Testimonials

Sunday 1st March marked one year since I joined the Green Apple Wellness Centre.  The occasion afforded me the opportunity to reflect on my experiences during the past year.  I want to congratulate you on the passion you share as you go about making a difference to members’ lives.  It is evident each one of your team has been selected carefully to provide high-quality service, covering a large range of aspects required in the provision of a wellness centre.  That is very much an indication of your leadership. 

I am particularly grateful for what I term a “Wrap-around Approach” which reflects the attitude and commitment of each team member to support the Green Apple’s members and happily share the joy of their individual successes.  In particular, I must give credit and thanks to Christina who prepares my programs and encourages me.

My membership has resulted in considerable benefits to my health and in particular, one aspect that meant a great deal to me. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in 2007 and consequently, my driver’s licence was marked with an ‘M” for medical condition.  I struggled with this on so many levels. 

Suffice to say, my ‘extrinsic goal’ was to do all I could to have this condition on my licence removed.  I was thrilled when after positive and consistent changes in my HbA1c, my doctor was satisfied that through my involvement in programs offered by Green Apple, (and dare I say commitment on my part), I had come to the point where she was prepared to complete the necessary paperwork to have the ‘M” removed.  I drove straight to the Transport Department (observing correct speed limits of course) and felt elated to receive my new licence. To maintain this status has become ‘instrinsic’ and with the team’s continued support, I am optimistic that this will be a permanent change for the better.

I thought other members may not be aware that new medical standards came into effect in the Austroads document Assessing Fitness to Drive 2012, which replaces the previous standards (2003).  This document can be accessed at http://www.ausroads.com.au/assessing-fitness-to-drive  I write this article in the hope it may be of assistance to those members who have diabetes. 

In essence, private vehicle drivers treated by glucose-lowering agents other than insulin may drive without licence restriction on the condition they have five-yearly reviews. If treated with insulin, private drivers must have a review at least every two years conducted by your usual medical practitioner.  The review will determine if the diabetes is under “satisfactory control’.  Satisfactory control is determined by a medical practitioner making clinical judgements on a case by case basis.  For private drivers on insulin, “satisfactory control” is “defined as a HbA1c level of less than 9.0% measured within the preceding three months”.

Commercial drivers whose diabetes is treated by either insulin or other glucose-lowering agents, must have an annual review by a specialist in endocrinology or diabetes to determine whether the diabetes is “under satisfactory control”. 

Diabetes Australia will be happy to clarify any concerns or confusion the new medical standards may have created. I look forward to continuing good health now that I am a fully-fledged member of the Green Apple Wellness Centre. This means I can take advantage of the myriad of support programs available to me as a member.  

It is a lifelong commitment made possible by knowing that when the inevitable challenges come, there will be that ‘wrap-around ‘to support and motivate me in the coming years. Your card states, “We inspire lifestyle changes” – you certainly do and thankfully I am one of those you have helped.

Just a few words of encouragement from my experience at Green Apple over the past seven months. After having various health issues over a number of years my GP recommended that I speak to Victoria at Green Apple to see if an exercise program could be arranged for strengthening, flexibility and restoration of muscle loss and other ailments that hindered my wellbeing.

I came under the care of Alex and he set out a program whereby I could work at my own pace to gradually regain my strength. My medical advisors said go for it and they agreed that exercise is medicine when done safely under the supervision of qualified exercise physiologists.

I have no doubt that exercise is medicine for my body and that my time at Green Apple has helped greatly in recovery from medication – induced Diabetes Two and joint pain from Rheumatoid Arthritis, great improvement in body muscle tone and strength, plus assistance in heart function from very poor to normal and I was bordering on osteoporosis and scans show my bone density has increased by 5% in the short time I have been exercising here.

The challenge is now for persistence and perseverance and hard work and I know that these elements give me hope for the future. I hope you can join me on this journey. My thanks to Victoria, Alex and all the staff at Green Apple.

