When so many fitness trends emphasize strict regimens and unrelenting rules (the 30-30-30 method, 75 hard challenge, and 3-2-1 workout method, to name a few), JoJo’s wellness routine feels like a breath of fresh air. For a multifaceted singer-songwriter like her, wellness is about being able to stay consistent, listen to your body, and adapt to new circumstances – all of which resonate with me as a person with a chronic illness.
“I definitely have a lot of flexibility in my wellness routine, but I have pillars,” JoJo tells PS. The first pillar has to do with movement. Whether it’s 25 minutes or 90 minutes, JoJo commits to some form of daily movement, using the YogaRenew app to help her stay consistent. She’s serious about this routine, even when she’s on the road for her “Too Much to Say” tour, but she also switches it up depending on what her body needs.
“My wellness routine honestly changes depending on what my needs are,” JoJo says. “But the things that don’t change about it are: I do want to do something every day to support this one body that I have and to strengthen my mind-body connection.”
When she’s looking for something more gentle, she might try a restorative yoga practice or a breath-focused session. For more intensity, she might add weight or step into a longer yoga flow. This adaptable approach to wellness has facilitated not only physical changes but also positive changes in her overall mindset, self-image, and mental health.
“It’s helped with my anxiety, and with my relationship to my body too.”
“I’ve been practicing yoga for 12 years, and it’s been something that’s really helped me in my healing. It’s helped with my anxiety, and with my relationship to my body too,” she says. “I felt pressured to achieve a certain look for so long, and [yoga] allowed me to do something with my body that wasn’t about anyone else. It was about establishing a connection with myself.”
On a personal level, since developing a chronic illness, I’ve also learned to rethink my approach to health and wellness. As I navigate frequent flare-ups, inconsistent energy levels, and hospital stays, I can’t hold myself to lofty PRs or commit to strict workout programs (the way I previously would’ve). So as I listen to JoJo speak about a healing wellness routine that emphasizes flexibility and connection to self, I feel inclined to try it myself. Here’s how JoJo’s wellness routine went for me, plus some of my biggest takeaways.
Trying JoJo’s Wellness Routine
One of the biggest parts of JoJo’s wellness routine is daily movement. She usually works online through the YogaRenew app (although she occasionally visits yoga studios in person, too), so I do the same. With all different lengths and levels of practice, I can see how this would be an accessible way to stay active, even on tour.
- Day One: On the first official day of my experiment, I start with a morning gym sesh, drinking lots of water, per JoJo’s instruction (“hydration is super important,” she says, as is intuitive eating). It’s a busy day for me, and I feel tempted to let my chaotic schedule take over, but on my lunch break, I manage to sneak in a 10-minute flow. JoJo is also a big fan of meditation, especially before a performance. “Whether it’s 10 minutes lightly guided, or just 10 minutes with some sound balls,” she says. “I just need to feel a sense of grounding before going out on stage.” I try a short guided meditation of my own before bed and drift off to sleep in record time.
- Day Two: The next day, I want to be more intentional with my yoga practice. I go to the gym as usual, then schedule a longer session after work with one of JoJo’s favorite YogaRenew instructors. The heart-opening practice makes me unexpectedly emotional, giving me a deeper understanding of why this is such a fundamental part of JoJo’s wellness routine. “I really think of it as a practice that I have that helps me feel and be well,” she tells PS. “It’s not about ‘I’m doing yoga because I want to look a certain way,’ or because, ‘This is my workout,’ but because it’s like a prescription for me.”
- Day Three: I end my experiment by listening to my body and taking a day off from the gym. In an effort to give my body what it wants, I move through a longer vinyasa flow in the morning and go on a walk in the afternoon. Sometimes I feel guilty for resting when I need it. But JoJo’s routine reminds me that adaptability and self-care are key for sustainable wellness. “Give yourself grace and love yourself through it,” she says. “I think that being harsh on ourselves through things only tightens us up, makes things harder, and takes the joy out of the experience.”
Takeaways
So often we tell ourselves we need to be doing more. We need to lift heavier, run faster, be more consistent – whatever the case may be. Discipline certainly has a place in your wellness routine, but so does self-care and adaptability. In trying JoJo’s wellness routine, I felt like I finally gave myself permission to do what my body truly needed, without sacrificing the structure of a routine. By the end of the experiment, my mind felt clearer, and I genuinely looked forward to moving my body – something JoJo relates to.
“When I was a kid, I quit softball, I quit piano lessons, I quit all these things,” she says. “This [wellness routine] is the longest thing besides my career that I’ve ever been dedicated to. And I think you can find the freedom and the fun within that.”
Chandler Plante (she/her) is an assistant health and fitness editor for PS. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group.
