Nicole Brar

Fitness Instructor & Nutritionist

What Does It Mean For Wellness To Be Holistic?

by Leave a Comment

what does it mean for wellness to be holistic

The words “holistic” and “wellness” are thrown around a lot these days. But what does it actually mean for wellness to be holistic?

Holistic wellness is an alternative approach to health. It considers the complete person, not just physical health and symptoms. It focuses on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.

Rather than just treating symptoms, the goal of holistic wellness is to balance all aspects of someone’s life. Think thriving rather than just surviving. Everything in your life from the place you live to your income to your social circle affects your overall health. This approach aims to address it all.

Here are five key elements that make wellness holistic:

5 Things That Make Wellness Holistic

Integrating mental and physical health

Your mind and body are intrinsically connected. Holistic wellness acknowledges how mental health affects physical health and vice versa. Practices like yoga and meditation are ideal to support both aspects. 

Emphasis on prevention

Typically, people only focus on health after something is already wrong with them. We treat the symptoms instead of preventing them from occurring in the first place.

Holistic health prioritizes prevention through a healthy lifestyle, including:

It views maintaining overall health as a proactive rather than reactive practice.

Consideration of environmental and social factors

Your environment and social life has a direct impact on your health. If your home stresses you out, that negatively affects your health. If you experience social isolation (aka loneliness), you are more at risk for negative health problems. If you work too much, you will also experience the negative effects of stress.

Holistic wellness encourages a work-life balance and cultivates relationships that support personal health.

Use of alternative medicine

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t see a regular doctor – you should. At the same time, holistic wellness incorporates alternative medicine for extra support. It treats the whole person rather than just the symptoms. This can include:

  • Acupuncture
  • Herbal remedies
  • Holistic doctor consultations
  • Massage or reiki

Focus on all aspects of life

Practicing holistic wellness is about more than just physical health. It includes:

  • emotional stability
  • financial health
  • personal fulfillment

Integrating holistic practices means looking at the bigger picture of one’s life. This includes sleep, exercising, and mindfulness to foster resilience and happiness.

Top 3 Fitness Trends for 2024

by Leave a Comment

It’s the beginning of a new year, and everyone is trying to achieve their fitness goals in 2024. Meanwhile, some exciting new trends have emerged in the fitness world.

If you want to switch up your fitness routine, why not try incorporating one of these trends into your own workout?

Fitness trends 2024

Let’s take a look at the top 2024 fitness trends:

Fitness Trends For The New Year

Sustainability

Sustainability when it comes to fitness has two different meanings.

As the world becomes more and more concerned about the effects of climate change, fitness enthusiasts are looking for more sustainable workout routines. This can include:

  • Opting for more sustainable workout clothes, such as shopping second hand or using environmentally friendly fabrics
  • Using less electrical equipment like treadmills and opting to walk in nature instead
  • Using second-hand and re-usable equipment
  • Plogging, a combination of jogging and picking up litter

Sustainability also means that people are more conscious about workouts they can stick to over the long term. People are focusing less on intense, grueling workouts. People have a lot of motivation for these kinds of workouts at the beginning, but they don’t stick to them in the long-term.

You want an exercise routine you can sustain over a long period of time. For example, if running 7 days a week is too intense for you, try the hot girl walk trend instead.

Holistic Wellness

More and more people now understand that exercise isn’t just about losing weight or sculpting your body to perfection. Exercise should support and improve all areas of your life. Some ways to incorporate this include:

  • Functional fitness: These exercises build strength and endurance for activities you encounter in every day life, such as lifting groceries, climbing stairs, walking, etc.
  • Yoga & Mindfulness: Yoga classes can be an intense workout, but it doesn’t always have to be – both kinds are okay! This is all about connecting your mind and body together and improving mental health.
  • Outdoor Exercise: Spending time in nature has proven benefits for our emotional well-being. Why not kill two birds with one stone and get your fitness on in nature?

Technology

With so many technological advancements these days, it’s no wonder they are making their way to the fitness world. During the pandemic, many people turned to virtual workouts instead of going to the gym. This trend hasn’t stopped, and we’re seeing virtual reality play a bigger role in home workouts.

People also want more data from their workouts so they can optimize their exercise routine. We’re now seeing a huge increase in people using wearable technology and fitness trackers.

How To Know If Virtual Reality Fitness Is Right for You

by Leave a Comment

It’s the new year, which means everyone is trying to reach their fitness goals right now. However, this far into the year is when many people start to fall off the bandwagon. Don’t let yourself be one of those people!

vr fitness

If you’ve been trying the same old fitness routine year after year, and still aren’t sticking with it or seeing results – it might be time to try something new. Trust me, I understand how many barriers there are to reaching your fitness goals. Why not make it a little bit easier with virtual fitness? 

Here’s how to know if virtual fitness is right for you:

3 Signs You Should Switch To Virtual Fitness

Virtual fitness (or VR fitness) simply refers to exercise programs that are delivered digitally. This can be through your computer, apps on your phone, or your TV. Like many things these days, it is completely remote, which means it is way more flexible than going to the gym.