My name is Brian Swift and I have been attending Green Apple for almost two years.  You may have seen me around the place — the large bloke with the big belly and Santa clause beard.  I work mostly with Dany.  Anyway, I would like to share with you some thoughts about my time at the Centre. When I started I was in a bad way physically and mentally. Doctors thought a program of regular exercise would help me.  I was sceptical because I had never really embraced regular gym-type exercising. Finally hitting 160kg and having out of control type two diabetes convinced me I was wrong.

Veteran’s Affairs sent me to Green Apple and I was teamed up with Alex who started me on a sensible, manageable program of exercises to assist with improving my balance and walking without a walking stick.  I found working with Alex to be enjoyable, helpful and more enjoyable than I imagined. For some reason, I stopped going after a few months.  A little while later I came back and this time was set to working with Dany.  We hit it off straight away and I felt that Dany really cared about getting me fit and healthy (not saying that Alex did not). We made a deal that Dany would work me sensibly hard and I would make an honest effort to comply with the training and work hard.  It was slow going at first until I finally committed not only physically but mentally also.

Dany has been patient with me and gradually progressed my work-load while constantly advising me on diet and home exercise.  He encourages me as I improve on the various workout machines and monitors my progress then pushes a bit harder. Dany and Alex have been entirely responsible for a remarkable improvement in my health and physical ability. I now strive to beat personal best results in all I do at the Centre every week, I now walk confidently without a walking stick, I can now climb and descend stairs like a normal person and my insulin requirements have been reduced by fifty percent through doctor’s instructions.

In fact, I have found that all staff at the Centre are genuine in their friendly, helpful dealings with clients.  I am also impressed with the standard and variety of equipment available for use. Dany and I have set a goal for me to be down to around 100kg by year’s end and I am determined to make. 

I am loving my work at Green Apple and hope you all are doing the same. Good luck with your personal fitness goals and thank you to Dany and all those at Green Apple Wellness Centre Bald Hills.

Regards, Swifty

Through the Green Apple, I’ve been able to reach greater heights with my physical strength, and also my general fitness and wellbeing. I was only 19 when I had recurring back and neck issues, leaving me with an inability to play sport and exercise consistently without having to have numerous trips to the physio. 

By coming to the Green Apple and seeing an Exercise Physiologist like Alex, I was given the right program, knowledge and tools to be able to repair and retrain my body to build a solid foundation and activate the right muscle groups to support my back and neck. Due to the success of this program, I am now able to enjoy any physical activity I wish to involve myself in, provided I continue the habits and exercises I have picked up through the program and the knowledge that comes with it.

I am a great advocate of the benefit of exercise for mental health. I naturally have a nervous disposition and this year, in particular, has been plagued by anxiety and panic attacks despite my medication. This leads to symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, headaches and nausea. I believe there is an underlying heart condition affecting me as well and the medical tests and uncertainty only increases the symptoms. The attacks are random and debilitating, but I can say that when I am exercising I feel no symptoms apart from breathlessness (perfectly normal), and am on top of the world! I think endorphins (feel- good chemicals) are responsible for this and I have proof that my blood pressure, lately slightly elevated, is reduced during exercise.

My programs have been very well designed by the instructors, taking into account the physical effects of anxiety, but it is in my classes that I feel the full benefit. I love my Step, Circuit, Kai-Bo and Boxing Classes! There is a wonderful camaraderie in the classes, a fun spirit of competition, compassion for each other. My classes do truly put a smile on my face! I love the cheerful encouraging attitude of all the staff, their expertise, their ability to adapt exercises to allow participation despite physical limitations. Green Apple Wellness Centre is the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you all – staff and members!

I forgot to mention that I struggled with the Green Apple Camp Quality 15km walk in July this year because of physical symptoms and plantar fasciitis but I was very encouraged by the lovely course marshals and other participants who spurred each other on. This is a truly inspiring walk. Thanks to all.

