What counts as overweight?
Maybe it’s just me but I am getting sick of being guilt tripped about health and fitness. The other week I was at a friend’s place and had a go on Wii fit, a game which until that point I had deliberately avoided like the plague. Now don’t get me wrong, I understand the importance of keeping fit and staying healthy. But as far as I was concerned the game was just a way for Nintendo to make money out of something you’d probably be doing anyway.
I’d heard from a lot of people that Wii fit makes out you’re much more unfit than you really are, and sure enough when I stepped (with some trepidation) onto the scales the game informed me that I was very overweight. Now, I don’t claim to be the picture of perfect fitness – I’m not supermodel skinny and although I do get regular exercise and eat healthily, I know I could be fitter. But I’m not fat, and I’m certainly not obese. It’s hardly surprising there have been so many complaints about Wii fit, considering how many people already have body issues thanks to the media constantly telling us that we should all look like Kate Moss or Angelina Jolie.
It’s true that obesity is a problem in society, especially when it’s children and young people, but is making everyone feel bad about themselves really the way to deal with it? The latest initiative being tested in Liverpool to combat obesity is to stop it before it becomes an issue, by giving all children under five free gym memberships. The existing scheme of free memberships for children of school age is one thing, but surely under fives should be getting all their necessary exercise from their normal daily play? And if they’re not then the real issue in society is surely not overweight children, but the question of why these children are not able to get their exercise through play anymore.
For myself, Wii fit succeeded in making me feel guilty for a grand total of five minutes. Then I remembered my healthy diet, regular exercise and that I don’t drink too much or eat fast food, and realised that I have nothing to feel guilty about. And I’ve since found a brilliant new way of staying fit without taking too much time out of my routine – FitFlops. Flip flops that are made to give you a workout and help keep you in shape as you go about your day – genius!