DO you find yourself honestly wanting to make healthier wellness choices, but life just gets in the way?

Any of the following sound familiar:

“I’m so busy. Work/school/the kids take up most of my time!”

“My friends and family don’t eat healthy.”

“I want to work out, but I just don’t want to work out in front of people, you know?”

“This is my last week! Next week I will start eating healthier.”

“I don’t know how to cook!”

Have you used at least one of these excuses or have you ‘frankensteined’ a fresh one of your own?

You are not alone! The will power to be healthy can prove to be difficult.

Even though we are bombarded by ‘before and after’ pictures, exercise videos and strong health reasons to get moving and eat healthy, there are still many Jamaicans not moving. In the latest Jamaican Healthy Lifestyle Survey, 65 per cent of women were considered to be overweight or obese and 38 per cent of men overweight or obese.

Yes, staggering statistics.

How do we get moving?

It is important to understand you are not alone. Having a wellness community helps to show you that excuses are surmountable and being healthier gets better with practice. This puts you in a supportive space, in order to lift your self-confidence and get you closer to your wellness goals.

Science agrees

Studies show that being in a supportive wellness community creates long-term health and fitness success. Running clubs and supportive wellness spaces are great options. Another fun option is 12 Months 24 Dares Wellness 2018.

12 Months 24 Dares Wellness 2018

12 Months 24 Dares Wellness 2018 is a wellness initiative to help people create and stick to healthy habits. Created by Marishka-Kaye Massey, who is the founder and graphic designer; Melissa Whyte, who is the marketing and operations coordinator; and Jo-Hanna Taylor, who is the wellness coordinator, it follows a three-step approach:

1. Provide the how (Providing knowledge)

The ‘dare-ees’, as participants are called, are provided with 12 cards for the year. Each card has two dares — a fitness/mind body-based dare and a nutrition-based dare.

These cards are the proverbial key, as each card will use augmented reality through the free Layar app. This allows dare-ees to get access to ‘instructables’, recipes, calendars, videos, etc, that will provide guidance and show you how to get closer to your wellness goals.

2. Empower the who (power of the community)

Once you’ve purchased the cards, you become part of the exclusive 12 Months 24 Dares Wellness community. This community will have fun ways to keep each other motivated and on the wellness path, and hold each other accountable — even when life tries to get in the way. Fitness and nutritional professionals will be a part of the group, ready to answer questions that ensure safer and effective workouts and food choices.

3. Sweeten the why (incentives)

To help our ‘dare-ees’, we are collaborating with businesses, brands and wellness professionals to help make their journey fulfilling. These collaborations will include ‘sweeteners’ such as discounts and wellness sessions from our wide range of wellness partners.

Wellness partners include: Body Forte, Rize Fitness JA, Fagan Fitness, TrueSelf Centre of Being, Dance Fyah, Bliss Valley, Farmgate E-Market.

Having a wellness community to support you in your healthy lifestyle keeps pounds off and keeps your confidence high. What are you waiting for? Check out 12 Months 24 dares.

Contributed by the 12 Months 24 Dares Wellness 2018 team. For more information on 12 Months 24 Dares Wellness 2018, you can visit their Instagram account @12months24dares or email them at 12months24dares@gmail.com.