We spoke to our Fit Start Ambassador, David Benson, to get an insight into his healthy lifestyle and how attending the club has improved his well being.
Tell me about yourself?
I’m David and I’m 26 years old.
Why do you attend Fit Start every week?
I go to Fit Start every week because I enjoy making new friends and learning new skills.
What’s your favourite exercise?
My favourite exercise is the kind you don’t realise you’re doing, like dog-walking. To show us that we don’t always need to go to a gym for a workout, Kimberley suggested we go for a walk with Todd, another Fit Start member who has a pet dog.
What do you eat in a typical day?
On a typical day, I like to have porridge for breakfast, a chicken wrap with salad for lunch, and vegetarian sausages with sweet potato mash for dinner.
What’s your favourite food?
My favourite food is Spaghetti Bolognese.
Would you rather have a can of coke or a carton of orange juice?
I would rather have a can of coke, but because I know that it’s not very good for me, I only have it at the weekend as a treat.
Can you give me healthy recipe ideas? What’s your favourite?
My favourite healthy recipe is fruit salad, but you have to make sure that you make it with tinned fruit containing juice, not syrup!
How do you use what you’ve learned at Fit Start in real life?
Since joining Fit Start, I’m eating and drinking less sugary things and taking part in more exercise, like cycling at the weekend.
What have you learned at Fit Start?
At Fit Start, I’ve learned about counting calories and making healthy food swaps.
Have you met new people at Fit Start?
My girlfriend, Lorraine, started coming to Fit Start with me, and together we’ve made lots of new friends. We met Georgina at the club and now Lorraine goes to Slimming World with her too!
What would you be doing on a Wednesday night if Fit Start wasn’t on?
If Fit Start wasn’t on, me and my girlfriend would just be at home, watching the TV.
Fit Start is a healthy living club for people with a learning disability, which takes place on Wednesdays, from 4pm to 6pm. The club night is held at Foresters Hall on Meeting Street in Ramsgate and is currently free to all, thanks to a Heart Research UK and Subway Healthy Heart Grant.
