CORONA CRISIS WEIGHT OVER Fitness fans back in the gym & pool
THE OBESITY FIGHT
What it means: Scottish slang meaning to flirt and canoodle with someone.
BRITS rushed to newly opened gyms and indoor pools yesterday to shed their lockdown pounds.
Fitness fans queued to work out for the first time in four months after the latest easing of safety measures.
Strict hygiene and social distancing rules are in place, such as limiting the number of people in gyms and spacing out equipment.
Locker rooms were open, but users were encouraged to change and shower at home.
Weightlifter Peter Topping was waiting outside his local gym in Hexham, Northumberland, yesterday morning.
He said: “It was brilliant to be back, but hard work after four months off.”
Janet Walton added on Twitter: “It was weird, but so good to be back to the gym.”
Swim England has published guidance for indoor pool operators, including a oneway entry and exit system.
But it is thought that under 20% of England’s pools were able to open because of operating costs.
One mum, Miss V Brown, wrote: “So good to see the girls back in the pool and that they’ve not forgotten how to swim!”
Gym and pool openings came as the Government revealed plans to tackle obesity to help people beat coronavirus.
Restaurants and takeaway chains will have to publish the calorie content of meals.
Bottles and cans of alcohol will also have to be labelled, and adverts for junk food could be banned before 9pm.
On Friday, PM Boris Johnson said he shed more than a stone after his own battle with Covid-19, describing weight loss as “one of the things you can do”.
It follows a Public Health England review, which found overweight people have a higher risk of death from coronavirus.
Those with a BMI of 35 to 40 have an increased risk of 40%, while a BMI over 40 almost doubles the risk.
The Government reported yesterday that a further 61 people have died after contracting coronavirus, bringing the UK death toll to 45,738.