britwhore

Hi sallysimmons. It IS slimmer than the US but I'm still shocked by the size of the people over here. They are a LOT fatter than when I left 15 years ago.

quoll

Interesting! Since arriving in UK I have lost close to 30kg! I go to the gym 3 times a week and walk 5-10 miles on other days. I walk the 5 miles into Cambridge more often than I don't and I love my fitbit Flex - got my 25k badge today with an 11.5 mile walk before lunch.

I see so many people out doing stuff - I would have seen over 20 runners just today - some of them even older than me (and that's saying something LOL!) and I lose count of the number of dogs being walked and around here cycling is quite big (didnt do many roads today though).

In Australia I was a master couch potato and would drive the half mile to the local shops, always get escalators or lifts. Living here in UK and being able to get out pretty much any time has been liberating and I'm impressed that I see so many people out walking/running/cycling!

lf1

The other thing that I have noticed, over the years, is that portion sizes have increased in the UK, along with the size of plates, bowls and cups.
When I bought dishes for my house I just picked up a box of plain white dishes and thought "they'll do" When I opened the box, I couldn't believe the size of the cereal bowls, mugs and dinner plates.

lf1

Me too, until I discovered walking. Although, I have fallen off the wagon recently. I used to go to a gym and I quite enjoyed using the weight bearing equipment, but the exercise classes were a chore. I am considering joining a gym so that I have access to the weight equipment, but, I will need to discipline myself to attend.

Jerseygirl

Me three. . I hate getting all hot and sweaty exercising....walking is the perfect solution for me.

lf1

The BBC just had an item about the FitBit on the Breakfast show. Tonight there is documentary on BBC 2 about the boom in apps for monitoring your health. Horizon - Monitor Me @ 8.00 pm

dunroving

I listened to that news piece also - intresting that most of the examples they gave were of physical activity and exercise apps (physical activity, steps, heart rate). I will be watching the program too. This is one of the areas I am doing research in (use of mobile apps to monitor and promote physical activity).

[Just realised I listened to something different - Radio 5 news piece. So they must be promoting the Horizon prog on multiple platforms.]

lf1

Your research sounds very interesting. When I started reading this thread and found out what a FitBit was I wondered what the success rate is from using such an item. Do you think the results will differ from using a pedometer that is not linked to an app? I suppose the big difference is that the app acts like a bit of personal trainer by tracking and updating you on your progress.

I have, in the past, recorded my no. of steps taken on a spreadsheet so that I could track my progress and it did help to motivate me, but then my pedometer went missing and I got out of the habit. Now that I have found my pedometer I don't have any more excuses. I am looking forward to watching the programme to get a better understanding of this new world.

dunroving

The accuracy of most of the commercial apps (e.g., accupedo or noom walk) and the commercial kit (FitBit, Nike Fuel Band) is quite poor. However, most consumers aren't too bothered by this, apparently, and are most concerned about the appeal of the interface.

Scientists can get a little too obsessed with high accuracy (within 1-3% of true values) whereas most consumers will accept accuracy of +/- 10% or worse.

I think the appeal of these gadgets is the "automaticity" (downloads and interprets your data with minimal work on your part) and flexibility (measure several things - steps, calories burned, sleep patterns, etc.)

Giantaxe

The obesity rate in the US is 34%, in the UK 24%. The US has the highest rate in the world. Otoh, the rate of increase in obesity has been higher in the UK than the US over the last two decades, so the gap is narrowing.

sallysimmons

I think I just don't see it much where I live as everyone tends to be active. You don't really live up here unless you love the outdoors and the population of our nearest town is quite old, so again, they tend to be thin.

But you're right - when we go into cities people have got much fatter. It's the American diet making its way over here sadly. Too much sugar, too many chemicals, too much fast food, and ridiculous portion sizes.

I haven't yet been able to finish a portion of food in a pub or restaurant. I think it's horrible and wasteful. I hated that about America and to see it here is sad. Most people eat whatever is on their plate and so they just get bigger as the portions grow.

Re; exercise. I really think the key is finding something you love to do, so that you don't need to monitor yourself and track what you've done. This could just be me, but I always start a program like that with the best intentions and then fall off the wagon at some point because I hate what I'm doing and see it as a chore. Now with walking, I literally itch to get out and do it, so I'm not bothering tracking anything. So far the weight is coming off although who knows if it will last.

quoll

It's an awareness thing for me - I triangulate with a fitbit, iPod nano and Runkeeper and, hate to say it, but being a competitive kinda gal really like competing with myself for the badges (how sad!!!). I know they arent absolute or even totally accurate but they're an excuse I use to getting out there and walking in the fabulous countryside (and, admittedly, Cambridgeshire isn't the most fabulous of countrysides). I'm just anxious now that my rates will drop because blackberry season is upon us and my walks are punctuated by hands full of blackberries (just finished the cherries but there were fewer of them!). Interesting research you have there!!!

Bud the Wiser

The waste in American restaurants is indeed so wasteful and unnecessary. Nearly everyone leaves with a box (doggie bag ) that invariably ends in the dog or growing mold in the fridge. The sad thing is, restaurants that provide better quality food in smaller portions struggle to survive. Eating out in he US is far more common than in the UK though. Not necessarily a good thing IMHO as quantity of food often replaces quality.

Re:exercise - It's the motivation, or lack thereof, that restricts me. I love the rush that a good workout can achieve, but getting me to the start line is the hard part.

BTW. On BBC Scotland tonight was a programme called ' Scotland the fat'. According to the write up Scotland is second only to America in obesity levels.

Footnote: We have a photo of my in-laws wedding taken on Christmas day during the war. ( They combined the wedding with Christmas to make the most of what was available ). Everyone in the photo , apart from one, was thin, some almost to the point of being gaunt. The exception was one of the uncles whom I believe was a butcher. :-) * How times have changed.

*I'm told that certain professions were excluded from active service, including butchers. Not sure if that's true.

J.JsOH

I believe that monitoring can be a good thing. The only time I lost weight on a diet was when I kept a food diary and counted calories.
Convenience and habit helps too. In US the gym was located betwen work and home and I would stop off every day for a workout.

Now in the UK we have set aside 2 days a week for long walks 5 miles plus and 'try' to go out for 30 mins every day but are not very successful when we get occupied with other things.
My weight has increased since we been back, up 20 lbs and steady at that, we eat out twice a week while in US it was once a week. While my diet is healthy I think I just eat too much. Too many fish & chips may be taking toll and the pub lunch at the end of our walks away from home. I grown weary of the repetitive routes from home and back again, feels like a goldfish bowl.

I just received my council-issued discount card for leisure activities and plan to get back to swimming which I used to do here pre-USA.
I prefer individual effort, not group, never enjoyed running or sports. Walking, swimming and healty diet are my keystones.

Mallory

Fish and chips, donner kebabs, Indian curry, Chinese takeaway, pizza, jaffa cakes, custard tarts, cherry bakewell, Walls ice cream, sweets and chocolate, jam doughnuts, Greggs pastries and Cornish pasties, chips with everything, fry ups, sausages, cream cakes, Walkers crisps - doesn't sound very American to me, sounds sort of like good old British food is the big problem!