The Power of a Compelling Wellbeing Challenge

Photos by Sportcam

Earlier this month I took part in the 25th Windsor triathlon organised by Human Race.

I've done many events over the years but none with quite so many entrants as this - 3000 in total!  Would there be room for us all was my initial concern.

I need not have worried. The previous 24 editions had paved the way for a seamlessly organised race. Well-executed swim starts in waves were followed by a bike route that turned out to have plenty of space for everyone to hurtle along. Then the run was 3 laps around Windsor which wasn't exactly built with major sporting events in mind yet the course didn't feel crowded as it perhaps should have done with this many people making their way past the ever impressive castle.

Photos by Sportcam

Human Race had put me in touch with some writers and bloggers who were entering the event as a means to test themselves with a new challenge. The idea being that I coach them through the process of preparing themselves while balancing their life in the months before race day.

The individuals in the group had entered the event for a variety of reasons. Either they were taking on a triathlon for the first time, or they were attracted by the challenge of a longer distance course than they were used to. One thing they all had in common was the fact that training for the event was not going to be simple within their already packed schedules.

Photos by Sportcam

In the weeks and months leading up to the event I spoke with each of them about how to organise their weekly timetable in an attempt to perfect their approach in all three disciplines of triathlon while at the same time avoiding fatigue, injury, mental exhaustion and metaphorically dropping the ball at work or at home.

The specific challenges for each of the team were different whether it was the fear of diving into the river Thames, the dread of getting out of a wetsuit at speed, the uncertainty of where they should be going on the bike course, the unknown quantity of running 10k after a cold morning plunge and a hot pursuit through the countryside surrounding Windsor, or even just the 4am alarm call to get to the start line on time.  One thing was consistent for all of them however: the event was taking place on June 14th and the date seemed to be approaching at lightning speed.

For some of them, the lows along the way were pretty low. It's not easy training for any sporting event, never mind one that has so many moving parts as a triathlon. Some expected this and others were taken a little by surprise. 

But during all the trials and tribulations of training, the highs and the lows, knowledge of what they needed to do on race day, and when they needed to pull a performance out of the bag, kept them focused and kept them motivated.

And by the end of the process, one thing they all ultimately agreed on was that all the low moments and all the effort paled into insignificance compared to the joy of completing the event and the enormous satisfaction of a job well done.  Yes it was painful but they were unanimous - it was definitely worth it.

Photos by Sportcam

So let's focus on 2 simple lessons from the journey the group went on:
1) If you want to keep your wellbeing on track, no matter how busy life gets, get an event or two in the diary. Always have something to aim for that shapes your training schedule and gives you reason to push on when you're tempted to put your health and fitness on the back burner as other priorities shout louder.

2) If you're going to sign up or an event, make it something worthwhile. A true challenge will give you a greater sense of achievement when you cross the finish line, and teach you so much about yourself and what you're capable of along the way. It really is a case of the more you put into it, the more you'll get out so aim high.

So congratulations again to @keepitsimpElle, @sj_perera, @joannaruck, @GlennMMitchell and the rest of the group.

You can read Joanna's experience of the event here.

Read about Glenn here.

Elle's report is here.

If you feel that picking a specific challenge will focus your wellbeing and performance, you'll find some fantastic events to enter at www.humanrace.co.uk.  I'll look forward to seeing you at the start line!

You might also be interested to read:
Motivation tips from Triathlon: 3 clear steps to fast-track wellness results

Read more on this article...

Sleep More, Get Active, Lose Weight

Here’s a great story from one of our participants who made some resolutions on April 29.  Look how far they’ve come in such a short time. 

Inspiration for us all!

'Great to hear from you. Your email sparked renewed energy to pursue my objectives, now I know someone is watching!

You will be pleased to know that I have done well to keep to my goals and had the support of several of my fellow delegates whom I have shared my transformation and progress with.

I have been able to increase my sleep from 4 hours daily to at least 6 hours of proper sleep. This does leave me lethargic towards the latter part of my day but I’m happy with the overall progress.

I have stuck to my pre-sleep routine of slowing down my mind from 2130, by:

• Stopping any engagement with electronics, work, house chores and reading
• Shutting down the lights in the house and laying down to unwind
• Listening to soft music in a passive state
• At 2200 I allow myself to fall asleep

I do miss a day or two per week but I manage to get back on track.

I have not managed to stop drinking coffee all together but I have reduced my intake to only one cup, first thing in the morning, before work. Furthermore I consume only one additional cup of rooibos tea during the day. So, I’m well on track to be free from caffeine before I see you again.

Finally I have increased my fitness discipline and have lost 3.5kg in four weeks. I have signed up with a personal trainer to strengthen my core and trim my muscles in addition to cycling.  

Thank you for checking in, it’s great encouragement. See you in a few weeks.'

We want to ensure you achieve quick results with your wellbeing objectives.  Follow us on Twitter for regular motivation, inspiration and success stories.

Read more on this article...

