More than 60 percent of Filipinos do not work out at all, according to the Sun Life Asia Health Index, a study spearheaded by Sun Life Financial.

To help Filipinos jumpstart healthy changes in their lives, Sun Life Financial has partnered with a top health club, Fitness First, in a program called GoWell.

GoWell promotes holistic wellness through a fit and active lifestyle, healthy eating, and living a balanced life. Its website, www.gowell.com.ph, offers fitness and wellness content from experts. There are also community workouts and fitness classes offered to its members.

Membership is free and open to the public. Community workouts are for everyone. Simply log in and check the schedules.

On May 17 is a GoWell Zumba class for the family with Tessa Prieto-Valdes at Kerry Sports in Shangri-La at the Fort. Book a free slot on its website. First 80 moms get a GoWell pedometer.

There are also GoWell videos with Piolo Pascual, Bubbles Paraiso, Jaymie Pizarro, Rovilson Fernandez and Valdes. There are recipes, diet tips, workout tips, and even an Ask Jaymie page where you can fire away your fitness and wellness questions and get answers from the expert herself, The Bullrunner’s Jaymie Pizarro.

“Filipinos are among the ‘Generation O’—overworked, overweight and overwhelmed,” Pizarro said. “While the study showed we are the highest among Asian countries in terms of health satisfaction, we see a disconnect as we are also among the top three countries where people lack exercise.”

Filipinos either lack time for exercise due to work, weak personal motivation, or are too distracted with gadgets, the study said. But despite these, a whopping 83 percent have a strong desire to get healthy.

“With Sun Life and Fitness First committed to being the Filipinos’ partner in their health and wellness journey, the possibilities in the horizon definitely look exciting,” said Mylene Lopa, Sun Life chief marketing officer. “We aim to spark Filipinos’ enthusiasm to pursue their fitness goals and they can look forward to more initiatives from this partnership.”

In the partnership, group classes at select Fitness First branches will be free for GoWell Gold members. Gold members are those who have purchased the Sun Life Financial’s Sun Fit and Well policy.

A series of workout videos of Paraiso and Fitness First ambassador Chris Everingham will also be released regularly in the GoWell website and social media to encourage more people to get fit. These videos are instructional workouts on, say, how to strengthen the upper body or how to tone legs.

The Fitness First app also has more than 800 different types of exercises available online, said Fitness First Phils. country manager Mark Ellis. The health club has more than 30,000 members nationwide and offers more than 6,000 group fitness classes.

“But we need to reach out and educate more people about wellness,” Ellis said. “Everybody wants a quick fix, instant results. Exercise isn’t something you can get in a day. It’s an investment. It takes time. It’s a lifestyle change.”

Visit www.gowell.com.ph