Sarah and Fazeela described themselves as ‘couch potatoes’. They went from being totally inactive people whose life was limited to their homes, to women who are ambitious, connected and more confident.

 

They now see physical activity as part of their identity and are passionate about helping other women have fun, move more and break down barriers.

 

“I never used to go out, I had no social life and my life revolved around my children, housework and cooking” said Fazeela.

 

“I didn’t move much; I was balancing family and part-time work. I never seemed to have enough time or energy for myself” said Sarah.

The turning point

Both Fazeela and Sarah attended a womens only circuits session which they heard about through a local WhatsApp group. This session was funded by Active Gloucestershire to run for 12 weeks. They didn’t know each other before this session and as they weeks went on, they became friends. 

 

When the sessions came to an end Fazeela and Sarah committed to weekly gym sessions together continuing to motivate and support each other.

From inactive to active

Sarah and Fazeela have gone from doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week to over 150 minutes a week. They have a gym session every week, attend fitness classes and walk everywhere they can.

 

They have also both completed a women’s only Couch to 5k running course and try to run twice a week.  They are now planning where to do their next 5K race.  Fazeela is also learning how to ride a bike.

Helpful tips to get you started

Here is what Fazeela and Sarah had to say as helpful tips to those thinking about starting a fitness journey:

• set yourself a goal; think about what your motivation is to achieve this goal
• create a simple weekly plan and stick to it  - put it up on your fridge
• start with a friend or persuade someone to start with you
• treat yourself with a reward for sticking to your plan.

What’s next?

Both Fazeela and Sarah are now keen to try new things in all areas of their lives and to have a go at new challenges.  They meet up to chat about what they want to try next and to work out how they can make that happen in their lives.

 

They have noticed the impact on their health and families and have been motivated to get their communities moving more.

 

Read more about what they did to get their community here.