Health and Wellness Benefits of Holistic Personal Training
(If you're looking to get in touch with a holistic fitness trainer, you could reach out to one of these online personal trainers who specialise in holistic approaches. You can also find in-person holistic health professionals on ukfitness.pro, such as these holistic coaches in London.)
Studies have shown that many people suffering from anxiety and depression benefit from holistic therapy (1). One of the reasons people are attracted to holistic therapy is that it considers the complex nature of anxiety and depression disorders, and the multiple reasons people experience them. Let’s look at what a holistic personal trainer is and how they could help you deal with these disorders and other difficulties.
What is a Holistic Personal Trainer?
A holistic personal trainer is a type of trainer who takes a comprehensive approach to fitness and well-being, focusing not only on physical exercise but also on nurturing the whole person.
This unique approach includes setting fitness goals, enhancing overall health, and developing a personalised fitness programme tailored to the individual's current fitness level, allowing them to progress at their own pace. Often with years of experience in the fitness industry, these trainers integrate strength training, weight loss strategies, and the promotion of healthy foods into their sessions. They prioritise mental health, spiritual health, and emotional well-being alongside physical fitness, recognising the importance of a healthy lifestyle for good health. Holistic personal trainers hold certifications in holistic health, nutrition, and possibly even in specialised areas like martial arts or physical therapy, ensuring a well-rounded approach to achieving wellness goals.
They act as lifestyle coaches, guiding clients through a journey of physical health, emotional balance, and spiritual growth for a healthier life.
Mind and Body Practices Taught by Holistic Personal Trainers
Certain techniques enable you to embrace your mind's ability to have a positive impact on your body. These anxiety treatments are often used to treat depression as well and include:
Mindfulness
Mindfulness means you are paying attention in a specific way, in the present moment, non-judgmentally, and on purpose. This technique has you transform how you relate to experiences and events. It helps you to be less reactive and to create a happier place in the world.
Relaxation
There are numerous ways your holistic personal trainer can help you enhance your behaviours as you reduce your reliance on destructive habits. Mindful relaxation is one method to use for stress management. Your trainer will show you how to shift into relaxation mode and increase your alpha brain wave activity. Relaxation can lower your blood pressure, respiration rate, pulse, oxygen consumption, anxiety, and metabolic rate. When you are relaxed, it creates a greater sense of well-being.
Yoga With Your Holistic Personal Trainer as an Anxiety Treatment
Studies have shown yoga provides positive benefits for those with depression and anxiety (2).
When you learn yoga techniques from your holistic personal trainer, you will find it reduces your stress, and relaxation therapy through yoga will also reduce anxiety and depression. Mindful meditation movements such as those in yoga, qigong, and tai chi cost little to learn and entail little risk.
By learning these movements with your holistic personal trainer's help, you will gain a sense of control over life.
Nutritional Supplements Recommended by Holistic Personal Trainers
Each person is biochemically and genetically unique. Therefore, people vary with respect to their metabolism and nutritional requirements. Your holistic personal trainer will consider these differences when suggesting supplements.
If you suffer from mood disorders, commonly recommended daily supplements include:
- Omega-3 fatty acids (1,000–3,000 mg)*
- Probiotics that include two or more live cultures
- Multiple vitamins that include B6 and minerals
- Vitamin D-3 (the dose depends on the season)
Other supplements include GABA, inositol, and magnesium glycinate.
- GABA is the neurotransmitter responsible for calming an overactive brain. As a supplement, GABA can relax you and also work as a muscle relaxant. Some people have found that this supplement can help them to relax before bed and to sleep better (3).
- Inositol supplementation can help with relaxation as it will help you reduce any OCD tendencies, panic reactions, and anxiety (4).
- Magnesium glycinate is known for relieving muscle tension and anxiety. Data on this supplement is limited but promising (5).
Additional Anxiety Treatments to Learn From Your Holistic Personal Trainer
Anxiety can affect many areas of your life.
Once you learn techniques to deal with this disorder, you improve your well-being and quality of life. Other anxiety treatments your holistic personal trainer can help you learn include aromatherapy, nature-based therapies, or music therapy.
You deserve a peaceful, restful, and anxiety-free life, and your holistic personal trainer will help you achieve this goal.
Managing Chronic Pain With a Holistic Personal Trainer
Holistic personal trainers can also support individuals struggling with chronic pain (e.g., severe back pain).
