Fitness instructor warns of dangers of supplements
WITHOUT trying to be alarmist, but at the risk of incurring the wrath of those who are involved in the business of promoting and taking supplements and protein drinks to enhance their athletic performances, fitness instructor, Enda Coyle, is worried about the future of those who are involved in sport, and, more importantly, those who are not doing a certain amount of exercise on a daily basis, writes John Melvin.
Coyle’s philosophy is basic: “Common sense. You don’t have to do boot camp to keep in shape and healthy. Just follow some basic guidelines on exercise and eating, particularly eating, which makes up 70% of weight loss, and avoid processed foods in particular.”
A native of Athlone who spent a good deal of his life in Donegal, Coyle, who is now based in Newport, Mayo, has some strong views attached to some stark warnings about the future health of the nation, and feels, for starters, all school children should have the minimum of one hour’s exercise built into their school curriculum.
“The problems with obesity, particularly among young children, have been well highlighted and we don’t want to be raising a nation of obese academics.
“There is enough pressure on teachers, but maybe those teachers who can’t get jobs could be brought into the schools to help in this area,” he said.
He also hit out at leading sports people who blatantly advertise products such as chocolate and energy drinks, which may not be good for the health of our children.
“It makes me sick to look at television and see a well known sports star advertising a certain chocolate or holding a protein drink while being interviewed by a journalist and blatantly advertising something our young people may confuse with being good for them.
“These people are taking money for immoral purposes if the product is going to have an adverse effect on our young people.
“I am totally against taking any supplement, pills or energy drinks, particularly protein shakes, which have residues of steroids in them.”
The very popular and modern phenomenon of Operation Transformation also comes under attack as he feels it is totally unnatural for people to lose a large amount of weight in such a short period of time.
“I was involved as a judge and fitness trainer in one in Donegal where people became obsessed with losing weight, the winner dropping four and a half stones in eight weeks. That can’t be good. And then we have the public shaming of contestants on national television, which I did not like at all.
“It can’t be healthy to go on a crash diet and lose so much weight. A smaller amount each week, like one or two pounds, is a lot healthier and a lot easier for the body to adapt to.
“Considering we came from a race of hunter-gatherers, our lifestyle has become all-too-sedentary.
“You go back to the day when we worked the bog and built walls and did a lot of other hard labouring jobs. People built up their natural muscle and strength in that way, but that is virtually now all gone.
“I am totally against diets in any shape or form, or taking medicines to solve problems related to blood pressure and cholesterol issues.
“People feel they can take tablets to control certain things in their body but then expect to eat and drink as they please, but it is not natural and can’t be good for your body. This is only a wonder drug which lets you continue a bad lifestyle.
“I don’t want to be kept artificially alive on medication when I get old. The quality of life now is more important to me.”
He believes we all have to return to the old values and use more natural methods of getting fit and becoming healthier, but central to that is healthy eating. But he reserves his biggest criticism for the very commonly used supplement creatine, which he says had a direct link with the death of rugby legend, Jonah Lomu, at the age of 40.
“Creatine was banned in France but is available freely and widely used in Ireland by sports people in particular and those involved in body-building.
“I am firmly convinced that those who use this for short term gain will have to face a pay back day as creatine has been scientifically proven to be linked with a lot of health problems and was cited by a fellow All-Black, who played with Lomu, as the cause of both of them having to have kidney transplants due to the damage creatine had caused. Sadly, Lomu suffered a fatal heart attack, which his fellow player linked to the damage creatine had done to his kidneys.”
Now approaching 56 years of age, Enda is doing what he loves most - running, cycling and genenerally keeping healthy - and among his star pupils from the past was former Tanaiste, Mary Coughlan, who underwent a dramatic change in lifestyle and weight loss when she took Enda on as her personal instructor.
Whether you are a serious athlete looking to improve without compromising your health, a housewife trying to lose a few pounds and get into shape, or a business man or woman who seems to find it difficult to get time to put in those hard hours, Enda has a programme to suit all needs.
Enda is available for talks to clubs and schools or any interested groups and can be contacted on (085) 1555436 or coyleenda@gmail.com.