In a January 7, 2020 segment of KTVU’s morning show The Nine, host Gracia interviews Reena Vokoun, head of the Los Altos‑based health and wellness company PassionFit. The conversation centers on how to turn the common New Year’s resolution to “get fit” into sustainable habits. Vokoun stresses the importance of making specific, actionable plans rather than vague goals. She shares a series of low‑cost, creative strategies: partnering with a significant other for couples boot‑camp workouts (hosted on her YouTube channel), incorporating children into fitness through mom‑and‑kids yoga sessions, performing simple desk‑side exercises (shoulder rolls, core squeezes, hamstring stretches) to break up sedentary workdays, and accumulating activity in short bursts—10‑minute home workouts, stair climbs, walking meetings—to meet the recommended 30‑minute daily moderate exercise. Vokoun also highlights the role of technology, encouraging the use of fitness‑tracking apps and online video content to provide data‑driven motivation and accountability. Throughout, the tone remains conversational and supportive, with an optimistic, encouraging sentiment aimed at helping viewers avoid the typical 70 % drop‑off rate for resolutions.
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Millions have made a resolution to get fit in 2020, and here we are a week into the new year and some have already fallen off track. Next, we talk with the head of local health and wellness company on helping you do your best. Welcome back to The Nine. Millions of Americans are now in day 7 of their New Year's resolutions, and among the most popular promises, working out more and eating a healthier diet. Research though shows more than 70% of people give up on their resolutions, so let's keep you from being one of those. We welcome back Welcome back to The Nine this morning. Reena Vokoun from PassionFit in Los Altos, thanks for joining us. Thanks for having me.
Happy New Year, Gracia.
Getting fit is so general. Do you advise us to make a more specific plan?
Yes, there are some creative ways to get fit this year. One is, you know, a lot of times people think about getting a personal trainer, taking fitness classes with their friends.
Sounds like a lot of money to me.
That's right, it's a lot of money, but why not work out with your significant other? It's a great way for you to obviously, you know, take care of your relationship but also your health at the same time. I have a YouTube channel for my PassionFit company and my my husband and I actually filmed a couples boot camp workout video series. It's a great way to work out anytime, anywhere, and in a way that works for both you and your partner.
And it's also accountability, because if you're feeling lazy, he might say, come on, hon, or if he wants to sit on the couch, you might say, come on, let's just bang this out.
Exactly. You can motivate each other, hold each other accountable, as long as it doesn't get too competitive. That's probably the key. You want to keep it friendly and healthy.
I understand. Yes, I know. Reena, you also have two young children, and I remember I used to do— I had a little, um, like bar workout tape that I would do in my living room, and I had one son hanging on this side and the other son hanging off that leg. They're now at the age where they can actually work out with me.
Exactly, exactly, and I think one of the best workouts you could do with your kids is actually yoga. On my YouTube channel, I filmed a mom and kids yoga workout with a bunch of my friends and women in the PassionFit community with my kids and their kids, and it's just a great way to model healthy ways to deal with stress. It's a good physical challenge, it's good for your mental health, and it allows you to show your kids what it means to stick to your goals and stay committed.
And it's good for the little ones to see mom and dad taking care of themselves.
Absolutely, exactly. You're setting a really good example Be an example for your kids so they'll do the same as they grow up.
So let's talk about the big old 8-hour chunk of a day. So many of us sit behind a desk.
Yes.
And we think sometimes we can't even tear away for a 10-minute walk around the office park. What can we do while we're still at work?
Yeah, you can actually do some exercises right at your desk, believe it or not. It doesn't have to be embarrassing or crazy or weird, but you know, some simple things like shoulder rolls, right? Like tucking in your core in and out and getting a little core workout while you're sitting. Reaching for your toes and stretching your hamstrings. It's good to get your blood flowing. You can still work on your flexibility and strength and it'll actually make you more productive at work.
And I will say, if you can break away from the desk, even for 10 minutes, for a quick walk outside, it changes your perspective on everything.
Absolutely, just clears your head, gives you some fresh air, and then you'll actually produce better, more high-quality work.
I am not a huge fan of apps. I don't have a million, but one that I do rely on just tracks the fitness that I do every day.
Yeah, absolutely, and that's great. You know, knowledge is power, right? The more data that you have from apps or doing online video or streaming media, it's just gonna make you, you know, more aware of what's happening, and that will hopefully motivate you to leverage technology for good, as I like to say.
And I know that doctors recommend at least a 30-minute moderate workout every day for most Americans. For those of us who think, "I don't have half an hour," can we chip away at that?
Yeah, absolutely. Do little short bursts of activity throughout your day, whether it's a mini workout that you do at home for 10 minutes, taking the stairs a couple times at work, doing a walking meeting with your team. Those minutes add up, and it could be just as effective as doing a full hour-long workout. And then it makes you feel more hopeful that you actually have a chance at sticking to your goals throughout the year.
It's a It's amazing how much better you feel when you do cross that off your list.
Yes, exactly. It doesn't have to be difficult. It doesn't have to be, you know, a tough thing that you feel like you're gonna fail at. You can make it unique and creative and still realistic.
Okay, Reena Vokoun of PassionFit, thank you again for joining us.
Thank you, happy New Year. Thank you for having me.
