Well perhaps they do - moderate is a bit of an abstract term when used in relation to excercise. I thought a 5k jog constituted moderate excercise. I'm clearly wrong.

what about pie lifting ?

Judging by the way people relax on the gym machines then yeah, probably some people do need to be told.

Have you not seen the lazy gets? For some people, moving about is a massive chore which they will avoid at all costs. Parking in disabled spaces because they'll just be a minute. Getting the lift up one floor, claiming some minor twinge is a major physical problem which stops them moving more than 20 freaking yards at once. Driving the 50 yards to the chippy.

turn off the lifts and escalators, shoot non-disabled people who park in disabled places, tax petrol up to 5 quid a litre. It's the only language these people will understand.

was about to say the same as molgrips - parking as near the gym door as possible and walking at less than 2mph on a running machine for 5 minutes before having a half hour chat isn't going to save the nation millions

Walking isn't exercise, it's the method the human body uses to move from one place to another. It's a bit like saying brushing your hair, scratching yourself or taking a cr#p is exercise.

Agreed Tranquility - my wife and I find it difficult to find time for some proper exercises - she runs and likes the gym, I bike/hike/paddle/swim. We walk far more than most of our friends - they see us as 'exercising' when we walk with the kids about 1km into town - to us its the quick, cheap, easy way....its not exercise in a 'keep fit' sense - but it all helps. We have moved the kids school recently, and miss the legging it up the hill with the kids twice a day.

Walking isn't exercise, it's the method the human body uses to move from one place to another

It's exercise if you walk far enough fast enough. Try it if you don't believe me. 10 miles at a steady 4mph and you'll know about it 🙂 An excellent way of losing weight too, as I found out in Finland when I first got there and was too scared to use the buses.

"was about to say the same as molgrips - parking as near the gym door as possible and walking at less than 2mph on a running machine for 5 minutes before having a half hour chat isn't going to save the nation millions "..careful

My wife has a degenerative arthritis condition, taking quite a bit of mdication and injections just to move. Her medics are surprised she can do what she does and still work.but could/will eventually lose limbs and end up in a wheelchair(if she can sit)

I agree there are a lot of layzee sod but don`t judge everyone..the old saying..[i][b]looks can be decieving[/i][/b] is very relevant.

The ladies I work with think they are living highly active lives because they walk to and from the bus stop each day.

And because I go to the gym at lunchtimes and walk the 45 minutes between my house and work they think I am some sort of exercise mentalist

used to make me laugh when i lived in a house that had an astroturf pitch behind it. some of the nobbers didn't want to walk or jog the half mile to gain access through the field, so used my garden as access. they stopped though, after the alarm mines....

Some students were having trouble getting their cars parked near College, so I suggested they could park in the long stay in town and walk here. They were shocked that I even suggested it, even when I used Google Maps to show them it was less than a mile.

We were waiting at the bus stop once, and my five-year-old was asking why we couldn't just walk to town instead of waiting for a boring bus. A lad at the stop looked shocked. She walked it every day to get to nursery, from the age of three. It's only a mile or two.

Scary how bad/lazy people are getting.

walking *is* exercise. The vast majority of people would need to do no more if they walked to places that were within walking distance. Being active is a lifestyle choice, it's not going down the gym or riding 30 miles on Sunday, it's changing the whole way you approach things. Jog up the stairs, walk round the shops, masturbate three times a day. It all keeps you fit and more importantly, keeps your metabolism ticking over nice and quick.

People spend more effort, looking to avoid doing exercise, than they would actually doing it. Mike's example above is a clear point in question. If it's quicker to walk it than it is to wait for the bus, just walk it. It will make a huge difference.

Trekster - Member
My wife has a degenerative arthritis condition...

Mates wife sees it as some sort of social status thing - whenever anyone mentions walking or cycling she smiles VERY SMUGLY and states that walking is for people without cars.
She also refuses to use public transport, as it is, ahem, "For losers".

Some people obviously have more money than sense don't they?
My neigbour (who ran the London marathon last year) sees cycling as leisure. I don't think she really undertands the concept of riding for 85 miles, coming home, having a wash and something to eat then going out again for more.

Its getting worse.
I help out at a local scout troop & a couple of weeks ago we walked about 20 of them along a canal (with no locks) for about 3 1/2 miles.
These are healthyish normal kids, some of them were definately slowing at the end of it. Most have never done anything like it before (well done parents ... NOT). They were told to bring a snack & water, not really sure why they needed a snack, I managed it without one but it was not my decision, one of them had a bag of crisps & a pack of easter eggs.

None of them look fat or overweight just got very little fitness.

Crap really.

perhaps we'll evolve into some sessile form like an oyster?

Long distance athletes for years run over 100 mpw at a very high intensity. With gradual loading the body can handle huge stresses safely.

The overriding problem today is that fat people are setting the agenda leading to examples such as the above of people assuming walking to the fridge is enough and more is obsessive and dangerous.

people assuming walking to the fridge is enough

I have a butler for that!

