STICK TO THE PROGRAM

The headline to this article is more than just a “social media hash tag”, it’s a mindset.

Now that we are into the second month of the year, are you “sticking to the program?” Or have you let that New Year resolution fall to the side, like so many will?

If you need some motivation, head online and check out #STICKTOTHEPROGRAM to pick up some tips that will help you stay the course.

Nobody said it would be an easy journey, nothing worthwhile is ever easy, but you can do it! Meanwhile, here are some truly mindblowing statistics showing how unhealthy we are.

In 2011-12, 62.8 per cent of Australians aged 18 years and over were overweight or obese.

Between 1995 and 2011-12, the average adult man’s weight increased by 3.6 kilograms, while the average adult woman’s weight increased by four kilograms.

Fourteen million Australians are overweight or obese.

More than five million Australians are obese.

If weight gain continues at current levels, by 2025, close to 80 per cent of all Australian adults and a third of all children will be overweight or obese.

Obesity has overtaken smoking as the leading cause of premature death and illness in Australia.

Obesity has become the single biggest threat to public health in Australia.

On the basis of present trends, we can predict that by the time they reach the age of 20, our kids will have a shorter life expectancy than earlier generations simply because of obesity.

WOWZA, our kids will have on average a shorter life expectancy than we do! That is truly shocking.

But there is hope, we can stop this and change the trends of the sickness, wellness, fitness continuum. Stay tuned friends, in the next column we’ll define “fitness” and how we are going to tackle this obesity problem together.

Johnny West is head coach and owner of CrossFit 760 Torquay and is a lifelong athlete with an appreciation for all things sports and outdoors.