Adopting a healthier lifestyle brings benefits for your body and your mind, but it can be hard to do on your own. Lambeth's personal health trainers can help you to develop a plan to improve your health and can motivate you to stick to it.
'We can offer the support you need'
A Lambeth health trainer explains why she thinks the service can help anyone to make positive changes to their lifestyle.
“I wanted to become a health trainer to provide a personal, one-to-one service to help people improve their health.
“All of Lambeth’s health trainers come from within the community and reflect the diversity in Lambeth’s population. Trainers come from many cultural backgrounds. This helps us to understand someone's culture, lifestyle and community needs. Often we can provide a health trainer who can speak their language.
“Before starting work as a health trainer we learn about all aspects of having a healthy lifestyle. This includes nutrition, exercise, stopping smoking and improving mental wellbeing. The training helps us to share our knowledge with the people we see in the community, allowing them to improve their own lifestyle.
“Anyone over 18 can see a health trainer for free by calling or emailing the service to make an appointment. They will have up to six sessions that can last for an hour or more. These can take place over a time period that suits them. It may be that they have a meeting once a month, or there might be six months between appointments.
“One of the best things about health trainers is that we can spend time listening to people's problems. We like to create a comfortable, welcoming environment where people can share their concerns openly and we can offer the support they need.
“At the first two sessions a health trainer will asks questions about someone's goals. We then offer support and advice, for example on eating well and stopping smoking, as well as letting them know about other useful local services.
“I think of the health trainer service as a bit like a free, personal trainer. We share information about living a healthier lifestyle, which makes people happier. It sounds wonderful to me. I've been doing the job for 18 months now and I feel we have so much to offer to help lots more people in Lambeth.”
'I learnt how to take care of myself'
Lovelace, 40, moved from Ghana to Lambeth five years ago, but soon found herself struggling to cope in a new country with three young children and a busy job as a hairdresser. After suffering a breakdown she sought the help of a local health trainer and now she’s doing fine.
“I moved to Streatham five years ago and I was working hard. I have three children aged nine, seven and two and I never seemed to stop and rest. I was in a new country and I couldn’t cope with the stress of my busy life. Three years ago I had a breakdown and as part of my recovery I started seeing a health trainer at a local clinic.
“I felt I could confide in her. She was from the local community and she understood the problems I faced. I felt I could be open with her and didn't need to feel ashamed of my problems. I also felt like she listened to me and I trusted her experience.
“She gave me advice on eating healthy, especially eating fruit and vegetables and drinking plenty of water. She also told me to take regular exercise and helped me to manage my time better so I didn’t end up working too hard. She told me how important it is to rest and learn how to take care of myself.
“I feel I have gained so much by seeing my health trainer. I feel stronger and able to cope now, and my children and I are so much happier.”
