Be the Better You - free health and fitness programme coming again to North Kesteven

A second Be The Better You programme is set to be rolled out in North Kesteven from October.

The healthy lifestyle and physical activity programme was initially piloted in 2019 as part of the district council’s Flourishing Communities project.

The pilot proved to be a success helping individuals to make healthy changes to their diet, to increase physical activity, to increase general wellbeing and to make positive changes to their health such as weight loss, reduced body fat, reduced blood pressure and increased muscle mass.

The 2020 programme will be delivered over 12 months, with one session a month. Each session has a health education component, and a physical activity.

In line with current restrictions, it will be csarried out in a combination of online delivery and, whenever possible, face-to-face support. There will be an individual interview and assessment pre and post course.

Thirty people completed the programme in 2019, some of the benefits participants reported were:

* Increased awareness regarding food groups, recommended daily intake, portion sizes, and reading food labels

* Increased home cooking and a reduction in processed foods

* Reduced unhealthy snacking

* Better planning and preparation to eat healthily

* Increased activity levels and the ability to try different physical activities in a safe environment

* Able to try mindfulness and stress reduction techniques to help with mental health

* Not feeling like they were ‘on a diet’ anymore

Leader of the Council, Coun Richard Wright, said: “The trial programme was a great success. In particular, couples who attended benefitted from the shared experience which really helped to embed what had been learned when they got home.

“Other people benefitted from being signposted to social clubs and some said they had achieved more in 12 months than they had done for years.”

Applicants for the 2020 programme must be over 45 years old with a BMI of over 30, and although the opportunity is available throughout the district, there will be a focus on Sleaford, Billinghay and Chapel Hill.

* To find out more about the Be The Better You programme contact Debbie Chessum on 01529 414155 or email [email protected]