2010 off to a fighting fit start with Healthy Living Week at Imperial

Five days of themed activities and events to encourage healthier living begin at Imperial today. - News

Monday 25 January 2010
By John-Paul Jones

Across five days at Imperial this week there will be a range of activities aimed at promoting physical and mental wellbeing.

Kicking off today, Healthy Living Week will enable staff and students to discover more about healthy eating, stress management and fun ways to keep fit.

One of the week’s organisers, Samantha Bell from Sport Imperial, says: “As the end of January nears, New Year’s resolutions tend to be broken. Healthy Living Week aims to show the Imperial community, both staff and students, how easy it can be to take a healthier approach to every day life.”

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Today’s Munch Healthy Monday campaign sees new ranges of healthy food options across the South Kensington campus and a talk on healthy eating from VegSoc, the student vegetarian society.

Tuesday focuses on cycling as an effective form of aerobic exercise. Beit Quad will host the College’s Annual Bike Auction, with around 40 bikes up for auction and profits going to RAG. There will be also free bike doctor services to get the more tired cycles back on the road, as well as the opportunity to take on friends and colleagues in cycling challenges, competing for the fastest times.

On Wellbeing Wednesday the focus shifts to healthy minds, with a workshop on stress management and an opportunity to speak to the people behind EAR, the College’s Employee Advisory Resource, which provides advice and counselling to staff.

On Thursday Ethos, the College’s flagship leisure complex, and student societies including the Running Club and the Karate Shotokan Club, invite College members to try something new, with free classes in activities from Body Kombat to Pilates.

The week ends with an opportunity for staff to prove their new fitness levels, through an inter-departmental challenge. Teams from different departments are pitted against one another, competing in dance and climbing challenges, an obstacle course and a series of other activities.

A body MOT station will be based in the Queen’s Tower Rooms today until Wednesday, from 11.30 until 14.00, where a team from Imperial’s Energia Gym will be providing free health tests, including looking at weight and blood pressure.

The week’s big message is that there are numerous enjoyable ways to start developing a healthier lifestyle, with lots of different things to do. Samantha Bell said: “Each day this week we will offer free activities, services and new food options to encourage anyone and everyone to give something new a go. We want to show people that being healthy need not be a boring or repetitive experience and can actually be fun!”

Following its launch in 2007. Healthy Living Week has become an annual event, organised by Commercial Services teams together with Imperial College Union student societies.

For more information see Healthy Living Week's website.

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