Ailish

I never really appreciated the importance of physical activity until I started studying Adult Nursing at UWS. Being overweight most of my life, I always wanted to lose weight and be more active but never seemed to find the time or motivation for it. However, once I started my nursing placements within the hospital it became a lot more apparent the physical strain that the long shifts would take on my body. I was always very short of breath on minimal exertion, struggling with basic tasks within the ward. I knew that something needed to change for me to be classed within my role as student nurse, and eventually staff nurse. After all, how could I promote healthy living to my patients when I was largely overweight myself? I started to make small changes within my lifestyle to help me on my journey to losing some weight. The changes did not need to be massive, as an increase in physical activity helped with this tremendously. For example, I started taking the stairs at work rather than opting for the lift. I also increased the amount of walking I did in my personal life to help maintain a healthy balance. I was no longer shying away from physical activity or things that required that little bit more effort at both work and at home. By the time I finished my course at university, I had lost approximately ten stones in weight. Everything was so much easier for me. The twelve hour shifts were no longer dreaded. Taking the stairs became a habit. Promoting physical activity to my patients no longer left me feeling embarrassed, as I was not being a hypocrite encouraging exercise when I clearly did not do it myself. Physical activity is so important in helping maintain a healthy lifestyle. It opens the doors to so many things in your life that you never even knew you needed. It can improve your social life, self-confidence and overall health and wellbeing. It is something we really should value a lot more as once we feel good about ourselves, it can immensely improve our happiness.