How to stay on track with your wellness and exercise goals this winter
Keeping consistent with your exercise routine and eating habits can feel overwhelming, especially with the busy-ness of our daily lives. During the colder months, it can be even harder to exercise regularly and eat healthy foods. It’s important to remember that holistic wellness is not a seasonal practice, but a lifelong journey that we need to stay on for our own benefit.
“Holistic wellness is not merely about hitting the gym a few times a week or following a strict diet plan. It's about cultivating a balanced and sustainable lifestyle that nurtures our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Each component works harmoniously to create a tapestry of optimal health and happiness,” says Jessica Spira, Managing Director of Virgin Active South Africa.
So, how can you ease yourself into making these lifestyle changes, especially now during winter?
To embark on a transformative journey, we must embrace commitment and determination. Goals worth achieving are seldom easy, but the rewards are immeasurable. By utilising the right tools, it can feel less and less like an unattainable goal and more like something achievable.
“Consistency doesn’t come from motivation, but from discipline. It can be helpful to set a goal for yourself of a minimal number of workouts you would like to do per week and stick to that. Also, it’s not all about work. Make sure you start with an achievable goal, measure your progress and reward yourself for your effort,” adds Spira.
Virgin Active’s brand-new app has a built-in Rewards programme that will reward members for exercising consistently. Rewards include a free coffee or smoothie when training twice or more per week, special partner discounts and an app wallet that can be spent against your membership fee.
If you’re battling to make the time to exercise, Virgin Active’s App allows its members to book classes in advance, giving them more control of their time and their workouts. This is a great way for anyone looking to improve their fitness level to plan and take control of their fitness journey.
“When you’re able to take a look at your schedule and know that you’ve booked an hour to do Yoga, a Cycle, or a Boxing class, you have a greater sense of control of your time. This makes it easier to stay committed, because you’re able to anticipate when you need to be at the gym for your workout.”
If you know you’re not going to make it to the gym, there are plenty of different workouts you can do at home to help keep you on track. From high intensity interval training to Yoga workouts, digital platforms can help keep you accountable if you can’t make it to the weights section.
“There are plenty of online resources with a variety of workouts. On our new app, our members can access over 350 hours of fitness and wellness related content across eight different categories of exercise, making it easier to workout everywhere you go.”, concludes Spira.
Wellness is not only about pushing your body to the limits. It’s about taking moments to breathe, relax and destress. And the Virgin Active Rewards programme applauds you for doing just that. Whether you’re accessing the gym for a workout, to relax in the steam room or sauna, or simply to enjoy something nourishing to eat at Kauai or Nu, you still get rewarded.
