Ipswich City Council

Tips and Links

Below are handy Tips and Links that may be useful for you in your journey to a healthier lifestyle!

Be Realistic - Don't give up before you start to see the benefits. Be patient and keep at it. Set a series of goals and work towards them. Don't forget to reward yourself when you get there.

Small Steps - Start with small swaps that can be easily incorporated into your everyday lifestyle. How many small swaps can you make today? Remember - small swaps add up to small changes that get easier over time and show results.

Think about all the swaps you can make in your everyday life - at work, at home or out shopping.

Swap Big for Small

Don't overcrowd your plate,
Think twice before going for seconds
Eat slowly to give your stomach time to signal its full
Share dessert rather than having your own

Swap Often for Sometimes

Swap Fried for Fresh
Swap Fizzy drink for Water
Swap Take-away for Home-made
Eat Less "sometimes" food

Swap Sitting for Moving

Walk and deliver a message rather than email
Take the bike for short trips instead of the car
Park the car further away and enjoy a short walk
Get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way

Swap Watching for Playing

Don't just watch sport - get out and get active
Meet friends for a walk instead of a coffee and cake
Get outdoors with the family - got to the park or for a bike ride
Swap a family movie for bowling

For more Swaps and a helping hand go to: http://swapit.gov.au/

IPSWICH HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

For information about free or low-cost physical activity in Ipswich go to: http://www.ihfoundation.org.au/

JAMIE'S MINISTRY OF FOOD

For recipes and other information regarding cooking in the home go to: http://www.jamiesministryoffood.com/

To find out more about the great work the Good Foundation is doing go to: http://www.thegoodfoundation.com.au/

HEARTMOVES

To find a HeartMoves course near you and more about HeartMoves go to: http://heartmoves.heartfoundation.org.au/

AUSTCYCLE

To find out more about AustCycle and the structure of the training go to: http://www.austcycle.com.au/

CYCLING

Riding to work, school, university or work, or taking your bike on short neighborhood trips is a convenient and practical way to incorporate regular exercise into your busy day.

Cycling 10 km each way to work would save 1500 kg of greenhouse gas emissions each year. Also, as traffic delays and interruptions to traffic flow in Australia's six major cities account for around 13 million tones of greenhouse gas emissions each year, cycling during peak hours would contribute to further emission reductions by reducing congestion and improving traffic flow.

Bicycles are more affordable to run. While only 10% of the world's population can afford a car, an estimated 80% of people can afford a bike.

Cycling enables people to interact socially and feel more at home in their local community. More people cycling and walking provides additional opportunity for social interaction on the streets and this enhances a sense of community.

To get more great facts about cycling, maps and to check out the cycle strategies and policy go to: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Travel-and-transport/Cycling

To find out more about the trainers conducting the AustCycle sessions or other cycle skills sessions and activities go to: http://www.cycleaway.com.au/

To find out more about the trainers conducting the AustCycle sessions or other cycle skills sessions and activities go to: http://www.cycleskills.com.au/

Ipswich BUG is a group of cyclists who meet for social rides every weekend. The emphasis is on fun rather than speed. To find out more or when their next ride is go to: http://www.ipswichbug.org/

To find out everything you need to know about cycling in Queensland go to bicycle Queensland's web page: http://www.bq.org.au/

To Grab a local map of Cycle paths in Ipswich and find a cycling group session close to you go to the Cycle Ipswich web page: (http://www.ipswich.qld.gov.au/residents/healthy_lifestyle/cycle_ipswich/)

WALKING

To Grab a local map of walking paths in Ipswich and find a walking group session close to you go to the Walk Ipswich web page: Walk Ipswich

Joining or starting a walking group in your area or workplace is a great way to get active and meet new people. Every walking group is different - varying in size, duration of walk, level of difficulty and meeting times and places. There are over 1100 free walking groups around Australia, why not join one today?

www.heartfoundation.org.au/walking

ACTIVE ANIMALS

Dogs are great walking companions and personal trainers. Get out and active with your pet today, and you will both reap the rewards!

There are two kinds of dog owners - those who walk their dogs and those who do not. Which one are you? An RSPCA study in 2000 involving veterinary practices from across Australia found that 41% of dogs and 33% of cats were overweight or obese showing how important it is to exercise with your best friend. Dog walkers are at much lower risk of lifestyle related health concerns. Regular exercise for your pet is just as important as it is for you! Regular walking can help you and your dog to maintain a healthy weight, and can help to prevent disease, illness and injury. It can also increase self esteem, confidence, enhance mood and boost mental alertness! A sedentary dog is a sad dog - dogs love the new sights and smells they get out and about. They don't call dogs your best friend for nothing - they really look forward to spending time with you. Make some time everyday to be physically active with your dog.

Dogs need regular exercise to help be healthy, stop them becoming bored and barking or digging. Most dogs need to be taken for a walk (or similar) at least once a day. Active Pets = Active Owners is an Ipswich City Council initiative aimed at encouraging dog owners to get out and get active with their companions.

Fun activities such as obstacles courses, best trick competitions and a chance to stretch your legs with your best friend are being provided in a park near you! To find out when these sessions are on and where there is an off-leash park near you go to: http://www.ipswich.qld.gov.au/residents/healthy_lifestyle/active_pet_owners/

GO FOR 2 & 5

Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables not only contributes to good health, but also protects against a number of diseases and helps maintain a healthy weight. Most Australians eat only half the amount of fruit and vegetables recommended for good health. Adults need to eat at least 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables each day. The amount children need depends on their age.

At the Go for 2 & 5 webpage you can find out about the benefits of fruit and vegetables, nifty ways to get more fruit and vegetables into your day, plus some super simple tasty recipes. http://www.gofor2and5.com.au/

Ageing with vitality: Your everyday guide to healthy active living

Full of tips, real-life stories and sample exercises to make being healthy and active fun. The guide suggests everyday activities and exercises for strength, balance, flexibility and endurance that you can do at home. It includes tips, simple step-by-step instructions and photographs. The Workbook is to be used in conjunction with Ageing with vitality: Your everyday guide to healthy active living to plan and record your progress as you find various ways to increase your levels of physical activity. To download your booklets go to: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/stayonyourfeet/ageing_vitality.asp

Last Updated 30 Jan 2012 |

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