By focusing on the entire human body and its connection to emotional health, these trainers craft fitness plans that address the root causes of pain, such as issues with connective tissue, body mechanics, and muscle imbalances. Through personalised training sessions, they employ a variety of exercises designed to strengthen the body, improve functional movement, and promote muscle gain in a way that supports the lower back and areas prone to stress fractures. Their holistic training approach goes beyond traditional weight training, incorporating holistic nutrition and health coaching to foster a positive change in daily life. This comprehensive strategy not only aims for physical transformation but can also enhance brain function and emotional well-being, steering clients in the right direction towards a healthier, more balanced life.
Holistic personal trainers, acting as lifestyle coaches, ensure that managing chronic pain becomes an integral part of achieving overall holistic well-being.
Body Transformations with a Holistic Personal Trainer
Holistic personal trainers are the architects behind many successful body transformations, offering much more than just a fitness plan; they provide a roadmap to a revitalised personal life and well-being.
For those embarking on their fitness journey for the first time, a holistic trainer can serve as a lifestyle coach, blending personal training sessions with guidance on daily activities and nutrition. The good news is that this approach considers the person as a whole, ensuring that the transformation aligns with personal goals and health goals. Starting from the first session, a holistic personal trainer will evaluate your unique starting point, crafting a customised plan that integrates physical exercise with strategies for maintaining a positive attitude and a healthy lifestyle.
This comprehensive strategy is not just about enhancing physical fitness; it's about making long-lasting changes that resonate through every aspect of your daily life.
Want to Work as a Holistic Personal Trainer?
To work as a holistic personal trainer in the UK, as well as a level 3 personal training qualification, you'll need holistic health certifications.
For instance, you could complete a nutrition certification with the New Skills Academy, who also provide CPD-recognised courses in topics such as body healing, meditation, and complete wellness. If you're looking for a more academic course, you could check out the holistic health programme offered by the Centre of Excellence.
If you already have qualifications like this, you'll be able to create a profile on ukfitness.pro to advertise your holistic personal training services and receive enquiries from potential clients.
What Next?
If you’re ready to start working with a holistic personal trainer, just head to the ukfitness.pro homepage, enter your location into the search box, then use the “Speciality” filter to find trainers in your area with the expertise that you require. Whether your personal goal is to decrease anxiety, become more connected to your body, or learn traditional exercises for improving your personal fitness, one of the fitness professionals on our site would love to hear from you and share with you the best ways of enhancing your overall well-being.
You might also like our articles on positive lifestyle changes to make as you age, self-care across generations, and simple lifestyle changes for greater health.
Foot Notes
Omega 3 fatty acids can also support brain health (6).
References
1. Ainur, S., Herawati, L., & Widyawati, M. N. (2020). The Benefits of Holistic Therapy for Psychological Disorders in Postpartum Mother: A Systematic Review. STRADA Jurnal Ilmiah Kesehatan, 9(2), 1708–1717. https://doi.org/10.30994/sjik.v9i2.524
2. Javnbakht, M., Hejazi Kenari, R., & Ghasemi, M. (2009). Effects of yoga on depression and anxiety of women. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 15(2), 102–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.01.003
3. Guimarães, A. P., Seidel, H., Pires, L. V. M., Trindade, C. O., Baleeiro, R. D. S., Souza, P. M., Silva, F. G. D. E., Coelho, D. B., Becker, L. K., & Oliveira, E. C. (2024). GABA Supplementation, Increased Heart-Rate Variability, Emotional Response, Sleep Efficiency and Reduced Depression in Sedentary Overweight Women Undergoing Physical Exercise: Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of dietary supplements, 1–15. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2024.2308262
4. Benjamin, J., Levine, J., Fux, M., Aviv, A., Levy, D., & Belmaker, R. H. (1995). Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of inositol treatment for panic disorder. The American journal of psychiatry, 152(7), 1084–1086. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.152.7.1084
5. Boyle, N. B., Lawton, C., & Dye, L. (2017). The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress-A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 9(5), 429. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9050429
6. Dighriri, I. M., Alsubaie, A. M., Hakami, F. M., Hamithi, D. M., Alshekh, M. M., Khobrani, F. A., Dalak, F. E., Hakami, A. A., Alsueaadi, E. H., Alsaawi, L. S., Alshammari, S. F., Alqahtani, A. S., Alawi, I. A., Aljuaid, A. A., & Tawhari, M. Q. (2022). Effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Brain Functions: A Systematic Review. Cureus, 14(10), e30091. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.30091