If you’re a fitness nerd, you probably keep track of your vital statistics and know how to effectively calculate your macros. And yet, you might be missing a key vital aspect of your overall fitness journey - your body’s holistic wellness. A huge trend right now, the holistic approach helps you to understand how the physical, spiritual, and emotional aspects of your being work together and why this is super important to actually feeling good.

So what is holistic wellness?

The term “holistic” is not new, and yet it has only been in practice only since the 1970s. Derived from the term “holism”, meaning the interconnected parts of a whole, holistic health is an approach based on Hippocratic medicine. In other words, it’s the practice of treating the body, mind and spirit as a whole, with the underlying philosophy that one works in connection with the other. As a lifestyle, holistic wellness is the idea of keeping the mind and body in harmony with each other by focusing on them both.

Science has proven that if one part of the body or mind is not in harmony, then our overall well-being is affected. For example, individuals that have anxiety or depression often suffer from gastrointestinal problems, or chronic pain can lead to mental health disorders. Likewise, a diet that is low in essential vitamins may cause cognitive side effects such as mood swings and brain fog. Holistic wellness is key to effectively treating the root of the problem and keeping your body and mind in balance. Our tips below will help you review your current fitness and wellness regime under a holistic lens in order to achieve the best results possible.

Be Kind to Yourself

Self-compassion is a rather underrated concept but plays a vital role in how you view yourself in the world. The concept here is simple; treat yourself kindly, much like a friend who really needs your support. Kristin Neff, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and one of the world's leading pioneers in the self-compassion field has found that people who are compassionate towards others tend to be less compassionate towards themselves. So how can we avoid being hard on ourselves? Start by not berating yourself for real or imaginary failures and focus on what you actually have achieved over time. Most importantly, take the time to think about what you actually need; oftentimes our needs are dictated by others, and instead we should try to focus more on ourselves.

Take a Digital Detox

 Social media can be a very toxic place. With people posting the polished version of their lives online, the comparison is inevitable and creates a sense of inadequacy or not being glamorous enough. The truth is that the curated content we are viewing is by no means indicative of the truth and comparing your achievements to those of others is only making you feel bad. Try to put aside a few days a week in which you detox your brain from technology as much as possible. Use tech at work where needed, but keep the time at home to read, spend time with your loved ones or embrace an activity such as pottery or gardening. You will emerge refreshed.

Embrace Nature

If you are a real gym fan and spend most of your time indoors, maybe you should start considering spending more time in nature. Any type of physical activity outdoors is proven to improve mental health by helping you actually take control of what you feel and why. Science has shown that being immersed in or even just near the natural world can effectively reduce stress and increase well-being whether combined with a workout or not. Oftentimes, a simple walk to the park may be all you need.

 Meditate or Pray

You may not be the religious type, but did you know that incorporating meditation into your wellness routine is one of the most effective ways to improve your holistic health? People who practice yoga can tell you that taking some time every day to just tune out the world’s distractions can be pivotal in reducing stress and focusing on your true needs. In fact, meditation is often used as a complementary treatment to traditional medical care where holistic health requires improvement. Taking the time to be still, and focus on your inner you and its connection with the world can be the source of internal balance and harmony.

Keeping both physically and mentally fit can be a challenge for many of us, but what is clear is that in combining both you are more likely to see the greatest improvement in your wellbeing.