For a little over a year now, I've been taking Vigourfit clients on a social walk around Knighton Park in Leicester once a month.
We meet at 9:30am on a Sunday morning before setting off on a walk around the park's perimeter. Afterwards, we sit down for a chat and a coffee from the park's local barista, Scruffy Thomas.
I have to thank my wife for first introducing me to Neil, aka Scruffy Thomas. Before I started visiting the park regularly, she was a familiar face there with our son. After ordering my first coffee from Neil's converted horsebox, I quickly understood why he and his coffee were such a hit with the park's locals. The coffee was excellent, and the service was just as good.
But there was something else about the experience that stayed with me.
At the time, I was studying Sport and Exercise Science at Manchester Metropolitan University, with a particular interest in exercise behaviour. Much of my research focused on the factors that influence our motivation to exercise and our ability to maintain an active lifestyle.
One of the things that stood out was the importance of our surroundings and the people we spend time with. Maintaining an active lifestyle isn't simply about knowing that exercise is good for us. Our environment, our social connections and how much we enjoy an activity can all influence whether we stick with it.
In simple terms, we're more likely to keep doing something when we enjoy it, feel comfortable in the environment and look forward to the experience.
One morning, after walking the dog, I was sitting in the park enjoying a coffee from Neil when it dawned on me just how well he had brought these things together.
Knighton Park is a beautiful, well-maintained green space with a lively community atmosphere. Neil serves something people love, provides a friendly and personal service, and has created a welcoming place where people can stop, sit on the benches and catch up with others. With families enjoying the nearby play areas, there's always something going on.
Whether he realises it or not, Neil has created an experience that gives people plenty of reasons to return.
And I thought: why couldn't we apply some of that thinking to exercise?
I wanted to show my clients that an active lifestyle doesn't always have to mean going to the gym or following a structured training programme. It can also mean finding enjoyable ways to move, spending time outdoors and connecting with other people.
That was the idea behind our monthly walks.
More than just a walk
Neil has become a big part of the Knighton Park community and is a real credit to the park. People return for his coffee, but also for the service he provides. He pays attention to the little details, remembers many of his customers by name and is always a friendly, approachable face who can brighten someone's day.
That personal touch is something I value enormously at Vigourfit, too. I want people to feel welcome, recognised and part of something, rather than simply turning up, completing a workout and going home.
One of the most rewarding things about organising these walks has been hearing that some of my clients now return to Knighton Park with their own families to enjoy a walk and a coffee.
For me, that's what an active lifestyle should be about. It's not just what happens during a training session, but how we find ways to move, connect with others and enjoy being active in everyday life.
Sometimes, building healthier habits starts with something as simple as a walk in the park and a really good cup of coffee.
