Exercise and fitness should be incorporated into your life if you wish to improve your health, longevity, and energy level! So, make this a part of your lifestyle today!
It has numerous benefits that are hard to ignore: exercise and fitness can make your skin look fresh, elevate your mood, increase muscle mass, improve bone density, and much more!
The good thing is that exercise benefits are for all. No matter what your age or sex is, you can enjoy these benefits throughout your life.
Want to learn how exactly exercise can help you? Read on to find out!
Why exercise and fitness are important in life
A regular gym workout routine can benefit you in the following ways.
Lose and maintain weight
Experts believe that inactivity is one of the major factors that lead to obesity or an increase in weight. In contrast, becoming physically more active can be very effective in losing and maintaining your weight naturally.
Studies show that exercise and fitness boost our metabolic rate, which in turn speeds up the calorie-burning process. When you control your calorie intake and complement it with some simple aerobic exercises, you not only lose weight but also keep it off while maintaining your muscle mass.
Fight off serious health issues
Being inactive increases your risk of developing serious health conditions such as heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity due to the accumulation of belly fat and other similar reasons.
Becoming active can improve your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (good cholesterol) levels and decrease the levels of “bad cholesterol”, which reduces the risk of heart stroke and high blood pressure. Exercise and fitness can also increase your insulin sensitivity and improve body composition.
Sleep better at night
Going to the gym regularly (or working out at home) and maintaining a healthy workout routine, can help you sleep better and fall asleep faster.
Your energy levels drop after a workout session, which helps in stimulating the natural healing process during sleep. In addition, the body temperature, which rises during exercise, makes it easier for the body to reduce the temperature during sleep. This ensures quality sleep.
Studies even claim that exercise and fitness can help older people manage their sleep disorders well. Therefore, make regular exercise a part of your life and enjoy its long-term benefits for years to come!
Keep your muscles and bones strong
Do you want to maintain muscle and bone health? Exercise and fitness can help you achieve that goal.
A regular workout session can increase your bone mass density. It can also prevent osteoporosis, a common bone issue among older people, particularly women.
When you exercise, your body secretes more essential hormones. These hormones work together to perform different tasks such as reducing muscle fiber breakdown, increasing amino acid absorption in muscles, etc. This, in turn, stimulates muscle mass increase. You can speed up this process by taking more proteins.
Boost energy and elevate mood
Exercise and fitness are also linked to mood and energy improvement. They promote the production of certain hormones that regulate stress and help you cope with depression. It does not matter what the intensity level of your exercise is; doing it regularly alone can make a significant difference in your mood and energy.
Regular workout sessions can also improve your endurance. Exercise increases blood circulation, meaning your lungs and heart get plenty of oxygen and nutrients. As a result, their performance improves, and you have more energy to perform daily tasks.
Improve skin health and hold back the signs of ageing
Oxidative stress can damage your skin cells and cause the appearance of ageing signs. It occurs when your body’s level of damaging free radicals increases and the level of protective antioxidants decreases.
Studies prove that exercise and fitness can boost the synthesis of antioxidants which can then reduce the number of free radicals and oxidative stress. It can help you maintain healthy skin and delay signs of ageing.
Daily workout sessions also improve blood circulation in the skin. Your skin gets all the nutrients and oxygen that it needs to maintain its function and development. It further helps in reducing the appearance of ageing signs.
Protect your brain as you age
Are you worried that your memory may not be as good in old age as it is today? Well exercise can help with that too!
Exercise and fitness stimulate the production of hormones that control brain cell growth. Experts believe that exercise can also increase the size of the hippocampus (a part of the brain that is involved in learning and memory storage). It may help older people improve their memory.
You can also delay age-related changes to the structure and function of the brain by working out regularly. You do not have to perform intense exercises to achieve this goal. Low to moderate level exercises can also be equally effective.
What type of exercise and fitness is best for me?
The following are the recommended types of exercise and fitness for you.
Personal Trainers
Working with a personal trainer can help you achieve your fitness goals in less time. A personal trainer will design a fitness plan that meets your individual fitness needs so that you can improve and maintain your overall health.
Pilates
Pilates is another form of exercise that works on your core muscles and helps you make them stronger and more stabilized. It is a collection of a series of movements.
Tai Chi
Tai chi is actually a Chinese martial arts technique, but today it is more commonly used for health and fitness purposes. It promotes serenity through a series of physical exercises and stretches.
The bottom line
Going to a gym regularly can be very effective in improving your mood, boosting energy levels, enhancing productivity and, above all, increasing your life expectancy.
