Working as a tutor in Community Health and Wellbeing Projects is incredibly rewarding! I often meet learners who deserve an extra medal and one of these is, Ann! It has been so inspiring to get to know Ann and to see the good choices and amazing progress she has made over the past 3 months.
Ann joined us for our Family Skipping Challenge (one of our community projects funded by Somerset Skills and Learning). When she first joined her confidence and overall fitness level was low. She was struggling with anxiety and wondered if she would succeed. Her courage and commitment to to making change happen in her life makes her deserving of a medal!
After the Family Skipping Challenge, Ann decided to join our Food as Medicine course and our “Couch to 5k - Improve your physical and mental health through positive lifestyle changes" programme.”
When Ann joined the Couch to 5k group, running for just one minute was a challenge. It was tough for her to keep going and some of her thoughts were: “This is hard. I'm not sure I can do this. I'm not a good runner. I look silly. Maybe I'm not cut out for this.” Ann was well aware of our tendency to simply give up when we face something hard but she had she was determined to adopt a new mindset! She recited a quote she had leant on the course "Change nothing, nothing changes!" to keep herself going with her goals. If we want new results, we need to make new choices! And when we make these new choices again and again we will experience new results!
The Couch to 5k, is a great programme developed by the NHS, designed to help anyone new to running or anyone returning to running to improve their fitness level. It start's with just one minute of running, and gradually increases this time week by week until you are able to run 5k. The secret to success is to stick it out, and run 3 times a week consistently.
Ann is a busy mum and her childcare arrangements meant she could not attend every group session with us but despite this she stuck to the plan in her own time and persevered despite the obstacles. Ann has now completed her first 5 k run! She says she has noticed a marked improvement in her mood and mindset since becoming more active and making small improvements to her diet and lifestyle.
This is not the end of Ann’s story. Ann continues to attend our healthy eating courses and she has made positive changes to her diet that has also made a huge impact on her life. She's committed to keep active, eat healthy and of course, have a positive mindset.
Maybe you are in a similar position? Do you struggle with anxiety? Is it your default to stay home and to not get out? To grab something yummy and plonk yourself in front of the TV? Remember, new choices give new results. Why not join us for our next Healthy Lifestyle Course? We offer many free courses, funded by Somerset Skills and Learning. Ann has already signed up for the next one. We would love to see you there too!
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