Pastor Siaumau Taula, of the Hastings Samoan Assembly of God, putting his gloves up for fitness with his congregation. Photo / Ian Cooper
Pastor Siaumau Taula, of the Hastings Samoan Assembly of God, putting his gloves up for fitness with his congregation. Photo / Ian Cooper
A Samoan church congregation in Hastings is doing more than just worshipping together - they're also challenging each other throughout the week to lose weight and get fit.
A six-week health and wellbeing challenge has been run annually by the Hastings Samoan Assembly of God since 2020, and each year it gets more popular.
Salu Uputaua, the church's media spokeswoman, said it started with just under 20 people taking up the challenge two years ago, but that number has since grown to about 40.
She said the aim was to tackle the issue of obesity in Pasifika communities, especially in Samoans.
Uputaua said a team of six from the church - Ben, May, Amy, Ana and Upu and herself - had started the programme.
"The aim is to push through and be consistent," Uputaua said of the challenge.
"Even though it is for six weeks, once the six weeks is finished, some will do it on their own, and we want them to stick with the weight that they've lost, instead of gaining it back.
Ela Talalupe is one of the members of the church taking part in the fitness challenge, which involved a boxing class at FlaxRock early Saturday morning. Photo / Ian Cooper
"It's changing the mindset and also trying to get them to eat healthy."
The congregation work out as a group in partnership with PolyActive Hawke's Bay on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, and have a Saturday workshop with a focus topic, such as mental health, nutrition, and diabetes.
"That's what it is about: making them aware of the resources they have, changing their mindset, and trying to get them to remain consistent with our health and wellbeing challenge."
She said the programme involves high-intensity interval training regimes like PolyFever (similar to Zumba) and Crossfit, as well as boxing classes at the FlaxRock Gym and walks up Te Mata Peak on Saturdays.
She said all of the classes are free for participants, thanks to help from the community providing facilities to be used.
"We have the resources, it is just trying to get them out there."
First lady Mauga Taula giving the punching bag a good swing. Photo / Ian Cooper
Pastor Siaumau Taula said the programme was very helpful and he was getting great feedback from the community.
"They love it, everybody loves it, they enjoy doing it."
He said every part of the programme was good, but his favourite was the swimming.
"Swimming is good, because every part of the body is worked out."
He said he would like to see others in his community come along and enjoy the mental and physical benefits of the programme too.
