Michelle Belnavis ... I have always gone to the gym but I am now making a more concerted effort to adopt a healthy lifestyle. - Contributed

Michelle Belnavis' story is one to which many can relate. She wants to lose weight and she knows she has to exercise if she is to be successful. She has even joined a gym but success remains elusive because she was not totally committed.

"Some people may see me and say that I look fine, but I know that I need to lose weight and this is not only about looking good, it is about being healthy." It is primarily because she wants to safeguard her health that the 43-year-old mother of two is now determined to walk the half marathon in this year's Reggae Marathon event which will be held in Negril on December 2.

Demanding job

The sales and marketing manager at Mapco Printers Limited, Mrs. Belnavis says that her job is very demanding. Most of her spare time is also spent studying and this leaves her little time for a regular exercise programme.

According to Mrs. Belnavis, "I have always gone to the gym but I am now making a more concerted effort to adopt a healthy lifestyle." This led her to participate along with her daughter Candice, a student at St. Andrew High School, in the school's annual walkathon in which participants are required to walk from the airport round-about to Port Royal. "When I saw that I could do that with ease, I decided that I wanted to make a greater effort to become fit and to lose the weight." She also started to walk at the Shortwood Teacher's College field in the mornings.

Encouraged to participate

She was encouraged to participate in this year's Gleaner-Reggae Marathon Challenge by a member of the Jamdammers Running Club of Kingston, organisers of the event. "I am now on the training programme and as part of my workout I also do cardio training at the gym. Frano (Alfred Francis of Jamdammers) assists me with the programme which at this point includes a run-walk routine."

She hopes not only to walk but to complete the half marathon (13.1 miles) in December. "I really want to finish and I am sure I will. I won't embarrass myself."