Health-wise is this country utterly going/gone to the dogs?

A few not everyone at all and not really one of the biggest problems.

It is. Ask people what they think constitutes ‘exercise’, and most will respond with activities that cost money, like joining a gym, or buying a bike, or signing up for some sport or other. Which puts a lot of people off. Many don’t associate walking with ‘exercise’, it’s just something they do to get from A to B. And most people these days seem loathe to walk anywhere if they don’t have to.

Don’t forget the costs involved in getting to and staying at an outdoorsy location. True you don’t need the latest or more expensive gear (embroidered with an aspirational name) to get outside, but how many of us ride £99 supermarket specials?

It is. Ask people what they think constitutes ‘exercise’, and most will respond with activities that cost money, like joining a gym, or buying a bike, or signing up for some sport or other.

I ask it reasonably regular at work and varies from “Yes but not as much as I should I go for a few walks now and then” or “A play football most weekends, swim during the week” or “No nothing much I no I should maybe swim or go for a walk but I just don’t have the time”.

Certainly not most claiming they need to join a gym or buying a bike.

Certainly not most claiming they need to join a gym or buying a bike.

swim during the week

So where do they swim? And what does that cost? And with the amount of ‘free’ space for playing sports such as football on the decline, as local authorities designate specific areas for organised sports (which they then charge for), it’s not as ‘free’ as it once was.

Simple fact is that most people equate ‘exercise’ with something costing money. Even walking.

how many of us ride £99 supermarket specials?

I don’t. 😉

They should bring this back to schools

Simple fact is that most people equate ‘exercise’ with something costing money. Even walking.

You certainly do.

Many don’t.

The point being is that an XBox + 4 games doesn’t have to cost £300+ either. Just saw one sell on Ebay for £84.

£300 for new xbox, used as a an example to compare with cost of new bike.
You do know you can buy bikes second hand as well?
Sorry, you must be really small if that managed to go over your head.

Many don’t.

Are you in panto? Because if not, yo’ve clearly missed your true vocation. 😉

Are you in panto? Because if not, yo’ve clearly missed your true vocation.

Oh no I haven’t.

Oh no I haven’t.

😆

😆

Simple fact is that most people equate ‘exercise’ with something costing money.

The simple fact is that a lot of people are bone idle 😀

I can understand people who just don’t like exercise, don’t get any pleasure from it etc.

What I don’t understand are the people who’s health is at risk or deteriorating but still won’t do anything to help themselves lose weight or get fitter.

Nobody’s expecting you to become an athlete, just look after yourself a bit.

its easier to let yourself get fat when everyone around you is too.

i do all i can to get him away, swimming is one of the main things but at 6quid a time for both of us

isn’t there some kind of poor person’s discount for people who can’t find £3 each to go swimming?

One of the big problems with exercise in this country is that people associate anything active with needing to buy specific equipment, join up to a gym

Just from conversations I’ve had with people. Embarrassment was a bigger factor, spending £100 on some running kit is small fry in comparison. And in general the embarrassment element was the stopping factor. More often than not they would try exercises that can be done in private, exercise bikes, cross trainers etc. Which predictably kill off most of the enthusiasm before they gain confidence.

No idea how that psychology pans out through the wider population

Double post

its easier to let yourself get fat when everyone around you is too.

Quite a lot in this I would wager

its easier to let yourself get fat when everyone around you is too.

Quite a lot in this I would wager

I can’t remember where I read this but this is crucial to the current problem. People make relative judgements about themselves, rather than absolute.

Dr: you’re overweight and need to do something about it
Patient: but he’s way bigger than me so I must be ok
Dr: you’re still in poor health
Patient: but not as much as him, so what’s the problem…

With people at healthy weight now in a minority, I think this psychological/social relativism aspect is probably a massive (‘scuse the pun) barrier to resolving the problem…

This resistance to being healthy astounds me. Who wants to be ill?

Imo television, adverts and “the cool” play a huge part in this. Oh and mis education.

Its funny how people think drinking/eating the “low calorie” “no salt” “half fat” soft drinks, crisps, chocolate, pizzas etc etc are now a healthy diet…shocking. The worst thing is it isn’t just the kids who believe that sh1te…

adverts on tv etc play a big part in it imo.

Arse-biscuits!! Well… everythings suddenly become a lot clearer now. Have you seen my usual riding partner?

Curse you!!! Relative rather than absolute judgement!!!!!

Arse-biscuits!! Well… everythings suddenly become a lot clearer now. Have you seen my usual riding partner?

Curse you!!! Relative rather than absolute judgement!!!!!

