Gemma's story: 'It doesn't even feel like I'm doing exercise'
When Gemma wanted to get active after having her first child, her Vitality plan provided her with the boost and incentives, and she discovered being active didn’t have to be as strenuous as running or regularly hitting the gym.
Like a lot of parents, mum of two Gemma has had to juggle the responsibilities that come with raising a family, alongside everything else in her life. That meant weekly visits to the gym took a backseat.
“After having children, I didn’t have the time to do that. I needed to find something that would keep me active and fitted around my two children”, Gemma says.
Not long after the birth of her first child in 2019, Gemma took out cover with Vitality and soon discovered that not only would she be protected if she needed it, but the incentives and rewards could help her to get active again in a way that fitted around her busy schedule.
"It doesn't even feel like I'm doing exercise"
Before having children, Gemma’s fitness levels were quite high, but she’d always thought that “being active you had to do something strenuous like going running or the gym”.
Looking for something to get her active again after her pregnancy, Gemma started going for walks around her local area with her young daughter.
“Walking with my daughter eventually built up over time, especially as she got older,” Gemma reflects. “Then, when I was pregnant with my second, we kept walking and I was more active during my second pregnancy because I’d found walking,” she adds.
And Gemma now finds she’s enjoying it more and getting more out of it than her previous visits to the gym.
“Before, I was going to the gym to lose weight and I found that when I had my youngest, I actually lost weight so much quicker than I did previously and that was just by going out for walks.
“It doesn’t even feel like I’m doing exercise. It just feels like I’m going out for a walk and having fun,” she says.
“What appeals to me most is the points incentives”
Built around the science of behaviour change, the Vitality Programme is designed to help people make healthier habits that stick.
That’s why there are numerous ways for members to earn Vitality points, that reward small, incremental improvements. Often these are everyday activities that people are already doing, like going for a walk, the occasional run or cycle ride.
In fact, like Gemma, the majority of Vitality points are earned by members walking and, in 2023, members recorded a staggering 992bn steps – enough to walk to the sun!1
Gemma credits the Vitality Programme with giving her the boost she needed. It’s now made her more “competitive with myself,” she says.
“Seeing that progress [on the Vitality app] throughout the year and how well you’re doing on a week-by-week basis,” gives her the extra nudge, alongside the points incentives, which she redeems from Caffè Nero and discounts like Garmin and Runners Need.
It’s also helped to get her daughters active and “interested in exploring the world around them,” she adds.
"It's become a natural habit"
Best of all, Gemma’s engagement in the Vitality Programme has meant she’s now made a habit out of walking more.
“I always want to try and achieve as many points as I can during the week. [The Vitality Programme] definitely keeps you going,” she says.
“I’ve noticed over the four years [I’ve been a Vitality member] that it’s become a natural habit,” adds Gemma.
Studies suggest that around 40% of our lives are controlled by habits, which can be both beneficial and detrimental to our health2.
Vitality’s ground breaking research – The Habit Index – highlights how healthy habits like walking more can reduce mortality risks and healthcare costs. Even walking 5,000 steps three times a week can reduce mortality risk by 22%2.
So not only do members like Gemma reap the benefits of redeemed rewards through the Programme, Vitality can also help to deliver the ultimate benefit of a longer, healthier life, all whilst being protected.
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1. Vitality Life Claims and Benefits Report, 2024
2. The Vitality Habit Index, March 2024.