If you are a beginner, start slow and increase workout intensity gradually. Keep in mind that consistency is the key to achieving a healthy mind and body.
Personal trainers are fitness professionals who exclusively design effective workout plans and fitness programs tailored to the client’s body type, needs and goals. They educate, instruct, assist and motivate clients to achieve their health and fitness goals within a set time period.
A fitness trainer is equipped with the knowledge of different training techniques that helps the client ‘safely’ perform each workout and achieve their fitness goals in limited time. They track the progress, motivate you to keep going, celebrate your wins with you and buck you up after setbacks.
Your personal trainer can create weekly workout plans and keep you motivated to achieve them.
Why Should I Hire A Personal Trainer?
A fitness trainer may work with clients in groups or individually to blend routine with fun + attainable fitness goals.
By hiring a personal trainer, you can benefit from the following services:
Have a personalized workout plan tailored to your body’s needs, fitness goals and any medical conditions. A trainer can modify workouts in case of injuries to prevent any stress on afflicted muscle or joints.
Set ‘realistic’ and ‘attainable’ fitness goals and create a visual roadmap to achieve them.
Teach you proper form for each exercise and correct any posture or technique issues. It reduces the chance of injury.
Keep you motivated by celebrating your achievements and helping you move past setbacks.
If you fail to stay committed, motivated and disciplined in chasing your goal, a personal trainer can kick you in the pants to get started.
Modifies and varies your workouts to prevent boredom. They’ll teach you a variety of exercises on the machines, or by using free weights, props, resistance bands, and straps.
Keeps increasing the challenge for your body to achieve quick results.
Above all, getting back in shape will make you the happiest person. And it’s And a trainer makes it achievable.
What to Expect from a Personal Trainer?
When you hire a personal fitness trainer, you can expect to:
Have a customized fitness program
Learn correct exercise techniques
Perform at your optimum
Have greater motivation and commitment
To minimize injuries and target right muscle group
Learn a variety of exercises with and without equipment
To achieve fitness goals in time
What to Expect During My First Training Session?
A certified personal trainer will first administer a couple of assessments before he/she can design a customized training program for you. Assessments gauge your fitness level, medical health, and fitness needs and goals. So, initial sessions are more centered on warm up exercises and assessment of your unique body type and your weight-loss or fitness goals.
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese practice that involves a series of slow, focused movements paired with meditation and deep breathing. It involves gentle form of physical exercises and stretches, each movement smoothly flowing into the next keeping your body in constant motion. These moves are aimed at aligning the energy of your mind, body and spirit to restore the Qi (energy flow) of the body.
Inspired from ancient martial arts, the practice is now used for improving physical and mental wellbeing, and rehabilitation. The mindful moves help you fight anxiety and stress as well as improve flexibility and balance.
Benefits of Tai Chi
Whether you have signed up for YouTube Tai Chi or a physical class, when each move is learnt correctly, it has a profound effect on your physical and psychological wellbeing. The benefits include:
Reduced anxiety, stress, and depression
Improved mood, energy levels and stamina
Better balance, mobility and flexibility
Increased lung capacity
Increase in muscle strength
Better focus and consistency
Inculcation of mindfulness in life
Reduced risk of trips and falls in older people (backed by research)
Several studies have found that Tai Chi has incredible health benefits, such as:
Better sleep quality
Improved brain functions
Reduced blood pressure level
Improved immunity
Improved cardiac health and reduced risk of heart failure
Regularized sleep patterns and less fatigue in fibromyalgia patients
Tai Chi movements are low-impact, gentle moves that people of any age can easily perform. However, you must seek medical advice before participating, especially if you:
Are pregnant
Experience back ache
Have a joint problem like osteoporosis
Older
What to Expect From a Session
In your first session, you will be introduced to meditation, visualization, deep breathing, and gentle repetitive exercises.
Unlike other physical training classes, there is no music backdrop in a Tai Chi class. It’s conducted in a quiet environment to help each participant connect with their inner self, find their own balance, and gain better awareness of their body.
For your first class:
Copy your instructor precisely
Do not push your body too far—flexibility builds over time
Whenever the instructor demonstrates a new move, follow it carefully alongside other people.
As for the class attire, you should wear loose-fitted, breathable and comfortable clothing and flat shoes.
An average session is about 45-60 minutes long; and for the elderly people, the time is gradually increased from 30-60 minutes.
Pilates is a series of low-impact focused, controlled movements aimed at strengthening muscles by improving mobility and postural alignment. This century-old practice helps improve core strength, flexibility and posture!
