Fight the Festive Flab Tops Resolution Lists

Media Release
January 2012

Fight the Festive Flab Tops Resolution Lists

New Zealanders who overindulged during the festive season have put ‘shaping up’ for summer on the top of their New Year’s resolution list, reveals a survey commissioned by leading weight management experts, Jenny Craig.

To ring in 2012, more than 400 Kiwis were questioned on appearance and weight loss, goals for the New Year and attitudes to exercise, general health and wellbeing with results heavily skewed towards combating the Christmas spread.

The study indicated that New Zealanders are image conscious when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, with 75% of respondents saying they will be setting goals related to appearance, weight loss, or both.

Healthy New Year’s resolutions come off the back of enjoying the holiday season a little too much, with 40% of respondents identifying calorific Christmas candy and chocolate as their biggest festive food weakness.

The majority (63%) of New Zealanders surveyed confessed that their overall kilojoule intake would increase over the festive season, while 51.5% of respondents admitted they would be indulging in more alcohol over the Christmas and New Year period.

Jenny Craig dietician, Karen Inge, says the festive season ‘weight creep’ is common with Kiwis who overindulge during the holiday period.

“The survey results highlight that food and drink has become a significant part of the Christmas experience, with Kiwis choosing to overindulge on chocolate, candy and alcohol instead of making healthier food choices,” says Ms Inge.

“Festive treats are often very high in kilojoules, and it is no surprise that people who significantly increase their food intake over the Christmas and New Year period are faced with unwanted weight gain in January.”

“It is positive to see New Zealanders wanting to improve their attitudes towards food and exercise in the New Year, but it is important to remember that healthy weight management is about a long term approach rather than a short burst over the summer months.”

The survey also revealed exercise was a high priority for New Zealanders in a bid to become bikini ready, with 54% of respondents saying they would be exercising more for summer.

The majority of respondents admitted that comfort food had got the better of them in 2011, with 68% of Kiwis saying that they had put on weight during the winter months..

More than 39% of respondents said they had actively tried to lose weight three to five times in their lifetime. Barriers to personal weight loss were identified as lack of motivation (61.1%), lack of energy (50.3%) and having a busy lifestyle (48.6%).

5 top tips to sticking to News Year Resolutions, from Karen Inge, Jenny Craig dietician.

1. Be realistic Don’t aim for everything, break down goals into mini-resolutions
2. Make them something you really want to do ie learn to dance - you’ll get the health benefits without really trying
3. Make them positive goals Instead of aiming to cut out fat, aim to fill half your plate with vegetables
4. Include pleasure within the pain book into a spa retreat and do the detox and pampering package
5. Do it with a friend it’s easier to commit to something if you have support

ENDS

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