MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO - A SOUND MIND IN A SOUND BODY

A typical day in London for me starts with a hurried cup of coffee and a short walk to the nearest bus stop. By 9am, I am sitting at my desk going through correspondence and reading. Recently, I have spent morning and afternoon sessions, twice a week on the Committee for the Police Reform Bill. On a free morning, I may well join a debate in Westminster Hall for an hour and a half. Lunch may be buffet food at a reception or a sandwich back at the desk. At 2.30pm, I may be in the House for Prayers, followed by questions to Ministers. I may stay for the following debate or attend various meetings organised by 'all party parliamentary groups'. Representatives of various interest groups seek meetings, lobbying takes place and constituents make visits. The day is usually a scramble between activities, but with long periods of sitting down. I often have a substantial evening meal and my day usually ends around 10.30pm to 11pm when I share a taxi back to Dolphin Square.

In addition to my new life in London, I have an action packed diary in the constituency. You may have noticed!

Against this background I do need to make sure that I keep myself fit. I really hated all forms of exercise at school and always did my utmost to avoid participating in PE lessons - I forgot my kit frequently, I used to walk rather than run round the field when out of sight of the teacher and all the usual dodges! When I was Mayor, way back in 1997, I joined some heart patients in an exercise class at Broadstone Sports Centre. I had a go on several of the machines in the gym and discovered a new interest! I joined the Centre and discovered that I enjoyed setting my own personal targets and achieving them. It was so different from my school experience many years ago where it was common to be ridiculed for not achieving as much as others. I was always last to be picked to join a team!

These days I don't really worry what other people are doing in the gym and that, for example, I still only use relatively low weights. I am continually making progress at my level and I enjoy this. This summer I have been working hard in the gym, on occasions with a personal trainer at Holmes Place, and I am really feeling the benefit. This has meant that I have been pushed to a level of activity which I wouldn't have chosen if left to my own devices but it has increased my sense of achievement and fitness.

People often say to me where do you get all your energy from? I do enjoy everything that I do in life (well nearly everything!) and I think that is a partial explanation but I really believe making sure that I get the right sort of exercise is a key to a full and healthy life. I recently had my blood pressure tested and was told it was at the level of a healthy 30 year old.

Annette Brooke MP

Archive Winter 2002 | next

Say you saw it on "Broadstone NET"