Even though fitness unfortunately sometimes gets the reputation of meat heads and models posing in mirrors and being self consumed, it can become an empowering way of life that will help improve every area of your life if done right.

The concept of chemical equilibrium

As a biochemistry major, one concept that is crucial in science and especially in chemistry is the concept of chemical equilibrium. An easy way to understand this concept found in making a pizza. If I want to make a pepperoni pizza I need dough, sauce, cheese and pepperoni. Now if I was going to make a pepperoni pizza would it help me if I had one million pepperoni’s and none of the other ingredients? The obvious answer is no. No matter how many pepperonis I have, I won’t be able to make a whole pizza without the other ingredients. It is the same in chemistry, to make a molecule of water you would need one part Hydrogen and two parts Oxygen, hence H2O. All the Oxygen in the world by itself won’t produce water.

In life, this concept also proves true. If I am going to make a healthy lifestyle I need to incorporate ingredients of Body, Mind, Spirit, and Social. Now obviously being a trainer I love and work intimately with the “body” , so I have seen how fitness can contribute to a healthy lifestyle, and I have seen it in countless clients lives. You can see how failure to educate and improve your mental ability will result in a poor resume and make it harder to get a job and restrict your time and money to attend social events with friends or family. Lack of mental impacts social.

Many people see the importance of other areas, but fail to see the importance that fitness plays

Studies have shown that working out releases endorphins, your body’s natural pain killer. Not only that, but it also releases serotonin which is the feel good hormone. People with depression have been shown to have low levels of serotonin. It also boosts your immune system decreasing your susceptibility to sickness.  One of the biggest excuses I get from my clients for not following through with goals, is time. If we are already short on time the last thing you need is to get sick.

Along with health, a huge benefit that I see with all my clients who stick to their training plan is self control. I have seen time and time again improving health and fitness builds self control and other qualities that spill over into other areas of life: confidence, self control, determination, and many others. Being able to push yourself in the realm of fitness gives you confidence to know that you can do more than you think in other areas.

Outward strength is an indicator of inner strength.

So let’s set goals, push yourself and use fitness to improve every area of your life!