Live life and get active
Does fitness freak you out? Do you cringe at the thought of going to the gym? Do you want to get active but are not sure how to get started?
The Live Life Get Active (LLGA) program could be for you!
Providing accessible and fun exercise programs to the western Sydney community, LLGA offers a total of 12 free fitness camps, along with yoga, boxing and circuit training classes. A new pilot parent/guardian child session is also currently being trialled.
LLGA is one of more than 120 partners of the Western Sydney Diabetes (WSD) Alliance, and together with the Western Sydney Primary Health Network (WSPHN) recently announce the program’s expansion in western Sydney.
Fitness camps are available at the following locations:
- Auburn
- Castle Hill
- Kellyville
- Lidcombe
- Merryland
- Mount Druitt
- Parramatta
- Rouse Hill
- South Granville
- Telopea
- Toongabbie
A keen advocate of the program is Katrina Paragalli, who by day works as an administrative officer at WSD.
Katrina is so passionate about boosting the fitness of her local community, she dedicates her spare time to personal training with LLGA at Norwest Marketown.
“I’m very motivated to get people active and healthy and to help them beat chronic diseases,” said Ms Paragalli.
“I enjoy making a difference to people’s lives.
“Exercise is not just great for fitness, but it also improves your mental health and keeps you feeling energised and mobile no matter what age.”
Having grown up in a sporting family, Katrina was involved in soccer, little athletics, hockey, volleyball and touch football as a child and now wants to pass on her love of exercise to others.
Ms Paragalli said the best thing about the LLGA program is it’s perfect for all activity levels.
“Some people in my class have never exercised and it’s a great way to start. There’s no judgement and the best thing is the classes are free,” she said.
“My message is to try stay healthy and enjoy being active and keeping fit, particularly as we get older and lose muscle mass and our metabolism slows down. You’ll never know unless you give it a go.
“Eat healthy and enjoy being you.”
WSPHN Primary Care Development and Integration acting director, Jane Assange, said based on the success of camps initially in Rouse Hill, followed by Mount Druitt and Lidcombe last year, the expansion to include 12 regions was possible thanks to funding by WSPHN.
“Our goal is to provide accessible exercise to residents in western Sydney to increase the levels of physical activity and combat the high rates of obesity in the area,” Ms Assange said.
To find out more about the Live Life Get Active program or to register for a camp, visit livelifegetactive.com .