It involves steady, precise movements with focused breathing to strengthen the core and tone muscles. ‘Core’ refers to abdomen, hips, thighs and the back.
Created in 1920s by Joseph Pilates for rehabilitation of soldiers and dancers, and the movements are inspired from gymnastics, yoga, and boxing. These are focused on the activation of core through different Pilates exercises such as abdominal curls, leg lifts, swan dive, etc.
Above all, it has no age-restriction as trained professionals can modify the moves to your body type (based on your injuries, weaknesses, and strengths).
What are the Benefits of Pilates?
If you are looking for Pilates near me, you must know the benefits first. Primarily, it emphasizes on core strength which leads to several health benefits:
Abdominal muscles support your spine. If your abdominal muscles are weak, your back needs support from other body parts for stability that causes lower back pain. So, it focuses on abdominal strength to support your back and improve posture.
You will experience improved flexibility. The stretches in slowly strengthen, open and elongate your muscles for mobility.
The practice does not build muscles but tones and sculpts them.
Your body posture and body alignment is greatly improved.
The mindful practice rehabilitates and prevents musculoskeletal injuries due to weak muscular strength.
As it’s not age-restricted, it improves joint health of the elderly.
Due to deep breathing, your lung capacity is enhanced as well as overall blood circulation is increased.
Above all, it boosts focus, promotes relaxation, and reduces stress.
What Should I Expect From A Pilates Session?
Are you looking for a Joseph Pilates near me class? Here’s what you should expect from your session:
Beginner Pilates classes may be performed on a mat without equipment using your bodyweight. Initial sessions are more focused on small yet correct movements with controlled breathing. Later, modifications are done to challenge your body.
Pilates involves floor mats or specific equipment depending upon your core strength and joint health. However, it’s better to start with mat exercises at first.
You can expect to experience a nice burn of targeted muscle groups during and after the session.
It is recommended to wear yoga attire to your Pilates class. An average session is 45-60 minutes long.
How To Transition Into Your Online Fitness Trainer Career
The online fitness business is a booming industry. This is your go-to guide if you want to learn how to transition into your fitness trainer career, using Skillshare.
Skillshare is an online learning platform that lets you work at your own pace by launching your course/classes, without going through the long process of approval or applications. Skillshare teachers are regular professionals and creators – people just like you. You do not need to have extensive experience and expertise to start your online fitness business on Skillshare.
Today, online fitness training is considered a more convenient method of teaching people from all over the world. It is easy on the pocket since you do not have to rent a gym and pay bills etc. You are not restricted to go to a particular place, at a particular time, when you can create videos anywhere, anytime.
Now, many people prefer establishing a home workout routine due to the convenience it provides. Besides that, due to the pandemic, many people lost their jobs. So, now they find online fitness training a more cost-effective method of meeting their health and fitness goals. They can learn from the comfort of their homes – all they need is a good internet connection!
It speaks a lot about why the online fitness industry is growing with each passing year. The digitalization of the world and the development of innovative technologies have also greatly supported the online fitness industry. With Skillshare, launching an online fitness business is so easy!
This 9-step easy-to-follow guide will provide you with a roadmap to start and launch your online fitness training course and take it to the next level!
Who Is This Article Aimed At?
COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the labor market metrics. The rate of unemployment hit 14.8% in April 2020. Millions of people lost their jobs when the governments imposed countrywide lockdown. Gyms and training centers were all closed down to reduce the spread of the virus.
Despite the changing circumstances and several challenges, many fitness trainers started their online fitness training, not only to earn from the comfort of their homes, but also to help people cope with the pandemic-related stress and stay fit.
If you have also lost your job as a fitness trainer or discovered your passion for fitness training during the lockdown, you have come to the right place. This article will provide you with a step-by-step guide to starting your online fitness business, as an online fitness trainer, and boosting your business revenue over time.
Start your online fitness training and share your fitness-related experience with people from all around the world, to earn money even when you sleep!
Why Should You Teach Fitness Online?
Due to the pandemic, the fitness industry has seen remarkable changes as people adapt to life without fitness centers and gyms. The pandemic has created new fitness trends, which have led to the exponential growth of online fitness training.
Now more and more people are looking for online fitness programs on platforms like Skillshare. Seeing this increasing demand for online fitness training and its benefits, many professional trainers are shifting to virtual workout training and reaching more clients than ever before. This shift has also created more opportunities and made things easier for both students and trainers.
Online Fitness Business Stats
Let’s go through a few current stats to comprehend the true importance of online fitness training.
