Being healthy isn’t just about taking care of your body, you have to do it too.

Being healthy isn’t just about taking care of your body, you also need to take care of many more areas of your lifestyle than just your physical body. Today we’re taking a look at some areas you may have neglected over the years and how you can start transforming all aspects of your health.

Many of you consider a healthy lifestyle in the context of losing weight, but there are many other aspects of health that you need to consider. Being healthy doesn’t just mean eating right!

Personally, I think the key to a healthy life is living a healthy lifestyle to have the best chance of avoiding chronic disease.

It’s easy to neglect taking care of yourself because when we’re busy and overwhelmed, we just can’t seem to find the time to care for ourselves. Self-care prevents “overwork burnout” and reduces the negative effects of stress. Therefore, it is essential for your health.

There is no doubt that proper nutrition and exercise are just as important for your body as adequate water intake. “Calorie intake” must be balanced by “calorie consumption”. Therefore, good nutritional choices supported by exercise are indeed crucial to taking optimal care of the body.

If you eat right and exercise you will feel better, but to feel good you need to do more. A completely healthy lifestyle must be your priority. Take care of your body, but also your mind and your general well-being.

As a personal trainer and now life coach, I encourage my clients to create a good balance between all important areas of life.

To do this, I teach them about the importance of wellness

According to the World Health Organization, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” In other words, your health is about much more than just physical ailments – it’s also about emotional and social fitness.

“The natural healing power within each of us is the greatest force for recovery.” ~Hippocrates

The best way to consider all aspects of a healthy lifestyle is to consider your well-being.

Wellness is an active process of perception and decision-making for a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than just freedom from disease, it is a dynamic process of change and growth.

Definition of wellness

“…a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” The World Health Organization

For us, wellness is an opportunity to actively work towards better health. There are 8 areas that make up wellness and your goal must find a good balance between all of them.

Eight dimensions of well-being

There are eight dimensions of well-being: occupational, emotional, spiritual, environmental, financial, physical, social and intellectual. Each dimension of well-being is linked to another. Each dimension is equally important in the pursuit of optimal health.

Emotional well-being

Emotional well-being refers to understanding your feelings and managing stress effectively through self-care, relaxation, stress reduction, and developing inner resources so you can learn and grow from experiences.

You have to start with your emotional health. You can’t have escaped the recent uptick in mental health news. In our stressful society it has become a really big problem. We are slowly realizing that mental wellness is just as important to our overall health as physical fitness. Your mental state affects everything from your blood pressure to hormones to resting heart rate.

As humans, we are often exposed to emotions, some positive and some negative. It is important for your health that you manage your emotions and deal with the negative, harmful feelings as they arise.

How good is your emotional well-being? Check yourself against these statements:

• I can ask/seek for help when I need it.
• I value self-exploration and self-improvement.
• I am able to recognize and manage the various stressors in my life.
• I have a sense of fun and laughter.
• I can feel and name my feelings.
• I express my feelings appropriately.
• I have a sense of control over my life and am able to adapt to changes.
• I can comfort or console myself when I have problems.
• Others would describe me as emotionally stable.

Environmental wellness

Environmental wellness encourages us to live a lifestyle that respects our surroundings. This area encourages us to live in harmony with the earth by taking measures to protect it. It promotes interaction with nature and your personal environment.

How good is your ecological well-being? Check yourself against these statements:

Your surroundings and the larger global environment play a role in your well-being. How you understand it, interact with it, and feel its impact on your life. Ask yourself:

• I care about and respect the environment and my community.
• I am aware of the risks in my environment and adapt my lifestyle accordingly.
• I ensure a quiet home environment.
• I enjoy taking care of my living space and creating a positive place to live.
• I try to live an eco-friendly lifestyle.
• I make it a point to educate myself about issues of global environmental significance and do my part to combat them.

Financial well-being

With Financial Wellness, you can successfully manage your financial expenses. Financial stress is consistently found to be a common cause of stress, anxiety and fear among college students.

How good is your financial well-being? Check yourself against these statements:

• I developed a financial plan for my future and found a balance between spending for the present and saving for the future.
• I budget my expenses every month.
• I have enough money to support myself.
• My beliefs/values ​​around money align with my behavior.
• I have a healthy relationship with money.

Occupational wellness

Corporate wellbeing is about having fun at work and valuing your contributions. This dimension of well-being promotes personal satisfaction and life enrichment through work.

How good is your professional well-being? Check yourself against these statements:

• I create a balance between work and the other areas of my life.
• My work has a purpose.
• I enjoy my work and am happy doing what I do
• I use my skills and personal talents in the role I have at work
• I do the job I want to do
• My work doesn’t particularly stress me out
• I am optimistic about my current career and career goals.

Intellectual well-being

Intellectual well-being means being open to new ideas and continually expanding your knowledge. It promotes active participation in school, cultural and community activities.

How good is your mental well-being? Check yourself against these statements:

• I’m looking for new challenges.
• I have certain intellectual goals.
• I pursue intellectually stimulating interests or hobbies.
• I have positive thoughts (low levels of negativity and cynicism).
• I would describe myself as a lifelong learner.
• I invest time and energy in professional and personal development.

Physical well-being

Physical wellness is about maintaining a healthy body and seeking care when needed. The one area you all consider when thinking about a healthy lifestyle. Physical health is achieved through exercise, a healthy diet, adequate sleep, paying attention to signs of illness and seeking help when needed.

How good is your physical well-being? Check yourself against these statements:

• I get enough sleep and wake up feeling rested.
• I eat regular, nutritious meals that give me the energy I need for the day.
• I do a total of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week.
• I eat a balanced and nutritious diet.
• I practice safe sex.
• I do not consume alcohol or only consume it in moderation, I am a non-smoker and avoid street drugs.
• I am basically disease-free.
• I have an appropriate weight for my height.

Social well-being

Social wellness helps you fulfill social roles effectively and comfortably and build a support network. This dimension of well-being allows you to develop not only encouraging relationships with peers, but also intimate relationships with romantic partners.

As important as it is to eat right and exercise, never miss an important family event, a night out with your best friends, or a meal with your family. We are social creatures and whether extroverted or introverted, investing time and effort in our close social bonds is critical to our ongoing mental health

How good is your social well-being? Check yourself against these statements:

• I find the time to maintain healthy relationships with friends and family.
• I feel like I belong to a group or community and don’t feel isolated.
• I respect others and their cultural identity.
• I am able to resolve conflicts in all areas of my life.
• I am aware of other people’s feelings and can respond appropriately.
• I have at least three people with whom I have a close, trusting relationship.
• I am aware of my own boundaries and those of others and am able to set and respect them.
• I have satisfactory social interactions with others.

Spiritual well-being

Your spiritual well-being encompasses your ability to discover meaning and purpose in your life and examines how in touch you are with your values, morals, and a higher spiritual power

How good is your spiritual well-being? Check yourself against these statements:

• I feel an overall sense of peace and well-being in my life.
• I am aware of my own values ​​and beliefs and respect the values ​​and beliefs of others.
• I believe that my life has meaning and direction.
• I meditate, pray, or do some sort of growth exercise.
• I have a general feeling of calm.
• I believe in a higher power.
• I have a sense of meaning and purpose in my life.
• I trust others and am able to forgive and let go of others and myself.

To be healthy, one must consciously choose to ensure that each of these areas is in good condition. As you make time for each of these tasks, make sure you’re also making time for your health.

“There’s no single big step that can do this. It’s a lot of small steps.” -Unknown