A while ago I decided to step up in the game of fitness and start a course for becoming a personal trainer. Hence, I started researching the agencies that were offering the courses, so I could decide which one to pursue. In addition, I decided to talk with one of the personal trainers who works in the gym that I go to and ask him about his personal experience and his advice. During our conversation, he asked me if he could give me some homework to which I agreed. He told me to research the concepts of fitness, wellness, and health, and how they interconnect with each other.
The result of my research is as follows:
Fitness
Fitness encompasses the ability of the body to function effectively and efficiently. The fitness component refers to the physical state of a person. It is a multidimensional concept, consisting of several parts:
-
Cardiovascular Component refers to the ability of the heart, lungs, blood, and respiratory system to supply fuel and oxygen to the muscles and the ability of the muscles to utilize the fuel to allow sustained exercise. The cardiovascular, or aerobic, component includes: aerobic endurance (how long we perform an exercise), aerobic strength (how hard we perform an exercise), and aerobic power (how fast we perform an exercise). The most popular cardiovascular exercises are walking, running, biking, jumping rope, dancing, aerobic classes, etc.
-
Muscle Component
refers to the spectrum of muscular activities: muscular strength (the ability of the muscles to exert external force or to lift a heavy weight), muscular endurance (the ability of the muscles to repeatedly perform certain actions), and muscular power (the ability to generate strength explosively). Among the best exercises that increase muscular performance are weight-lifting and body exercises.
-
Flexibility
the range of movement that a certain joint can perform. Exercises that increase flexibility are: stretching, yoga, and tai-chi.
-
Body Composition
refers to the relative percentage of body fat, muscle, bone, and other tissues that compose the body. It is measured with the Body Mass Index (BMI).
Previous components are the primary components of fitness. In addition to them are the secondary fitness components, which are as important as the primary ones:
-
Balance
the maintenance of equilibrium while stationary or in movement.
-
Coordination
the ability to use the senses with the body parts to perform motor tasks smoothly and accurately.
-
Agility
the ability to repeatedly and accurately change the direction of the movement of the entire body in space.
-
Power
the ability to transfer energy into force at a fast pace.
-
Reaction Time
the time elapsed between stimulation and the beginning of the reaction to that stimulation.
-
Speed
the ability to perform a movement in a short period.
Wellness and Health
When it comes to the concepts of health and wellness, many people consider them to be the same, but they are two different things.
To distinguish between the two of them, let’s first see how are they defined.
Wellness
Wellness is defined as a positive approach to living, a positive attitude toward life, and a sense of well-being. It is the mental attitude you have regardedttoyour life goals and living a healthy lifestyle. It is considered to be a positive aspect of good health.
One of the most important things for maintaining a positive mental attitude when setting a life goal, whether it is weight loss, getting a new job, learning a new skill, overcoming fear, and so on, is to emotionally engage with the goal you want to achieve. Think of how you will feel when you achieve your goal. Then let that feeling be your guide towards making your dream come true. Each time you feel like you “can’t” do a certain thing and you want to back off from your goal, bring back that feeling, the one that you are going to experience when you achieve your goal, and let it push you forward. Let that feeling be your motivation to continue walking towards your goal.
Health
Other than wellness, health encompasses a broad spectrum. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is a state of complete physical, mental,l and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
The overall health has many aspects, among which most important are:
-
Physical Health
refers to being physically fit and the absence of injury or illness.
-
Social Health
refers to the ability to interact with people and the environment, and to build meaningful personal relationships.
-
Intellectual Health
Refers to learning new things and acquiring new skills, whether through formal structures (school, courses), self-learning, or life experience.
-
Spiritual Health
refers to believing in supernatural force, whether it is a certain religion or the belief in universal intelligence.
-
Emotional Health
refers to the ability to being able to express the emotions you feel, and being able to control some of them depending on the situation you are in.
Conclusively, we can say that wellness and fitness are some of the most important parts of our health, where one focuses on our physical well-being, while the other encompasses the mind and soul. All three concepts are interconnected and mutually support and influence one another.
Each day we are taking steps towards living a healthy and fulfilled life. Therefore, we must ensure that we are living a balanced life. To take a holistic approach and balance all three aspects of our being: mind, body, and spirit. If we neglect any of these aspects, we compromise our entire health and well-being. We also need to think of how each step we take is going to change our lives. By making positive changes in our lives and engaging in positive behavior, not only we will improve our overall health and life, but we will also be role models and inspirations for other people to do so.