Join Us: A New Dimension of Millennial Fitness

Cassey Ho, a Pilates instructor and designer based in the U.S., is one of the many Millennials who wants to help spread the message that working out and eating healthy can be a fun and enjoyable lifestyle. She believes exercise should fundamentally uplift people and enhance their lives. Her simple workouts – typically delivered in bite-sized routines under 15 minutes – and ideas for healthy eating have attracted millions of users online and created a platform for encouragement and open discussion.
While her approach to exercise is fluid, Cassey believes in the power of keeping track of information and personal progress with the help of Samsung’s Gear Sport and Gear IconX.
“Technology plays a huge role in my life. I think it's really good to track information whether it's on a device or on paper because being able to see your journey and look back at how far you've come is really satisfying,” she explains.

Samsung is partnering with a network of everyday athletes like Cassey around the world who’ll share their stories and creative approaches on everything from integrating workouts into daily life and making healthy eating quick and easy, to building inner strength and staying motivated and focused.

“Being different should be celebrated. You shouldn’t be forced to conform to one beauty standard, and that’s what Any Body is about,” says social media influencer Georgia Gibbs.
Along with her best friend and fellow model Kate Wasley, Georgia launched the initiative to promote social acceptance of all bodies, regardless of shape and size.
It’s a topic that’s particularly relevant right now, in a time of New Year’s resolutions – commitments that often focus solely on weight-loss and workouts. But in the space of health and fitness, one of the most important places to start is self-appreciation, say Georgia and Kate. Through social media, the duo encourages young women to stop comparing their bodies, lifestyles and careers with others, and instead discover unique individual strengths.
Both women believe that on a foundation of self-love, people will aspire to do new things and challenge themselves to go further. When it comes to fitness, they think it should be a personal journey for self-improvement and about finding balance.

“It’s important that you exercise because you love your body and not because you hate it or because you want to change it,” Kate says.
Get a closer look at Kate and Georgia’s journey for fitness and how they track and monitor their progress along the way.

“I want to show people the benefits of training mentally as well as physically. You can’t have one without the other,” says Dan Conn, a former rugby champion turned mental health advocate.
Dan’s own experience struggling with depression forms the foundation of his holistic approach to mental and physical health. He believes achieving mental strength and creating a positive environment are the foundations for good health.
“People say that depression is a genetic thing. I disagree, because the environment you grow up in can determine whether that depression is affected later in life,” says Dan.
It’s an important message at a time when mental health is still an issue that is largely dealt with behind closed doors. Feeling shame and embarrassment, many people retreat or suffer in silence. Talking about those problems and getting support from friends and family is key to your overall health, says Dan.
As an advocate on social media, and a national ambassador for Lifeline, a mental health crisis hotline, he encourages people to address their overall well-being when approaching fitness.

“If I’m not doing well, I have to look at my diet, or look at the exercise I’m doing and stimulate myself to get out of that little hole,” he says. “You get your mind right, you get your body right.”
Learn more about Dan’s approach to health and how he uses technology to make sure he’s always on the right track.

“Just because your body doesn’t look like a person on a magazine, doesn’t mean that you are not worthwhile,” says yoga teacher and writer Jessamyn Stanley.
When Jessamyn first started photographing herself in yoga poses, she found herself criticizing her own body. But she soon realized that self-love is key to living a healthy lifestyle.
“To not judge myself was a brand-new experience,” she says.
Amidst a media culture which promotes narrowly-defined notions of fitness and beauty, many people find themselves being pressured to conform to unrealistic standards, which often leads to poor self-esteem and a loss of wellbeing.

Through her teaching, writing and social media advocacy, Jessamyn provides an antidote to prevailing norms by spreading the message of body positivity. As a plus-sized yoga practitioner, she hopes her actions can inspire others to change the way they see themselves.
“When you are practicing something that really pushes you out of your comfort zone, there’s something magical about seeing who you really are,” she says.
Find out more about Jessamyn’s fitness philosophy and how she keeps herself inspired.

Cookbook author, fitness blogger and Instagram star Alice Liveing is living her best life by carving out her own path and challenging stereotypes.  
“Weight training has been seen as something only men can do; it’s a very masculine area of the gym,” says Alice. “I’m the kind of person that hates to be told ‘no,’ so if something is off-limits to me, I’m going to want to go there ten times more!”
Looking at Alice’s accomplishments at such a young age, it’s clear that nothing will get in the way of her goals. She’s a qualified personal trainer and recently launched her own line of affordable gym wear at a leading UK clothing chain.

Juggling her busy schedule and keeping track of her activities is critical to Alice’s success. Rather than see this balancing act as a chore, she embraces tracking through technology that makes it easy and fun.
“It’s basically trying to have a bit of guidance as to having good, overall wellness,” she says.
Get a closer look at Alice’s daily routine in the video below.

For UK fitness blogger Carly Rowena, working out is more about developing strength than it is about achieving a perfect body.
“Training has changed the way I see myself, because I know how strong I am and how capable I am,” she says.
As someone who embraces every aspect of life – including food and nourishment – Carly approaches her health with balance at the core. For her, finding happiness in the way she feels is most important and the biggest reward for all her efforts.
Carly documents her fitness and healthy lifestyle tips on her blog and on her Instagram page, and has also written a book called “Get Gorgeous Guide,” where she shares her own journey to fitness and wellness in the hopes of inspiring others.

One piece of advice Carly has for her followers? Track your progress.
“You can’t really improve unless you’re tracking to some degree. I’ve managed to change myself more since having tracking apps,” says Carly.
Learn more about Carly and how she manages her fitness below.