As more people get obese, being fat becomes normal. As more out of town shopping centers are built driving becomes not just normal, but necessary.

Try shopping in America without a car - its not possible unless you live in the mall !

Hopefully though fat and obese people will die of heart attacks thereby solving the overpopulation problem which makes global warming a side issue. This leaves more room for us to ride our bikes - a good result really.

Trimix - Member
As more people get obese, being fat becomes normal. As more out of town shopping centers are built driving becomes not just normal, but necessary.

Um, certainly seems to be much more debate about fat people being normal/abnormal now than ten years ago. Also look at our "celebrities", not many chunkers in womens mags.

 

Not sure if this [url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5004431/Family-who-are-too-fat-to-work-say-22000-worth-of-benefits-is-not-enough.html ]link[/url] has been posted elsewhere, quite relevant to this thread...

I think British society is in meltdown, possibly like the OP stated reverse evolution.

Certain sections of society appear to be booming that is the sub-class. I witness them each Mon and Tues when I look after my child, lumbering along the streets in the Town Centre: fat, no manners, smoking, delinquent kids, no respect, cramming their fat faces with more junk food etc.

We are becoming a nation of fat b'stards dressed in an aray of badly fitting sports attire (oh the irony), been to the airport recently (good way of seeing the cream of the UK ready to jet off for 2 weeks of even greater over indulgence) I fly a lot and my god, it is embarrassing what the British adorn themselves with.

I despair with this place and think the Government's social engineering (meddling) based policies have been somewhat of a fiasco.......btw (biggest personal annoyance) the roads in my area are a joke like that of a developing country (annoys me as I am into road biking), I guess all my taxes and yours prop up the Family Tax credits, benefit, social services and surgical procedures stemming from people who take no responsibility for their own health, diet or lifestyle.

mogrim - Member

Not sure if this link has been posted elsewhere, quite relevant to this thread...

I am crying after reading that.

I do a bit of leading for duke of edinburgh groups. There's been a definite shift in fitness levels - even in the last 10 years.

a couple of young folk on last years bronze trip (15 miles over 2 days) had a day off school on the monday to recover from 2 seven mile day walks, I dont think that's happened before. I also dont think they were any more tired than in previous years, i think it's to do with expectations, particularly from parents.

I'm not sure British society is in any more meltdown than at any other time in its history.

However, the relaitonship between income and obesity has become an increasingly entrenched position. Sadly, statistics show that this is now ceasing to be true. Before, low income meant poor diet meant fat. Now, obesity is affecting the middle classes by an increasing amount.

In essence, the issue of obesity - and with it, the attendant cost to the health services - is reaching a new level of significance. Sneering at fat people isn't enough (however attarctive from an ivory tower), but adopting a wholesale societal attitude shift to exercise and food consumption is absolutely necessary.

So, I can see that there is value in creating a sense of measureability to daily exercise: increasingly our lives (public and private) are dominated by targets, and this is a language we understand: I have done 30 mins of 100 steps per minute is measurable; "moderate" exercise is not.

And, it must be bad when, as I arrive in work from my (in exercise and weight loss terms) almost worthless 5 mile ride into the office, I am almost every day met with "so, you're still riding to work, then?". It's as if such a meagre amount of exercise is beyond the normal human.

It is in their genes?! Yes right mate, I have several ideas but they are not palatable for this forum.....

Emma, said: "I'm a student and don't have time to exercise"

Unbelievable!

I am in my Ivory Tower on this issue and I worked hard to climb it! No amount of targets for these people would do it, they do not have the same success citeria or motivation in life with limited aspirations etc. Education that is where it's at....oh and bombing Iceland (Supermarche not the sovreign nation!)

Sneering at fat people isn't enough

you mean we should point and throw rocks ?

but adopting a wholesale societal attitude shift to exercise and food consumption is absolutely necessary.

but is that feasible ? I can only really affect my own attitude, and perhaps a few around me. I do my best to promote mountain biking, but IMO that's rubbish for weight loss as it boosts appetite 🙁

[img] ?v=0[/img]

People need more proper bicycles. 🙂

Before, low income meant poor diet meant fat. Now, obesity is affecting the middle classes by an increasing amount.

But just slightly further back, low income would never have meant fat. It's cheap food full of shit that's the issue.

That Telegraph article is really shocking. Not just because of the obvious but also IMHO of the clear attempt to rile the Tory-voting middle classes 🙂

It's a bit like saying .... taking a cr#p is exercise.

I've taken a few that leave me sweating, out of breath and feeling thoroughly drained, as well as several pounds lighter.

🙂

I read a few months ago that for the first time in history the rich are getting thinner & the poorer are getting fatter.

Now where's my bacon sandwich?

I think that given the amount of injuries related to exercise that there should be moderators on all the bike trails to moderate exercise!

My wife had a magazine with an article that suggested vigorously towel drying your hair is a good upper body workout.