Let’s examine the energy equation from the perspective of spending energy. As I told you before, the number of adults participating in recreational physical activity is larger than ever before. According to questionnaires used in studies the number of adults that participate in recreational physical activity at least twice per week has increased from approximately 40% to 70% in the...
I have news for you: According to studies, our energy consumption, the amount of food we eat, has actually decreased or stayed the same over the past 20 years. In Finland the results of the large “Finnravinto” study suggested that energy consumption has decreased an average of 20%, which means approximately 600 kilocalories in men and 400 kilocalories in women per...
In the USA over 6 billion dollars a year are spent on diet foods. Close to a billion cans of low calorie “diet sodas” were sold in 2010 alone. In Finland, we are following this trend. Up to half of Finns have stated that they are trying to lose weight, and one fifth of Finns are using some sort of...
Losing weight is annoyingly easy: Consume less energy than you expend or expend more energy than you consume. Move more, eat smaller serving sizes and enjoy the results! As I said before, the struggle with this elementary school level mathematics problem is actually of astronomical proportions. Unfortunately, the current solutions to this epidemic are not working. Is the fight of the wellness industry against...
The models of the health and wellness business are images of dazzling perfection. Sharp shadows are cast by the light bouncing off of glimmering oiled muscles and the fitness machine’s lofty being justifies its confident and goal-oriented smile. The bronzed statue is covered by tight clothing that does not leave any room to imagine what might be below it. The message of...
Overweight is no longer a valued ideal but a prevailing condition. Ideals have changed. The worshiping of a round belly has given way to a craving to lose weight and be thin. These changes have made overweight a favorite topic in the health and wellness sector and an extremely important part of health marketing. People want to lose weight. Thankfully,...
Basically, weight gain is the result of an imbalance between energy consumption and energy expenditure. This balance is partly regulated by our genetics, our environment, and psychosocial factors. One, or many of these factors, has gotten members of our society to consume more than we expend, or to expend less than we consume. At the same time we have noticed...
The increase in overweight is predicted to minimize the many health benefits of e.g. reducing or quitting smoking and for the first time in history, life expectancy is expected to decrease despite advances in medicine and technology. This energy crisis is no longer about deficits, it is about abundance. Here are the facts: - The population of overweight individuals has more than...
At the same time as the offerings of the new virtual age are developing beyond our understanding, our waistlines are expanding at such a rate that statistics can barely keep up. Overweight/obesity is a hot topic that evokes a number of different responses. Overweight may cause feelings of shame and consumes the thoughts of many. Sometimes these feelings lead to...
Take a seat, please! This polite invitation offers a chance to take a load off your feet, rest for a moment and settle in. That politeness might shock you, especially when you read what I plan on writing here next. This statement might seem weird or disgusting and for a moment you might even think I am spewing some sort...
The daily physical activity revolution is not some miraculous prescription for diet or exercise. This blog will not help you achieve quick results or teach you any magic tricks that will make you healthier. This blog will not discuss any magic tricks for health, because they simply do not work. This blog will teach you to respect the normal function of your body. It...
I will admit, I sit most of the time that I am writing this blog. You are probably sitting as you read it. Hopefully, however, you will stand up after reading a few paragraphs. Traditionally, the solution to the problem of passive living has been exercise, however, perfectly planned, goal-oriented, encouraging and colorful training plans have not inspired the vast majority of...
During my university studies, I encountered a question on an exam that asked what elements make up “physical activity”. In part, due to my lack of knowledge, and in part because I was feeling a bit rebellious, I answered indifferently: “Who cares, as long as we participate more in physical activity”. After the exam, I remembered that our textbook stated...
