The Enabling of Fat People

We Fit Your Life” is the mantra of a website called LivingXL. This business, like many others you can find on the web, caters to “oversized” people. Yes there are plenty of people who are larger than the averaged Joe…or Jane.

Case in point is one of my good friends from college. In his early 20’s he was 6’4” 240 pounds. He was big, fast, strong and in shape. In fact when he tried out for the New England Patriots football team his body fat was 9 – 11 percent. You may know people who are bigger…much bigger AND in shape.

Is this the segment of the population that these companies pursue? I think not.

The market these companies target is our overweight and obese friends and neighbors. That’s why you will see weight ratings next to fold out chairs 500 and even 800 pound capacity.

Not many of the advertisements depict a person who is off the height and weight chart but seems to be, visibly anyway, in shape. This is part of our problem. Part of the culture we have created.

Enabling.

Patronizing.

Giving up.

Would you give an alcoholic a drink? Probably not. If you think that analogy is unfair.

Cancer and Obesity on the Rise

We still think “not me”.  The excerpt below is from the Mayo Clinic and you may find the information interesting.  If not.  Please pass it on to someone who needs a kick in the pants to start living an active, meaningful life.

As Americans’ collective waistline has continued to expand, so has the prevalence of obesity-related cancer.

According to the June issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter, an estimated 14 percent of cancer deaths in older men and 20 percent in older women can be attributed to excess body fat. It’s not fully understood why excess body fat increases the risk of cancer.

Theories include:

Insulin — Obesity and inactivity generally lead to higher levels of insulin circulating in the blood. Excess insulin is believed to fuel the growth of cancer cells. In addition, it increases circulating levels of other hormones that likely play a role in cancer development and growth, such as estrogen.

Estrogen — Adding to insulin’s influence on estrogen levels, fat tissue also produces this hormone. Estrogen levels are 50 percent to 100 percent higher in postmenopausal women who are overweight versus those who are lean. It’s believed that this alteration increases the risk of estrogen-sensitive cancers such as certain types of breast cancers.

Immune system — Excess fat is thought to release proteins that may suppress the immune system and increase inflammation. Both may play a role in cancer development and progression.

Other risks of obesity — Obesity-related problems such as acid reflux, high blood pressure, gallstones and fatty liver may damage tissues of the esophagus, kidney, gallbladder and liver, respectively. This may set the stage for cancer development.

Although there’s evidence that gaining weight increases the risk of cancer, there has been almost no research that demonstrates whether losing weight will reduce that risk. Two major components of weight loss — a healthy diet and exercise — appear to be excellent ways to reduce cancer risk.

…a healthy diet and exercise…what a novel idea.

To bad prevention isn’t as sexy as beach muscles and a firm butt.

Prevent.  Live.  Win.

Dave
www.homeofficeworkouts.com

If I Only had the TIME…

‘I don’t have time’ is the reason that most people don’t exercise. Well, they call it a ‘reason’ I like to call it what it really is – an excuse.

Most people believe their workouts need to be 60-90 minutes in order to really count. With this kind of time commitment it is no wonder that exercise becomes the activity that you simply don’t have time for. Before you know it one missed workout becomes two and soon you realize that you haven’t put on your gym shorts for a month.

Missed exercise is a slippery slope toward irreversible consequences. Obesity wasn’t gained in one day…or even in one year. Neither was heart disease.

Question: Have you ever wondered if long workouts really deliver the best results?

The truth is that exercise doesn’t have to take 60-90 minutes anymore. The experts agree that short, intense bouts of exercise can actually deliver better results than traditional low intense exercise.

In fact, a study was conducted at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine that tested whether multiple short bouts of exercise would deliver better results than one long bout of exercise. They found that participants who performed short bouts of exercise stuck with the program longer and experienced greater weight loss than the participants that performed long bouts of exercise.

Throw out the idea that you need an entire afternoon or a free evening to have a great workout. It simply doesn’t take as much time as you think. Here’s one example:

10 Minute Results-Driven Workout

• Dumbbell Squat Press: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level. First lower down into a squat position. Make sure that your knees do not go past 90 degrees. Exhale as you press the dumbbells overhead while you straighten your legs and return to the starting position. Complete 10 repetitions.
• Dumbbell Lunge and Curl: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand down at your sides. Exhale as you lunge forward with your right leg and curl the dumbbells up toward your chest. Make sure that your knee does not go past 90 degrees. Inhale as you return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Complete 10 repetitions. 
• Dumbbell Bent Over Rows: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your knees and lean forward from your waist, keeping your back flat. Exhale as you drive your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Inhale as you return to the starting position. Complete 10 repetitions.
• V-Ups: Sit on the edge of a chair or bench and lean back. Exhale as you drive your knees in toward your chest, squeezing your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower your knees back down with control. Complete 10 repetitions.

REPEAT AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE FOR 10 Minutes.

Think outside of the box. Could you do a 10 minute workout in the morning and a 10 minute workout before bed?  Make a playlist of your favorite songs that will play for 10 minutes and go for it!

Let’s be honest, you make time for the things that you feel are important. If I told you that for every minute you spent exercising I would give you a thousand dollars, would you find a minute to exercise? Sure you would! You’d probably find quite a few minutes to exercise.

Short bursts of intense exercise will give you the results you want, all you have to do is make the time for it.

Somewhere deep down inside you know that it’s now or never.

Will you choose to simply close this email and allow your hectic schedule to slowly push you down the path of obesity and health risk? Or will you find creative ways to fit exercise into your day as you steadily regain your shape and health?

Make this the day that you finally make the change. Call or reply to this email to schedule your no-obligation fitness consultation and I’ll show you many other high intensity time effective workouts that deliver amazing results.

The choice is yours.

Make sure you check out the 8 months of 10 minute workouts I have posted on www.homeofficeworkouts.com and make your life a little easier!

10 minutes. Do it now.  Win.

Dave
www.homeofficeworkouts.com
www.homeofficeworkouts.net