East Sussex families encouraged to re:balance their lifestyles

Local families are being given the chance to take part in a free, 12-week re:balance East Sussex programme, designed to help them learn about healthy eating, participate in fun activities and assist with weight loss.

Available to families with children from 2 to 11 years old and to young people from 12 to 17 years old, the weekly, re:balance group weight loss programmes, which start at the end of April will take place at Freedom Leisure Hailsham, Regency Park Community Centre in Eastbourne, Summerfields Leisure Centre in Hastings and Freedom Leisure Crowborough.

The programme, funded by East Sussex County Council, is led by not-for-profit leisure operator Freedom Leisure in partnership with Wave Leisure and delivered by Worthing-based health improvement consultancy Zest People Ltd.

re:balance East Sussex has been scientifically developed to create lifestyle changes as well as altering negative thought and emotional patterns. It aims to improve health and wellbeing by empowering families and young adults to set their own goals. By encouraging a healthy and achievable weight alongside support and guidance, each child or young person can benefit from discovering and strengthening their personal motivation for health improvement and managing a healthy weight.

Course developer, Dr. Tim Anstiss, who is a behavioural change expert and Founder of The Academy for Health Coaching, said: “Eating and activity patterns established in childhood can track through to adulthood, which is why declining levels of physical activity amongst some young people is concerning.

“Young people have different experiences, lifestyles and pressure to adults – they go to school, may snack differently, spend more time watching screens (TV’s, phones, games consoles), have different financial worries but the principles of consuming less sugar, reducing eating when bored, consuming less processed foods, taking regular exercise and spending less time being sedentary are all the same.

“Being overweight can lead to problems for younger people, including issues around wellbeing and happiness. Increasing numbers of children report high levels of low mood, anxiety and depression. Teaching children about emotional wellbeing, positive emotions, the importance of friendship and learning about personal strengths may help protect young minds from later emotional disturbance. Re:balance is tailored to address key concerns for these different age groups.”

Richard Bagwell, Group Sports Development Manager at Freedom Leisure, said: “With 29% of young people living in East Sussex deemed as overweight or obese, re:balance will make an important difference by giving families and young adults the tools they need to achieve a healthy weight. 20 staff from Freedom Leisure and our partner organisations have completed a training programme to become qualified weight management coaches to make weight management more accessible for the whole community.”

Rachel Stokes, Director at Zest People, commented: “The re:balance group weight management programmes have been designed to build confidence so that children, young people and their families can maintain a healthy weight. The range of exercises and techniques has been designed to reduce negative feelings, emotions and stress and to protect and improve wellbeing and happiness.”

Courses will be launched from 28th April in Crowborough, Eastbourne, Hailsham and Hastings. A programme is also available for adults interested in developing healthy eating habits to encourage weight loss.

For further information and to secure your place visit www.rebalanceeastsussex.co.uk, email enquiries@rebalanceeastsussex.co.uk or call 08452 160 120.

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Editor’s notes:

Freedom Leisure is a leading not-for-profit leisure trust. It currently manages 30 leisure centres in partnership with nine local authorities, including K2 Crawley and Guildford Spectrum. Recently Freedom Leisure has also been awarded two new contracts in Worcestershire managing four facilities in partnership with Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC) and Tenbury Community Pool Limited.

Freedom Leisure is committed to the provision and development of inclusive leisure and fitness facilities. Through continued reinvestment, Freedom Leisure strives to provide a wide range of opportunities for improving health and wellbeing and maximising leisure time within all its communities.

The not-for-profit trust also created a new division in January 2015 – Freedom Fitness – as part of its growth strategy for 2015 and beyond. Freedom Fitness has venues in Warwick, Maidstone and Milton Keynes, which are independently managed by Freedom Leisure for community benefit.

Zest People Ltd. is a community health consultancy which provides physical activity programmes to improve people’s health and wellbeing by focusing on long-term behaviour change. Working at both strategy and delivery level on a range of health agendas, Zest People encompass all elements of evidence-based research. Clients include DoH, Sport England, Brighton & Hove City Council, Prostate Cancer UK as well as working in an advisory capacity with Government Office for Health and Work and Wellbeing.
www.zestpeople.co.uk

For further information contact:
Amanda Baker at Big Fish Public Relations
Tel: 07976 757499
Email: amanda@bigfishpublicrelations.co.uk

Abigail Harris About the author
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