Back to Good Habits!!

I hate to say it but these past few days I have missed my daily gym routine! Inevtiably Conference means you have to sit for hours on end and your joints start to complain.  Certainly mine felt decidedly uncomfortable.  Yes I know I probably could have fitted in some exercise but it wouldn't have been easy.

I must confess today is my first day back in the gym and I have started to change my routine.  Before we went away I had an assessment on "Body Composition".  This has been made available at our gym with the first session free so I thought I might as well. Below is the blurb on this which explains what it provides much better than I can.   you just need to stand on the base and hold the hand grips for a couple of minutes and the machine then comes up with a variety of calculations which is produced like a supermarket till receipt.

I was quite sceptical about this at first but the results were impressive - the trainer takes you through your weight, muscle etc.  just as it says below.  I was amazed how I was carrying a little more fat in one leg than the other, arms were about the same....anyway the upshot was that I needed to work on my upper half more ....the core and so more weights!!  I also have to vary the routine in the gym - I do tend to concentrate on the cross trainer but now will alternate with other pieces and combine with weights.

Whats for sure is that there is no room for complacency.

I will have a further assessment in 3 months time and see if I have made progress with the various measures.

I returned home today feeling much better, energised and very warm and my knees felt much more flexible.......I know I will ache tomorrow but it will be worth it.

http://www.tanita.com

The addition of hand grips to Tanita's standard platform-based electrode system allows the BC-418 body composition analyzer to calculate regional body composition, empowering healthcare professionals to better determine health risks associated with abdominal fat.

Tanita is proud to introduce a significant improvement to the calculation of Basal Metabolic Rate. Instead of simply relying on weight, age, and gender, Tanita's proprietary formula takes into account Fat Free Mass, providing a higher level of accuracy compared to current BMR. Through the use of 8 polar electrodes, the Tanita BC-418 Segmental Body Composition Analyzer can show separate body mass readings for the right arm, left arm, trunk, right leg and left leg. It also prints out a complete body composition profile in seconds: including Weight, Body Fat Percentage, Body Fat Mass, Body Mass Index (BMI), Fat Free Mass, Estimated Muscle Mass, Total Body Water and Basal Metabolic Rate. The all-in-one compact column mount design, with integrated printer, makes the BC-418 perfect for use in small, dedicated spaces.

Tanita's professional Body Composition Analyzers provide weight and a complete body composition analysis in less than 30 seconds. All professional models use a single-point load cell weighing system in the scale platform to guarantee absolute precision and unbelievable longevity (up to 300, 000 uses before calibration.)

All political parties have been discussing the NHS  and the pressures it is facing.  Of course prevention is better than cure.  Most people will do what they can but others don't seem to feel that they need to........the obesity crisis which is a major concern was touched upon in a Q&A sessions. Many have opinions on the use of gastric bands and what can be done as alternatives.

Education is seen as one solution or part of the solution.  Personally I think we are all exposed to so much information on eating healthily and  about the need to combine with exercise but people choose to ignore the advice on offer and nothing you say or do will change their ways.

At our hotel this week, a couple appeared at the buffet breakfast and sat at the next table to us.  The man was slim and the woman was quite overweight. They were probably in their early 40s. Both went to collect their cooked breakfast.  The man returned with a modest plateful of food.  The woman had a considerable amount on her plate...sausages, bacon eggs, hash browns, baked beans......  She ate all of this and then followed with toast and fruit salad.  After a few minutes we heard her say she was still a bit peckish and she returned with another cooked breakfast......

I found this quite depressing - I don't have the answers. I do feel however the person needs to change themselves and to find what will it take for them to stop bad habits. Sadly for some it is when a significant medical issue arises........