How to select the right wellness fit, from one who learnt the hard way

How to select the right wellness fit, from one who learnt the hard way

Pandemic disrupted industries are thick on the ground. Lockdowns have forced the wellness industry online with telehealth, at-home fitness and alternative therapies all transitioning into the digital space.

Re-prioritised life choices have changed consumer behaviour around health as a trend to proactive wellness rather than reactive medicine has fuelled interest in online wellness and growth within the space.

As the general public seek to understand mindfulness and what overall wellness means, how do they go about finding the right fit in this new online industry?

Rhys Ibbott, Director of Wave to Wellness has some helpful tips –  drawn from his extensive knowledge in the space alongside some pretty hard learnt personal lessons.

Rhys was once a cardio-fitness fantatic. Using hard exercise to deal with stress and keep him fit. That was until he literally dropped dead while out running at the age of 26.

“I had a cardiac arrest and collapsed by the side of the road. Luckily for me, a woman who had just completed a CPR course was driving by and jumped out of her car to perform CPR until an ambulance arrived.” Rhys explains.

Rhys was found to have a heart condition and was fitted with a small defibrillator unit in his chest. It took some time to get his head around the fact that running and hard cardio was not the only way to stay fit, healthy and stress-free.“It’s not easy to change your approach to fitness and stress relief. People often rely on drinking, drugs, hard exercise and other less healthy outlets as an escape and it took me some time to find better ways to stay fit, healthy and ultimately happy.

“I gave yoga and meditation a try and found the benefits were far more positive than I had expected. Over time I researched mindful movement, undertook extensive training and moved from student to teacher.

“As I realised the benefits  I wanted to share my experience and educate men in particular on how to incorporate mindful movement into their lives to enhance their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

“Mindfulness teaches you to be OK with what is outside of your control. This is particularly important for those coping with health problems or changing life circumstances. During 2020 and 2021 many people had to learn coping strategies quickly with Covid disrupting industries and livelihoods. Yoga and meditation can really help here.

“I knew that to connect with this group it had to be real though, no over the top Yogi mantra but mindfulness for the everyday worker – and so Wave to Wellness was born.”

Wave to Wellness tips on how to find the right wellness fit:

• Choose a program that is challenging without being unachievable. It is good to be a bit nervous before starting a new exercise regime, however, don’t choose something too difficult that you smash for a week and then throw into the two hard basket. Consistency is key.
• Look for a free trial period. A lot of online programs like Wave to Wellness offer a free trial period. This is a great way to test whether you enjoy the program. You can always cancel before the end of the trial period if it isn’t a good fit.
• How much equipment will you need? Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication with exercise. You don’t need loads of equipment to have a successful exercise program. Many great programs utilise your body weight and everyday items in the home. As well as being convenient this is also good for the bank account.
• What is the time commitment? Can you build this time into your daily routine? 20 – 30 minutes is usually the magic number (Wave to wellness offers 10-minute meditations and 20- 30 minute yoga classes).  A great length of time to make sure you get the benefits of a good workout without skimping on the amount of exercises, as well as being able to fit this into a busy life.
• Does the outcome align with your objectives? There is no point signing up to learn to run 10km if you are overcoming an illness and need gentle exercise. Make sure the end goal program success is aligned with what to achieve.
• Will you enjoy it? This is pretty important. You want to enjoy your program to get the most out of it – it’s never a chore if it is enjoyable.

About Wave to Wellness
Wave to Wellness is a community built around teaching and sharing the tools of simplistic health and wellbeing. Wave to wellness offers online yoga, mindfulness workshops, retreats and public speaking workshops. You can find them online at www.wavetowellnes.com.au. For more information, or to organise an interview or photo opportunity, please contact:

Rhys Ibbott
Director – Wave to Wellness
Rhys@wavetowellness.com.au
www.wavetowellness.com.au