3 Great Wellbeing Tips from People Just Like You

One of the groups we’re working with at the moment is doing brilliantly with their wellbeing progress.  I wanted to share some of their observations on the secrets of their success so far, so that you can follow their great example.

1. Look for as many opportunities as you can to do the right thing for your wellbeing.  Small actions really add up so the more you do, the better you feel and the more you want to do.

2. Share your wellbeing journey with others.  The more people you have around you who are making positive choices, supporting you, and holding you accountable, the easier it is to stay on track.

3. Record your progress.  Whatever you want to change whether it be fitting in more activity, eating better, improving sleep routines or changing the balance of your life, keeping notes of your actions and the results you experience helps focus your mind and target the behaviour changes that really work.  It also helps you recognise and celebrate your successes.

We want to ensure you achieve quick results with your wellbeing objectives.  Follow us on Twitter for regular motivation, inspiration and success stories.

Read more on this article...

Improve Wellbeing and Feel Great Immediately

Most of us know that great wellbeing simply means remembering to prioritise all the things you know are good for you.  

Here are 4 top tips to help you do exactly that right now.

1. Stand up (this moment or as soon as you can within the next 20-minutes) stretch your body, take a few deep breaths and have a drink of water.

2.  Remind yourself why making the right choices with wellbeing really matters to you.  What are your current wellbeing priorities? What would you like to do more of?  What would you like to do less of?  How do your daily choices move you towards achieving your wellbeing priorities?

3. Set yourself a new wellbeing objective and a deadline.  It could be a mini-motivational goal for the next week, or a life changing challenge for the coming months.  Make it something exciting that adds quality, value and fun to your life.

4. Schedule an appointment with yourself to check in and see how progress is going.  Never go more than 7-days without reviewing your wellbeing actions in relation to everything you want to achieve in life.

We want to ensure you achieve quick results with your wellbeing objectives.  Follow us on Twitter for regular motivation, inspiration and success stories.

Read more on this article...

Personal Wellbeing Success: A step by step guide

As you'd imagine, we spend a lot of our time helping individuals make sense of the mass of healthy living information in the world.  It's our job to ensure they feel motivated and inspired to make the changes and get the results that work for them and their specific desires and circumstances.

Getting great results with wellbeing is simple when you know how

It boils down to a straightforward 10-step process.  Anyone who follows each of these steps is GUARANTEED positive results with their health, wellbeing and personal performance.

Try it for yourself or pass the strategy to others in the business who you think might find it useful.

1. Be very clear on the wellbeing results you are going to achieve

2. Be specific about when you will achieve these results

3. Identify what you currently know that will help you reach your goals quickly

4. Identify what you currently do that will help you reach your goals quickly

5. Identify any gaps in your wellbeing knowledge that could slow your progress towards your goals.  Find out how you can plug these gaps

6. Sketch out a personal wellbeing plan that includes a selection of key ideas, attitudes, strategies, routines and habits which you think will help you achieve your desired results.  Your plan should be a blue-sky vision of the daily lifestyle choices, activities and decisions that you know deep down are right for you, your objectives and your circumstances

7. Put your plan into action immediately

8. Use your plan to take consistent, daily action towards your goals

9. Review your plan regularly, judging it against your desired time line and results, and make adjustments accordingly. Experiment with new behaviors to speed up progress or amend your deadline to ensure it is realistic.

10. Celebrate success and update your goals regularly. Always have specific targets in mind, even if the target is to maintain your current wellbeing results.  If you have a goal you can measure progress at every stage and every lifestyle choice you make can be judged in relation to your targets.  Without a goal, daily choices become blurry, reactive and ill-defined. 

If you'd like to read more about how to develop effective wellbeing strategies for the individuals in your organisation, download our free guide at the right hand side of this page.

Read more on this article...

The Best You've Felt for 20 Years

It's Friday and the sun is out in London.

Better than that we've just had an email that's got everyone smiling here.  A simple message from a guy who works at one of our clients.  

For this client we arranged a wellbeing day in January and we've kept in touch with everyone with a few well-timed motivational emails ever since.  This guy has clearly made the most of the opportunity to make a few changes with his wellbeing.

'Just to say I am still on target.

The emails were a great help as it kept me focused on my goal.

I actually feel the best I have for more than 20 years.

Thank you very much.'

Anyone else fancy feeling 20-years younger?

Here's to a healthy weekend!

Read more on this article...

Wellness Determination and a Great Result

On the day when experts are saying that current exercise recommendations are 'unrealistic for most', I received a great note from a lady who attended a programme we worked on a couple of years ago:

'Back in the old days when I was a participant, fresh from having a baby, you may recall me mentioning I couldn’t run 100m and wanted to work on that.  

WELL, while it took longer than I had hoped, thanks to the joys of an overfull workday, I DID run my first 10K this past weekend at the Standard Chartered marathon in Dubai.  Slow as hell but hey, I have a time to beat now J'

Brilliant.  It just goes to show that with a clear goal and a bit of determination, great things are possible.  Take a moment today to check that your wellness goals are specific, exciting and framed with a deadline.  Plan what you will do this week to move closer to your goals and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve.

