The Tonic

Last year we decided to investigate the longer-term impacts of wellness initiatives so we've spent the last few months catching up with people who have taken part in various wellness programmes that we've run over the last 10 years.

We've had some fantastic feedback so wanted to share this as an illustration of how dramatic the results of a corporate wellness programme can be, and how these results can create benefits for participants that last for years and are truly life-changing for them and for the organisations they work for.

If you'd like some results like this for people in your business, we'll be happy to help.

We asked people to respond to a selection of questions:

• Date of the wellness programme you attended: March 2009

• The lifestyle changes you made during the programme: Exercise and better food management

• The lifestyle changes you made following programme: I maintained the exercise. I love dancing and was inspired to do this more regularly, which I now do. A better diet over the last two years ( which took a bit more time for me to adopt than the exercise) has seen me lose around 2 stone (13kg) and maintain the weight loss.  I have also managed to 'balance' my work/life balance better and I am sure this is down to feeling healthier and also making time to do the above.

• The secrets of your success with wellbeing: I would say that it just needs to become how you live. I made excuses about time pressures before being the reason that I either couldn't exercise or plan my foods well. Utter nonsense, now it is all just part of my routine and I find cooking quite therapeutic. I would also say that involving the whole family also helps, so it becomes a family event. 

• What advice that you received made the greatest impact on you: I said 'I love dancing' and you immediately picked up on this and encouraged me to do more. I had always thought that exercise was going to the gym, running etc and I just couldn't get into it. Now I do what I love.

• The biggest benefits of making your lifestyle changes? I feel much better. Immunity better and I have much more energy. 

• Anything that got in the way of success with wellbeing - It doesn't take away the stress of work, but it does help you cope with it better! 

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