How can getting a little outside help turn your life around?

We love working closely with our clients to help them achieve not just their financial goals, but also their personal goals. These are often centered around improving their health and happiness. Carol is one of our wonderful clients who has done just that. She had a dream of fitting back into her size 10 jeans and we spoke to her about how she achieved her goal.

What made you decide to work on your health and fitness goals?

Two years after dislocating and fracturing my shoulder, I was invited by Kathryn to attend an AIA Vitality Day in November 2019. Whilst talking to one of the coaches from Virgin Active, I heard myself using my shoulder injury as the reason for being overweight and unfit. I was mortified at what I was hearing myself say, and knew I needed to stop with the excuses and start making some changes. Until then, I didn’t realise just how much my shoulder injury was holding me back from living life. My self-confidence was at an all-time low.

What were the health and fitness goals you set out to achieve?

I needed to work on strengthening my shoulder. I was using my shoulder injury as an excuse as to why I was so unhealthy and unfit. I wanted to reduce my BMI from a very unhealthy 33 to somewhere in the healthy range (less than 24.9) which would require a weight loss of at least 21 kg. I wanted to be able to fit back into my size 10 jeans and feel comfortable wearing them. I rarely wore jeans and felt very uncomfortable in my size 14 jeans. I hoped that if I worked hard and could achieve platinum status under my AIA Vitality membership, before my policy renewed in July, I could get close to achieving these goals.

How has reaching this goal changed your life?

In less than six months, I’ve gone from doing very little exercise to exercising most days. I’m feeling healthier, happier, less stressed and have much more self-confidence. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m working from home so what used to be my “commute time” has now become my morning exercise time. I’m now starting my day with a 5km walk or run. I’ve even completed the Inca Trail virtual marathon (part of the Conqueror series), something I would never have even thought of doing six months ago.

Working from home for the last nine weeks has at times been a struggle, as my family are all located interstate. Without the discipline to exercise more and eat healthier, I know this challenging time we are all going through, would have been much more difficult for me to get through.

Over the weekend, with the shops starting to re-open, I’ve just bought my first pair of size 9 jeans. I can’t remember a time when I’ve fitted into jeans this small!

How did Evalesco help you become the best version of you?

My Adviser Kathryn had been encouraging me to come along to the AIA Vitality day for some time and I always found an excuse to not attend. Last November, I had finally run out of excuses and told myself I would go along, get some Vitality points (to reach silver status) and that would be enough for me.

I had no idea that by going along that day, a sequence of events would be triggered resulting in my biggest transformation yet. Over the past six months, I have joined the gym, started working with Kieran my Personal Trainer, and dramatically improved my health and fitness allowing me to complete a virtual marathon. The added bonus is that I have achieved platinum status under my AIA Vitality membership, which has seen me receive extra bonuses along the way as well as a discount on my insurance premiums!

Despite gyms being closed for some time now, I’ve continued my personal training sessions with Kieran once a week, while working from home. He’s been a huge support and encouragement during my journey to becoming “the best version of me”. He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself and I honestly don’t know where I would be now if I hadn’t met him at the AIA Vitality Day six months ago.
Thank you Evalesco and AIA Vitality!

If you would like to talk to one of our advisers about AIA Vitality and how it could help you, call us today on 02 9232 6800.