Free Gym membership given by GP as an incentive for patients to lose weight/get fit ?

Birneybau

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

sorry I am offender - anyway you know what me and people like me that cant spell or use proper grammar are going on about so that's the main thing at the end of the day .. innit!

No, it's not. It's just incorrect.

Your Face

Loose that weight.

robinph

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Well I understand that obese people might think people are looking at them and judging. I know obese people who took up running, they would get stuff shouted at them from people in cars.

People who run get stuff shouted at them.

It makes no real difference if you are fat/ thin/ male/ female doing the running, the only consistent bit is the people doing the shouting at you are always the same... idiots.

meeeeh

robinph wrote: »

People who run get stuff shouted at them.

It makes no real difference if you are fat/ thin/ male/ female doing the running, the only consistent bit is the people doing the shouting at you are always the same... idiots.

I think it depends where you run. I can't remember ever being shouted at. That being said, I am not exactly overweight but running can still be hard on my joints. I would think swimming, cycling, hiking and gym stuff would be more appropriate and safer for obese people. I'm not surprised overweight people might opt for other sports.

Andy From Sligo

granturismo wrote:

....Your title was specifically on losing weight not having a free spa.

Sorry was just starting to look at bigger picture :-)

Talking of bigger picture I think this idea would help people who are depressed. We all know that depression and weight /fitness are very closely connected. If a depressed person who needed to get fit and loose weight and needed interaction between other people and needed goals in life to achieve and a meaning to life where better than in something like a gym? Where they can get to interact with people and get them out of the house. The alternative the doctors can offer at the moment is that if you are feeling depressed they tell you to go out walking, ... Or prescribe antidepressants!

granturismo

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Sorry was just starting to look at bigger picture ... needed interaction between other people and needed goals in life to achieve and a meaning to life where better than in something like a gym? Where they can get to interact with people and get them out of the house. ..!

Parkrun is free.

Couch to 5k clubs start all over the country. If they charge, their fees are much cheaper than a gym.

wakka12

Overweight people feel self conscious in the gym. Because most people in gyms are in extremely good shape overall, this self consciousness is not very rational but I can understand where theyre coming from, Id be afraid that I was being judged as well.
Its a good idea, but a better solution would be to join free running or walking clubs , make social connections through exercise too

Andy From Sligo

be gentle with me because i am new to this area but can you loose as much weight/ get as fit at doing these walks/free park runs or whatever they are as if you were going to the Gym and using all those fitness machines? - as I say genuine question..

Could you burn off same amount of calories on these runs as you could burn off the same amount of time spent on the machines in the Gym? - my (un-knowledgeable) self would think you would burn off more calories and use more muscles and get a better workout on machines, rather than walking/jogging.

Butters1979

wakka12 wrote: »

Overweight people feel self conscious in the gym. Because most people in gyms are in extremely good shape overall, this self consciousness is not very rational but I can understand where theyre coming from, Id be afraid that I was being judged as well.
Its a good idea, but a better solution would be to join free running or walking clubs , make social connections through exercise too

Sorry but I call bull on this one. People who use this excuse have never been to a gym. I go regularly and it is an average cross section of people. Yes you get a lot of very fit people, sure where else would you find them. But there are a lot of overweight people also, and nobody is laughing at them. Why would you when you have clear visible evidence they are doing something about it?

You can have results or excuses, never both.

As for op's idea. No. Tax payers should not fit the bill for people who won't take personnel responsibility. Absolute freeloader.

Butters1979

pickarooney wrote: »

It's naive to think there aren't a certain number of people in every gym whose main purpose is to ogle hotties and snigger at fatties.

You get those arseholes everywhere you go. The difference is in the gym you are gradually changing from been laughed at to been ogled.

Butters1979

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Maybe the GP could issue free 3month Gym membership (if presuming Gym's offer 3 months membership) or per 6 months and if people are not using the gyms then GP's an cancel the membership and not renew it, but for people who do take it up, are using it and getting fitter/loosing weight and benefit due to it then go back to GP to get the membership renewed

You understand it's not 'free'. It's just paid for by everybody else?

somesoldiers

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

be gentle with me because i am new to this area but can you loose as much weight/ get as fit at doing these walks/free park runs or whatever they are as if you were going to the Gym and using all those fitness machines? - as I say genuine question..

Could you burn off same amount of calories on these runs as you could burn off the same amount of time spent on the machines in the Gym? - my (un-knowledgeable) self would think you would burn off more calories and use more muscles and get a better workout on machines, rather than walking/jogging.

From someone who has only recently joined a gym and does not have any background to any of the science of this


running is running- whether you do it on the road, field or in the gym. Personally I prefer the treadmill in the gym, it never rains, I wont get knocked down & I can pop my ipad up on the front and watch whatever I want. I haven't used any of the other machines but plan on doing so in the near future.

