Dear KFC, you don't deliver taste, you deliver obesity

A charity run held by KFC in the UAE has been nothing but counterproductive.

On the 25th of March, 2011, KFC have hosted a 5k charity run on Jumeirah beach road in the United Arab Emirates called KFC Bucket Run. The goal behind this run was to celebrate KFC's 20 years of delivery in the UAE, as well as joined hands with the Red Crescent to give back to the orphanages (who are not even identified, which country, # of people who would receive help,...etc.)

Here's the catch though...10 participants gets the chance to win one year worth of free KFC meals (54 family meals as they claim). I am not sure how this hasn't raised alarms with officials like the Ministry of Health or even the media for coverage. Last I checked the obesity rates in the UAE were sky rockets & we're one of the most 10 obese countries in the world. I don't know how this was swept under the rug, but someone needs to get the dirt out. It just had to be me.

In my honest opinion, for charity or not, this run shouldn't have taken place as it sends the wrong message: Run 5K for one day, but clog your arteries for one year with our free meals. 

As an Emirati who likes to take care of her health and fitness in general & is interested in the fitness scene in the UAE, I would never ever stoop down to the level of participating in any event organized for commercial or boosting business purposes. I think people can donate directly to those who are in need, & needn't a charity such as KFC's to donate and help the orphanages. 

I have only heard of this event 3 days prior to the event taking place & wanted to lodge a complaint to whomever responsible of approving it. Sadly enough, I was too late and wasn't able to contact the right people on time. 

I couldn't also find information on how many people participated nor on who the winners are, but if I ever get my hands on this information, expect another article to come out about this to come out & perhaps with quotes. 

Anyway, I thought it's necessary that my readers become a bit more informed about KFC. 

8 pieces of fried chicken served in the family meal mounts up to 2064 calories that's all WITHOUT the fries, bread, drinks, which can go past 3500 calories. In other words, each time the winner gets a free KFC family meal, the whole family gets 0.5kg/1lb in return of weight gain and this is all excluding other meals they consume. Imagine consuming 54 meals a year?

Also check their nutrition info here if you're a frequent eater.

KFC with its obesity promoting strategy have successfully now allowed 10 families to become obese or overweight. 

I have decided to boycott KFC in all of it's forms and reasons. I rather die with good health than clog my artery with another KFC meal. In fact I hardly ever consumed KFC before hearing about this, not more than 3x a year. Now it's never.

I have said it before, and I will say it again:

Dear KFC, you haven't been delivering taste for 20 years in the UAE, you have been delivering obesity.  

Yours truly,
Gym-Freak at 999-fitness.

p.s. Here are some articles quoting the number of obese and overweight people in the UAE click here & click here & click here. 

So what do you think about KFC bucket run? What are its side affects? Do you think it should or shouldn't have been approved - and why? Please leave your comments.

Are you really squatting?

While I was spending sometime researching on squats, proper techniques and different stances, I have come across this poem from this website

Down the road, in a gym far away
A young man was heard to say,
"No matter what I do, my legs won't grow!"
He tried leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses too.
Trying to cheat, these sissy workouts he'd do!
From the corner of the gym where the big guys train,
Through a cloud of chalk and the midst of pain,
Where the big iron rides high, and threatin' lives,
Where the noise is made with big forty-fives,
A deep voice bellowed as he wrapped his knees,
A very big man with legs like trees,
Laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack,
Chalked his hands and monstrous back,
Said, "Boy, stop lying and don't say you've forgotten!
Trouble with you is you aint been SQUATIN'!!"

- Jeff MADDOG, the ISSA strength coach for the university of North Carolina.

There are a lot of interesting "facts vs. myths" when it comes to exercising, fitness, and health in general. Sometimes it's really hard to distinguish what's true & what's not. When it comes to squatting, you'll hear a lot of different things. 

You gotta go parallel to the floor

Your knees shouldn't go over your toes

                          You should go lower than parallel to the floor

      It's okay if your knees goes over your toes, in fact it's safer. 

So one might wonder which one really is it? In my personal opinion from what I have seen and experimented. As long as I go parallel to the floor, as if I am sitting on a chair like this....

...I think it has been effective enough for me, at least. I also engage in deep squats (lower than parallel to the floor) when I do front squats as it feels like a natural movement for me, while if the weight is on my back - I just go parallel. 

There are also 1/4 and 1/2 of a squat which are used by advanced weight lifters and bodybuilders which hit the quads more than gluts & hams, but definitely not advisable for new lifters/beginners.

There is so much to mention about squats, their benefits, different techniques, the TYPE of squats out there; sumo, front, back, hack...and a lot of more than that - all for another post. 

But the question is, do you REALLY squat? If not, drop the weights & say bye bye to your ego, and squat properly with low weight and then add 'em plates once you've gotten the technique right. That's what I have done. 

Just Remember, squatting is known as "king" & it will definitely load you up with mass if done correctly. 

Yours truly,

GymFreak at 999Fitness.