The recent pandemic has made people realize the value of health and well-being more than ever. In a survey of 12,913 participants from different countries, it was found out that people who used to exercise 1 to 2 times a week started exercising 88% more during the lockdown.
During the lockdown, many people started doing the workout at home. As a result, a 55% increase in the sales of fitness equipment was recorded.
One of the popular exercise equipment companies, Peloton, noticed a huge surge in sales – their sales of fitness equipment doubled in 2020.
In 2020, the download of fitness apps increased by 46% People started taking virtual fitness classes and watched recorded exercise videos to stay fit despite the closure of gyms and fitness clubs.
Live streaming became quite popular during the lockdown. As a result, the number of consumers who preferred live-streamed workouts increased from 7% in 2019 to 80% in 2020. Out of these, 43% are planning to go back to their pre-COVID-19 routine but also include live streaming and online videos in their fitness routine.
More Stats
The Fitness world saw many new trends, and many of them are here to stay even after the pandemic. 60% of gym-going Americans liked home workouts a lot, and they intend to cancel their in-person training memberships.
In a survey conducted in April 2020 by Harrison Co., 40% of the participants said that they worked out at home for the first time due to the coronavirus. It is believed that many will continue to do so.
As a result of the coronavirus, 74% of Americans downloaded at least one health and fitness app for online fitness training and maintaining their overall health.
Since many fitness trainers lost their jobs and started virtual training to survive the crisis, during a survey, 83% of the online fitness trainers said that they would continue to work online even when the pandemic is over.
Online fitness trainers made more money during and before the pandemic. 97% of fitness trainers plan to train clients after the pandemic by combining in-person and virtual coaching.
We all are seeing an increase in the use of Artificial Intelligence. It is expected that Al will replace humans to perform different tasks; as a result, many people could lose their jobs. It is the right time to start an online fitness business, as an online fitness trainer, on Skillshare. This will enable you to put down your roots in the online fitness world and build a following in an ever-growing industry.
The Advantages of Starting an Online Fitness Business
This is not a get-quick-rich kind of business. However, if you follow the right method to create and launch your online fitness training course, then it can be a lucrative and rewarding business option.
Here are the top benefits of starting your online fitness business as an online fitness trainer.
○ The earning of an online fitness trainer depends on several factors like the niche, course quality, etc. On average, an online fitness trainer can make around $44,105 per year. You can earn even six figures if you launch multiple courses and use the right marketing strategies for your online fitness business.
○ Do you have fitness-related knowledge? Then why create only one course when you can create multiple courses of different niches to target a diverse audience through different courses. You can resell these courses and keep earning for the same videos over the years.
○ It’s quite flexible as it does not restrict you to be at a particular place at a particular time. You can record your videos whenever you want and wherever you want. Your students also have the freedom to watch videos when they have time. It gives both the online fitness trainer and student the freedom of time and place.
○ This business gives you the professional freedom that the studio teaching method does not provide. You can create course content and videos however you see fit. You become in charge of everything. In short, you become your own boss.
Additional Benefits
○ There is no need to rent a place to train students when you can do the same by virtual training your students from your home. All an online fitness trainer needs is a professional-looking space, an internet connection, ample lighting, and some basic fitness equipment to get started.
○ You can reach out to people from all around the world. Your students can be from the United States, England, Canada, Germany, or any other part of the world.
○ You can offer a variety of courses that vary based on their duration, content, niche, and other factors.
○ You can expand your online fitness business by directing your online fitness training course students from the course to the fitness equipment you are selling.
○ Online fitness training is considered a more economical training option compared to in-person training, where students have to buy expensive memberships.
○ It is also safer for ill people who are advised to stay at home until they recover.
○ This type of business also requires little money to establish. You just have to invest in the beginning to create the course and launch it. Once it has established its roots, it will keep on reaching more and more students.
The Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Fitness Training
○ Exercise is a natural way of boosting your metabolic rate and burning more calories in less time. It can help people lose weight and even maintain it over the years.
○ Regular workout elevates the level of happy hormones in the bloodstream. It is one of the reasons why you feel happier and lighter after exercise.
○ Staying physically active is crucial to increasing and maintaining muscle strength and muscle mass. Exercise stimulates the production of hormones that encourage your muscles to produce more protein and build faster.
○ Engaging in physical exercise can elevate your energy level and may also keep you motivated. It is quite helpful for people who feel fatigued or have a medical condition.
○ Loss of bone density is an ageing sign. However, you can reduce it by exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet. It will also decrease your risk of bone fractures.
