Don't Feel Guilty - Feel Grateful!

Too many mince pies? One bottle of wine too many? Copious amounts of chocolates and crisps topped off with assorted Christmas lunches, offices parties and festive celebrations?

If that sounds like your typical December then chances are you will be feeling very full and fat this festive season. This year that is ok, according to the UK’s leading diet and fitness expert, Rosemary Conley, who is throwing her weight behind a brand new charity initiative.

Calorie Offset (www.carlorieoffset.org.uk) is an easy and efficient way to donate money and save lives. Offsetting crucial calories is a way to raise awareness for the food we eat and the exercise we do at the same time as raising thousands of pounds for some of the country’s leading charities.

Calorie Offsetting makes us aware of the excess calories we consume. Over eating and drinking is a common problem at Christmas time and what better way to do so than by having a bit of fun, raising money for charity and at the same time learning how to eat healthily and exercise regularly?

Rosemary says “There is a serious message behind calorie offset. I hope that the population will become more aware of the type of foods they are putting into their bodies.

The three charities who will benefit from calorie offsetting are Shelter, STEPS and the Mouth Cancer Foundation.

• Shelter was founded in 1966. The charity’s vision is that everyone should have a home - somewhere decent, safe, affordable and permanent. One in seven children in Britain is growing up in bad housing, and thousands of homeless households are stuck in temporary accommodation. Shelter helps more than 170,000 people a year fight for their rights, get back on their feet, and find and keep a home.
• STEPS was initiated in 1995 for children with cerebral palsy or associated motor dysfunctions. The charity offers a unique service in the East Midlands to children with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and any motor dysfunction, as well as their parents and families. STEPS philosophy is that early intervention gives the best opportunity for integration into school and the community later. Parents may bring their children as soon after birth as they are diagnosed and feel ready. STEPS needs to raise £100,000 each year to fund the school.
• Mouth Cancer Foundation: Every 5 hours someone will die from Mouth Cancer. Mouth cancers have a higher proportion of deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer or skin melanoma. In the UK, there has been a 19% increase in cases from 3,673 in 1995 to 4,405 in 2002 and 13,000 people in the UK are currently living in the shadow of this debilitating disease. The mortality rate from mouth cancer is just over 50% due to late detection. These are the shocking facts from the Mouth Cancer Foundation who are determined to raise awareness for the cancer about which little is known. Cancer can occur in any part of the mouth, tongue, lips, throat, salivary glands, pharynx, larynx, sinus, and other sites located in the head and neck area. In its very early stages, Mouth Cancer can be almost invisible making it easy to ignore.

http://www.calorieoffset.org.uk