Dear Reader,

After doing a lot of reading on the habits of the most successful people in the world, the one thing that kept coming up is the importance of establishing a daily routine. Millionaires like Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos, Tony Gobbins, Lori Harder, Tom Bilyeu, Gary Vaynerchuk among others, have all attributed their success to being able to stay in optimum health. What does this mean? They simply ensure taking care of their well being is a priority by being mindful of what they eat, staying active, getting enough rest and adapting crucial self care practices like meditation.

The first time I came across Eli Mwenda was on social media when he was appointed to be the new brand ambassador for Marini Naturals which is a Kenyan company that manufactures hair products. One of the things that caught my eye was his dedication to keep fit while juggling running a family business, curating lifestyle content on social media and starting his own business.

Only at the age of 26 years old, Eli launched his clothing line called 'House Of Eli' which is a collection of well selected UK brands made available under one roof in Kenya. After growing up in England and having easy access to clothes that were stylish and affordable, he wanted to create this experience possible for Kenyans. He also uses his social media platforms to showcase his impeccable style and gives great tips on lifestyle grooming for men. You can catch him across social media and his YouTube channel which is full of entertaining content on this link.

After sending him an email to ask if we could feature his fitness journey, he accepted to do the interview without hesitation. The location for the fitness photoshoot was Salmer Fitness located in Karen Plains Arcade. On the day of the shoot, Eli was right on time and well prepared to break a sweat and spill the beans on what keeps him motivated. I set up a short 25 minutes circuit to loosen him up and of course catch him in action for the shots!

Although his fitness journey started for aesthetic reasons when he was sixteen years old, he later approached it from a health and well-being point of view. He explained that fitness is the basis of his productivity and that pursuing a degree in Public Health also equipped him with the knowledge and appreciation for physical activity in one's life. Anytime he stops being active, he notices a huge difference in every aspect of his life.

With regards to the mental benefits, it helps him stay positive and increases his patience and attention span. The sense of achievement after every workout also contributes to his mental resilience. Being in good shape also enables him to accomplish more, sleep much better and stay energised. The results of all the handwork clearly shows in his great physique which he obviously isn't complaining about!

Majority of people struggle to incorporate fitness into their busy lifestyle; as for Eli, he makes a deliberate decision to hit the gym at a specific time and goes the extra mile by making sure his gym bag is always in his car. This enables him to avoid making excuses for not making it for his workout. He also attributes his good health to eating well and cutting out sugars and dairy. His motivation for keeping fit is to be strong and active in old age; he believes in starting as early as now so that he is able to keep up with his grand-kids.

"Give the gym a high priority when scheduling your day. Go at your own pace, everyone’s body if different. Have a reason for starting that will help you stay motivated even when you don’t want to carry on. Do some research (YouTube) on workouts to make sure your technique are correct. You don’t want to use all that energy and not see results because of the wrong technique."- Eli Mwenda

Yours In Wellness

@tizitalks

Credits

Photography: Desmund Njenga

Location: Salmer Fitness, Karen Plains Arcade, Nairobi

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