Though also when people are so judgmental it may be difficult to find the motivation to do what the guy in the picture above is doing. He could be a racing snake by now. Fair play I say; in pink as well.

Isn’t binge drinking defined as consuming (for a bloke) more than 4 units of alcohol in an evening…? So, of a Friday night if I drink 2 bottles of my favourite ale that is binge drinking…? Eh?

God, what a drain on the health service I am.

I recently joined a gym as the crap weather, dark nights etc. meant I wasn’t getting out on the bike as much ask I’d like.
I get access to pools, gyms & classes around Peterborough. They are always busy. A lot of people I work with do regular activity; football, cycling, gym, squash, surfing…often mentioned in my office.

We went to release bruder’s balloon a week or so ago and there were literally hundreds of people out walking with their children, kids riding bikes, roller skating, playing football.
Similarly, the day before I did a lap of Rutland Water & there were cyclists galore, walkers, horse riders…

While I think it is fair to say that more people should be exercising, I think there are an awful lot of people doing just that.

OP, yes.

Cough.

I’m going to have a glass of wine and think about it.

It’s too serious for just one glass, let’s discuss it over a couple of bottles and a five course dinner….

Isn’t binge drinking defined as consuming (for a bloke) more than 4 units of alcohol in an evening…? So, of a Friday night if I drink 2 bottles of my favourite ale that is binge drinking…? Eh?

Indeed. I don’t know how on earth they expect anyone to take their ‘advice’ (read: lecturing) seriously when they continuously spout guff like that

Isn’t binge drinking defined as consuming (for a bloke) more than 4 units of alcohol in an evening…? So, of a Friday night if I drink 2 bottles of my favourite ale that is binge drinking…? Eh?

No binge drinking is a media term, it really refers to someone going out one or twice week and drinking a hugely excessive amount in those sessions.

The health guides is a guide for the recommended weekly consumption, anything over that is seen as drinking more than the recommended amount.

I have a couple of glasses of wine, most evenings and a few bottles at the weekend. Mind you, lost a lot of weight riding with binners 😉

Don’t forget the costs involved in getting to and staying at an outdoorsy location

Yup ,cos just getting out your door isn’t outdoorsy enough 🙄

Can’t beat a bit of fresh air

I’m going to have a glass of wine and think about it.

me too

Everyone blames the government …
[x] Rant on[x]
But more sendentary jobs are at the nub of this – and a general lazy attitude to life. TBH , parenting skills in Britian are awful , and getting worse. It has produced lazy idle kids who want for nothing, help with nothing, and then in later life expect to do nothing, and someone else to sort out their problems for them. as in, it was my chances in life, I’m an addict, I can’t help myself, it’s unfair, everyone else gets better x, y and z

There is little self control/self responsibility/self pride. Hard working role models have all but gone, Katie Price and TOWIE are worshipped ….

It has next to nothing to do with the cost of food, as food in the UK is much cheaper than else where else in Europe ( at the moment). But how many parents know how to cook – or can be bothered?. It is that a huge slug of parenst have abticated their responsibility for their kids morals, education, standard, discipline and ethics to schools. Just because they don’t no say no to little Emma and Tommy.

The French do have an issue , no doubt, but they do take parenting a little more to heart than in Britian

Fat , lazy, ill disciplined kids are the result of fat, lazy , ill disciplined parents ….

[x} rant off[x}

…. but other than that, you’d give a thumbs up to the great British lifestyle generally?

TOWIE….. What/who is that/they?

TOWIE…

Watch about 30 seconds of it and fear for the future of humanity.

I’m not suggesting that humanity had a great future in Essex anyway. But, somewhat inexplicably, it seems to be infecting the rest of the country

Careful there binner … we may well be orange… but we’ve got wash board stomachs here in sunny brentwood 🙂

MrMoofo you dropped this.

I’ve never watched TOWIE so it my just be my middle-class prejudice coming through 😉 but I gather it’s one of those programmes about self-obsessed narcissists who want to be famous rather than earn a living doing something which adds any economic value…

<Dad mode on>

Now the main problem with this as a model for people to aspire to is IT’S JUST A TV PROGRAMME. For watching/for the production company to make money…

Not an aspiration for the rest of us.

Unfortunately I’m not sure many people understand this.

<Dad mode off>

we are firmly in the age of narcissism where children don’t want to be firemen, nurses or train drivers any more they just want to be famous.

hard work and delayed gratification are an anathema to the fatuous, feckless, ignorant and idle members of society who full of their own self importance give nothing and take everything they can from society.

so yes, we are doomed.

Erm… my daughter wants to be a vet. Does this make her a freak? Will she be bullied? I’m really quite concerned now