Meet the wonderful women who work at the Renfrewshire job centre in Scotland. They want to get fitter and feel better with the help of our experts.
I think the hardest thing will be to keep it all going – at the moment it’s a new routine and fun
Latest update:
Sara said: Things are going really well and our diets are definitely getting healthier. However, the test will be the weeks leading up to the Easter holiday as we have an office tradition of bringing in cakes for the rest of the team – so tempting! We’re all feeling healthier and more positive, and have a bit more energy, too. Sara and Christine have been trying to cut down on the amount of butter they eat – so far so good.
My advice to others would be to give yourself small challenges and increase them gradually. Not all of us can commit to going to the gym every week, so doing something easy like walking is a small change but makes a difference.
Nicki Waterman provides tips
She said: The girls are doing really well, but if they’re looking for some extra motivation, they should try signing up for a charity race. A fitness goal is the best way to get into shape and stay that way. Nothing sharpens the mind and fuels motivation like a specific challenge for an actual event.
There are a host of challenges available for all fitness levels, but whichever life-changing adventure you choose, now’s the time to start researching, planning, booking and training. So, what are you waiting for? Find your inner champion, set yourself a challenge and soon you’ll be up there with the stars!
(If you want to follow the girls’ lead and sign up for a race, why not try Cancer UK’s Race for Life? It’s the biggest women-only fundraising event in the UK. Participants can choose to walk, jog or run 5k to help beat cancer.)
Fitness first
Sara said: We're all continuing with the extra walking during lunch breaks. We want to increase the exercise level now so Christine has joined the gym and been for an induction. Margaret has been borrowing her neighbour’s dog to take for walks and I'm booked in for a power hoop class next week.
Margaret and Christine are really motivated now. They’ve booked a girly holiday to Turkey and want to look good for the beach.
The exercise has been the easiest thing to change – the diet not so much. Karen and myself have been eating homemade soup every day for lunch, but I'm struggling with cutting out the biscuits and chocolate - I wish there was a tasty biscuit that wasn't bad for you!
Making changes
Sara said: We've all bought pedometers from Tesco and are trying to hit 10,000 steps a day each. We all go out for a brisk walk at lunch time, and if its raining we just walk around the shopping centre - any excuse for some window shopping!
Margaret's aim is to run up the steps to the park just like Rocky does in the film, she's not quite there yet, but she's determined! We've all stopped using the lift, and are usually out of puff by the time we get to our floor. Hopefully after a couple of weeks these things will feel really easy and we can then increase our exercise.
I think the hardest thing will be to keep it all going – at the moment it’s a new routine and fun.
The experts' feedback
Personal trainer and fitness expert Nicki Waterman suggested ways to fit in physical activity around the colleagues’ sedentary working day. Simple changes such as taking the lift instead of the stairs or walking to speak to someone instead of emailing/calling, can all contribute.
Read Nicki’s full feedback and see what Dr Mike had to say >>
About the colleagues and one heart
Sara Rooney, 36; Margaret Hobson, 56; Michelle Robertson, 44; Karen Lang, 37 and Christine Mclaughlin, 54 would all like a fitness plan that they can stick to.
Their aim is not to just get fitter but to look and feel healthier. With work and other daily commitments they find it difficult to dedicate time to going to the gym or a fitness class.
With the help of Tesco magazine and our team of experts, these ladies will receive a bespoke plan on how to fit in short bursts of exercise and other fitness sessions into their busy lives.
Personal trainer and fitness expert Nicki Waterman will be on hand to provide tips and guidance for the ladies, helping them to achieve their goal.
“We work together at the job centre and every day we talk about how we would like to get healthier, feel better, and look better," says Sara.
"Then we say we are going to do something about it, but due to excuses, we never do anything about it. We’re fed up thinking about looking and feeling better. We just need some help to get there.”
Margaret Hobson's vital statistics
Age: 56
BMI: 27.8
BP Average: 134/91
Karen Lang's vital statistics
Age: 37
BMI: 23.8
BP Average: 95/66
Cholesterol: 4.9mmol/l
Diabetes redaing: 4.78mmol/l
Sara Rooney's vital statistics
Age: 36
BMI: 24.1
BP Average: 92/65
Cholesterol: 3.93mmol/l
Diabetes Reading: 5.8mmol/l
Michelle Robertson's vital statistics
Age: 44
BMI: 24
BP Average: 95/57
Cholesterol: 4.37 mmol/l
Diabetes: 4.3 mmol/l
