Long-term health is a result of understanding your body’s unique relationship with the world around you.
One thing that is assessed in Discipline Fitness is your entire lifestyle when piecing together your program. If all areas are not assessed, there may be some missing vital aspects that could be contributing to your overall stress and as a consequence, your lack of results!
Want to lose weight? Exercise and eat healthily.
More energy? Simple, eat right and exercise.
What about reducing the risk of chronic disease? Duh! Move your body daily and increase your veggies.
The starting point for most many on their health and fitness journey is nutrition and exercise. Two absolutely foundational pieces of the health and fitness puzzle. But did you know there are other areas you could address that can in some cases, have just as much of an impact on your overall health as a change in activity and nutritional intake?
Let's explore the uncommon areas of your lifestyle you might be leaving on the table before you've stepped into a gym.
Environment
Assessing your indoor places and outdoor spaces.
Why?
Because dampness in a home can cause moulds harmful to health and clutter can restrict air flow, causing the build-up of dust and other allergens. In the outdoor setting, particularly if you live in a city or built-up area, you have to consider air pollution which can contribute to heart disease and respiratory conditions such as Asthma, as well as noise and light pollution which can interfere with circadian rhythms and sleep cycles.
What can you do?
Assess your indoor and outdoor environment to see if there are any potential stressors or factors that could be influencing your quality of life. It is recommended to take frequent trips in nature if you live in built-up areas and promote the reduction of light and noise pollution to improve your sleep patterns.
Seek to increase your understanding of environmental issues relating to health so that you can better support your clients to make changes to their environment.
Work
Over 80% of workers suffer from work-related stress, with 25% saying their job is the number one stressor in their lives. For many, it is work that is the cause of poor health habits and frustration for many fitness, health and lifestyle practitioners as it gets in the way of positive behaviour change. Whilst it may seem like the only solution you can do is to ‘leave your job’. There are many things you can do to help reduce stress at work and actually use it as a place to practice healthy habits.
Reinvigorate your sense of purpose
When was the last time you sat down to discuss your deeper why? Finding a sense of purpose can be a powerful way to increase motivation and increase feelings of both physical and mental well-being. When you are able to tie this sense of purpose into the work you do, it may help to reduce the stress associated with your job, or it might just show you that what you are currently doing is not right for you. Either way, it can open a positive conversation to take action on improving your feelings around the work you do.
Becoming aware of natural strengths
Some of the major contributors to work stress are; poor team cohesion, lack of clarity, insufficient support and poor management/communication. Whilst you may not be able to control the work environment when it comes to management, you can support your ‘controlling the controllables’ by increasing awareness of your natural communication styles vs others to help foster better relationships and communication pathways. As well as creating more awareness around your natural strengths (and weaknesses) so that you can meet daily tasks with greater feelings of self-efficacy and clarity.
Planning and Time-management
Gaining an understanding of your typical day at work can help you when it comes to setting realistic and achievable health goals that can work into the demands of the work environment. Your plan to achieve these health goals in your working day and being kept accountable to them may also naturally start to help create more structure and routine in other areas of your work schedule as you aim to add new healthy habits to your to-do list.
Workplace wellness has become a hot topic due to the significant risks associated with both physical and mental health. The Discipline Fitness Coach has the tools to support you in all walks of life.
Social
Wide-ranging research suggests that strong social ties are linked to a longer life. In contrast, loneliness and social isolation are linked to poorer health, depression, and increased risk of early death.
As a result, assessing your social life and relationships should be as high up the list as looking through a diet diary or exercise history. Do you spend quality time with friends, family members/loved ones? Are there any relationships that are currently causing stress? Do you feel lonely or isolated?
If diving deeper into relationships is not within your strong point, seek out a psychologist or counsellor, so that when you do begin to assess the social aspects of yourself, you can be adequately supported with any deeper issues should they arise.
Remember, ALL aspects of the environment can influence gene expression and consequently affect health. Just because you are exercising regularly and eating healthy does not mean your work is done.
Sleep, work, stress, social life, and the environment all have important roles to play in the overall health picture. After working with many clients, The Discipline Fitness Coach does understand the bigger picture of your lifestyle and can formulate a personalised and integrative health program.
Comments