Finding fitness together proves much more fun

Healthy living is better done in a group, UCOL whanau room users reckon, as they begin a 10-week health challenge together.

The group has been spurred on by exercise and sport science students who approached support room organisers about holding healthy living workshops for staff and students at the Palmerston North polytechnic.

Halfway through the second session, whanau room users asked for the workshops to become a programme, with a prize for the most weight lost.

It was the beginning of the first six-week Rapu Ora (seeking wellness) challenge, which was such a success that 27 people are now on board for the next step – the 10 week challenge.

A large group of friends and family are also informally following the programme too, UCOL student support kaiawhina Erica William said.

‘‘People have more confidence.they’re motivated and more energetic and have a sparkle in their eyes, and there’s more awareness of what they are eating.’’

Staff member Tahau Williams was the winner of the first challenge and lost eight kilograms. He is now doing the second round.

‘‘It’s more than just losing weight, it changes the way you think about health, and it’s about being with like-minded people – it’s hard to do it alone.

‘‘The most important thing for us is our whanau, and if you don’t include your whanau you’ll go home and it’ll be harder. It’s about the whole whanau.’’

Williams is upfront about liking his food, so he has switched unhealthy foods for salads and smoothies made with kale, spinach and fruit.

‘‘You make them taste good with banana’’.

Third-year exercise and sport science student Denem Rahi-cook was impressed the group had taken their message on. In the first challenge, almost every participant had lost at least 2 or 3kg.

On Tuesday, he talked to the group about choosing ‘‘super foods’’ such as kale, quinoa, garlic and salmon, and finding varied types of exercise.