Here at Action Surrey, we like to encourage residents not just to make sure their home is healthy & well insulated, but for residents to feel happier and healthier too! While we can’t offer any personal training courses or remove that cake from the office kitchen, we’ve compiled some helpful information for anyone interested in making a change in either diet or lifestyle choices.
Therefore, if you are looking to lose weight and/or want to eat healthier, we will try to take you through the information currently available. This will help you make an informed decision on whether to resist that temptation of a free cupcake or to indulge it. The answer may not always be as clear as you think!
Now, according to the latest statistics [1.Government Statistics May 2018] the lives of residents of England and Wales are getting better. There is an increased life expectancy at birth, as well as having an improved healthy life expectancy for males and females over the age of 65. This is great to hear, however as with all these things, there is a “but”...
Did you know in 2016/17; admissions to hospitals, where obesity was a factor, increased by 18% on previous year’s figures? Over a quarter of adults are now classified as “obese” with just over a fifth of men and quarter of women classified as “inactive”. While we are tending to eat more, fresh fruit is not part of the trend, with only 26% of us consuming the recommended five or more portions advised to eat per day. [2.NHS Statistics April 2018]
So, what is the solution? Choosing from different Fad Diets or having a Gym Subscription? Thinking about both of these options or not sure? Well, let us look at a couple of sources on having a healthier lifestyle:
One source states that you should:
- Eat mostly real food
- Eat fewer calories
- Avoid liquid calories
The above sounds reasonable but a bit vague...
Another source states;
- Eat less
- Be more active
- Have a healthy balanced diet
- Cut down on foods high in saturated fats and sugar
- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
This is a bit more like it with some definitive examples...
The second source is from the NHS website & further guidance is below [3. NHS website May 2018]
What does all this mean?
We as people are all individuals, so what works for one person, may not necessarily work for the next person. Generally, you should:
a) eat the right amount of calories for how active you are, and
b) eat a range of food to ensure that you are getting a balanced diet.
So, can we eat what we want? Of course, you can! It is your life and you can lead it how you like. However, if you would like to lose weight and/or feel healthier, then we would advise you to have a look at the guidance above and to do your own research. A doctor may be able to advise you on certain aspects of diet and lifestyle, this will help you identify and follow a path for yourself and feel happy in doing so. If that means eating the odd cupcake every now and again, then that would be fine!
Lastly, we will leave you the following quote... “Don’t fear failure. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail.” – Bruce Lee
1. www.fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework/data#page/0
3. www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/eight-tips-for-healthy-eating/