Obesity in Later Life......

Its New Year Resolution time and for many a diet plan will be included in the list! Hopefully the good intentions will not fall by the wayside.

We are all fighting the ageing process. For many,  they pass through the journey relatively unscathed healthwise others are less fortunate.
Doesn't it make sense to do everything we can not to contribute to our downfall?
Evidence shows excess weight can do to our bodies in terms of mobility, pressure on joints, circulation and conditions such as diabetes.........and yet people who should know better continue to eat for the sake of eating.


    http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/Factsheets/Later_Life_UK_factsheet.pdf?dtrk=true

• Women aged 65+: 32% are of normal BMI, 32% ‘overweight’, and 34% ‘obese’. For men this age: only 16% are within normal BMI, 54% are overweight, and 31% obese 

The vast number of seriously obese passengers on our cruise ship last Sept was really disturbing. This wasn't about people enjoying their holiday and indulging themselves, it was more about feeding a habit. I have mentioned before a typical scenario of individuals piling their plates with pasta, chips and a bread rolls. It's something we would not have believed had we not seen with our own eyes. They then ask for help carrying their trays as their mobility is impaired. They wheeze and gasp with the effort of walking short distances. Whatever the underlying causes for this self destruction it really does have to be addressed. With an ageing population we need to stop ignoring the obesity problem and to be honest about how serious this is........and spell out the consequences of prolonging this kind of behaviour.


Help is provided in our already in our overstretched NHS. Families and friends can also do their bit by eating healthier together and providing a support group. Maybe join a slimming club if you can't find willing family and friends?


Portion control, the right healthier choices and not buying items which play to your weaknesses is a start.

Action not words! 

2015 saw friends losing 2/3/4 stones in weight - they feel better, some of their weight induced ailments have gone away and they look younger and have a new lease of life!!

With many of us living longer we all would like to feel we also have vitality and health to go along with our longevity! So what are you waiting for? :)

maintaining your figure!!

Continuing plan for the summer determined to get to the gym to maintain my weight and to  tone.....this routine has become very much a part of my daily objectives.

my day also includes

scales
daily calorie count
making the right food choices
portion control

     I also treat my tape measure as my conscience - it doesn't lie!!

I have found that as I have got older I don't seem to need or crave the larger portions I would have had when I was young. We were brought up to "clear our plates" whereas now it is more sensible to say I am full - my body is telling me this so leave the food we don't need. Fortunately the friend I met yesterday has a similar approach to food and watches the carbs and portions size.  Maybe surrounding yourself with like minded people is the answer when socialising and then you are not tempted to order fatty calorific alternatives.

This may seem to be onerous and prescriptive and I understand if this is the impression that is taken from this.  However once you have worked out a healthy diet content which you find appealing you will be surprised how you will become happy with it and more comfortable and the bonus you will start to see a difference in your shape, energy levels and well being. 

I am no saint and like a glass of wine and a bag of crisps like everyone else - however these are acceptable so long as they don't become a frequent components of your diet.

Its a little bit like learning to drive - you never think you will get the knack of being competent so many things to think about .....however driving eventually becomes second nature to you and part of everyday life!

No reason why mature women in age category 50 and beyond can't have a figure which is beach ready!!

Talking of everyday life the rest of the day will be devoted to catching up on jobs in the garden....cutting back, pruning, planting bedding plants and praying that there won't be a frost!

Keeping active and busy for me now in my 60s is vital and hope that it will help in the future with my health and my mind!!

Time for a cup of tea!!

Day of Reckoning!

OK - well after the festivities surrounding my birthday (3 days) I have now a day of reckoning!!!  I have gained 7 pounds!  rich food , bigger portions, champagne….exhausted.  Got to do something about it….new readers start here….. emergency if I don't do something about it it - it will be like compound interest …….

So today the dreaded diet begins…. calorie counting, portion control and lots of exercise!

We all know that as Christmas approaches there is no way we can resist the goodies so we must take stock and plan so that we don't feel like a landed whale at the end of December.

I am not going to tell you exactly how much I weigh as my husband reads this but I will share my progress with my weight loss on a weekly basis….in this way you will become my conscience!

so so annoying!!

Holiday Hits and Misses- Growing passengers (3)

As we get older we are supposed to benefit from all our knowledge and experience and hence become so much wiser.

This assumption was really tested on holiday.

With so much information about obesity and sun protection you would have thought that the people on board would be mindful of this.  However a significant number of passengers had thrown caution to the wind.  Approximately 50% were significantly overweight and about 20% seriously obese.

I know many of us struggle to maintain a healthy weight and it is even harder when on holiday. However what I am referring to here is a whole different ball game.

When you go on a cruise, there is so much food available all the time.  You can choose to eat formally and informally.  We tended to go for the buffet meals for breakfast and lunch and formal for dinner.  It is in the buffet that the real excess takes place and you can't help but observe the greed and gluttony.
Some seemed to have no control at all.  Instead of getting a normal portion and then returning for more some decide to heap their plates to avoid having to make a possible return trip.

One person at breakfast had a pile of eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, mushrooms and hash browns and then noticed that the speciality that day was gammon and so this unfortunate piece of meat was selected and balanced on the top of the mountain of food.  This was accompanied with toast, bread buns and a couple of muffins.

This was not an unusual occurrence. Others over indulgenced with cereals - 3 packets poured into a bowl with a second to house the overspill.  On top of this loads of fruit and berries and then finally 3 pots of yoghurt. A cooked breakfast would follow this.

These same people complained about their ailments which included shortness of breath, lack of mobility, aching joints, indigestion, swollen ankles, diabetes, hip and joint replacements. Many opted for buggies even if they could walk.  Exercise didn't feature in their daily plan. When one person found that there was a buggy free she was over the moon - it saved walking!

The topics of conversation over dinner would often include observations of excess that day. A bone of contention often mentioned was the priority given to large people when everyone else had to take their turn.  Delays were caused on coaches going on excursions as people struggled to squeeze into seats. There was a humorous moment which many of us had witnessed when an obese woman in a buggy spied a free table in the bar. What followed could only be described as a "Little Britain"moment.  She leapt out of the buggy to claim her prize. We had all assumed she was disabled and couldn't walk.

There must be many reasons why intelligent people are eating themselves to death however one thing is clear the NHS hasn't got a prayer! How can it cope with all the problems associated with over eating to this extent?  How can it cope providing all the mobility apparatus?

This morning on the TV paper review an article was mentioned outlining the problem we have with obese children.  With parents and grandparents setting such a poor example there doesn't seem much point in the proposed banning of fizzy drinks. Its like putting a sticking plaster over an open wound

I don't have the solution to this but it is clear that the problem is growing and something has to be done. Maybe not going on a holiday where the temptations are so great would be a start.

More in next Post on the sun worshippers!

Kyoto

Nagasaki Peace Garden - American Monument

Nagasaki - Ground Zero

Great Wall of China

Papua New Guinea - active volcano!