No 10 wants people to lose weight before the second wave

[Redolent]

What could possibly go wrong with encouraging people to go on a quick crash diet??

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As well as longer-term proposals to reduce the incidence of obesity, government officials are having urgent discussions about how to persuade people to lose weight in the next few months, before an anticipated resurgence in coronavirus cases in the autumn.

In England, 64% of adults are classed as overweight or obese and 29% as obese as measured by BMI, among the highest levels in Europe.

One official involved in the emergency planning said the government was alarmed at the possible death toll from a second wave. A programme is expected imminently, possibly within 10 days, based on encouraging people to reduce their calorific intake and lose weight rapidly.

But it is possible to go out and have a healthy meal, or at least something low calorie.

I’m 20 stone 4, was 22 stone 10 on NYD . Generally lost weight through moving and eating less and more carefully . Not very easy though, and panic buying was a huge trigger and showed me how many problems I have with food in general .

The trouble is if you have a disorder that can cause weight retention or gain - thyroid issues, PCOS, mental health - there’s very, very little help out there .

I’ve been fat since I was 6 years old, I know why and I know how to change it but it’s been very hard to do that entirely alone . You don’t get any help from anyone, it’s not like quitting smoking or something . The NHS don’t care and funnily enough, neither do my family . So you feel very alone, and increasingly isolated from a society that’s almost encouraged to ostracise you, and ashamed and angry with yourself - which isn’t at all conducive to wanting to take care of yourself . I remember being 11 and seriously considering trying to cut the fat off myself as I didn’t want to be laughed at any more .

Plus our society places so much on bloody food; Easter with chocolate, Christmas with everything in sight, BBQs and picnics in summer, sweets as a treat for children, chocolate if you’re feeling sad ... it’s a shame we don’t treat exercise in the same way !!

Can you link to where the government have said they want people to go on quick crash diets OP?

"... it’s a shame we don’t treat exercise in the same way !!"

It absolutely is and you're right at a societal level, but actually the best thing that happened to me was changing my friends As I became more interested in fitness, I went to events and joined clubs where I met like minded friends.

I've had some really bad news over the last couple of weeks and I've had loads of messages saying "come out for a walk/run/bike ride". No one's offered me chocolate or booze.

So, lot's of people do understand that exercise is better for us when we're sad than chocolate or cake.

I think people need to take personal responsibility for their own health. I say this as someone who was at a BMI of barely 16 six months ago. I made the decision and I sorted it myself. I had no help because of the long waiting list for adult ED treatment.

Is Boris going to set a good example and lose weight himself?

It is noticable that none of the medical experts are overweight. Is it really possible that none of them have lead lives that lead to the kinds of "complexities" that cause people to gain weight?

Where did you hear this out of interest OP?

Maniacal , it shouldn’t have to be that way . Cousin told same, told she wasn’t dying so they couldn’t help her with anorexia . Then she was dying - so they did help her .

Got told similar with NHS help for weight loss (BMI 44 at the time) - even just advice on how the hell you lose weight with PCOS and anti depressants that cause weight gain as a side effect - ‘come back when you’re diabetic’ .

Thankfully I’ve managed to get past the 10% loss benchmark which I think has made a difference but some encouragement would be so much help .. I don’t have friends (because I’m too good at pushing people away!) so that doesn’t help matters - lonely .

I wonder how they plan to help with this?

we are the fattest in Europe. What is wrong with taking a bit of responsibility for your overweight body?

Eat less, move more. Losing weight is not rocket science. What exactly do you need help with?

And the incentives for eating out?

Open the pubs and drink alcohol, open the restaurants and encourage us to eat out, whilst gyms are one of the last things to open.. and this is part of their weight loss plan?

This Government are all about dealing with problems too late. This has always been a big issue, and healthy eating has never been given priority. I counted 8 fast food places in one road recently (not all currently open though) all selling cheap, deep fried food or calorie laden pastries. There should be a limit on the number of those in any one place. Now they open everything up and say hey, let's go on a crash diet . Not very easy when you've been normalising overeating for years, Gov!

Eat out to help out. Unless you’re on a diet.

Wow @LilBlackLab those reactions to your comment were hilarious, I had to go back and read it again to see if you'd actually said 'what is Boris going to do for me?' Because the first time I just chuckled and kept scrolling.

I'm glad this has been mentioned lots already because the first thing that struck me was Rishi's half price meals offer. That is an awful way to encourage weight loss, so it just doesn't add up to me. OP please link to your sources.

We can't have a nationwide lockdown again, people need to be more responsible for their own health and safety

Shock horror: Government expects people to take a bit of personal responsibility for their health and well being.

This virus has ruined the economy and our children's education and yet people are whinging because they are told that being fat is bad for their health.

And diets do work. People just don't stick to them.

I say this as someone who is currently overweight.

Palm oil has slowly crept into a lot of processed food as it has in the US. I think this has a lot to do with it. In the 60s 70s and 80s (decades I remember) being overweight wasn't the norm it is now. There was plenty of processed food available then, so I think the manufacture has changed, using cheaper ingredients maybe.

People could also stop wearing masks over their chins and practice social distancing!

itsthefinalcountdown I agree it shouldn't have to be that way. I'm sorry that your cousin had to wait so long for help. I'd been there before in my teens so I knew what my options were and that it was ultimately my life and my decision, with help or without.

Part (and I said PART, before anyone gets excited) of the issue for people with conditions mentioned above - thyroid, hormonal - is that there’s little ‘official’ guidance out there to help people with these conditions lose weight.

I have PCOS and have struggled to keep weight off since puberty. For years and years I did Slimming World, Weight Watchers, calorie counting and nothing, while for others the weight dropped off. It took until I was diagnosed (privately) with PCOS at 28 to be told that I need to stay away from low fat diets and instead opt for high fat/low carb. I lost a stone in the first month after being told that, and had a ton more energy. My IBS also quietened down.

You could say ‘oh but there’s so much information on the internet, you should have been able to work that out’. Well, there is TOO much conflicting information on the internet and you can, even as an educated, intelligent adult, end up more confused than ever after Googling.

I was anticipating the 'you wouldn't say that to someone with anorexia' posts, or ones saying that help is available if you are underweight.

Are people really going to blame their inability to lose weight, on half price meals in August?

That's a bit of a stretch isn't it? Even for Mumsnet.

@Buzzfrightyears

Open the pubs and drink alcohol, open the restaurants and encourage us to eat out, whilst gyms are one of the last things to open.. and this is part of their weight loss plan?

Yes this! Gyms and pools should have been open from June, even if they were open with fewer people than they are planning to in 2 weeks time. We could have started getting people back to all over exercise much sooner, walks don't really cut it for most.

I'm classed as over weight. I haven't lost the baby weight from dd3 and love food!!

But, I have decided to do no carbs now to lose it. I have other health issues so wasn't to give myself the best chance if I got it. Dd1 is in Yr 8 and her school are basically going back to normal in September.

I'm not taking the governments advice, I'm taking my own!!