Well it’s time to take a look at the state of fitness for this past year and the outlook for next year. What new knowledge has been acquired this past year? Has the public become better informed as to health & fitness?

The 2007 new year started off with news headlines stating a crack down on weight loss products. The FDA is going to make these companies pay settlements and stop making false claims. Or so they say, but they will still allow them to stay on the market, they can also use celebrity spokespeople. Now to me this seems to be just more of the same a few years ago the FDA asked media to stop accepting ads that make false claims. The simply said use integrity when accepting advertising. Well, that effort failed miserably, seems money talks much louder than integrity. It’s such a dilemma. The government can tell people these products are dangerous and don’t work, the public can even KNOW this but they will still continue to buy them hoping for the quick fix. Those same people who refuse to heed the warnings are the same people who will look for a lawsuit if they have medical problems related to the product.

 

The other big news of 2006 was the record numbers of folks opting for gastric bypass (bariatric surgery). I wonder what the doctors for 2020 will think of this butchery. Talk about endangering lives, reducing the quality of life and out-and-out greed on the part of insurance companies and doctors. This method of weight loss is supposed to be for those with no other options. People who are severely morbidly obese, those who are in life threatening situations as a last ditch effort. Now people who could easily lose the body fat and excess weight are being encouraged to opt for this surgery. Insurance will pay for this in New York State even though several states have outlawed this surgery as dangerous. If only those folks were allowed to stop starving themselves into obesity and could begin a healthy eating plan, what a difference that would make in their quality of life.

Related to all of the above is the huge trend towards plastic surgery. Teens are growing up watching the SWAN, Extreme Makeover, Nip Tuck, Top Model, and Dr. 90210. It’s accepted that if you want to change your body just have surgery. It’s stranger than Sci Fi. Imagine being in 1970 suddenly being transported into 2005. You’d be horrified at the morals of the producers of these shows. The TV shows are like something out of Kurt Russell’s Escape from LA. The plastic surgeons have taken over. Last night as I was flipping through the channels I came across the makeover show the SWAN. Each week two contestants go up against each other and one goes on to the finals. The group of finalists where sitting there and a ghoulish group they were. They seemed to be out of a sci-fi flick, too perfect. Perfect to the point of ghoulishness. They were frightening. High cheeks, higher eye brows, big pouting lips, tiny perky noses. Both contestants had high percentages of body fat, they performed all types of rearranging and sucking out of fat. Stopping only at so-called perfection. The top heavy, tiny wasted, big haired Barbie Hooker. I think they choose people who really need help but then seem to exploit them. One young woman was badly scarred from being thrown into a fire by her mother and it was wonderful that they helped her but did she really need to be a toothpick with double Ds. And is national TV the way to get mental health help? The exercise and diet are extreme, sure they lose weight but not body fat and they have screwed up concepts of how to lose weight for a lifetime.

Now on to the good news. Insurance companies are finally waking up to the need for true preventive health care. Before the doctor visits, before diagnostic tests comes true preventive health care. It involves healthy eating, an active body, stress reduction and relaxation. Some companies are actually paying for their insurance members to exercise 100%. Senior citizens are encouraged to remain active through membership discounts and in some cases paid memberships. Some insurance companies are actually screening fitness centers, exercise programs and trainers to ensure the best possible services for their clients. These fitness centers and trainers are listed in the handbooks and on web sites. This is something I would have thought would never take place in my lifetime. It has been discussed for the past 10 years, almost started and then landed dead in the water many times. Health care costs skyrocketing, insurance coverage unaffordable and many of our people without insurance; finally now the powers that be are ready to truly look at preventative.

For me personally and Achieve Fitness 2006 was a very rewarding years. While the population in general is getting fatter, unhealthier and even more ready and willing to spend hard earned money on junk, fads, false prophets and products that will harm them……. The folks I work with are changing, learning and making a NEW HEALTHY lifestyle for themselves. The slow but steady success stories are what keeps me going. Here’s hoping 2007 is at least half as successful as 2006 and my job will be done. Perhaps by 2010 we will truly be working on preventative health care and not some pharmaceutical companies next “miracle cure”.