Ian Coutts, was a health coach with a pilot program with the Melbourne Positive Living Centre in 2006. He has some advice for people who want to develop healthier lifestyles, but feel they’re in a bit of a rut. ‘My advice is to try something different! I believe there is always progress in action and in many cases, one small step can give you the confidence to take another. A quote I like is: “The greatest thing in the world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.”’

Many of the participants in the Living Positively project run by Ian have described how they felt they were in a rut prior to starting in the project. ‘Having a health coach helped provide them with motivation to make changes and helped them to stick to the changes they wanted to make. It also allowed them to be able to talk over their concerns one-on-one with the coach, and provided them with more confidence, enthusiasm and optimism.’

For people who don’t have access to a health coach, Ian suggests buddying up with someone else to exercise together, or to let others know about your goals and seek support. ‘Change can be a difficult thing, and building a support network is a good way to get help through the process.’