Why Do I Need to be a Healthy Weight?
This healthy weight poster for prisoners, their families and Corrections staff promotes the importance of maintaining a healthy weight. It includes information on the risks of being overweight and how to manage weight in prison.
The full resource:
NOTE: This Department of Corrections resource cannot be ordered from this website. All men’s prisons throughout New Zealand received hard copies of this resource in July 2013.
Why do I need to be a healthy weight?
Being overweight can lead to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and other illnesses.
How can I manage my weight in prison?
- Put in a health request form (health chit) to see a nurse about your weight.
- Stick to the meals you are given. Don’t eat other people’s leftovers.
- Make good choices about the food you buy (on your P119 purchases). The nurse can help you learn about good choices.
- Be active every day. If you only get a short time to exercise, make it count.
- You can exercise in your cell space. Ask custody to get someone to help you work out an exercise plan.
- If you are going home soon, learn about what you can do to manage your weight at home.
Why do I need to be a healthy weight?
Prisoner: Just heard my uncle had a stroke. He’s only 45, and he’s got two young kids.
Corrections officer: Is he going to be OK?
Prisoner: Yep, but he’s had a fright. He has to start looking after himself – quit smoking, lose weight and stuff.
Corrections officer: What about you? You stopped smoking, but you need to lose some weight.
Prisoner: Yeah, but I can’t do much about it in here.
Corrections officer: Yes you can. And you need to. Being overweight makes you at risk of heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and other illnesses.
LATER
Prisoner: So, what can I do?
Corrections officer: Put in a health request form to see a nurse. And I can get someone to help you work out an exercise plan. Good on you.
A FEW WEEKS LATER
Prisoner: How can I lose some weight?
Nurse: Your exercise plan is a good start. A bit of exercise every day will help you lose weight and make you feel better.
Prisoner: Yeah. I do feel better. What about food?
Nurse: Stick to your own meals. And I’ll give you information about healthy food so you can make good choices about the food you buy.