○ Fitness training helps people reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes by diminishing blood cholesterol levels and maintaining blood pressure.
○ A simple workout can be one of the best natural anti-anxiety treatments. It encourages the release of endorphins and relieves tension.
Do You Need to be an Expert to Start Teaching Fitness Online?
One of the most common concerns that people interested in launching an online fitness course have is “we are not expert trainers, how can we teach fitness?”
But who told you in the first place that you have to be an expert to launch your online fitness training course? Probably, no one but your own thoughts. Now hear the truth: “you do not have to be an expert and a certified trainer to successfully launch an awesome online fitness course.”
If you have a passion for teaching fitness and have sufficient authentic knowledge, then you are good to go!
Guide to Launching and Taking Your Online Fitness Course to the Next Level
STEP 1: DECIDE WHAT TYPES OF STUDENTS YOU WANT TO ATTRACT ONLINE
To build a solid foundation for your online fitness business, you need to first identify your target customers then market your course with a suitable pitch. The fitness industry is usually divided into four popular markets. As an online fitness trainer, you have four market options.
○ Sports performance
○ Fat loss
○ General health
○ Corrective exercise
You should evaluate these markets thoroughly then choose one that goes well with your interests and likes.
STEP 2: LET’S GO A BIT DEEPER
All of the markets mentioned above are quite huge. It is better to select one sub-market so that you can link to your ideal clients better. It will help you cater to a particular group's needs and teach your students in a way that they can easily and effortlessly relate to.
You can choose any of the following sub-markets.
Sports performance
○ Any sport
○ Injury rehab
Fat loss
○ Women
○ Men
○ College students
General health
○ Energy
○ Mood
○ Stress
Corrective exercise
○ Mobility
○ Injuries
○ Pre or postnatal
STEP 3: HOW TO FIND YOUR UNIQUENESS
Now, it is time to narrow down the chosen sub-market more and select a particular niche. There are numerous niches in each sub-market. So, it won’t be hard to find the one that matches your interests the best. If we consider the pre or postnatal sub-market, some of the possible niche options you have, include:
○ Teen & inexperienced moms
○ Older & experienced moms
○ Moms of a single kid
○ Moms of multiple kids
○ C-section moms
○ Moms having diastasis rectus abdominis
You can be creative and combine two niches to create a unique niche like “older moms who had a C-section and have only one kid.” It will help you target an even narrower audience and provide them with online fitness training that specifically caters to their needs.
To understand why you should narrow down the niche, imagine you need heart surgery. Would you go to a general surgeon or a heart specialist? Now you got the point!
Finding an online fitness business niche will also help you market the course in a more efficient way. Your efforts will be more focused and produce better results. You will be able to use the right pitch for a specified group, saving you both time and money.
STEP 4: FIND YOUR TEACHING STYLE
People have their own unique teaching styles. You should also create your personal teaching style that engages students and keeps them attentive throughout the class. There are many teaching styles that you can use during a session.
If you opt for the instructional teaching method, below are the popular ways of recording an instructional video for your online fitness training as an online fitness trainer.
Recorded class
You can give online fitness training through recorded fitness sessions. For it, you will have to record a video beforehand and publish it on the website to let the students watch. There will be no live interaction between the student and the trainer.
Voice-over instruction
In voice-over instruction, you use a voice-over to train the students during your online fitness training.
Follow-along instruction
It is the form of training in which you give instructions during your online class like you would give during an in-person training session.
If you do not yet know which method you would prefer, try different styles during your online sessions and see which method keeps the students more attentive while conveying the message correctly. You can always get the feedback of your students in this regard.
People who are new to teaching can improve their teaching style by regularly practising in front of the mirror.
STEP 5: SETTING UP YOUR ONLINE FITNESS TRAINING SPACE
The environment and space you use for your online fitness business will directly impact how focused and attentive your students stay during the class. That is why you must carefully select a space that is free of distractions and provides you with enough room to perform different exercises.
Consider the following things while selecting a space for your online fitness training.
○ Is the space large enough to accommodate all the fitness equipment?
○ Will I be able to adjust the equipment and still perform exercises in the chosen space?
○ Does the area look professional and distraction-free (like TV noise, family members crossing the room in the background, etc?)
○ Is the area lit enough to create a suitable ambience and make everything visible to students no matter which time of the day it is?
STEP 6: FITNESS EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR ONLINE FITNESS BUSINESS
Fitness equipment is not a must-have item for online fitness training because you can perform a great workout easily without them. However, your students may have some basic equipment like dumbbells, and teaching them how to use them could them a plus point for an online fitness trainer.
