Make your new year's resolution last
Published on 13 January, 2011
Many Australians make New Year's Resolutions to improve their health, only to find that their best intentions have fallen by the wayside by the second week of January. That's where the FREE ManUp Gladstone project can help.
ManUp Gladstone, a CQUniversity research project, is designed to help men aged between 35-54 increase their physical activity and improve their eating habits in a way that is sustainable for the long term.
Marcus EllisonMarcus Ellison, the project manager of ManUp Gladstone, says "the key to health improvement that lasts well beyond the New Year is to make small lifestyle changes that are easy to maintain".
Mr Ellison said that examples of this "is to make simple yet effective healthy eating choices - choosing wholegrain bread over white bread, fish or chicken over red meat, low fat milk over full fat milk just to name a few.
"These are easily achievable and are simple enough to maintain over the long term."
ManUp also encourages men to participate in a range of physical activity challenges - walking, cycling, strengthening, running, swimming and sport and recreation.
Each activity has three strength levels, so men can choose to start on the light level and build their fitness and strength over time.
Men already in the program say these simple things help them to feel better, have more energy and a few have even said that after a few weeks of participating they haven't noticed that typical after New Year bulge.
Mr Ellison also said one of the strengths of the project is that men can choose the activity they want to do, when they want to do it, and they can complete against their mates and see who is making a real effort and help motivate those that aren't doing so well.
The project is currently recruiting new members.
To be eligible to participate, men need to be aged between 35 and 54, live in the Gladstone area, have a mobile phone and have access to the internet. To register your interest in becoming a participant in the ManUp Gladstone project , visit http://www.recruit.manup.org.au/ or contact Marcus Ellison on 4970 7211 or via manup@cqu.edu.au .