One of the things that I love about my job is hearing the different ways that people support each other. This morning at we had a lovely walk-run-talk at Pype Hayes Park. Karen, one of the newer members of our Run Birmingham family and I were having a chat and she told me about her Friday evenings.
Karen and a couple of friends have decided that they all want to try and become a bit healthier. This can sometimes be difficult to maintain on your own so having supportive people around you can help massively. Karen has created a safe, non-judgmental space at home for a quick weigh in before a lovely healthy meal together.
The weigh in is just to keep track and support each other on the journey. Sticker rewards are given and it’s a light and fun atmosphere. The meal is the main event of the evening. Each week the group decide on what they would like to eat the following week, looking through healthy recipes online and in cook books. So far, no two meals have been the same and the group have been well up for trying new things and treating the taste buds. The group pop £2 into the kitty each week which pays for the ingredients for the following week so everything is shared. Sitting down to eat together and chat about anything and everything is a wonderful way to spend an evening.
Karen supplements her healthy eating routine with getting more active and has been coming along to weekly Run Birmingham sessions as well as going back to parkrun once a week (At both you can walk, jog or run). In just a couple of weeks she is running more and walking less which was one of her goals so it’s onwards and upwards. Having things to look forward to in your week can make the world feel like a much brighter place. I loved hearing Karen say that she feels so much lighter already after only a few weeks. This was both in the physical sense as she has lost weight and emotionally. It’s wonderful to see and hear how that positive effect of being active has a knock on effect on other aspects of life.
I felt inspired by hearing about Karen’s Fridays so wanted to share as it’s a lovely idea that’s not too difficult to try for yourselves. You could do this just within your family at home if you wanted to, deciding on a day to try something new and healthy and commit to sitting and eating together, sharing conversation. Then perhaps go for a walk or check out some of The Active Wellbeing Society’s activities and join a group to help you get active. Start small and you will be surprised by the results in no time!
Please do remember that the scales at home do not necessarily show you the whole picture. If you have started exercising, you are likely to be building muscle so may not see the numbers come down in the way that you anticipate with the increased activity. Don’t get disheartened. You will start to see the changes in your physical appearance over time; you may notice your shape changing or a change in the fit of your clothes. Hopefully you will also feel better within yourself too and that is much better to focus on.
Sally
Run Activator
#Run_with_Sparkle
