Sistas losing it for health | Coffs Coast News | Local News in Coffs Coast

The Deadly Sista Girlz sweat it out at Beach Bodies gym at The Jetty - and they love it!

Trevor Veale

COFFS HARBOUR’S sisters are ‘doin’ it for themselves’ in a bid to lose weight and lead healthier lifestyles.

And they’re loving every minute of it.

The year-long journey for almost 50 Aboriginal women who want to be fitter was inspired last year by Noelene Skinner and her sister, Fiona Hyland, who tried out for The Biggest Loser TV show.

“We knew we had to do something to lose weight and we knew the poor state of Aboriginal health,” Fiona said.

They never made it onto the show but they started up a 10-week local program for indigenous women and called it Goori Girls Biggest Loser.

Most participants were working women and they formed teams to take on paddling, boxing training, walking, yoga, pilates, gym work and golf.

“We tried all sorts of things we’d never tried before,” Fiona said.

By the end of it, the women had lost a total of 27 kilograms but it developed into something more than the pursuit of weight loss.

“It was about a healthier lifestyle, socialising and having a laugh,” Fiona said.

“A lot of the women were able to get their blood sugar under control and reduce their blood pressure.”

The concept was so successful a new program has already begun in earnest and with a new name to boot – the Deadly Sista Girlz – with support from Indigenous Business Australia.

It’s also attracted interest from the SBS show Living Black and the influential Koori Mail newspaper.

On the agenda this time around is walking, dancing, ‘boxercise’, aquarobics, tennis and plenty of gym classes.

“Healthy women make healthy families,” Fiona said.

“The older women in our group were devastated we had a break over Christmas and they’ve been keen to get back into it again.

“A lot of Aboriginal women aren’t originally from here and they’ve found it really good to get to know people and get involved in their local community.

“More importantly, we’ve all been affected by poor health in our families.”

For more details, contact Sandra Mercy on 0402 460 291.