Feeling better, living better
Winter hit hard this year. And for Sam and Jess, a young couple living in Torbay, it hit everyone in the household twice.
“It started with a sniffle,” Sam says, “and then it turned into a full-on symphony of coughing, sneezing, and moaning on the couch.”
Over the course of late May to early June, they tag-teamed colds, flus, and what Jess swore was “some sort of Victorian-era fever,” while their heater groaned under the pressure and their social life turned into a series of “maybe next weekends.”
By late June, they were officially over it. Not just the sickness, but the low energy, comfort-food bloat, and general grumpiness that had crept in along with the winter weather. It was time for a reset.
“We just wanted to feel good again,” Jess said. “Not just not sick, but genuinely better – in our bodies, in our minds, in our routine.”
So, with puffer jackets on, holding matching to-go lemon, honey and ginger drinks and cautious optimism, they headed off to Albany Mega Centre for a full winter wellbeing top-up.
“Honestly,” Sam said, “it’s just easier coming here. Everything’s in one place, there’s heaps of parking, and we can smash it out in one go.”
First stop: Chemist Warehouse. They headed straight to the immunity aisle like a pair of seasoned winter warriors. Jess loaded up on vitamin C, echinacea, and zinc, while Sam grabbed some probiotics and a big tub of magnesium. They also tossed in some tissues (just in case) and a fancy electric diffuser “because it smells like a spa and we are wellness people now,” Jess enthused.
Feeling a little more fortified, they wandered across to Rebel Sport.
“We haven’t exercised properly in over a month,” Jess said, eyeing up the racks of thermal leggings and long-sleeve running tops. “I don’t even know if I remember how to jog.”
Sam grinned. “That’s okay. We’ll walk first. Then jog. Then maybe reward ourselves with a muffin.”
They picked up two sets of winter-friendly activewear – thermal gear, windbreakers, and some new socks because, as Jess wisely pointed out, “nothing ruins a walk faster than cold toes.” Sam also grabbed a resistance band set for home workouts on those truly miserable mornings.
“Let’s be honest,” he said. “Half of winter wellness is tricking yourself into moving when you’d rather be on the couch.”
Which led neatly into their next stop: The Warehouse.
“We wanted things that make us feel better away from our phones and computers,” Jess said, as she picked out a couple of new novels, a winter soups cookbook and a mindfulness journal. “Stuff we can do together, or on our own, that helps us switch off properly.”
Sam found Cluedo, a board game he loved when he was a kid, while Jess discovered a 1,000-piece puzzle featuring a vineyard in Tuscany. “Manifesting summer,” she winked.
Then came the most exciting part of the day: Animates. Because as part of their post-flu, winter wellbeing overhaul, they’d adopted a dog.
“She’s a rescue,” Jess said proudly. “Part spaniel, part lab.”
The little black-and-tan bundle of energy was called Zola and was already proving to be the best wellbeing decision they’d made in ages.
“She gets us outside. She makes us laugh. And she’s way better than any fitness app,” Sam said, as they filled their basket with treats, a waterproof jacket for Zola, and what Jess described as “possibly the world’s fluffiest dog bed.”
By the time they left Albany Mega Centre, the car was full, their spirits were high, and they both agreed: they felt better already.
“It’s still cold, wet and miserable,” Sam said, “but it feels way more manageable now. Like we’ve got a plan, and that’s making us warm inside.”
“And the dog,” Jess added, as Zola snored softly in the backseat.
They might not be running marathons (yet), or meditating every morning, but they’d taken the first steps. Better habits. Better energy. A better winter. After an autumn of sickness, it was going to be a winter of wellbeing. And it all started with a few simple stops at their favourite one-stop shop: Albany Mega Centre.