GRAND KADOOMENT is fast approaching and the race to lose the flab is on.
Men and women are hitting the beach and the gyms, dancing and taking on any activity that will cause them to burn calories.
It is the season when bare flesh is the accepted norm. With August 1 in sight and the need to look trim in Kadooment costumes the main goal, people are changing their diets and getting more physical.
Many are also heading to the health food shops for herbal cleansers, detox formulas and weight-loss pills to help them shape up.
A popular weight-loss formula speaks to losing up to 25 pounds in four weeks, which is apparently the drawing card for people hoping to get quick results.
The Jenn Health chain is fresh out of a particular product that staff says is in high demand around Crop Over time.
Consultant herbalist Vinson Edghill told the DAILY NATION the herbal formula was much better than the other diet pills because it did not “disadvantage the body”.
Although the packaging said exercise was not necessary, Edghill advised otherwise. He also recommended an increased intake of fruit and vegetables and the avoidance of fried foods and wheat products.
“Exercise is necessary because if you go through a weight-loss programme and lose weight at that rate, your skin is going to be left out there hanging …but exercise is going to tighten the skin and bring the skin back to the muscles as the fat breaks down,” he explained.
On whether losing a lot of weight in such a short time-frame was healthy, Edghill said balance would be brought to the body if people followed the guidelines from the health store’s staff.
He also said the product had no side-effects.
Certified personal trainer with the American Academy of Personal Training and the Aerobics & Fitness Association of America, Shawn King, said the ideal time-frame for getting bodies toned and tight for Crop Over was six to seven months, but it was not impossible to achieve good results in two months or less if the person was willing to put in the work.
“The individual has to be willing to work hard, five days working out at home or in the gym, eating properly and while resting on the two other days, still staying active,” King said in the July 2011 edition of the BETTER HEALTH magazine.
He is an advocate for beach and outdoor training and recommended that three of the five training days should be using one’s own body weight for different reps and sets.
Chief medical officer Dr Joy St John, who is among those trying to get fit ahead of the jump-up from Warrens to Spring Garden, also had some advice for people like herself.
“Eat sensibly in terms of the content and the amount. Make sure you eat several small meals throughout the day that keep your energy level going, so you don’t have to snack on the incorrect things. Also mind what you drink. Soft drinks and sweet juices add up the calories as well,” she said, adding that swimming and water aerobics also help.
