Friday 4th September 2009 - Published by Kelly Jackson - Communications Executive
Never Mind the Calories
AN UNHEALTHY obsession with the calorie is making us even fatter, according to a sports scientist who has worked with some of the world’s leading athletes.
But, according to Matt Heath, head of business coaching company Starling Woods, this approach to weight control is compounding the problem of obesity in the UK
Matt, who has worked with Olympic rowers and New Zealand’s All Black Rugby player James Kerr, says there is no direct relationship between calorie intake and weight gain.
Instead we should be looking at the chemical make-up of food – and how these are stored as body fats - to understand why we are becoming more obese as a nation.
He says alcohol and sugars are the main culprits for bulging waistlines because they store energy for later use. He says alcohol and sugars are the main culprits for bulging waistlines because they are stored as energy for later use because they are never truly digested. Saturated fats, while bad for our arteries, do not make us fat.
“I want to challenge the validity of the calorie and its role in weight loss,” says Matt.
“It has let us down in our fight against obesity, mainly because there is very little to link the calorie to our food and us. We need to tackle the problem from a different angle.”
Now Matt - who has featured on BBC Radio Manchester - is holding a seminar where he will present an alternative approach to weight loss focusing on the chemical make-up of the various food groups and how they impact on our body shape.
He added: “Ask anyone what a calorie actually is, and no one seems to know, which is odd considering we live by them. A calorie is a unit of heat energy.
“But we do not gain heat energy from our food, therefore the calorie has no relationship between us and the food we eat. I have come up with a new methodology which will help people make more informed choices and lead healthier lives.”
*Matt will be challenging the validity of the Calorie and its role in weight loss at Manchester's SportCity, Sportcity Gate 13, Rowsley Street Beswick Manchester M11 3FF on Monday October 5th 2009.
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