Still not convinced? Let’s get into the signs you should make the switch:

1. You feel insecure at the gym

The gym should be a place that empowers everyone who goes there, but I know this isn’t always the case. If you aren’t feeling your best, you might feel self-conscious exercising in front of others. Women often tell me they aren’t comfortable at the gym unless it is female-only, and not everyone lives near a women’s gym. 

You can skip all of the insecurity by just exercising in the comfort of your own home!

2. You struggle to motivate yourself

Exercising at home is great, but that often means exercising by yourself. This is a real problem for people who struggle with motivation. Going to an exercise class or having a workout buddy can help motivate you to work out because it makes you accountable to someone else. 

With virtual fitness, you get the benefits of staying at home while also having others to hold you to your exercise. 

3. You want an affordable, convenient option

Going to the gym is not always convenient or affordable. Gym memberships can be costly, especially if you want to hire a personal trainer for more in-depth guidance. Not everyone lives near a gym or has the time to go enough to make the money worth it. Life gets bust, and when it does, fitness is usually the first thing people put on the backburner.

With virtual fitness, it is much easier and more cost-effective to fit your exercise into your lifestyle. You essentially get to bring your fitness classes and personal trainer into your home without paying the premium! 

How To Achieve New Year Fitness Goals

by Leave a Comment

New year fitness goals

As a health and nutrition coach, I have seen many clients set New Year’s health and fitness goals. People get a surge of motivation at the start of the year. 

However, a lot of people end up abandoning their goals. Let’s find out why, and what you can do to change that. 

What Percentage of People Quit Their New Year’s Fitness Goals?

Forbes published a study about new year’s resolutions, and quite a few people set out health goals for New Years. 48% want to improve fitness, 34% want to lose weight, and 32% want to improve their diet.

But how many people actually stick to these goals? The same study found that the majority of people quit their goals somewhere in the 2-4 month mark. 

So, most people aren’t sticking to their fitness goals. How can you make sure you aren’t a part of this statistic?

3 Tips For Achieving Fitness Goals For New Year

Before we get into tips, we need to talk about why people quit their goals. Typically, people set a really ambitious goal for themselves. New Year, New Me, right? The thing is, you can’t change yourself overnight just because the year changed. When people have unrealistic expectations, the enthusiasm wears off and they quit. 

So, let’s get into the tips.

1. Set Intentions, Not Just Goals

Instead of setting a goal, set an intention. Typically, when people set a goal, they get really specific about it. This is good for goals, but people don’t stick to their New Year’s goals, so don’t set any! Instead, focus on why behind your goal. 

For example, many people set a goal to lose weight. Instead, your intention could be to improve your overall health or feel more energetic. Be a little bit vague about it on purpose. That way, if you miss a gym session, you won’t feel like you’ve already fallen off the bandwagon and give up altogether.

2. Start Small and Stack Your Habits

Start with small, manageable changes and gradually build upon them. For example, you may decide that you want to start going on walks every day. That would be a goal, but we’re setting intentions. So your intention could be to walk more than you currently do. Start going on one extra walk every week. Once that is fully ingrained into your routine, add another day. So on and so forth.

3. Reframe Your Thinking Around New Year’s Goals

If you look at nature during the winter months, plants and animals are not ultra-productive right now. The same goes for people. It’s a time where, naturally, we would be conserving our energy. Don’t be so hard on yourself if you aren’t as active as you would like to be. Use this time to plan and set foundations for yourself. You may find that you just feel more active in the spring, and that’s okay.

How Do Mini Goals Help A Physical Fitness Program?

by Leave a Comment

How do mini goals help a physical fitness program

Do you struggle to stay on track with your big fitness goals? What if I told you it could be a little bit easier?

Today, let’s explore a key concept in achieving fitness success: mini fitness goals. For many, embarking on a fitness journey can be daunting, especially when faced with large, long-term objectives.

This is where setting mini goals for fitness becomes a game changer.

What is a Mini Fitness Goal?

A mini fitness goal is a small, achievable target set within a short time frame. Your goals should be specific, measurable, realistic, and time-bound. They serve as stepping stones toward larger fitness aspirations, making the journey more manageable and less overwhelming.

3 Tips to Set Mini Fitness Goals

  1. Be Specific and Measurable: Instead of a vague goal like “get fit,” aim for something concrete, like “increase upper body strength.” This makes tracking progress and achieving the goal more feasible.
  2. Choose a Realistic Time Frame: Set short term goals you can accomplish within a few weeks or a month. This helps maintain motivation and a sense of accomplishment.
  3. Align with Your Long-Term Fitness Vision: Ensure your mini goals contribute to your overall fitness goal. Whether it’s weight loss, running a 5k race, or improving fitness level, each mini goal should be a relevant step in that direction.

Examples of Mini Fitness Goals

  • Lose 1% Body Fat in 30 Days: A focused and realistic goal that contributes to a larger weight loss plan.
  • Jog Three Times a Week: This is a great starting point for someone aiming to run a 5k race.
  • Add One More Day of Strength Training to Your Routine: For those looking to enhance muscle tone and overall body strength.

Remember, the key to achieving good fitness goals is consistency and perseverance. As a personal trainer, I encourage you to celebrate each small victory along the way. These mini goals are not just milestones. They are powerful motivators that keep you on track in the long run.