Athlone ready to set the fitness pace in health project

Former Westmeath county footballer

Dessie Dolan

has stressed the importance of setting realistic goals when embarking on a fitness regime.

He was speaking as the Irish Times/Pfizer Healthy Town 2015 project commenced in his home town, Athlone, yesterday evening.

Mr Dolan, who is the project's ambassador, said: "The one thing with fitness is don't have unrealistic expectations. If you are starting off, pace yourself. No matter how fit you are, no matter how strong you are, pace yourself. The main thing you have to do with fitness is commit to changing the habit."

Athlone, he added, “is the perfect fit” for the initiative, as it had top-class facilities, clubs and societies and a great sense of community.

As a teacher, he was acutely aware, he said, of the issue of obesity among adolescents. He stressed the importance of “catching people early, getting them into good habits”.

Editor of The Irish Times Kevin O'Sullivan said the project, now in its fourth year, was very effective as it resulted in lasting benefits for individuals and communities in terms of physical health and wellbeing.

Small changes

“The theme that the Healthy Town is adopting is showing the people of Athlone how small, simple changes can have a big impact,” he added. He paid tribute to the many local organisations; the Irish Heart Foundation and the Department of Health’s Healthy Ireland initiative which were supporting the project this year.

Managing director of Pfizer Healthcare Ireland Paul Reid said: "Improving health is not easy, but programmes such as Healthy Town are a step in the right direction."

Mayor of Athlone, Cllr Tom Farrell (Fine Gael) said it is a “very worthwhile initiative that seeks to educate and encourage a healthy lifestyle”.

The eight-week programme highlights ways to improve physical and mental health.It combines health promotion events, health checks and physical activity to encourage Athlone people to improve their health. All events are free. The Healthy Town microsite is at irishtimes.com/healthytown.