GUILT is one of the main barriers to getting fit and healthy, a Carlisle personal trainer believes.

New figures show eight in ten middle-aged Britons are overweight, inactive or drink too much alcohol.

Public Health England (PHE) says those in the 40 to 60 age group are neglecting their health because they are too busy worrying about children, ageing parents or work.

Barrie Scougal, of Barrie Mark Personal Training, believes a lot of people can feel selfish if they take time out to exercise. However he stressed that investing time in your health is anything but.

Barrie, whose team is based at Carlisle's Sands Centre, explained: "There are lots of barriers to exercise. Mums and dads will feel guilty about giving themselves two or three hours a week. But you shouldn't feel guilty about putting yourself first," he said.

PHE's new Health Survey of England blames busy lives and desk jobs for unhealthy lifestyles.

It found that 77 per cent of men and 63 per cent of women in middle age are either overweight or obese - with the rate of obesity shooting up 16 per cent in the last two decades. The diabetes rate among this age group has also doubled, while many are not physically active and drink too much.

Barrie said: "A lot of our clients are in that age bracket. It's about getting over that initial hurdle - realising it is okay to do something for yourself. We always say it's an investment. Don't see a gym membership as a one off payment. It's about £1 a day on your health."

For those who do decide enough is enough, he urged them to get proper advice on fitness and nutrition and avoid the fad diets, detoxes and fitness crazes that are rife across social media.

"It's that time of year when people think they should join a gym, they go every day for a couple of weeks but don't see an instant difference so give up. They want a quick fix," said Barrie, who said 45 minutes of well-planned exercise, three times a week, is enough.

"It takes months and years to get out of shape. You can't fix it all in six weeks. There is so much conflicting information out there. Lots of trendy diets. What we do maybe isn't sexy but it works.

"You shouldn't be cutting out food groups. That plate you see on every school wall, the mix of proteins, carbs, vegetables, fibre, plus regular exercise, that is what works."

He urged people to confront their fears of getting back into exercise: "Stepping into a gym can feel intimidating. Some people haven't exercised since they were at school. But it's never too late."

He did however question whether Body Mass Index (BMI) is the best way to measure obesity levels, stressing that he himself would be classed as obese due to the weight of his muscle - despite very low body fat levels.

*Barrie Mark Personal Training is holding a free drop-in weekend on January 8 and 9, between 11am and 4pm, so that people can get advice on exercise and nutrition before launching a new year health kick.