“I am going to beat him! He’s going to regret making that bet with me!”

Oozing self-confidence Casey Dixon has no doubt that she will beat her Dad when they run 12 kilometres around the bridges in Hamilton with thousands of other people.

 “And I’m going to beat his previous time”.

Casey has come a long way in the 18 months since she started on her Green Prescription. Back then she could not run to the end of her street and was 36kg heavier.

For someone just over 5ft tall, weighing 110kg posed major health risks such as pre-diabetes. Her cholesterol levels and blood pressure were both heading up and she lacked energy and motivation.  Her confidence and self-esteem were down and life seemed pretty miserable.

“I saw a photo of myself and even though I’m only 25, I looked like my 51-year-old Dad. I looked like a beached whale. I didn’t like what I saw. I wanted to be a better role model for my pre-school daughter, I wanted to have more energy, and feel better in my skin. I wanted to be able to have surgery to fix my back problem – if necessary. But I needed to lose weight and increase my fitness to do all of those things.”

Casey’s neighbour told her about Green Prescription and she made an appointment with her GP to see if she qualified. She left the doctors with a Green Prescription and desire for change. She contacted Sport Taranaki and spoke to Bailey – one of the Green Prescription team members. Within a few days information was in her letter box and the supportive phone calls began. 

Now working in a roading crew, Casey sometimes works up to 10 and a-half-hours a day on her feet. “There’s no way I could have done this job before I made the positive changes to my lifestyle,” she says.

Unhealthy eating habits contributed to Casey’s gradual weight gain. Reversing those has been one key element to her success. Takeaways are no longer on the dinner menu four times a week. They have been replaced with healthier options including hamburgers made from homemade bread and patties. Usually her vegetable garden in the back yard supplies fresh and raw food.

Casey’s advice for anyone wanting to make healthy lifestyle changes is to get a Green Prescription, buy a good pair of shoes and a jacket, and start with a walk around the block.

“Trust me - even a five minute walk will make you feel so much better. Set a goal and aim for it.

To learn more about Green Prescription click here