Control Hunger

I don’t know about you but I am getting sick of being guilt tripped about health and fitness. The other week I was round at a friend’s place and had a go on Wii fit, a game that 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 already be doing.

I’d heard that Wii fit makes you think you’re far more unfit than you really are, and sure enough when I stepped (with some trepidation) onto the scales the game told me that I was very overweight. Now, I’m not claiming to be the picture of perfect fitness – I’m not supermodel skinny and although I do get regular exercise and eat healthily most of the time, I know I could probably be fitter. But I’m not fat, and I’m definitely 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 have a figure like Kate Moss or Angelina Jolie.

It’s true that obesity is a problem in society, especially amongst children and young people, but is making everyone feel bad about themselves really the way to deal with it? The latest scheme 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 the exercise they need from their normal daily play? And if not then the real issue in society is surely not overweight children, but the question of why these children are not able to play as they should anymore.

For myself, Wii fit managed to make me feel bad for all 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 don’t have anything 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 actually give you a workout and help keep you in shape as you go about your normal day – genius!