Below is the list of the basic fitness equipment that you should consider investing in.
○ Exercise mat
○ Medicine ball
○ Dumbbells
○ Kettlebells
○ Slamball
○ Stability ball
○ Resistance bands
○ Skipping rope
If you already have the equipment, then that’s great! Otherwise, if you need to buy them, choose items that have bright colors and look prominent on the camera. It will maximize visibility and help students track fast movements during online fitness training easily. Black and greyish equipment could easily mix with the background if you have a dark background.
STEP 7: LIGHTING FOR YOUR ONLINE FITNESS TRAINING SPACE
Proper lighting of your workout area is crucial. Dim lighting will make the video look pixelated and boring. It will fail to keep your students fully attentive, and they may also miss some of your moves due to the visibility issue.
You can brighten up the room with either natural or artificial light. It depends on what is available easily. You can use a ring light if the room is not bright enough.
Also, try not to stand in front of the opened windows. It will make you look shadowy on the screen, which may seem you are unprofessional or inexperienced. Instead, cover the windows with decorative and catchy blinds.
STEP 8: CREATE A DISTRACTION-FREE ENVIRONMENT
Your online fitness business background says a lot about you. Having disturbing noises and family members moving in the background can divert the attention and focus of your students. They will find it hard to hear your words clearly.
If you want to present well as an online fitness trainer, you should choose a setting for your online fitness training that looks uncluttered and professional. You should be alone in the room while recording the video, so that your family members do not disturb you.
Choose a space where you can avoid distracting noises better. Common examples of distracting sounds that you may have to deal with include the noise of a barking dog, traffic, crying baby, loud music, TV, etc.
STEP 9: SETTING/CREATING PROJECTS FOR YOUR STUDENTS
This essentially means giving your students homework after each online session. Students should have tasks to do in between classes which will enhance the value of the course and make students more committed to completing the course.
It will keep them motivated and push them forward towards the next stage of your online fitness training course. Giving them something to do on their own will also encourage them to discuss fitness with the people around them.
Homework can be as simple as practising a new exercise three times a day or following a nutritional tip. You can also ask your students to write a fitness journal and discuss the content in your online community section. Homework will improve their understanding, retention, and attitude towards the course.
They will be able to better connect with you as their online fitness trainer and ask questions that may arise in their minds while doing homework.
Design your course content in such a way that it benefits the fitness community, and they come back to you to learn more. Run your business by catering to the basic needs of your target audience.
The bottom line
Shifting from offline training to online on Skillshare may not be an easy task, but it has amazing benefits that make it a lucrative and attractive online business idea.
The fitness industry is an ever-growing industry. So, make commitments to running your business successfully and set practical goals to set yourself apart as a dynamic online fitness trainer. Help clients reach their fitness goals, and they won’t stop coming back to you over and over again!
Overcome the setbacks and hindrances to achieve great success.
We hope this guide helps you on your journey to creating and launching your online fitness business!
Diet Zest earns a small commission from Skillshare, for every person who signs up for a free trial on Skillshare, after visiting links on our site. This does not add to the cost of the product/service for you, and it provides a small amount of income to help keep Diet Zest going.🙂
In this article, we will be discussing stress symptoms and stress management. Hopefully, you will learn how you can recognize stress and manage it effectively! 🙂
Stress is a natural response of your body to danger; it helps you deal with emergencies. It helps in day to day challenges, provides you with the strength to prevent undesirable events, and keeps you on your toes to get stuff done.
So, stress isn’t bad. It’s just the excess of stress that causes problems.
Stress can manifest in a variety of forms. It isn’t always easy to recognize; most of the time, people don’t even know they are going through chronic stress.
The aim here is to recognize stress symptoms and address them so that they don’t turn into long-term issues.
While it may not seem like an easy task, you can manage your stress by doing a few simple things.
Let’ get started.
Recognizing, Managing and Reducing Stress
The modern lifestyle is a major source of stress. While some people manage it well (some even thrive under stressful situations), others may feel overwhelmed by it.
Long and frequent stress symptoms may be a sign that you are suffering from chronic stress. Chronic stress can lead to many complications if it not addressed in a timely fashion.
Recognizing Stress
Stress symptoms aren’t always obvious; stress can creep up on you without you even knowing about it. It starts to feel normal. This makes it quite dangerous for your mental and physical health.
So, recognizing stress symptoms is as important as diagnosing any other illness. You can only address the issue once it’s identified.
