High Achiever: Never to late to make lifestyle changes

One participant shares their experience with the Green Prescription programme.

This person joined the Green Prescription programme in June as a self-referral. She had heard about the programme from family members and several friends.

Weight had never been an issue for her during her younger years and she has even escaped the middleaged spread.

However over the past three years it had been creeping up to the point where she felt uncomfortable, unfit and slightly depressed.

She has ridden and competed in equestrian events all her life and was noticing she didn’t have the fitness needed to ride her often challenging mount as well, and was feeling the effects of the wear and tear of each day’s ride.

It wasn’t as if she was doing any less physical activity, nor was she eating differently, so while she put the problems down to the effects of old age, she wasn’t yet ready to give in to the way she was feeling and looking.

The gym didn’t really appeal as she had tried it before and got bored easily.

With a hectic workload it was always unwittingly easy to find a reason not to go, so after her GRx consultation with her Healthy Lifestyle Advisor – AnnMarie Lambly, she joined up with a couple of family members and started going to body balance classes.

Being part of a group meant they motivated each other. It created a bit of fun so they could laugh at each other – usually at her expense as she tried to balance on one foot for any given point in time.

Her body started to feel less tense, more flexible and the tasks easier. There was a little bit of toning starting to happen which was encouraging.

Ann Marie told her about the gym and she assisted with some suitable exercises which were easy to follow.

Again with family members, they joined up on a regular basis (at least twice a week and with body balance classes and a walk around the Hatea Loop).

She actually found herself enjoying the sessions and will even go on occasion by herself. Apart from the physical improvements she has also found the lifestyle changes a great de-stresser for the challenges work and life in general.

Ann Marie has suggested some home exercises to follow up and a number of dietary changes too.

Taking a planned lunch to work with her each day meant not resorting to grabbing something less healthy.

There is still a way to go to get to an ideal weight but she is keen and willing to carry on.

For a Green Prescription referral or more information ask your health professional or visit Green Prescriptions.