The Year of the Healthonist

Healthonism (yes, it’s a real word) sees the continued blurring of health and hedonism – and it’s set to become one of the most influential wellness trends of the year. Forget about the Pig folks, 2019 is the year of the Healthonist.

“Health-conscious millennials are offsetting alcohol with antioxidants and healthy mixers, mashing up exercise with hedonism, and flocking to a growing number of exercise-meets-drinking events. Consumers are engaging in health and wellbeing in a contradictory, divergent, have-it-all way, putting healthy habits alongside fun.” – JWT Innovation Group

I’ve always tried to comparmentalise my life in order to  offset my own “bad behaviour” with healthier habits. Hot yoga to detox, meditation to calm my erratic thoughts and organic food to undo all that weekend cheer.

I try my best to live in alignment with my values but there’s only so many yoga classes, chant circles and turmeric lattes that I can stomach before I want to stab myself repeatedly with a bottle of wine.

The healthonist trend helps combine my love of good-times with feeling good. It proves that I can have my (raw, cacao, gluten-free) cake and eat it too.

Fitness Festivals + Yoga Raves

Fitness festivals are taking the best from the festival scene; live-sets, dancing and production and then adding their own wellness slant. There’s motivational talks from influencers, free demo classes, farm-to-fork markets and product giveaways. There’s no drugs (presumably) and no drunk monster getting handsy on the dance floor (hopefully).

The concept is taking off all over the world. From the global Wanderlust parties to Obonjan in Croatia – a month long wellness retreat providing a new twist on the European festival scene and then Nike’s Unlimited You event in London – a 3-day fitness bender with lights, video installations and a bespoke Hot Chip playlist guaranteed to get you sweaty.

Yoga raves are also putting a yogic spin on dance-party culture. The concept was pioneered by the legends at the Future Sound of Yoga who started an experimental yoga/dance session in 2009 which gave Sydney-siders the opportunity to hear cutting edge music, stretch, dance and connect with other like-minded peeps. Flow Athletic have since taken and appropriated the same idea with their Flow After Dark Series and Silent Yoga Disco events held in a variety of iconic music venues such as Home Nightclub and The Hordern Pavilion.

Gamified Fitness

The wellness industry has been picking up on gaming cues with the growing popularity of fitness apps, online streaming and wearable devices but New York’s Asphalt Green has taken the gamification trend to the next level with the launch of AG6 – a high-intensity, circuit class that uses interactive technology to create an immersive fitness experience that feels more like a video arcade rave-off than a gym

The AG6 room is covered with LED lights that respond to touch and sound. Gym-goers have to respond to unpredictable light cues in order to build up their endurance, speed and agility.

Spiked Seltzer or Alcoholic Water

Clean living isn’t usually synonymous with alcohol consumption but thanks to some clever product innovation you can now drink spiked water (…yep, they really did turn water into wine’s poor cousin).

Spiked Seltzer is basically alcoholic sparkling water with hints of fruit flavour. Made from water, yeast, natural sugars and citrus oil these nifty little cans of alcoholic hydration have been touted as the day-drinkers alternative to carb heavy beers and sugary pre-mixers…don’t judge people, day-drinkers need some extra love too you know.

Sparkling waters, waters and healthier beverages are totally on the upswing. I don’t think it’s a trend that’s going to stop. Given the continual increase of attention on public health, you continue to see a growth and demand for a lighter, better-for-you drink.”– Dave Holmes, Spiked Seltzer Founder

Yep, us Healthonists are a complex bunch. We love feeling all smug and virtuous as we throw back our organic kombucha in our activewear – but when the weekend finally rolls around we get busy undoing all of that good work by hoovering every chemical compound and alcoholic beverage that we can get our greedy little hands on… spiked water included.

How do you offset your own bad behaviour with healthier habits? Share your thoughts (and healthonist habits!) in the comments below.