Stress overload can show its effects in various forms. Stress symptoms can be cognitive, emotional, physical, or behavioral.
Cognitive symptoms include:
Inability to concentrate
Memory issues
Poor judgment
Racing thoughts
Persistent negative thoughts
Behavioral symptoms include:
Eating excessively (or less than normal)
Oversleeping or sleeplessness
Avoiding responsibilities
Going in isolation
Using drugs for temporary relaxation
Nail-biting
As strange as this may sound, chronic stress can affect you physically as well. The physical stress symptoms include:
Body pains or aches
Dizziness
Loss of libido
Increased heart rate
Constipation (or diarrhea)
Emotional symptoms of stress, for most people, are the most difficult to deal with. While experiencing stress overload, you may encounter:
Depression
Sadness
Agitation (Anxiety)
Anger
Irritability
Loneliness
What Stresses You Out?
Stressors or the events that trigger stress vary from person to person. A stressor for some people may not be a cause of worry for others at all.
Sometimes, big events like job loss, financial issues, a loss of someone, divorce, injury, or retirement can linger on and make you distressed.
Or, if you have a sensitive personality, little things can also trigger a stress response.
Whatever the trigger may be, you can achieve effective stress management by doing a few things.
Manage and Reduce Stress
So, let’s discuss the ways you can achieve effective stress management.
Eat Healthy
Healthy foods don’t only keep your waistline slim, but they are also good for your mental health. A healthy diet helps in stress alleviation, keeps a good mood, and strengthens your immune system.
On the other hand, junk food can worsen your mental health.
Avoid junk food and excessive sugar even though they may appear more desirable in a stressful state.
Connect with Loved Ones and Friends
Share your feelings with the loved ones and your mates. Having a supportive social circle makes stress management so much easier.
Additionally, join a support group or an online community to connect with others. If you aren’t comfortable sharing with others, get professional help; it almost always helps.
Exercise
Exercise helps with sleep and improves mood. Getting a deep full night’s sleep is necessary to rewire your brain. You can manage stress better when you are well-rested.
Additionally, exercise releases the happy hormone, endorphin. So, working out can actually make you feel good. Do exercise regularly because it also improves cognitive function and alleviates stress symptoms.
Relax
While you can’t eliminate stress from your life, techniques like Yoga, breathing, and meditation can help reduce stress symptoms significantly.
Learn to relax now and then. You’ll be able to stay calm even under stressful situations if you practice relaxation techniques effectively.
Don’t Leave Your Hobbies
Hobbies and leisure activities are a great way to reduce stress. Time spent on the activities that you love is good for your mental health.
Studies suggest that people who have hobbies are less prone to stress.
It may not seem like such a productive thing to do but taking out time for leisure can actually boost your productivity, as you will feel and perform better.
Practice Self-Talk
What you focus on grows. When you think positive, positive things are bound to happen!
Positive self-talk pulls your attention from potential negative thoughts, helping you reduce stress and feel good.
Say positive things to yourself anytime you feel negativity looming around, and you’ll feel the difference.
Practice Gratitude
According to studies, gratitude can improve your mental health. Keeping a gratitude journal reminds you of the good things that you have in your life, pulling you away from negativity.
So, start a gratitude journal and write at least 1 thing you are grateful for every day.
Identify and Cut Out Stressors
Think about what stresses you out. It could be news, getting into an argument, excessive use of gadgets, and even coffee.
Eliminate those things and replace them with the things that relax you.
Negative thoughts can also contribute to stress; be mindful of what you think when you feel stressed. Replace your negative thoughts with positive ones.
Final Thoughts
Chronic stress can affect your mental and physical health. Knowing that you are going through chronic stress isn’t straightforward. However, it’s not that difficult either!
Recognize stress symptoms and address them before they develop into long-term issues.
Stress symptoms can be cognitive, emotional, behavioral, or physical. Remember, you can achieve stress management and alleviate these symptoms easily. Just incorporate some of the methods we have described in this article!
Make some lifestyle changes like exercising, socializing, eating healthy, taking time off, removing stressors, and practicing gratitude. You’ll see your stress levels reduced in no time!
To get you on the right track, why not join our community - “Healing through food” movement. We'd love to have you on board! 🙂
Self-isolation can be daunting, particularly when no one can certainly say things will go back to normal soon.
Taking care of yourself is something that can get you through this tough time. Want to know how to do that? Continue reading.
Self-care includes practices where you take care of your mental, physical, and emotional health.
