Getting fit for just £1 in Hackney

Credit: Localfitness.com.au

Credit: Localfitness.com.au

Hackney residents are being encouraged to adapt a healthier lifestyle after the launch of council’s new discounted fitness classes costing as little as £1.

ONE YOU Hackney, which was launched by the council last month, targets people in the borough aged seven to over 70 urging them to eat healthier, drink less, and exercise.

It forms part of a larger ONE YOU campaign launched by the government March this year to help avoid future diseases due to everyday modern life.

Cllr Jonathan McShane, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture, Hackney Council said:It’s a disturbing fact that unhealthy living before and throughout middle age is responsible for around 40% of all deaths in England, costing the NHS more than £11 billion a year.”

“That’s why we are encouraging residents to put themselves first and do something about their own health by taking part”, he added.

Across the borough, there will fitness classes on offer for as little as £1, as well as sessions in parks and cooking classes which will be free of charge.

For children, there will be activities involving Judo and Capoeira.

Zumba and men’s fitness circuits will be offers for adults as well as women-only fitness sessions.

As for senior Hackney residents, chair-based exercises will be organised.

Professor Sir Muir Gray, clinical adviser for the One You campaign said: “Currently 42% of adults in midlife are living with at least one long-term health condition which increase their risk of early death and disability.”

“Although it has been customary to blame people for their ‘lifestyle’ we now appreciate that we need to take into account the environmental pressures that make it difficult to make healthy choices, having to sit 8 hours a day at work for example, and then drive an hour home.”

“One You is designed to help every individual identify not only their risks but also the pressures they face in their life and the stress that results, and then support them with personalised tools and advice”, he added.

Individuals are advised to do an online health quiz called How Are You on NHS’s site.

Participants would then be offered advice as to how to improve their health by listing information on fitness and cooking classes as well as dates and locations.

ONE YOU activities run from today till March 2017.

To take part in the health quiz, click here.

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