Unit 8, Health, recording 28
InterviewerGood afternoon and welcome to the Good Health programme. Our guest today is health expert and writer, Joanna Good. Joanna is an authority on physical activity, diet, alternative therapy and all kinds of ways to keep yourself in shape, but she’ll be talking today about finding ways to exercise. Joanna, it’s great to have you here.
JoannaThank you. It’s great to be here.
InterviewerSo first of all, what exactly do you do?
JoannaWell, I do a lot of things actually. I write articles for magazines. I’m also something of a health coach. I basically go to people’s houses and give them advice on what they can do to improve their health. And before you ask, I don’t work with the rich and famous – although that would be nice one day, and I don’t work with people who are really sick. I don’t feel qualified to do that.Most of my clients are just like you and me.
InterviewerAnd why did you decide to follow a career in health? Were you always interested in fitness?
JoannaNot at all, in fact, I used to be quite overweight myself. I had an office job and hardly did any exercise and never ate the right things. I joined various slimming clubs, but they just told me to eat less and that didn’t work for me. Then I read an article in a health magazine about finding time to exercise and that was great for me. I started losing weight almost immediately. After that, I left my job, did a course in fitness and training, and also in food and nutrition, and here I am.
InterviewerSo what advice would you give to people who say they don’t have time to exercise because their lives are so busy?
Joanna Well, it is difficult. These days, everybody knows that they should exercise, there are so many programmes on TV about it, and there are so many different ways you can exercise: join a club or a gym, play a sport, get an exercise video. Exercise isn’t boring anymore. The problem is, home and family life, and work as well, can really leave very little time for anything, so this is why people put exercise last.
InterviewerSo what can people do?
JoannaThe important thing to remember is that exercise doesn’t have to take very long – just half an hour a day in ten minute bursts if necessary. Also, it can be built into your day. For example, get up earlier than usual and go jogging, or go for walks at lunchtime, or buy an exercise bike and use it when you’re watching your favourite TV programme in the evening. There are so many things you can do.
Interviewer Thank you, Joanna. I’m sure many of our listeners will be writing to you now with their specific queries. Now let’s move on to our next topic: stress in the workplace...