With one month left to conclude the year, this feature could not be anymore timely. Sometimes all you need to get back on your fitness journey is a little inspiration by hearing how staying active has changed and transformed lives. I had the pleasure of meeting Yvonne Endo at Revitalise Wellness Center located along Thigiri Ridge where she shared details of how she stays motivated to keep fit.

During the week, Yvonne works at an advertising agency called 34° as an account manager and the other hours she co-owns a brand with her sister (Patti Endo) called Endo Squared. Through their brand, they recently created a collection of products using inspiration from her sister's art pieces with their latest product being a collaboration with Sandstorm to have the art on their bags.

We got to chatting about her fitness journey and how she manages to find time outside her busy schedule to workout. Although she wasn't consistent, 2 years ago she found a gym she could afford and access without the hassle of traffic. Before becoming fully committed, she used to attend the occasional home workouts and even played tons of tennis where she had the privilege of playing for the Under 18 national team.

The need to challenge herself to become stronger and fitter drove her to start working out; but the post-workout high and sense of achievement kept her going. On top of getting stronger, staying active has toned her physique, improved her skin and guarantees a good night's sleep. Yvonne works out 2- 3 times a week during the week at Alpha Fit where she attends the Z6 crossfit class ran by Ed Mujumba. She likes to switch up her workouts from crossfit by attending boxing classes on weekends.

Although she finds it difficult to maintain her routine with a 9 to 5, she takes advantage of the days where work is not hectic to squeeze in two workouts. When it comes to food, her cheat meal is burgers from Mama Rocks and a sneaky ice-cream. We all know starting your fitness journey is the easiest part but staying consistent is difficult. Yvonne stays motivated by seeing the results of her hard work and the scalding hot post-workout shower!

I asked her what she would advise someone who wants to develop a healthier lifestyle and here is what she had to say:- "Just start! That’s usually the hard part. When you do start, test different types of work outs and see what suits you. For some people gym work outs are not for them, so try something else – could be yoga, swimming etc that you enjoy and working out will no longer feel like a chore which it can be if you don’t love it.".....

"Another tip is to be consistent- falling off is pretty easy, but getting back into routine can be much harder. I feel that way even when I have tough weeks where I miss an entire week worth of workouts, and finding the motivation to go back can get challenging. Thirdly, find a gym partner – sometimes having someone who can hold you accountable and vice versa makes such a difference. Lastly and most importantly, don’t be so hard on yourself- it’s okay to have days where you just can’t find it in you to work out. Don’t be discouraged, let it go, and try again the next day."

Yours in Wellness,

@tizitalks

^Credits:

^{Chief Online Editor- Loise Machira}

^{Photography- Desmond Njenga}

^{Videography- Desmond Njenga}

^{Location- Revitalise Wellness Center, Thigiri Ridge}

^{Nairobi, Kenya}