Wellness - what is it, and why is it important? Part 1

Back in the day...when I used to teach NVQ Level 2 Gym for
YMCA...we had a slide that would represent what “Total Fitness” meant.  This included four elements – Physical Fitness
( 5 elements), Nutrition (of course), Medical – including disease
and medical conditions that might affect fitness, and then the odd, and brushed
over “social and emotional fitness”

20 years later, we seem to understand more that each of these
are not simply elements of fitness that we train for, but elements that hold
hands, keep us functioning and each part is as important as the others.

Training for “Physical Fitness” is fairly easy and
straightforward. We apply a training method, look for the visible “gains” and
congratulate ourselves on being able to make recognisable changes. Likewise
changes to diet and eating habits can have an effect within 7 days. Why then
are we now so aware and concerned about the “social and emotional” side of
being totally fit...

Without good solid mental health and well being, we rarely
have the drive or motivation to pursue the other elements of fitness. But, why
is it so difficult to implement, see change and be vocal about what we are
doing. Can mental health be trained? Can we get “gains”?

The good news is yes. Positive steps towards the social and
emotional sides of our fitness can show results that are measurable. 

Much like the fitness notions of “no pain
no gain” or “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you”,  the
step into wellbeing is not just challenge to you personally, but it requires courage to be vocal about what you are doing - and for it to be taken seriously, congratulated on , be seen as inspirational and maybe not as chasing rainbows ...

Luckily, as I refer to the first part of my blog, these
elements tend to be linked, to hold hands, to influence each other.  This is great news. Because you can now call
your “Wellness Training” as a fitness programme – people readily accept fitness
programmes, it can be measured! You can see change!

First part, like physical fitness training, is to take
measurements. You can keep these confidential of course. Below are two well know and recognised mental health questionnaires that I used in my dissertation. These psychological
profiles will measure your feelings towards exercise and how your felt whilst
exercises – so, err, sorry, but you do need to do the physical training to go along with understanding how physical exercise affects your well being. 

As you can probably tell, this is just the first step. Please be honest when answering and keep a copy as we will retest at the end of the month. More to come !

		Not true for me		Sometimes true for me	Very true for me
1	I exercise because other people say I should	0	1	2	3	4
2	I feel guilty when I don’t exercise	0	1	2	3	4
3	I value the benefits of exercise	0	1	2	3	4
4	I exercise because it’s fun	0	1	2	3	4
5	I don’t see why I should have to exercise	0	1	2	3	4
6	I take part in exercise because my friends/family/partner say I should	0	1	2	3	4
7	I feel ashamed when I miss an exercise session	0	1	2	3	4
8	It’s important to me to exercise regularly	0	1	2	3	4
9	I can’t see why I should bother exercising	0	1	2	3	4
10	I enjoy my exercise sessions	0	1	2	3	4
11	I exercise because others will not be pleased with me if I don’t	0	1	2	3	4
12	I don’t see the point of exercising	0	1	2	3	4
13	I feel like a failure when I haven’t exercised in a while	0	1	2	3	4
14	I think it is important to make the effort to exercise regularly	0	1	2	3	4
15	I find exercise a pleasurable activity	0	1	2	3	4
16	I feel under pressure from my friends/family to exercise	0	1	2	3	4
17	I get restless if I don’t exercise regularly	0	1	2	3	4
18	I get pleasure and satisfaction from participating in exercise	0	1	2	3	4
19	I think exercising is a waste of time	0	1	2	3	4

		Not true for me		Sometimes true for me	Very true for me
1	Having to exercise is a bind but it has to be done	0	1	2	3	4
2	I feel confident that I can do the exercises	0	1	2	3	4
3	In the exercise environment I feel accepted	0	1	2	3	4
4	I think I was pretty good at the exercise I have just done	0	1	2	3	4
5	Exercise is not something I would necessarily choose to do, rather it is something I feel I ought to do	0	1	2	3	4
6	I know what I have to do in order to perform the exercises	0	1	2	3	4
7	I feel like I belong in the exercise environment	0	1	2	3	4
8	I exercise because I want to rather than because I feel I have to	0	1	2	3	4
9	In the exercise environment I feel supported	0	1	2	3	4

1.      
Biddle, S.J. Fox, K.R., Boucher, S.H.
(2000) - Physical Activity and Psychological Well-being How much activity is
good for health? Annual Review of Public Health

2.      
Prestwich, A. Lawton, R.Conner, M.
(2003) -The use of implementation intentions and the decision balance sheet in
promoting exercise behaviour.

3.       Prochaska, J. O., & Marcus, B. H.
(1994). The Transtheoretical Model: Applications to Exercise.

4.      
Wilson, P.M., Rodgers, W.M. (2002) –
The Relationship Between Exercise Motives and Physical Self-Esteem in Female
Exercise Participants: An Application of Self-Determination Theory. Journal
of Applied Biobehavioural Research. 7 (1), 30-43

5.      
BREQ-2 scoring chart

6.      
Needs Satisfaction scoring
chart