The amount of calories burned will depend on how fast you run, for how long and what weight you are.
I started walking @ 5-6kmph for 40 minutes initially (probably burned 200-300 cals), slowly building up to 6 months later I can run for 30 mins @ 10 kmph probably burning 300-400 cals as I have lost 3 stone- again these are approximations not pure mattymatticks

Mr. CooL ICE

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

be gentle with me because i am new to this area but can you loose as much weight/ get as fit at doing these walks/free park runs or whatever they are as if you were going to the Gym and using all those fitness machines? - as I say genuine question..

Could you burn off same amount of calories on these runs as you could burn off the same amount of time spent on the machines in the Gym? - my (un-knowledgeable) self would think you would burn off more calories and use more muscles and get a better workout on machines, rather than walking/jogging.

Machines is vague because there are loads of machines in gyms. Treadmills, bikes, cross trainers, rowers for a cardio workout right down to weight machines for a resistance workout.

But the honest answer is this; the best way to lose weight through exercise is to find something you enjoy doing. You could argue all day that weights are better than running and vice versa, but if you don't enjoy the exercise, then you will never keep it up.

But as one early poster said, all that is null and void unless you sort your diet out. Eat more meat/veg and other clean foods, and eat less crap. You can't out-train a bad diet.

Andy From Sligo

Butters1979 wrote: »

Sorry but I call bull on this one. People who use this excuse have never been to a gym. I go regularly and it is an average cross section of people. Yes you get a lot of very fit people, sure where else would you find them. But there are a lot of overweight people also, and nobody is laughing at them. Why would you when you have clear visible evidence they are doing something about it?

You can have results or excuses, never both.

As for op's idea. No. Tax payers should not fit the bill for people who won't take personnel responsibility. Absolute freeloader.

Are you happy at what presently is spent by the heath service on obese people or unfit people footed already by the tax payer? - do you think the way the Tax money is used is already spent, working the way it is at the moment?

somesoldiers

Butters1979 wrote: »

Sorry but I call bull on this one. People who use this excuse have never been to a gym. I go regularly and it is an average cross section of people. Yes you get a lot of very fit people, sure where else would you find them. But there are a lot of overweight people also, and nobody is laughing at them. Why would you when you have clear visible evidence they are doing something about it?

You can have results or excuses, never both.

As for op's idea. No. Tax payers should not fit the bill for people who won't take personnel responsibility. Absolute freeloader.

Agree, as someone of 20st that started walking on the treadmill I was a bit anxious at first but no one ever made me feel out of place, everyone just gets on with their own stuff as far as I can see

Butters1979

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Are you happy at what presently is spent by the heath service on obese people or unfit people footed already by the tax payer? - do you think the way the Tax money is used is already spent, working the way it is at the moment?

No the fat unhealthy ****ers should be made pay for it themselves or suffer.

Why use even more tax payers money to help people who won't help themselves?
I don't mind welfare for those who genuinely need it or can't do something about it themselves.

If you're unhealthy and overweight
Step1) Start eating healthy. You cannot out train a bad diet.
Step2) Exercise more, a gym is easier, if you cannot afford a gym, exercise outdoors or at home.

Can't afford a gym is the second worst excuse there is, right behind 'glandular'

That's it. it's simple. Giving lazy people money to be more lazy will make things worse.

Mr. CooL ICE

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Are you happy at what presently is spent by the heath service on obese people or unfit people footed already by the tax payer? - do you think the way the Tax money is used is already spent, working the way it is at the moment?

Are you happy with it?

You could apply the same principle to giving free e-cigs to smokers.

Butters1979

somesoldiers wrote: »

Agree, as someone of 20st that started walking on the treadmill I was a bit anxious at first but no one ever made me feel out of place, everyone just gets on with their own stuff as far as I can see

Exactly. I see overweight people in the gym all the time. And do you know what I think every time I see them? I think 'they've lost weight. Fair play'.

talking_walnut

I'd say prescribing cooking lessons, home economics or something along those lines would be more beneficial. Teach people how to eat properly and plan meals ahead of time.


Good to see some outside the box thinking though.

Butters1979

talking_walnut wrote: »

I'd say prescribing cooking lessons, home economics or something along those lines would be more beneficial. Teach people how to eat properly and plan meals ahead of time.

Or they could go on YouTube and find out how to cook themselves. Or do we have to pay for their internet too?

Andy From Sligo

somesoldiers wrote: »

Agree, as someone of 20st that started walking on the treadmill I was a bit anxious at first but no one ever made me feel out of place, everyone just gets on with their own stuff as far as I can see

cool, when did you start/how long have you been doing it for? _ think thats the first machine I would head for if I joined a gym, the treadmill. but I wouldnt mind giving a rowing machine a try out

Coffee Fulled Runner

Weight loss can only happen if you have a healthy diet. You can go to the gym all you like but if you're not eating right then you're wasting your time.

talking_walnut

Butters1979 wrote: »

Or they could go on YouTube and find out how to cook themselves. Or do we have to pay for their internet too?

