What condition or health issue do you work with your Accredited Exercise Physiologist to manage?

I have Ischemic heart disease. I am also insulin resistant, controlled with diet, exercise and a little medication.

How did you come to work with an Accredited Exercise Physiologist?

During a conversation at a community centre I was told about a new gym at The Centre for Healthy Ageing (now Uniting Senirs Gym Lilyfield). I visited the centre and spoke to an exercise physiologist and joined.

Have you always been active or were you prescribed exercise as part of your treatment management? If not, what were your initial thoughts, did you want to exercise?

I have generally led an active life. After bypass heart  surgery it was suggested that walking would help recovery and I continued this. I have never considered a gym until Ivisits Seniors Gym. I thought a program here would add more variety. I was keen to regain my fitness levels.

How did you feel when you started to exercise, what differents did you start to notice for both your physical and mental health?

When I first started at the gym I was interested in trying the equipment and being assessed for a specific program to help me.

Once on the program I started to feel more energised and achieved more both physically and mentally on my gym days (3 times per week) than other days.

How has your condition or health issue improved, do you believe exercise plays a key part in this level of improvement?

I believe the exercise has helped me to control blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels.

I am certainly fitter and able to do more than many friends of my age. If I have been travelling and not been to the gym for a few weeks I really notice it when I start back. It takes me a while for me to regain my aerobic capacity and muscle strength.

What would you say to other people who may have been advised to exercise, who are apprehensive?

Consider forms of exercise which you feel are non-threatening. Joina  walking group or just walk with a feidn so that you can encourage each other. Join a gym where you can exercise with like-minded people e.g. older people at Seniors Gym.

The social aspect of exercing with others can be motivating.

Do you think you’ll continue to maintain an active lifestyle?

Yes I will continue my active lifestyle.

About Barry’s Accredited Exercise Physiologists – Elly Williams

After graduating from The University of Sydney in 2002, Elly worked on a Hip Fracture Intervention Trial at Balmain Hospital and as an Exercise Physiologist at the Centre for STRONG Medicine for 6 years before joining the Uniting Seniors gym team in 2010. Elly’s passion is using exercise to help prevent, treat and manage chronic disease in older adults. She also enjoys coordinating and mentoring the many university students that attend Uniting Seniors Gyms.

Elly represented NSW in Dragon Boating from 2010-2014 and loves the outdoors and a good Sunday brunch.

Want to read more about the benefits of exercise? Click here to read more.