Plus, by taking care of yourself, you will not only get through this tough phase, but you will also come out on the other side an improved person.
Let’s see how taking care of yourself can make the self-isolation period easier to manage, productive, and even enjoyable.
Eat Healthy Foods
Keeping a healthy diet is crucial whether you are living in a pandemic or not. However, the current scenario calls for a little extra care.
Eat foods that are good for your mental and physical health. Foods that are rich in healthy fat, proteins, and important minerals will keep you active.
Stay Active
As much as it’s tempting to remain in bed, it’s not good for your health. Try to move as much as you can. Go for a walk, play with your pet, have a little exercise in your room.
Anything that keeps you on your feet will help you maintain a good mood by releasing happy hormones called endorphins. It’s great for stress-relief.
Go out for a walk or exercise regularly to keep your immune system strong. Also, don’t sit for long hours even if you are doing something productive; it could be dangerous for your back.
Practice Meditation
Our thoughts tend to speed up when we are anxious; it’s normal when you’re going through a self-isolation period. However, you can calm your mind through proven techniques.
Mindfulness meditation is an effective way to do that. All you need to do is “focus on your breathing”. As simple as that sounds, it may be difficult in the beginning, as your mind will try to drift off.
This is normal though. Just bring the focus back and keep doing it for 10 minutes. Doing this for 10 minutes can have a positive impact on your mental health.
Many apps can help you with it. Insight Timer is a great option if you need a recommendation. Or, you can read about mindful breathing tips here.
Not a fan of meditation? Don’t worry! There is an alternative: Just practice the art of focus in everyday life. Focus on one thing at a time.
For instance, don’t think about the future or the past while you are having a nice cup of relaxing herbal tea. Give your full attention to your lovely beverage; the sense of warmth, the taste, the rising steam. In short, always focus on the present moment.
Connect Yourself Socially
Self-isolation doesn’t mean you socially isolate yourself too. While you can’t meet your mates in person, you can always arrange virtual meetups.
Keep in touch with your family and friends through text, video chat, or the good old phone call. We are all stuck in this calamity; share your feelings with them and ask them about theirs.
Plus, there are many forums where you can find like-minded people to talk to. Explore social media groups to get yourself involved in the communities of your interest.
Limit News Intake
While keeping yourself up to date is important, over-consuming the news can be detrimental to your mental health. This is especially so when it’s about sensitive topics like the coronavirus.
Limit your news intake. Don’t consume more than you need. Social media is awash with coronavirus talk as well; limit social media scrolling in this time of self-isolation and keep yourself busy in productive and fun activities.
Keep Learning
If you have been thinking about learning something new, now is the time. It could be anything; you can learn a new language, stitching, drawing, painting, or a digital skill that you can sell online.
Sometimes, our own goals can be overwhelming. Just make sure you set achievable goals. A sense of achievement is a great way to keep yourself motivated and on track for progress.
Practice Gratitude
According to clinical studies, people who write regularly about the things they are grateful for (gratitude journal) report better overall well-being.
What you focus on grows. So, keep a gratitude journal and write in it every day about the things you are grateful for.
Gratitude will not only improve your mental health, but it’s also great for fighting physical ailments.
Read Your Favorite Book
Have a book on your desk that you’ve been wanting to read but couldn’t? Self-isolation is an ideal time for reading enthusiasts.
Sometimes, distraction can be good for you. It takes your mind off the stuff going on around you for a while.
Watch Your Favorite Movie/TV Show
If you are not into reading, there is a lot of exciting content online. Self-isolation shouldn’t be boring; turn on the TV and stream your favorite movie or TV show.
If you like jokes, you’ll get a long list of comedy TV shows that you can watch with your loved ones and share a laugh.
Play With Your Pet (Or Get One)
Pets are innocent, cute, loving, and playful. While taking care of yourself, let your pet take care of you as well. They can be a great asset in this stressful time.
It’s normal to get anxious, stressed-out, and even depressed during self-isolation. Pets are a great way to alleviate those feelings. So, spend time with your pet or get one if you can.
Final Thoughts
Self-isolation can be tough, but thankfully, small steps in the right direction can make it easier. In fact, you can take it as an opportunity to better yourself.
You don’t have to be socially isolated either. Fortunately, in this digital age, you have everything you need to keep in touch with your loved ones all the time.
Stay active, read your favorite books, watch your favorite content, play with your pet, learn something new, practice meditation and gratitude, and limit your news intake. You’ll see positive changes in your life in no time.
Why not join our community - “Healing through food” movement. We'd be delighted to have you! 🙂
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