How Singaporeans can shed extra pounds minus the extra cost

January is always a traditional time to look at your health and put some new year’s resolutions (Western year not Chinese Year that is...) in place for a healthier and happier you.

2013 should be no exception. It’s never too late to get fit and lose those excess pounds.

Gyms love this time of year! So many people come back to work having spent too much time in a very sedative state over the Christmas and New Year holidays eating and drinking too much (and although alcohol is consumed less in Singapore than the western orientated countries that adage still applies. And Coke is worse for you than beer in terms of calories!).

Then these same people make new year’s resolutions about getting slim and getting fit. Then they join a gym, signing up for a year.

They go so enthusiastically for the first few days, even weeks and then it becomes once a week then once a fortnight…then not at all…still paying the same monthly fee.

Gyms love these people. They pay the money but never use the facilities. Always something more important to do rather than look after your health.

It’s not even hard. Sometimes it’s changing the simplest things which makes the difference.

Walking to work or cycling, or getting off the MRT a stop later and getting on a stop earlier can make some difference. Walking up and down the steps of an MRT station or mall can burn calories and get people moving and get their heart pumping.

The Health Promotion Board of Singapore do an incredible job in highlighting and promoting simple and everyday ways that people can improve their health with and get their bodies moving and calories shed.

It’s not one stressful exercise that makes the difference it’s every day movement of 20-30 minutes each time that makes all the difference to your heart and your wellbeing.

Recently the World Health Authority released a survey saying that more people die of obesity than starvation, a stunning revelation when you think about it.

So easy to cure! Stop eating so many calorie filled junk foods and drinks and start exercising more. It’s not rocket science!

Even in the office it’s all about movement. Having stand up meetings increases calorie burn 10 fold.

Using the right kind of chairs that fit your body and encourages movement enables your blood to circulate and flow and energy to be focused on your work also helps you lose calories and become a more productive employee or employer.

Scientists have even discovered that we have larger brains now because a million years ago humans could outrun other mammals over long distances and outsmart them athletically in order to feed their families and friends.

In doing so scientists now see that humans became more intelligent simultaneously.  

Our brains are three times larger than they should be and by comparison to other mammals because of the amount of movement we did all those years ago.

The same applies to dogs and rats who also have high endurance levels, high energy levels and have always moved to track food and find safety.

Scientists have discovered a link between mammals that are fitter and faster and the size of their brain over time. Ironically because they were then also smarter they were able to out run and think larger animals and competitors which in turn led them to be better fed and fitter and thus their brains continued to grow through the generations.

What this means to people sitting in offices is that connected studies are also showing that we need to maintain regular physical movement in order for our brains to function to their maximum. So it really is the survival of the fittest…even at work!