Health Hero – Juana Silva

Question & Answer Session

Q       What do you do to stay fit?

A       I work for the Mental Health Drop-in Service and I take clients to play badminton once a week. I also play tennis at the weekends and I do Thai Boxing twice a week.

Q       Why is exercise important to you?

A       I think it’s important for physical and mental health. It makes you live longer and feel fitter. Exercise also produces feel good chemicals in your brain. And it makes you tired so your brain stops thinking too much and you get a good night’s rest.

Q       Did anyone inspire you to start exercising?

A       My parents are both really into sports. My mother was a model in the 80s and had a perfect body. My dad is into football, tennis, cycling up and down mountains. So for me it was always the norm to exercise.

Q       Has your exercising inspired anyone else?

A       When I take my clients to stay fit, I don’t just sit there and watch, I join in. So if I take them swimming I get in the pool. And when we play badminton, I play badminton. I set myself as the example.

Q       What do you do to motivate yourself to exercise?

A       When I’m tired or it’s winter and cold and dark then I really have to push myself. Sometimes going to the gym on your own is also quite boring. So I think it’s really good to exercise with a group of people or go to the gym with a friend.

Q       What would you say to someone who wanted to start exercising?

A       It might be scary at first and you might be embarrassed if, for instance, you’ve never done Yoga before and you think you’re going to do it wrong. But if you only push yourself and try you might find out you can do things you never thought you could. So it’s that initial push you must be willing to take. It’s worth it.