Wellness coach and holistic nutritionist Corinne Zaffarese Elbourne shares her advice on how to adopt a healthy lifestyle that survives beyond New Year’s resolutions.
The first few months of every year typically see a dramatic increase in gym memberships and plans to lead a healthier life, but it is widely believed that 80 per cent of people’s New Year’s resolutions run out of steam by February.
This phenomenon is something Corinne Zaffarese Elbourne is familiar with, having spent the past 14 years studying and working in nutrition and fitness.
A pharmacist by profession, Zaffarese Elbourne has always been fascinated by nutrition and the quest for health through food and exercise, which is why she later studied to become a state-registered nutritionist and a fitness instructor. It is also how her wellness programme MIVERBO came to be.
This membership programme is built around the three pillars of nutrition, exercise and mindset, and is designed with busy professionals and working mums in mind. Whereas a lack of resources and information might have been a stumbling block a decade ago, the biggest obstacle these days seems to be a lack of time, especially in the case of those who dedicate long hours to their career.
“The most common hurdle to overcome is that of not having time to dedicate to fitness, but we tend to overestimate how much time is needed,” she says.
“No matter how busy you are, finding 30 minutes a day, five times a week is something we can all do with a bit of willpower.”
However, she also admits that willpower is not always enough to maintain a fitness journey that will last longer than two months. Years of helping others stick to their goals have taught her that the following four fundamentals cannot be ignored if one hopes to change their life to a healthier one.
Take the decision
“Deciding to improve your health is the first and most important step,” Zafferese Elbourne says.
“Some people say that life is too short to deny yourself anything, but it’s important to remember that this is not about the coming few months, but about your entire life and how you want to live it. If the immediate future is all you think about, a year will roll by and you’ll find yourself in the same place – or worse off.”
Find what you enjoy doing
Going to the gym is not the only way to exercise. Zumba, running, hiking or even dancing are some of the many other alternatives. It is a matter of finding what you enjoy and what will keep you motivated. This is something Zaffarese Elbourne keeps in mind when coaching her clients, alongside their individual needs and lifestyle.
Cut out what’s extra
“When it comes to eating, the easiest way to improve our diet is to eliminate what isn’t serving us, and the best way is by starting slowly,” she suggests.
Willpower is not always enough
“There is often an all-or-nothing mentality, which can work for a short while but will eventually backfire.
Instead of cutting out all soft drinks and juices at once, try substituting one glass of a sugary drink with a glass of water, increasing your water intake and decreasing that of unhealthy drinks slowly. Small changes to your habits will soon add up.”
Community
“I believe that being part of a community is one of the most important factors in successfully embarking on a fitness journey, especially if you don’t have that kind of support at home or from friends,” Zaffarese Elbourne continues.
“I truly believe that you’re the average of the five people you spend most time with, and if you don’t spend time with people who are on the same journey as you, it becomes much harder to follow through.”
Community is, in fact, an integral part of the MIVERBO programme. In her Facebook and chat groups reserved for members, Corinne offers constant support in the form of recipes, motivational videos, mindset sessions with a psychotherapist and meditation sessions.
“There is occasionally a member who doesn’t want to participate in a group setting, but – more often than not – they eventually change their mind when they realise how helpful peer support is because, ultimately, we are inspired by others,” she adds.
Finally, Zafferese Elbourne strongly believes in having the right mindset when it comes to wellness.
“The journey to fitness and good health is lifelong and does not end with the programme,” she says.
“If we are to lead a long and healthy life, we need to start by nourishing our body with balanced meals and celebrating our ability to exercise our body and making these actions an integral part of our life.”
MIVERBO’s unique 16-week personalised programme starts on April 10. If you are interested in joining the next cohort or would like more information, contact Corinne Zaffarese Elbourne for a free consultation at cora.elbourne@gmail.com. Or get in touch through the MIVERBO Facebook page or via Instagram @miverbo_mt.