How Kori found a running community and regained his health

"Looking back on my 20s, I was in a very bad shape for a young man," says Kori Seshoene (39), a Vitality member and Johannesburg-based entrepreneur. "I used to eat just about anything and everything, and I went out drinking almost every weekend. Healthy eating wasn't even a thing close to my mind. My health was really detrimental to achieving my daily tasks and I had no confidence at all."

"My weight hit 86kg when I was 32 years old, and then I realised I had to do something about it. After the decision to lose weight, I had to cut down all bad eating habits. I cut down on sugary foods, fatty foods and alcohol. I started to commit myself to eating healthy in order for me to see the results at the end. That's when I started running."

Running has 'been so beneficial for my health as a whole'

"More than just helping me to lose weight, running became something that I started to enjoy. In 2015, a friend of mine invited me to join Team Vitality, and I was able to meet a lot of fellow runners. I just loved the atmosphere of being around people who are encouraged to push hard to reach their goals."

"I turned 39 this year and I couldn't be any happier with my current level of fitness. Living a healthy life has changed my life all around. I now have all the confidence and the courage to set up goals that I can reach in running. It's been so beneficial for my health as a whole, as I used to suffer from a very high cholesterol levels, but it has since been more manageable."

How Kori found a family away from home

Kori grew up in a peaceful little village in Limpopo province, the eldest in a large family of seven children. His parents were always involved in community work and passed on the lesson of doing things together and always helping and encouraging others where one can.

This way of living stuck with Kori as he grew up, and for years after moving to Johannesburg for work, he searched for a sense of belonging and community to get involved in. And that's just what he found in his Team Vitality running mates.

"I have such amazing team members, who are now more like family to me. We've created a culture where we are all one another's responsibility partners and it's been a wonderful experience to have such a strong support structure. All thanks to Team Vitality, affording me the opportunity to meet these wonderful people who have the same passion and interest in running as me!"

'Hard work pays off... And you get so much value from healthy living'

Kori is an entrepreneur and fortunately this allows him to fit his daily runs into his daily schedule, either in the morning or afternoon. "Since I spend so much time running on the road, I love the Shoe Booster benefit most as it gives me cash back whenever I buy new running shoes. Vitality Active Rewards also helps to keep me working hard and striving to achieve my weekly goals."

His advice for other members? Aim for Diamond, it's worth it: "I would encourage anyone to get more active in order to reach Diamond Vitality status. This has so many benefits."

Kori continues, "You'll get to see the results of your effort, and that brings such an amazing feeling - just being proud of yourself. Hard work pays off in the end. We are always a step closer to achieving our goals, just as long as we try hard each day. And with Discovery, you get so much value from healthy living. The best part about it is being rewarded at the end."