My recent holiday to Flinders Ranges in South Australia was a long time coming, for both myself and my husband.

Prior to having back surgery in December 2012, I was an avid bushwalking enthusiast. Unfortunately, because of the spinal damage that occurred as a result of my surgery, I initially lost my ability to walk.

It was suggested to me that I would have to find another hobby, as bushwalking simply wasn’t viable given my injuries. But, thanks to the ongoing support, as well as my intrinsic nature to never give up, I became increasingly determined to get back out there and into the bush, whatever way possible.

This is what brought me to Green Apple, and why I started working with Alex.  I have to say, some of the exercises are a bit left field—especially the ones on the Powerplate—but without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

All those strange exercises gave me the skills and strength I needed to climb/crawl up a sand hill in the Simpson Desert, negotiated myself up a small dry waterfall in a gorge walk, and ultimately reclaim the hobby I was told I would eventually have to give up.

Admittedly, I did get some rather strange looks as I set out on these expeditions with hiking boots, crutches and a very strange way of walking. But hey, it’s amazing how far you can go on crutches and with a little bit of extra help if you have the determination to prove people wrong!

I have been attending Barre-Concept all year and I can’t believe the benefits I have gained from this class.

As the class is held is now held on Thursday night it has given me the added advantage of being able to take the 6pm Thighs Buns and Tums class and then the 6.30pm Stretch class.  These classes are a great lead in to the Barre-Concept class at 7pm.

The Barre class is FANTASTIC and I have noticed a great improvement in the strength and tone of my legs and butt.  The class can be a challenge but soooo worth the effort as the benefits gained are enormous and well worth the sweat. 

I would recommend this class to anyone who wants a total workout because this will really get your heart pumping.

Congratulations to Christina she is a real gem. Come along to Christina’s class Thursday at 7pm

Aquatic exercise was once associated with senior fitness programs, pre-natal exercise and injury rehabilitation. As aquatic training methods gained sophistication, athletes and general fitness enthusiasts made their way into the pool. A core group of us members at Green Apple are no exception. We are not athletes, injured, nor too old or infirm to cope with a challenging exercise routine.

The buoyant forces of water provide a cushioning effect, which protects your muscles, joints and bones from impact. This does not necessarily make it less effective. Water is 100’s of times denser than air and facilitates high energy expenditure with minimal risk of injury. High Intensity Aqua Training (HIAT) activities that use the arms and legs in chest-deep water requires a significant increase in energy expenditure (burning calories).

Interval training has increased my fat burning capacity. Studies show that interval training, in particular, 20 seconds of high intensity followed by 10 seconds rest then repeating can double your overall endurance and increase your whole body-fat oxidation by at least a third.

I haven’t measured my experience but purely on observation, I can maintain a higher level of endurance and feel totally supported in the pool. I am able to extend this to land impact activities but will always enjoy the water.

Come and join us in the pool every Monday and Wednesday night at 7pm. On Saturday there are two Aqua classes Beginners at 9.15am and HIAT at 10am. I find it beneficial after a workout or other exercise.
The HIAT is not too tiring and adds to my relaxation and stretches which are so important at the end of your workout or the end of the day. So come along and join us.

28kg lost since March 2014

Thanks to some great doctors and the Green Apple I turn 83 this month. I never expected to reach this age. I have had ill health for most of my life. When I was 27 and pregnant with our third baby I had the misfortune to contract Guillain Barre Syndrome. This usually occurs after an infection. It is a fairly rare acute disorder affecting the nervous system causing paralysis of legs, arms and respiratory muscles. It also affected my eyesight. There was very little known about this in 1958. The doctors expected me to be in hospital for 6 months but I was determined to get back to my little boys and made it out in 6 weeks. There was no physiotherapy or help of any sort back then. I just got out of bed holding on to other beds in the ward and made my legs move.