Good luck.

Read more on this article...

Health, Wellness & Personal Performance: A strategic business advantage

In a fast-paced world there's a distinct risk for professionals that looking after themselves can slip down the priority list. The danger is that while we live in a high energy environment, our personal energy can sometimes feel challenged or compromised. 

But, make no mistake, our ability to perform at any level, in any sector, is directly determined by how we feel physically and mentally every day.  With a number of recent high profile cases of stress and burnout affecting senior business leaders, it's more important than ever that we all invest in our health and our energy. 

The Tonic is a corporate wellness company which specialises in helping professionals understand what it takes to perform at their peak.  We deliver a very successful life-changing workshop designed to enable individuals and organisations take their health, energy and effectiveness to the next level.

Over the course of the 90-minute workshop, we will ensure participants are equipped with everything they need to optimise their personal and professional performance by enhancing their lifestyle choices.  

Everyone will have the opportunity to design a bespoke plan for health, energy and performance; a plan they can put into action immediately as they are guided through a simple 7-step framework: 

• Personal wellness and performance: where are you now?
• What good wellness looks like for you
• How to eat for optimum energy, no matter how busy your schedule
• How to design an effective exercise routine for quick and lasting results
• The secrets of a great night's sleep
• Key lifestyle choices to help you manage pressure and build resilience
• How to maintain wellness as a short, medium and long-term priority

The workshop is suitable for up to 25 participants.  Larger numbers can be catered for as a presentation format.

To book your Health, Wellness and Personal Performance workshop, email Jeff Archer on jeff@the-tonic.com or call 020 8995 1302.

Join the likes of British Gas, DLKW Lowe, London Business School, Madgex, Roche Products, Sainsbury's, Tesco and many others and fast-track your teams to optimum wellbeing results.

'Your session was awesome. Thanks for the insight.  Over the last month I feel more focused and efficient in all aspects of life, not just work.'

Read more on this article...

Get Ahead with Your Healthy Living New Year Resolutions

Given that many people set themselves New Year resolutions relating to their health and wellbeing, we thought we'd help everyone get one step ahead by thinking about some simple steps to take for the next couple of weeks to help get you through the festive season feeling great and set you up for a healthy 2015.

Here's a short report from a recent workshop participant that might motivate you to focus on the little things you can do, starting today, that will lead to dramatic wellness benefits...

‘The good news is…I am much more aware of hydration and have cut down on the amount of sugary cordials and squash I have in my water.  I carry water with me whenever I am out.

I am eating breakfast from your list every day and have migrated my snacks and dinners to be off the list 80% of the time too.

I’m doing the sleep calculation and finding that 7.5 hours is indeed better than 8 hours. Well, actually for me it is about 7 hrs 40 mins so I just set my alarm for 7 hrs and 45 mins time and wake up before it most days. Hooray.

I’m also incorporating HIITS (through circuits, hills or sprint intervals) into my workouts 2-3 times per week.

The sum total impact of these changes is that my energy in general, and especially for running, is massively improved and I have had fewer headaches.  

I have definitely reaped rewards from some small changes.  Thanks for your input and help, it has helped a whole lot.’

Read more on this article...

How Long Does it Take to Change Healthy Living Habits...

...and how long does it take to get results with health, wellness and performance behaviour changes?

The short answer is, it depends how much of a priority billing you give to your wellness changes, and how effective and consistent your actions are.

How to ensure quick and lasting wellness results
We see plenty of evidence that with the right information and motivation, individuals and groups can achieve fantastic results in a very short time.  We also know that with appropriate support, these changes will be long lasting. 

To illustrate this, here are a couple of examples:

1) Wellbeing results can be quick
One group we worked with recently was attending a 4-week leadership programme, during which we delivered a selection of wellness modules.  We assessed various wellness KPIs at the beginning of the programme and again after 3-weeks.  During this short time the progress of the group was incredible.  They attended a selection of wellness presentations and activity sessions with the result that:

• 38% lost weight

• 49% lowered their Resting Heart Rate

• 42% reduced body fat

• 62% lowered Blood Pressure

Which proves that new habits can begin paying dividends almost immediately.

2) Wellbeing results can be lasting
On another programme we worked with participants during a leadership programme made up of two weeks in May and then two weeks in September.  Over the period from the start to the finish of the programme, participants remained focused on their wellness (with a little help from us and a selection of healthy living workshops, workouts and coaching) which meant that by the end of 4-months:

• 67% lost weight

• 61% lowered their Resting Heart Rate

• 53% reduced body fat

• 37% lowered Blood Pressure

The exciting thing here is that participants felt they'd made changes that would continue to pay dividends for a long time to come.  Their new decisions and actions had become habits and routines that were easy to follow and would stick.

We've complied a summary of the key changes made by these participants and the 5-step process they employed that led to these amazing results.  For a copy of this information simply email us at info@the-tonic.com and copy 'Quick wellness results' into the subject line of your message. 

Click here to read a further example of how lifestyle changes can make a positive difference that lasts for years

Read more on this article...