MORE THAN JUST KEEPING ACTIVE

Already a sporty person, Jessica Tham decided it was time to change her perception of what better health is all about after a slipped disc injury. Today, she’s more into a holistic approach to stay active as a way to stay healthy.

Jessica didn’t need a lot of encouragement to get on the healthy bandwagon. After all, she has always been a sporty person, always out and about doing some kind of outdoor activity with her friends.

Unfortunately, a year ago, a slipped disc injury left Jessica with no choice but to take a back seat when it came to her exercise routine. “I could only do light exercises for six months,” says Jessica.

That “mini break” from her usual exercise routine gave Jessica time to rethink how she should really approach her lifestyle where health is involved. On top of that, her father had a stroke at the same time, which resulted in a paradigm shift in Jessica’s mindset. Working out before was just for the sake of being active; now, it means a whole lot more to Jessica who sees it as a ticket to better health and a more holistic lifestyle.

Hence when she was introduced to AIA Vitality, Jessica saw it as an opportunity to further pursue her new healthy approach. “The app reviews your Vitality Age – which is the measure of how healthy you are relative to your real age. I was pleased to see it being my actual age but when I saw my older colleague’s Vitality Age to be younger than his actual age, it motivated me to do more and try to reduce my Vitality Age,” says Jessica.

The programme made it easy for Jessica to do so, especially the weekly challenges that encouraged her to get up, get out and get active. “The reminders from the app help motivate me to be more disciplined about my routine. It makes me more conscious of my daily activities. Because of it, I changed my exercise routine in a big way. Before, I used to play badminton and swim only but now, I also jog and exercise more regularly,” says Jessica. Of course, the perks from these weekly challenges like free TGV Cinemas movie passes and 25 per cent discounts off Fitbit devices come in handy to push Jessica to do even more.

AIA Vitality’s focus on total wellbeing has also helped Jessica be more in the know when it comes to her health; she’s learnt that it is not just about leading an active lifestyle but also making healthier food choices at the same time. “I’ve changed my diet to eat more healthily – reduced carbs, increased veggies and fruits, and moderate meat,” says Jessica, who hopes to lose some weight at the same time. “AIA Vitality has been a real game changer for me. I’ve even recommended it to my friends so that we can team up and do our exercises together,” says Jessica.