Ah this old chestnut. It must be hard to have to gaze upon the rest of the peons from your ivory tower of self learning and all round excellence.

The internet is a literal white noise of information. Some of it good, some of it bad, some of it terrifyingly inaccurate. You might find the worlds best nutritional information or you might find complete nonsense. Without some grounding in correct theory, you're not going to know which is which. Even people that have spent their whole lives studying nutrition can differ greatly on fundamental aspects of how it works. If they can't figure it out, how is someone that has never peeled a carrot supposed to do it from a 15min YouTube video.

Did you go to school/college/learn a trade? Why? It's all online. You should have just figured it out yourself instead. Tax money paid for that education system. How dare you sir!

Butters1979

talking_walnut wrote: »

Ah this old chestnut. It must be hard to have to gaze upon the rest of the peons from your ivory tower of self learning and all round excellence.

The internet is a literal white noise of information. Some of it good, some of it bad, some of it terrifyingly inaccurate. You might find the worlds best nutritional information or you might find complete nonsense. Without some grounding in correct theory, you're not going to know which is which. Even people that have spent their whole lives studying nutrition can differ greatly on fundamental aspects of how it works. If they can't figure it out, how is someone that has never peeled a carrot supposed to do it from a 15min YouTube video.

Did you go to school/college/learn a trade? Why? It's all online. You should have just figured it out yourself instead. Tax money paid for that education system. How dare you sir!

You do not compare cooking dinner to education. Paying fat people to learn how to cook chicken is a cop out. It's the 'pay me to do it or I won't do it' attitude.
The internet is only one example, another is ask someone you know. Find out for yourself, if you can't work out how to cook pasta from the internet (or the back of the damn packet) then go to a paid course if you like. Just don't expect me to pay for it.

RobertKK

It would be cheaper to have ads in the media- tv, radio, internet and print about what people should eat.
Like fruit is good for you but vegetables are better, white meat like chicken is better than only eating red meat.
Sugar is worse than fat, and soft drinks should be restricted , and should only be used as a treat now and again.
White processed bread is not great either.
How to make meals from scratch.
Eat oats as in porridge for breakfast instead of processed breakfast cereals.
It is is easier to control your body if you know what you are actually putting into it.
If you eat what I would call proper food most of the time, them you can eat the crap stuff now and again.

Exercise is no good if your body is fueled on rubbish, I would argue it would be better to get your diet right first.
A lot more home cooked meals, takeaways should not be a regular thing.
My parents never bought takeaway food and never cooked chips, at school we would have milk and usually ham sadwiches, there was a shop in the secondary school that sold rubbish which most including myself would buy.
Then we would come home to a home cooked meal. My mother would give us mostly home cooked food - dinner, eggs from our own hens, homemade bread, cakes and tarts.
Soft drinks were a rare treat, and we wouldn't get sweets everyday. Same eith crisps as younger children.
None of us had weight issues.

So while the gym is often where some start, it is with the food they should start.
For exercise, resistance training would be good, walking, some short sprints, cycling or swimming - I can't swim so I avoid that...
But exercise is no good if the stuff going into your body is crap to start with. No one should need to have a treat everyday of the week.
That's my opinion on it.

kjl

People who are overweight to the point they are talking to their doctors about it should start by walking.

Give them a step counter and ask them to do 5000-10000 steps a day.

The gym can be very daunting place for overweight people and I guarantee that the pain and the effort would stop them attending after a couple of sessions at best meaning we the tax payer just wasted money on this silly idea.

Butters1979

Robert KK is exactly right. Excercise helps lose weight but only after you fix your diet. You cannot out train a bad diet.

talking_walnut

Butters1979 wrote: »

You do not compare cooking dinner to education. Paying fat people to learn how to cook chicken is a cop out. It's the 'pay me to do it or I won't do it' attitude.
Find out for yourself, if you can't work out how to cook pasta from the internet (or the back of the damn packet) then go to a paid course if you like. Just don't expect me to pay for it.

Of course it's education! There's whole schools dedicated to cooking! There's even Home Economics in 2nd level schools. What in the name of god is your definition of "education"? I'd certainly consider cooking and nutrition more important than 80-90% of the things I studied at school.

As previously mentioned in this thread, you're already paying for all those people with sh1tty diets. All those medical costs, trips to hospital, disability xyz. You can rant away about how you think they should figure it out and lose weight by themselves, but they're not. Nor will they. So should we stay this course and let more and more of our medical resources be eaten up by preventable diseases? Or should we try and come up with some solutions that might actually make a difference and save money overall?

Andy From Sligo

Nicolas Cage wrote: »

Are you happy with it?

You could apply the same principle to giving free e-cigs to smokers.

yep, thats also OK with me if its found to help people give up and if its safer than smoking

steddyeddy

I would have thought heart disease and self esteem would be motivation enough to lose weight.