Government bashing over aerobics classes

Nobody can argue with Kirill Micallef Stafrace (May 18) that everyone should maintain a healthy lifestyle. There are a few points he raises that I strongly disagree with.

I am past needing the free aerobics classes that were offered. I still went to the local council offices a number of times to enrol and was unsuccessful. I had the same luck with another council.

I believe it was a "private", not government, concern that organised the classes, with the government providing the funding to pay the instructors. No one seems to know why the classes were stopped. Maybe the organisers are the ones who should answer that question. One can speculate and point fingers - the authorities make a convenient and easy target.

The mind boggles. Why all the bellyaching about the termination of the free aerobics? Whoever attended the classes should have felt the benefit of physical activity and made it part of his/her lifestyle. Maybe if we feel we can get it for free from the government we want it and don't have the motivation to do it on our own. Any professional, be it doctor, nutritionist, physical therapist or the like, can advise on very straightforward ways to maintain good health.

As far as exercise goes a half hour brisk walk three times a week, more often won't hurt. Some stretching and some bodyweight resistance exercises will save Mater Dei millions of euros. Those feeling deprived of the aerobics classes will also be saving on time to go to and fro from home to the class venues; also reducing on pollution if they happen to drive to the classes. Some of the time saved can be utilised by finding the several websites that have guidance to get one started on a healthy lifestyle to running a marathon if motivation gets strong enough.

We should all take ownership of our well-being. Government bashing, whatever party is in power, verges on stupidity.