Evexia Kos: More Than a Name, A Journey Towards Wellbeing

There is a story behind the name Evexia Kos, and like so many things in life, it is a story of change, growth and learning to see things differently.

When I first started working in fitness, I had a very different idea of what training meant, what success looked like and how I wanted to help people. Back then, I was serving in the British Army, and my approach to fitness was very much shaped by that environment.

I called my business Victory Fitness. It was a name that reflected the way I thought about training at the time: setting goals, pushing boundaries, building strength and working towards measurable results.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with those things. Strength matters. Movement matters. Challenging yourself matters. But over time, I began to realise that there was so much more to wellbeing than what we could measure in a gym.

I just didn't know it yet.

From Victory Fitness to a different way of thinking

When I moved to Greece, I initially thought I would continue with the same branding. For a short while, Victory Fitness Beach was the name I worked under. It made sense for where I was and what I was doing, and it served its purpose.

But Greece has a way of changing you, sometimes without you even realising it is happening.

Leaving the Army changed me. Moving to a different country changed me. My own personal wellness journey changed me. And as I began to change, so did the way I wanted to work with my clients and the people around me.

I started to question what it really meant to be fit and healthy.

Was it simply about how much weight you could lift, how fast you could run, how many calories

you could burn or how much weight you could lose? Or was there something much bigger at play?

I began to look beyond the traditional fitness goals and think more about the person behind them.

How did someone feel when they woke up in the morning? Did they have the energy to enjoy their life? Were they moving in a way that felt good for their body? Were they taking time to rest? Did they feel connected to themselves, their surroundings and the people they loved?

And perhaps most importantly, were they finding a balance that allowed them to enjoy life rather than constantly feel as though they were working towards being good enough?

My approach became softer, more holistic and much more focused on the bigger picture. Not because I stopped believing in movement or physical strength, but because I started to understand how much more there was to consider.

I was changing as a person, and naturally, my work needed to reflect that.

What does Evexia actually mean?

The word Evexia comes from the Greek word ευεξία, commonly translated as wellbeing or well-being.

It felt right almost immediately.

I was living in Greece, a place that had become so much more than a home. It had influenced the way I saw life, the way I wanted to spend my time and the way I understood health. I was no longer interested in building a brand around achievement alone. I wanted something that reflected a way of living.

Evexia brought those things together.

It connected the work I was doing with the country I had chosen to call home, while expressing something that had become increasingly important to me: helping people feel better, not simply perform better.

Adding Kos rooted it in the island where this journey continued to unfold.

And so, Evexia Kos was born.

It wasn't about abandoning everything I had learned before. My background in fitness, my years in the Army and my experiences as a trainer all remain part of who I am and what I bring to my work. They gave me discipline, knowledge and an understanding of the importance of physical health.

But I wanted to build something that allowed all those things to sit alongside rest, enjoyment, connection and balance.

Something that felt more like me.

Why wellbeing became more important than fitness goals

For a long time, the fitness industry has encouraged us to focus on outcomes. Run faster. Lift heavier. Lose weight. Get stronger. Become a better version of yourself.

Goals can be wonderful. They can motivate us, give us direction and help us recognise what we are capable of.

But I believe we can sometimes become so focused on the destination that we forget to consider how we feel along the way.

We can spend so much time trying to improve ourselves that we forget to appreciate ourselves as we are.

We can push through tiredness when we need rest, judge our bodies when they need kindness and feel guilty for taking a break when what we really need is a little breathing space.

My own journey has taught me that wellbeing is rarely about one thing. It is about how the different parts of our lives fit together.

Movement is important, but so is recovery. Strength is important, but so is flexibility, both physically and mentally. Looking after our bodies matters, but so does looking after our minds and creating space for the things that bring us joy.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your health is challenge yourself. Sometimes, it is slow down.

And sometimes, it is simply stepping outside, feeling the sun on your face, walking beside the sea or allowing yourself to enjoy a moment without feeling that you need to achieve anything.

That is the bigger picture I want Evexia to represent.

What Greece taught me about wellbeing

I cannot separate Evexia from Greece, because this country has played such a significant part in shaping it.

There is something about life here that has encouraged me to look at things differently. The sea, the landscape, the outdoor lifestyle and the opportunities to spend time in nature have all influenced the way I think about health and happiness.

Of course, life in Greece isn't always slow or idyllic. There are busy days, stressful moments, challenges and all the ordinary realities of life. Moving here doesn't magically make everything perfect.

But living here has helped me recognise the value of creating a life that feels good to live, rather than one that simply looks good on paper.

It has reminded me that wellbeing doesn't always need to involve a structured programme, an expensive treatment or a carefully planned routine.

Sometimes, it is found in the everyday things.

A morning walk along Tigaki Beach. A Pilates session that leaves you feeling stronger and more connected to your body. Time spent outdoors. A swim in the sea. A cup of Greek herbal tea. A conversation with someone who makes you laugh.

These moments might seem small, but they can become an important part of how we care for ourselves.

And this is something I want to bring into everything we do at Evexia Kos: the understanding that wellbeing is not something we have to chase constantly. It is something we can nurture through the way we live.

What we believe in at Evexia Kos

Evexia is more than a name for a fitness and wellness business. It represents the values that guide the work we do and the experiences we want to create.

We believe in movement that supports your life, rather than movement that becomes another source of pressure.

We believe that exercise should be adaptable, enjoyable and accessible, recognising that everyone's body, circumstances and needs are different.

We believe in strength, but also in rest. In building healthy habits without becoming consumed by them. In setting goals without allowing those goals to define our worth.

We believe that spending time in nature, connecting with others and making space for ourselves can all contribute to how we feel.

And we believe that wellbeing is personal. What works for one person might not work for another, and our needs can change throughout different stages of our lives.

That is why our approach brings together different ways of supporting wellbeing, from Pilates and personal training to walking, hiking and opportunities to experience the natural beauty of Kos.

There is no single formula for feeling good, and there doesn't need to be.

The important thing is finding what works for you.

I hope you feel the meaning behind the name

When I look back at the journey from Victory Fitness to Evexia Kos, I can see how much my understanding of health and fitness has evolved.

I haven't lost my passion for movement, and I still believe in the benefits of getting stronger, building confidence and challenging ourselves. But I have come to understand that these things are only part of a much bigger picture.

I want the people who come to Evexia to feel that difference.

Whether you join me for Pilates, personal training, a walk, a hike or another wellness experience, I hope you feel that this is about more than ticking a box or achieving a particular result.

I hope you leave feeling a little stronger, perhaps a little calmer, more connected to yourself or simply glad that you made the time.

I hope you feel welcome, supported and able to meet yourself where you are, without pressure to be anything other than yourself.

And I hope that, in some small way, you begin to understand what Evexia means to me.

Because this name represents a journey I am still on myself. I am still learning, still growing and still discovering new ways to look after my own wellbeing. I don't believe we ever reach a point where we have everything figured out.

Perhaps that is part of the beauty of it.

Evexia means wellbeing. For me, it represents a way of living that makes room for movement, rest, connection, growth and enjoyment.

It is a reminder that being healthy isn't simply about what our bodies can do. It is also about how we feel, how we live and how we experience the world around us.

And if everyone who joins Evexia in some way or another takes away a little of that feeling, then I think we have found the right name after all.

Welcome to Evexia Kos.

Gilly x