By Ginny Grupp
Special to the Turnagain Times
What can a personal trainer do for you? Many people believe that all we do is count reps and yell at our clients to “give me 5 more!” Yes, some trainers limit themselves to just that. I find that these days I am asked to be much more than an exercise counter. Here are just a few things that clients ask me about in addition to their fitness program:
• Nutrition: What is healthy eating?
• Stress Reduction: How to do it.
• Blood Pressure: How can I lower it without medication?
• High Cholesterol: What changes should I make to my diet to lower it?
• Sleep: How can I get more?
• Time Management: How do I fit everything into my busy life?
What does all of this add up to? Wellness. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines wellness as “the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal.” Meaning a way of life, a constant, the quality of being. This includes eating healthier foods, achieving better sleep patterns, better time management, all leading to a higher level of focus on quality of life. People are looking to not only be strong and to look good, they want to feel good. They want to get control of their lives, reduce their risk of developing diseases. They want to be fit and be well.
Getting fit, whether hiring a personal trainer or heading to the gym on your own is, for many, step one on their journey to wellness and a higher quality of life. Many believe that if they can get their body into better shape other things will follow. Being more fit means having more energy and sleeping better, which may allow for better time management. And, when they are feeling more fit, they choose healthier foods to fuel their activities.
How do you know when you have achieved wellness? And what do you do when you reach your goal of being well? Wellness is more than just a “state of being,” it is a daily challenge. Wellness is a combination of choices you make throughout your day. Some of these choices are automatic and some are more of a battle. For me, not eating at McDonald’s is automatic…I don’t recognize the “golden arches” as a restaurant, so it’s an automatic decision not to eat there. “Do I want the brownie for dessert or shall I skip dessert all together?” That’s more of a battle. Do I always make the “right” choice. Nope. And that’s ok. If I am making 90% good choices, then when I make a poor choice its not detrimental to my quality of life. Remember it’s 90% healthy choices versus 10% not-so-healthy choices. That 10% keeps me from feeling deprived and helps me to continue to make the right decision 90% of the time.
Take time to make those seemingly small choices throughout each day. Keep in mind that you don’t have to be “right” every time. The only way to start on the road to wellness is to take your first step. Begin by making one decision today that is healthier than what you did yesterday. Tomorrow you can make two decisions that are healthier. Over the course of your lifetime this will add up to millions of decisions that add up to being well. We are all looking for the quick fix to improve our health. The quick fix is start today…the quicker you start, the quicker you fix.
So, cheers to good health, make it yours!
Ginny Grupp holds a Master of Science degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion and is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance.