Poupou Pakari Tinana
A one-week introduction to basic exercise, nutrition and wellbeing

Do you want to make some positive changes to your lifestyle?
Do you want to start exercising or eating better but are unsure what to do or where to start?
Do you want increase your level of fitness, strength and wellbeing to prepare yourself for the future?
Do you want to be able to teach your own whānau about how to enhance wellbeing over the lifetime? POUPOU PAKARI TINANA is a one-week long introduction to the fundamentals of exercise, nutrition and lifelong healthy living. It includes a range of hands-on practical learning experiences that teach students simple and effective ways of getting the most out of exercise and nutrition. Importantly, the programme is designed around the specific needs and requirements of whānau, so that everything taught on the course can be implemented by you at home with your own whānau.

When it comes to exercise and nutrition it is often very difficult for whānau to know where to begin. Common questions asked by many whānau include:

• What is the best approach for us in terms of engaging in exercise and nutrition?
• What is the best way to ensure that our whānau can live active healthy lifestyles across the duration of our lives and not just for 6 weeks or 12 months?
• What kai should we eat more of and what kai should we eat less of and why?
• How do we ensure that what we are doing is going to be successful and sustainable?

There are many misconceptions out there about what constitutes effective exercise and nutrition. In order to be successful, whānau need to be able to utliise approaches that draw on the values of whanaungatanga, kotahitanga and manaakitanga. These elements are often lacking in many exercise and nutrition programmes that are designed for whānau.
POUPOU PAKARI TINANA explores kaupapa, tikanga and kawa that can be used within the household to promote lifelong sustainable engagement in exercise, nutrition and healthy living. It also draws from up to date evidence-based research in exercise, nutrition and lifestyle. This is unique approach is designed specifically to enhance the learning outcomes for participants within the course.

POUPOU PAKARI TINANA is taught on-campus over four days and students return for a further two days later on in the year to complete their remaining physical assessments, nutritional evaluations and resetting of aims, goals and objectives. Classes comprise a mixture of practical hands-on activities in exercise and nutrition and also include some exploration of perspectives around Māori health and wellbeing and Māori participation in exercise.

Prior to commencing, students will also be asked to provide pre-course information around existing lifestyle habits and behaviours such as weekly nutritional intake, any engagement in exercise, physical activity or sport as well as any existing medical conditions. This information will enable course lecturers to work closely with each participant during the course to determine the most effective wellbeing strategy to set in place.