Welcome to the September 2016 edition of The CHANGE Project newsletter! In this edition you'll find information about a range of free and low-cost healthy living services across the Toowoomba region, including:
- Healthy Living Hero: People Power
- FREE CHANGE Project Launch (Mon 26 Sep)
- Family Foodies (School Holidays)
- NEW Mum & Bub Activities
- FREE Come & Try Group Fitness or Meditation
- NEW FREE Wyreema Walkers
- Other Community Initiatives
- Recipe of the Month
Healthy Living Hero: People Power
If there was a way you could increase your chances of starting or sticking with a regular fitness routine while making exercise more fun, would you be interested? It may sound good to be true, but such a magical motivator does exist. Plus it costs nothing, has only positive side-effects, and is around us all the time.
It's people! Decades of research has found that working out with others improves your chance of successfully starting and / or maintaining an exercise regime. The social support and sense of connection gained by exercising in groups are some of the most powerful factors motivating people to move more. Working out with others also makes you more accountable, as you're less likely to quit on a friend than yourself. Plus a little healthy competition never hurt anybody, and when it comes to exercise adherence, it can even help!
With almost 1,000 participants attending close to 100 activities across the region each week, The CHANGE Project is overflowing with people power possibilities to help you move more. Check out the range of activities on offer, such as walking and running sessions, group fitness classes, seniors exercise, mum and bub activities, kids classes, dance and more - your future exercise buddies can't wait to meet you!
Click here to meet your fitness friends through The CHANGE Project
FREE CHANGE Project Launch (Mon 26 Sep)
Family Foodies (School Holidays)
Looking for something fun to do with the kids these school holidays? Come along to the first FREE Family Foodies workshop to learn about healthy eating and developing cooking skills together with your family:
When: Thur 29 Sep, 9:30am to 10:30am
Where: Seminar Rooms (Level 3), Toowoomba City Library
Run by a nutritionist, these fun and interactive workshops focus on learning about energy needs, food choices, establishing healthy habits and making fruit kebabs together.
Everyone who attends receives a free healthy eating booklet and can join the Family Foodies online community to connect with others and access live chats with a nutritionist.
To book or find out more about Family Foodies click here
(click on healthy cooking workshops)
NEW Mum & Bub Activities
Looking for fun ways to be active with your baby while meeting like-minded mothers in Toowoomba? Why not try our new low-cost mum and bub sessions starting this month:
- Strollercise ($3) - Queens Park (Lindsay St), Toowoomba, Tue & Thu, 8:30am
- Mum & Bub Park Fitness ($5) - Queens Park (Lindsay St), Toowoomba, Tue & Thu, 9:15am
- Mum & Bub Indoor Fitness ($3) - Kylie's Fitness, Produce Lane, Toowoomba, Wed, 10am
- Core 4 ($5) - Kylie's Fitness, Produce Lane, Toowoomba, Tue & Thu, 10am
- Kids Play ($3) - Kylie's Fitness, Produce Lane, Toowoomba , Fri 9am (1-2yrs) & 10am (3-4yrs)
To book or find out more about Mum & Bub Activities click here
(click on Mum & Bub Classes)
FREE Come & Try Group Fitness or Meditation
Get together with friends and family and head down to the library to have a go at a free fitness or meditation session this month:
- Group Fitness - Thur 8 Sep, 5:30pm to 6:30pm
- Meditation - Sun 11 Sep, 10am to 12noon
Sessions are held in the Seminar Rooms (Level 3) of the Toowoomba City Library.
To book or find out more about Fitness or Mediation Sessions click here
(click on Fitness or Meditation)
NEW FREE Wyreema Walkers
Add a spring to your step by joining the new, volunteer-led Heart Foundation Wyreema Walkers group! The new, free walking group meets each Wednesday at 4:30pm for a 60-minute stroll from the front of the Wyreema State School.
To join or find out more about Wyreema Walkers click here
(click on Heart Foundation walking groups)
Other Community Initiatives
R U OK Day
This Thursday (8 Sep) is R U OK DAY, and we're encouraging everyone to have a chat to someone they don’t know very well. Why? Because we want to be part of a community that looks out for one another and knows when someone might need a bit of extra support.
Conversations geared towards helping people feel loved, supported and connected do make a difference. When family and friends show tolerance and understanding, it can make it easier for people to speak up, access help if needed, and access it early.
So make this Thursday the day you get to know a work-mate, school friend, neighbour or team-member a bit better. You don't have to fix anyone's problems - just listen, don’t judge, and help them work out the next step.
Click here for tips on starting a conversation with someone who might be struggling. You can also
access national helplines by clicking here.
Click here for more information about R U OK Day
Kids Day Out - Sun 25 Sep
Round up the kids for another fun-filled Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers Kids Day Out at Queens Park (Lindsay St) these school holidays! Watch Nickelodeons Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at their live show! Plus there are baby animals, face painting, balloon animals, jumping castles, story-telling, giant games, a range of sports and fitness activities and check out the new Bold Adventures initiative!
For more information about Kids Day Out click here
Have your say - Queens Park
Have you been to Queens Park in the last couple of years? Whether it was to stroll, picnic, play, run, attend an event, read or to simply smell the roses, we're wanting to know more about how you use Queens Park, what you think we already do well and what we can do better.
Click here to take our survey and be part of the way we design this park for the future! Survey closes 23 September.
Mums Bellies & Bubs Class
With the weather warming up now's a great time to try a free Mums Bellies & Bubs Aqua Class on Friday 9 September, 9:15am to 10am, at Milne Bay. Come along and enjoy a fun and relaxed low-impact workout to prepare for bub's arrival or to bond with your little one (4 mths to 2 yrs).
To find out more about Mums Bellies & Bubs click here
Youth Connect Skateboarding Workshops & Competitions
Get together with friends and join a skateboarding workshop! Workshops are being held across the region for young people of all skill levels. Workshops will finish with a mini comp encouraging participants to show off their skills.
The next workshop will be held on Sunday 2 October at the Crows Nest Skate Park.
For more information call 131 872 or visit
Facebook/YouthConnectTRC.
Highfields Fitness & Recreation Centre Open Day
Get a taste of what the season has to offer at the fun, free Highfields Fitness & Recreation Centre Open Day on Saturday 1 October. Have a go at snorkelling, skate park activities, aqua inflatable and a range of sports hall and fitness sessions.
For more information call 131 872 or visit
Facebook/mbacandhfr.
Recipe of the Month - Fruity Chicken Salad
Preparation 15 minutes, serves 4
Ingredients:
400g cooked chicken, skinned removed and thinly sliced- 2 mangoes (or 1 x 400 gram can mango, drained), chopped
- 400g can corn kernels, drained
- ½ iceberg lettuce (or 200 grams mixed lettuce leaves), washed and torn
- ½ red capsicum, thinly sliced
- 1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
- 12 snow peas, sliced
- 1/2 cup low-fat natural yoghurt
- 2 teaspoons curry powder (or paste)
- 2 tablespoons nuts, coarsely chopped e.g almonds, pistachio, walnuts
- 1 tablespoon seeds e.g. sesame, sunflower
Method:
- Place chicken, mangoes, corn, iceberg leaves, capsicum, snow peas and onion in a large bowl.
- In a small jug, mix together yoghurt and curry powder to make dressing
- Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently.
- Top with nuts and seeds and serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of Healthier Happier (Qld Government).
Click here for more Healthier Happier recipes
To find out more about CHANGE Project activities contact Council on 131 872 or
www.tr.qld.gov.au/change or email
change@tr.qld.gov.au.
