! H?w? W?ll a fully “f??tur?d” gourmet ??ff?? fr?m coffee b??n or St?rbu?k? ??n add up t? 500 ??l?r??? ?n ?n ?n?t?nt ?f ??ff??n? f?ll?.

That’s 2 hours ?f w?lk?ng f?r ?n ?v?r?g? sized lady.

Just remember, calorie quality ??unt? ?? w?ll. 2000 ??l?r??? of v?g?t?bl??, meat and healthy f?t? ?? ?nf?n?t?l? b?tt?r th?n 2000 ??l?r??? from java cakes and takeaway chips. It? ?l??? t? ?m?????bl? to g?t fat ?n the f?r?t, ?nd nearly ?m?????bl? n?t to g?t f?t w?th the second.

I l?k? this ??r ?n?l?g?. If you had a £500,000 super car or your dr??m ??r, w?uld ??u put l?w grade or h?gh gr?d? ??tr?l ?nt? ?t? H?gh gr?d? of ??ur??! Th?n why do ??m? ????l? put l?w gr?d? f?lth ?nt? th??r bodies wh??h ?r? so much m?r? ?m??rt?nt th?n th? ??r we drive?

 

4. Games Ch?ldr?n Pl?? 

Th? ?v?r?g? ?h?ld wh? gr?w? u? ?n ?n urb?n ?nv?r?nm?nt is a m?t?r-?k?ll w??kl?ng. In the past, I ????hed teenagers to prepare them for their chosen sports. In our initial sessions, I had these young k?d? d? a very simple drills like moving ?n ?nd ?ut around ??n??. Th?r? ?r? so m?n? kids wh? can’t do ?t and some who I th?nk might fall down ?f ??k?d t? RUN ?r?und the cones faster! Some them could not hang from a pull-up bar for 10seconds. Th?? ?? ?n contrast t? th? ???t wh?r? k?d? ran ?r?und, chased ???h ?th?r, ?l???d ?h?????l g?m?? ?nd sports ?f all kinds, wh?r? th? playground was the ??nt?r of fun for young kids. Th?? lack ?f activity n?t ?nl? ??u??? a ?h?ng? ?n f?tn??? for th? ?h?ld ?n h??/h?r ??uth, but h?? a profound l?ng term ?ff??t as w?ll.

Of course th?? ?h?ng? ?n f?tn??? ?? a r??ult ?f a ??mb?n?t??n of ?????bl? f??t?r?.

P?r?nt? who only consider ???d?m?? success t? be w?rth ?tr?v?ng f?r, who ?nl? g?v? a ?h?ld recognition ?nd praise when th?? do w?ll in ???d?m?? ?ubj??t?.

An education ???t?m wh? ?l?? values b??k knowledge above ?th?r things ?nd takes ?w?? physical ?du??t??n ?l????? to put more academic lessons in. In fact arts and physical education is a downward spiral in most non fee paying schools.

P??rl? t?ught PE lessons that d?n’t help a child d?v?l?? motor ?k?ll? ?n th? k?? ??rl? years Bu?? double-income f?m?l??? where fathers ?r? not fr?? t? ?l?? w?th th??r children (or don’t ??r? ?n?ugh t?… m?n?? ??n’t ?v?r?th?ng d?d?).

The maddening ??m?ut?r games addiction situation wh?r? v?rtu?l life is more ?m??rt?nt th?n r??l l?f?. I b?l??v? th?? ?? the r????n f?r ?ll the empty skateboard parks, running tracks, tennis courts ?n my neighbourhood. It u??d t? be that kids l?n?d u? t? ?l?? there. N?w only ????l? m? ?g? (l?t? 30? and 40s) play. No ??ung kids ?r? th?r? ?n? m?r?. Okay maybe Im the only late 30s skateboarder around.

But actually, ?? what? The issue is that if k?d? stink ?t sport ?nd ?h?????l activity, th? well kn?wn psychological f??t?r ?f “??m??t?n??” ??m?? ??. S?m?l? ?ut, ?n g?n?r?l, w? do what we ?r? g??d ?t. If ?ur n?xt generation is ???r ?t ???rt ?nd ?h?????l ??t?v?t?, th?? ?r? ?v?n l??? l?k?l? to d? ?n? ?f ?t! Which ??mb?n?d w?th points 1 t? 3, make for a d??dl? h??lth ?r???? f?r m?n? countries. Ob???t? ???t? th? UK  in the region £7.4 billion in national h??lth care per ???r! If w? d?n’t help ?ur k?d?, th?t’? ?nl? g??ng t? gr?w to b? a bigger ?nd bigger burd?n for everybody.

5. Social Su???rt 

Th?? ?? a m?r? ?ubtl? change ?n f?tn???. People are ??mmun?l ?n?m?l?. W? ?t??k with th?ng? b???u?? th?r? ?? a ?u???rt?v? ??mmun?t? behind u?. Even drug and ?l??h?l??m rehab ??nt?r? r???gn??? this. W? all need ?????l support. But ?????l l?nk? ?r? getting w??k?r. And n?, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram l?nk? d?n’t make u? for it. Hell I am connected to Arnold Schwarzenegger on twitter. So come on…

In a m?r? ??nn??t?d but less ?l??? w?rld (I kn?w ?? m?n? people wh? ?r? ?nl? ??mf?rt?bl? behind a ??m?ut?r ??r??n ?nd n?t ?n front ?f a r??l ??r??n) th?r? ?? l??? ?????l ?u???rt th?n ?n th? ???t (?xt?nd?d families, communal living, ?tr?ng fr??nd?h??? within a n??ghb?urh??d ?t?) ?nd ?t? h?rd t? ?t??k with something which r??u?r?? d?d???t??n ?nd sacrifice like ?n exercise ?r?gr?m. I’m n?t a ?????l?g??t (having said that I did study it for my A levels) but I do b?l??v? th?r? is a r????n th?t ?x?r???? ?l????? d? better ?n t?rm? ?f membership than ?nd?v?du?l?z?d training. M??t ?f th?m ??rt??nl? are not ?? effective ?? gr??t ?nd?v?du?l ????h?ng. But th? social f??t?r d??? ??m? ?n when sustaining a l?f??t?l? change is involved.

6. Free T?m? 

Th?? ?ubtl? ?h?ng? in fitness ?? ?r?tt? clear. W? ju?t h?v? l??? t?m? th?t w? “?wn”. B?????, social, family ?nd other ??mm?tm?nt? make fr?? t?m? a very ?r????u? ??mm?d?t? ?nd ?t adds d?ff??ult? t? the fact th?t time ?? ?ur ?nl? non r?n?w?bl? r???ur??. Wh?n w? ?h???? to exercise ?r spend t?m? ???k?ng t? k??? a h??lth? l?f??t?l?, w? ?r? ??m??t?ng with movies, games, TV ?nd ?th?r things f?r free t?m?. W? kn?w th?t exercise ?? g??d f?r u?, but ?t not only has t? b? good f?r u?, ?t has to be BETTER ?n our m?nd? th?n the latest ?????d? ?f desperate House of Cards, ?r the l?t??t ??m?ut?r g?m? (I can’t name any as I don’t own a games console). Th?t’? the ???u?. W? need to ?r??r?t?s? l?ng term h??lth ?v?r temporary escapism and mindless fun.