Jai Rowell med rel: Free coaching services to provide helping hand in forming healthy habits in 2015

NSW residents will be able to give their New Year’s resolutions a kick-start with the assistance of an innovative phone-based coaching service that has already helped over 250,000 NSW residents make lasting improvements to their diet and fitness.

Assistant Minister for Health Jai Rowell urged people throughout NSW to take advantage of the NSW Government’s ‘Get Healthy Service’ – a free six month phone-based coaching program where healthy lifestyle information and ongoing, personalised support is delivered to help people make lasting lifestyle changes.

“It takes a huge effort and a great deal of commitment to make those New Year’s resolutions stick, that’s why the extra guidance and encouragement offered by the ‘Get Healthy Service’ is so invaluable,” Mr Rowell said.

“This free coaching service helps people form healthy habits through better food choices, increased vegetable and fruit consumption and higher exercise levels.

“This is a service which has already achieved great results, with independent assessment finding 56 per cent of people who completed the coaching service had lost between 2.5 to 10 per cent of their original body weight.

“On average participants who have completed the program lost 3.8kg in weight and 5.1cm off their waist and some people even lost more than 30 kilograms.

“More importantly, the ‘Get Healthy Service’ has helped people make lasting improvements to their food choices, physical activity levels and changed their old habits for good.

“Every kilogram of excess weight lost brings numerous long term health benefits.

For example, a weight loss of up to 10 per cent significantly reduces an overweight person’s risk of chronic disease.

“The best news of all was participants had maintained their weight loss and healthier lifestyle choices six months after completing the coaching program, with continued significant weight loss.

“I would urge anyone who is serious about losing weight and forming healthy habits in 2015 to sign up for this fantastic service.”