Physical and Mental Health Are Intrinsically Connected

As Personal Trainers and Fitness Professionals, our focus is on physical health. We know that physical activity improves the quality of one’s life by reducing the risk of disabilities, diseases, and dysfunctions while increasing physical function and mobility.

Physical activity is a critical piece in achieving overall well-being and is vital for every individual regardless of any demographic.

Mental Health is just as important as physical health and in fact, they are intrinsically connected.

According to the CDC, “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.”

There are many factors that affect mental health: genetics, family history, biochemical imbalance, previous experiences, environment, physical fitness, drugs…the list goes on and on.

It’s no secret, that mental health has become a common health condition in the United States. The CDC reports that more than 1 in 5 adults and over 1 in 5 young adults (13-18) live with a mental illness.

Social Connections and Mental Health

We know that regular physical activity, eating less, consuming a healthier diet, eating more plant-based foods, and limiting alcohol can all have a positive impact on mental health and living a healthier and happier life.

BUT… there is one factor that has been discovered in the past few years that has an equally significant impact on the quality of one’s life.

Dan Buettner, author and founder of Blue Zones, believes, “friends can exert a measurable and ongoing influence on your health behaviors in a way that a diet never can… I argue that the most powerful thing you can do to add healthy years is to curate your immediate social network.”

While social isolation is associated with higher rates and higher risk factors for mental illnesses…ties to the community, correlate with lower rates and lower risk factors for mental illness.

As a fitness professional, you have the ability to create a community to foster stronger relationships with your clients and their friends and families through health and fitness.

Whether you work at a gym, own your own studio, or travel to clients’ homes for training sessions, you can put together events that will allow your clients to interact with each other and grow their community with like-minded individuals who are trying to improve their health and fitness.

Creating Community Through Fitness Events

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, what better time to plan a get-together, for all your clients to bring a dish, along with any friends and family to mingle? It can be as simple as that, or you can plan different games and activities to encourage interaction.

We would do monthly events such as this at our gym and pick a different theme each month. I can’t tell you how many of my clients found workout buddies. Even spouses that I didn’t work with would come to the events and make lasting friendships.

I also highly recommend throwing in some fitness-related activities such as:

• Organize a game of basketball, volleyball, baseball, frisbee, dodgeball, etc.
• Organize a bike ride or run.
• Organize an early morning weekend Yoga Session, followed by breakfast.
• Clean a park, maintain trails, run a park event.
• Volunteer with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and build homes for those in need in your area.

The point is to find activities that bring together your unique community.

Introducing your clients to each other will only help them achieve their goals faster.

James Clear, best-selling author of Atomic Habits, explains how surrounding yourself with people that have the same habits you are training to establish will make you more likely to achieve them yourself.

“Your culture sets your expectation for what is ‘normal.’ Surround yourself with people who have the habits you want to have yourself. You'll rise together.”

The other benefit to creating these events and inviting your client's family and friends to join in is the potential business prospects. I never approached anyone about becoming a client at these events. This was about bonding and creating a community. However, it was not uncommon that I would be approached either during or called up after an event, by a client’s friend or family member who was interested in training sessions with me.

Tapping into your client base and creating a community takes relatively little effort, but the benefits could be massive. The personal gratification you will receive from creating a community cannot be understated….And the financial impact it could have on your business is always a big plus.

Best regards,
Dr. Jim Bell
CEO, IFPA

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