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Queensland Health has launched a new campaign to help Queenslanders find what kind of exercise will best help them lose weight and stay healthy.

The campaign urges Queenslanders to ditch fad diets and exercise trends and find activities that work with their lives, so they stick with them and maintain healthy and active lifestyles.

Explaining that the campaign encourages Queenslanders to base their lifestyles on activities and foods they enjoy, Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles advised “I want all Queenslanders to find their happy healthy by finding physical activities that they can enjoy.

“From doing a lap of a beautiful park on your lunch break, to playing ultimate frisbee or going for a morning swim, finding your happy healthy is about discovering your favourite healthy habit.

“For me, I love going to the gym and playing soccer with my kids - whenever I do these things with my family it feels more enjoyable and less like a work out.

“If you find out what makes you happy, you’re more likely do it more and, ultimately, become healthier.”

Minister Miles said the campaign targeted people who had positive intentions to change their lifestyles for the better, advising “our research shows that many Queenslanders carrying extra weight believe they have a healthy lifestyle but are aware they need to make improvements.

“They’re likely to be between 45 and 64 and live with a partner, have children and a high income.

“Queenslanders who are obese, however, know they have an unhealthy lifestyle and want to change.

“We want to help more people realise how great they can feel if they eat well, are physically active every day and achieve a healthier body weight.”

Minister Miles said the range of activities at people’s disposal was endless, adding “physical activity is more than just a long run or a gut-busting gym session.

“Things we do regularly like gardening, dancing, a long walk with friends, even chasing your kids or grandkids around the backyard - all activities that require some effort and raise the heartbeat - can make exercise more fun.

“It can be the little things we do that add up to make us happier and healthier.”

Minister Miles said people were encouraged to take the same approach to their eating habits, concluding “you don’t need to eat foods you can’t stand - instead, eat more of the healthy foods you enjoy,” he said.

“Mealtimes can be healthy and still be enjoyable.”

The Find your happy healthy campaign will promote five key behaviours of Queensland Health’s Healthier. Happier initiative. These are:

• Increasing fruit and vegetable intake
• Reducing sugary drink consumption
• Eating smaller portions
• Less sitting, more moving
• Making healthier choices when eating out and at home.

For more information go to www.healthier.qld.gov.au.

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