Diet & Fitness 

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A mother of a workout

Next time you don’t feel like tackling that stairstepper or lacing up those trainers, look to your mum or daughter for inspiration.

Here’s what three fitness convertees had to say about how their kin helped them get fit.

1. The mum: Julia Comber, 56

   ‘My daughter Mary took me to a health farm and bought me a gym membership.’

   I never really had a proper fitness regime until my daughter took me to Champney’s health farm for a weekend. At first I was really worried about going – I imagined everyone would be dressed in designer outfits and look very sleek and posh. I was relieved when we got there because everyone was so normal. I didn’t feel out of place at all. It was so tranquil and I loved it.

   Generally, I don’t find it easy to relax and I think the health farm was the first place I was able to do so in years. I found I couldn’t get stressed about anything, even exercising. Mary and I went to some aqua aerobics classes and worked out in the gym a couple of times. I really enjoyed it, despite the fact I wasn’t sure what I was doing and found all the computer programs on the treadmills and bikes very confusing. I also went swimming a few times and by the end of the weekend I really felt as though I’d had some excellent workouts. It was fantastic and motivational because I had put on some weight over the past few years and this made me feel I was doing something proactive about it.

   When we came back from the health farm, I felt inspired to get fit and planned on joining the new gym near our house but I just never got around to it. I think I was worried that I wouldn’t fit in and would end up making a fool of myself. Then Mary came to the rescue and gave my husband and I a joint membership at the gym.

   I was pretty nervous the first time I went. It’s a huge place and there were so many machines, people and classes I wasn’t sure where to start. But the instructors there were so friendly they immediately put me at ease. They didn’t seem to mind how many times I asked them the same question and they checked that I was using the proper technique when lifting weights. After a few sessions, I started to get the hang of it.

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