The Vital Role Played by Personal Trainers in Promoting Mental Wellness

 

Exercise heals… not only the body but also, in many cases, the mind… especially when stress, anxiety, and depression come into play. As reported by the National Institutes of Health, physical activity reduces levels of stress hormones and enhances mood—and both these factors are strongly related to both mental and physical diseases. Working out can also help with various substance abuse disorders, including quitting smoking. For this reason, worldwide standards recommend 150 minutes of modest to vigorous physical exercise a week for most adults. The question remains, however, what role can personal trainers play in fostering mental wellness? Are those who engage the services of a PT more likely to stick to their routines and, therefore, reap the myriad of benefits for their body and mind?

 

 

Fitness trainers don’t simply create a workout routine for their clients. They also recommend foods to incorporate into their diets and let clients know which foods they should avoid if they wish to achieve their training goals. It is common for trainers to teach clients how to count calories, macro- and micro-nutrients, and to let them know ideal times to fuel up before and after workouts, as well as the best ways to stay hydrated. Trainers point out that clients can complicate their diets by consuming unnecessary supplements, protein bars, and protein drinks—all of which are unnecessary if they prepare healthy homemade meals. 

 

 

Personal trainers usually recommend healthy Mediterranean-style diets, which are high in fiber. A typical diet for someone wishing to lose weight and/or build muscle comprises lean meats, whole grains, healthy Omega-3-rich fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables – which are an optimal source of fiber. Studies have shown that high-fiber diets help create a happy gut microbiome – the community of bacteria that live in the gut. Studies have shown that having depleted levels of some types of bacteria is linked to depression. A typical workout diet also helps battle inflammation by encouraging people to avoid processed, sugary, and salty foods… as well as those made with palm oil and saturated fats. Consuming anti-inflammatory foods boosts mental health because this diet is so conducive to a healthy gut. Some of the most anti-inflammatory foods in existence are fruits and vegetables, which are optimal sources of fiber. 

 

 

Keeping clients motivated can be hard work, even for the most seasoned of fitness trainers. Statistics show that around 90% of people quit after three months of working out at the gym for many reasons. One of the most prevalent of these is failing to set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) goals. This is one of the most important roles performed by a personal trainer, who lets clients know a reasonable progression of their goals, and helps them break up a large goal into smaller ones. Clients can also lose interest in working out because they don’t need to be accountable to anyone. Trainers work hard to establish a bond with their clients… those who excel give clients something to look forward to and instill the value of consistency and patience. 

 

 

Skilled, experienced personal workers know the value of adapting workout routines in line with a client’s abilities – both physical and mental. They also know when their clients need a different approach to keep them motivated. A 2011 study showed that lack of novelty is a key factor in low participation in exercise among the general population. The American College of Sports found, meanwhile, that even active people can grow bored and unmotivated if they repeat the same exercises over and over again. Personal Trainers can help clients work out the same muscles in new ways, change the place where clients exercise, and introduce novel adventures into the equation – including those taking place in the Great Outdoors.

 

Personal trainers can play an important role in fostering good mental health in their clients. They can keep them motivated by personalizing workouts, adding unique elements, and ensuring there is change. They can also suggest a nutritional regimen that keeps the gut microbiome thriving and varied, which can help keep depression and anxiety at bay.