Dervla Louli, founder of Compare Retreats and LUXE wellness-editor-at-large, shares five tried-and-tested wellness programs to help you feel your best at home. From 90-day fitness challenges to courses on how to cut out sugar or the science of happiness, read on and sign up to start feeling better from the inside out.
Ironically, being stuck at home poses similar challenges to what I’ve faced in the past from constantly being on the road whilst building my wellness travel company. The main one has been maintaining a regular fitness regime without being able to access my favourite gyms, classes, and trainers in person. To combat this, I found myself searching for online training programmes that I could do with minimal equipment, anywhere and everywhere.
“I’m always one to look for silver linings, and wellness has never been more accessible or affordable to access from home than now.”
Due to Covid-19, the best trainers from around the world are now live streaming classes from their studios, and wellness chefs are inviting you into their kitchens to learn the tricks of the trade. Find these online and offline courses to start an at-home retreat, learn new skills, and feel good from the inside out.
Kenzai
I started using Kenzai in 2018 when I was travelling to remote places without gym access. With just a skipping rope, resistance bands, and push up bars that fit easily into my carry on, I followed a 90-day fitness and nutrition programme with ease. The secret to Kenzai is consistency, so expect to workout and eat well every day on each programme. Everything is online, including a great community that encourages you to keep going. Once you finish the initial Kenzai Body plan, there are multiple options that help you continue your wellness journey.kenzai.com
I Quit Sugar by Sarah Wilson
I have been collecting health-conscious cookbooks for a number of years, and Sarah Wilson’s ‘I Quit Sugar’ series has had the most positive impact on my nutrition by far. Her books are practical, helpful and available in eBook and hardcopy versions. Her original eight-week programme weans you off the white stuff with ease and lets your body recalibrate to a new normal as your taste buds reset to a diet sans natural or artificial sweeteners. Sugar has many negative effects on our bodies and minds, and eliminating it entirely for two months before delicately adding it back in is incredibly rewarding. iquitsugar.com/shop
At Home With Six Senses
The award-winning eco-conscious luxury wellness resort collection is bringing their signature retreat and wellbeing activities to you at home via their new content platform. Expert advice is shared via articles and videos on fundamental topics such as living naturally, eating well, movement, sleep, mindfulness, and more. Stretch and twist in your living room with Six Senses global head of yoga Dorelal Singh, learn how to manage a team from home with group manager Robert Kostecki, and pick up some sleep improvement and immunity-boosting tips from on-site wellness practitioners. sixsenses.com/en/at-home-with-six-senses
See also: 5 Healers in Bali to Restore Your Body, Mind and Soul
Yale University Science of Wellbeing Course
The most popular class in Yale’s history is now available for free online. Learn how to be happier while combating stress, anxiety, and depression under Professor Laurie Santos’ expert instruction via videos shot from inside her home. The course combines positive psychology and behavioural science with real-life examples that help students create happier and more enriched lives. The questionnaires at the beginning and end of the course allow you to score your happiness levels to make your results more tangible. course.com
Patrick Creelman YouTube Channel
PURE Yoga’s founding teacher Patrick Creelman has brought his teachings online via his YouTube channel that covers multiple levels of classes and philosophy classes. The Wild Lotus sequence strengthens and lengthens the body and is based on the principles of alignment. Patrick has trained hundreds of yoga teachers in asana and philosophy in multiple countries, and his classes, while easy to follow, challenge both the mind and body. Start from his earliest uploaded videos and work your way through them to reap the most benefits from his teachings. Expect to feel more flexible, disciplined, and perhaps even enlightened after consistent practice. youtube.com/channel/patrickcreelman
Follow Dervla’s adventures @dervlalouli and get her top recommended Asian wellness retreats to bookmark for your next trip.
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