Unfortunately, I then developed very acute asthma. I had many days in hospital and sometimes 2 or 3 days a week having physio to clear my lungs. Large doses of cortisone and other drugs helped a little. Then the aerosol cortisone was developed and gave me a better quality of life. I then got a job in Market Research. In the 1970’s research was mostly carried out by interviewers talking to people in their homes. So I tucked my Ventolin in a pocket and walked miles around the suburbs. I became a supervisor and then was approached by market research companies down south to set up my own business. This grew into a seven day a week job with very long hours. I still suffered from some asthma but it was more under control. During this time my body seemed to grow lumps inside so that I had a hysterectomy and partial thyroidectomy.

In 1992 I came down with what I called a flu. I was very ill for a couple of weeks and then after this, I was eventually diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. The pain was so bad I could not turn over in bed or even pull a sheet over me. Keeping my business going, dealing with clients and the management of staff was a challenge. The rheumatologist tried every tablet on the market with little success. Then in 2001, he tried Methotrexate, which was originally developed as a chemotherapy drug. I was clear of the devastating pain for the first time in years. Realising that I needed to do something to strengthen my muscles (I had read about special exercises for arthritis sufferers) I phoned one gym but the lass on the phone did not seem to know what I was talking about. I then remembered that I had seen the Green Apple and when I phoned was lucky to speak to Victoria who said “I can help you.” Unfortunately, I could not keep taking that medicine because of the side effects but by then I was involved in the exercise program and that helped a lot. I now take the methotrexate by injection once a week and other drugs and painkillers that combined with the exercise keeps me going. A doctor has recently told me that asthma and rheumatoid arthritis are now known to be a consequence of the Guillain Barre Syndrome. Since joining Green Apple, Victoria and the great staff have helped me through a knee replacement and breast cancer. It was my lucky day that I phoned the Green Apple.

I can attest to the efficacy of doing resistance training. A few months ago I had a serious accident, slipping over on a sudsy floor and slamming my chest into the corner of a divan. My rib bones did not break but I did a lot of damage to my lungs. Now at 83, I am healthier than at most times of my life. Without the structured exercise program at the Green Apple, I could not have the quality of life that I now enjoy.

Edit Note: Rae is an amazing woman who appears to stay mentally strong regardless of the multiple challenges life throws at her. I know Rae could have written so much more of her journey here and she has been frugal in her telling of this story…. So much more could have been included. Space is always the problem!!

“I would like to thank the staff at Green Apple Wellness Centre for their ongoing support and encouragement since my doctor referred me to the Exercise Physiologists to help with my ongoing knee problem and difficulty in losing weight. I have since joined the gym and the Exercise Physiologists have worked out an exercise program for me.

My doctor also referred me to the Type 2 Diabetes course which I have recently completed and enjoyed immensely. Combined with the exercise program, the Diabetes course has been an invaluable source of information regarding diet, exercise and lifestyle modification. Thank you especially to Felicity, who not only conducts a very informative and enjoyable Diabetes course but has helped me get back on track again after a recent pleurisy attack.

The exercise program and Diabetes course have made a great difference in my life – carrying less weight and exercising have meant my knee and back have been strengthened and I am doing more than I have in a very long time. I am a passionate quilter and have been able to enjoy my craft a lot more since my fitness level has improved. It has also done wonders for my self-confidence.

All in all, I am feeling much better in myself and my doctor is more than happy with my results. Thanks again to the friendly staff at Green Apple.”

Dear Green Apple Friends, my name is Cecily Bragg.

I joined the gym 3 & ½ years ago and I thought I would share some of my journey with you.

I attend the gym 3 days a week of which 2 days are Heartmoves and 1 day is Stronger 4 Longer. I am very happy with my progress, especially with Heartmoves. On Tuesdays, Libby has a lot of variety in her classes.

We always have a session of balance work of which we all need! I have found it very beneficial personally.

The weights come next and sometimes we moan and groan, but Libby takes it all in her stride because we all know it is good for us.

Thank you all for your patience and your lovely smiles.