Holistic Fitness in a Nutshell: Here’s What You Need to Know
Recently, you may have heard the phrase holistic fitness tossed around at your local gym or seen an article touting the benefits of the concept online. It seems the idea of holistic fitness has taken the health and wellness world by storm…but what does it really mean?
We’re going to break it down for you, help you understand what holistic fitness is, and explain why we think it’s such a good idea.
What is holistic fitness?
Holistic fitness centers around the belief that getting well means more than working out. As the name implies, true fitness comes from approaching the idea of achieving wellness through multiple avenues. While working out is an important of wellness, it is not the only part.
Holistic fitness acknowledges the truth that there are multiple facets to achieving true fitness…and each is as important as the other.
What are the components of holistic fitness?
Holistic fitness focuses on three main areas of wellness: mind, body, and nutrition. The goal is to look beyond physical training and address the needs of the whole person. Trainers familiar with holistic fitness incorporate nutrition, workouts, mindfulness techniques, and meditation into their strategies.
What does a lifestyle focused on holistic fitness look like?
- Getting Good Exercise – There’s no getting around it…exercise is a critical component of holistic fitness. But that doesn’t mean you need to be hitting the gym for high interval training 6 days a week. It does mean you should build exercise into your schedule each week as a way to strengthen and honor that amazing body that serves you so well. Get outside and go for a walk. Try a Pilates or functional movement class. Lift weights or go for a swim. Whatever exercise you enjoy and will do…do that.
- Getting Good Sleep – Getting quality rest is so important for overall health. Unfortunately, most adults don’t get enough. If you suffer from insufficient sleep, check out these tips from the CDC for improving sleep health.
- Eating Nutritious Food – What we put into our bodies is just as important as how we exercise them. Falling in love with healthy, nutrient-dense whole foods makes it easy to give your body what it needs to thrive. Boost the quality of your current diet by making a conscious effort to eat plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and healthy proteins.
- Embracing Mindfulness – Mindfulness is our ability to be fully aware of where we are and what is going on around us at any given moment. It forces us to live in the moment we’re currently experiencing. Mindfulness can take practice as we become more aware of our surroundings, thoughts, and emotions. Being mindful helps us navigate and process our feelings instead of avoiding them.
- Meditation – Incorporate meditation into your weekly wellness routine. Learning to center yourself and focus your attention inward can lead to profound relaxation and a sense of well being that can directly affect your emotional and physical health.
And so…
As we move into this new year, with all its hope and possibility, we hope you’ll set an intention to embrace the idea of holistic fitness. It’s all connected—the heart, body, and mind—and the sooner we acknowledge this and focus on improving overall wellness instead of limiting fitness to the external, the sooner we will begin to feel truly well.
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