1:30pm Tuesday 9th September 2008
When 38-year-old mum of three Shahnaz Mahmood is urging women from across the community to take their health more seriously.
Pendle Leisure Trust's Healthy Communities' initiative, a project aimed at diverse groups in Pendle, provides a friendly network and a release from the pressures of everyday life.
She has been attending the classes for over 12 years and she would now like to gain a formal qualification to become an aerobics instructor herself, if time allows.
The classes have given Shanaz, from Brierfield, a new-found sense of confidence; she has grown from a shy, rather reluctant attendee, to a pivotal team player in the classes, helping other members overcome interaction barriers.
Shanaz said, "When I got married I weighed just seven stone. But after my first child, I put on a further five stone. Having so much extra weight was why I decided to join the classes.
"I stopped and started going between raising my three children, as managing kids, a house and a husband can be a bit of a juggling act! But now my children are a bit older, I go regularly."
Today, Shanaz weighs in at a healthy nine stone nine pounds. She said her motivation goes beyond physical appearance, "I believe that if you look after your health, then you can do a better job of looking after your family".
Like many busy mothers, Shanaz has her hands tied with her three children, Adal, 18, Farhan 14, and ten-year-old Hawwaa, so the Healthy Communities initiative provides a vital form of interaction outside the family home.
Shanaz continued: "Women who go to this class don't tend to socialise much outside their home, so they speak very little English. Having spent a large part of my life in Pakistan, I too had very basic knowledge.
"But my English has developed tremendously, and now I help other ladies in the class with translating. We're a close-knit group and we help each other".
The classes are jointly funded by the East Lancashire PCT, Neighbourhood Renewal Funding, and the Single Regeneration Budget.
This forms part of the East Lancashire PCT's campaign to Save a Million Years of Life by 2011'.
Carole Harvey, who runs the aerobics classes, began working specifically with Asian women when she realised that they faced many barriers to exercise.
She said, "Many women in the Asian community are unaware of the symptoms and consequences of health issues such as diabetes and obesity, and they are not really encouraged by their community to go out and exercise.
"As my classes are for ladies only, and I pay special attention to each person, they are a lot more inviting."
Like Shanaz, Carole also noticed how women's confidence grew after joining the classes.
"Everyone was shy at first, and kept their heads down. Today, they've got their shoulders back, heads up, and feel much better about themselves".
Carole runs six classes a week in Nelson, and they have proven so popular that they now run at full capacity, sometimes housing up to 50-60 attendees per session.
The women who originally spoke very little English have learned through Carole, Shanaz and other members; a skill that's invaluable in everyday life.
It's Shanaz' influence on others that gives her the most pride, "I've given and received a lot of encouragement from other women. Walking through my area, women see how much weight I've lost, and they think if she can lose that much weight, so can I'.
Shanaz' also has some words of wisdom for others, "If you're concerned about your weight, you should go out and do something. Get yourself out there, you'll be happier, healthier and live longer."
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