Ballarat residents encouraged to make Positive Changes about their wellbeing

Residents of the Victorian city of Ballarat are being encouraged to tackle unhealthy their lifestyles and resultant conditions such as diabetes, obesity and mood disorders through a newly launched 12-week activity and wellness program.

Backed by fitness technology company Ritualize, the Positive Change project aims to track positive changes that people make in their lifestyles and how these changes improve their overall wellbeing.

The recently launched program is free to participants and aims to involve a minimum of 5,000 Ballarat residents in maiking healthier lifestyles that lead to improved outcomes for themselves and their community.

Developed over a two year period by Paul Taylor, owner and Director of the BodyBrain Performance Institute, the program, and a related research study, is being sponsored by Woolworths, City of Ballarat and the YMCA and is supported by member-based organisations such as the Committee for Ballarat.

It will also combine with community events including October’s Run Ballarat. 

The introduction of the program follows Ballarat having been labelled as the worst place in Victoria for cardiovascular disease and the worst place in the country for physical inactivity, with 32.9% of the population obese. As a result, the local newspaper has described Ballarat as 'Heart Attack City'.

Taylor said individuals were challenged to sign up to a 12-week challenge and document their progress on the www.ritualize.com/ballarat website.

Taylor said the social health-orientated website required people to register before doing a bio-age assessment, with the bio-age taking age and metabolic, physical and behavioural evaluations to give an indication of a person's body age according to its health.

Taylor explained “what we know is that people don’t do what experts like me tell them to do, they do what people like them, their friends and family, tell them to do. 

“The website has a very social aspect, so people can see how their ‘friends’ are going which will encourage them.” 

Taylor added that the program encouraged people to have little rituals to achieve end goals, which could be marked off daily. 

Beyond Ballarat, the plan is to roll out the program nationally while a free schools-based program will also be offered for students.

For more information go to www.ritualize.com/ballarat

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