Inspiration for you and your employees from the Discovery Vitality Summit
The Discovery Vitality Summit was a resounding success and inspired everyone who attended. Here are some of the highlights of the event over the three days.
Share some of inspiration for positive behaviour changes with your employees.
Day 1
CEO of Discovery, Adrian Gore, kicked off the inspiration at this year’s Discovery Vitality Summit with an overview of the benefits of wellness and how the Discovery Vitality programme is making a difference not only in South Africa, but globally. Professor Tim Noakes spoke about believing in the outcome. He said it is important to start believing people are capable of greatness. If people believe in you and what you can achieve, you will also believe and so achieve the outcome.
Dr Brian Wansink explored the subject of ‘Mindless eating and mindless solutions’. It was clear minor changes can have a positive effect on health. Simply focus on mindless behaviour – the things we are not even aware of. Some tips include: put fruit in attractive bowls in well-lit areas; place salad nearest – people eat more of what they see first; serve food in smaller bowls or plates and eat up to 24% less; store unhealthier food options below or above eye level – it’s a case of “out of sight, out of mind”.
Having the power to make better decisions was taken further by Tyler Hamilton who spoke about ‘the power of truth’. Drawn into doping and experiencing ‘dark days’, Tyler shared the physical and psychological toll substance abuse and the effort to win at all costs took. He finally started telling the truth, which in his words “set him free”. He challenged audience members to consider the power of truth and to always think before bending rules.
Individual insight and panel participation in Leadership Lessons Through Sport saw Stuart Baxter, Paddy Upton, Bruce Fordyce and Simnikiwe Mdaka raise many inspiring and valid points on the importance of leadership in realising true potential in all fields. Panellists, Bruce Fordyce in particular, cut to the basics of leadership and how the lack of it in athletics in this country is negatively affecting its legacy.
Tim Plewman inspired with ‘Fitness for old farts’. His main message was to think about and instil healthy lifestyle behaviours and choices from a young age – or start as soon as possible before moving into your 50s. His philosophy of ‘fitness, flexibility and fun’ applies to all ages.
Dan Ariely, a behavioural economist, delved into how we keep doing things even when we know they are bad for us. He explained how, with the right incentives, human behaviour is capable of positive change – a fine example of why Discovery Vitality rewards work to motivate positive behaviour change.
Dr Derek Yach spoke about the effect of the advertising of sugary drinks, especially on children. He mentioned that drinking these drinks wasn’t necessarily the cause of obesity or concerns, but rather it’s the volumes of consumption and the way these drinks are marketed. Dr Yach said we can try to reduce the unhealthy ingredients in these products and that reducing portion sizes will also reduce the risk for over-consumption.
Sports scientist Dr Ross Tucker ended off day one with an informative chat on how the internet has changed the world. He referred here especially to knowledge about health and fitness. There are now many ‘experts’ out there – many misleading – all offering an element of truth in exercise and health advice. Tucker advised how important it is that we filter rather than just accept the information we read.
Day 2
Day 2 kicked off with Keith Bolton on how essential ethics are for all health practitioners. This led the way for the panel discussion on doping and sports supplementation. Steroid use is on the up in high schools, with one expert feeling that sporting supplements like the ones produced by USN being like ‘a gateway’ to banned substances. Through the correct regulations and monitoring it can be part of the solution rather than a problem in the sporting environment, as the USN spokesperson pointed out.
The rest of the day was spent around the breakaway sessions that included more talks and covered categories of interest like: Public Interest, Nutrition, Biokineticist, Kids Health, Corporate Wellness, Personal Training, Coaching and High Performance and Sports Medicines.
Gary Kirsten was the headline speaker rounding off the day. His insights on how he changed the results of the Indian cricket team were fascinating. Kirsten didn’t have a master plan going into this leadership position, but he did have an understanding of who he was dealing with and how to get the most out of them by just assessing the situation and coming up with the best strategy. The message on day 2 was all about going back to the basics when facing any challenges.
Day 3
Day 3 was all about breaking a sweat and getting active in group training classes, from the fast and frenetic aerobics based sessions to yoga classes. The many benefits of group training were showcased throughout the day. It’s all part of Discovery Vitality’s focus on creating healthier bodies – a healthier South African nation!
We hope you and your employees can take some of these inspirational thoughts and make them part of your life. Making healthier lifestyle choices, no matter how small, will benefit your health.