Self-care habits are deliberate actions that greatly benefit both mental and physical well-being.
In the realm of fitness and health, self-care encompasses a range of activities, from exercising and eating well to meditation, socializing, and relaxation practices like getting a massage or taking a bath.
Really, any activity that adds to our health and well-being counts as self-care. So, what makes self-care habits different than any other healthy habits? Intent.
By setting a specific intention behind our healthy activities, and by intending them to be completed as an act of self-care, we turbo-boost the satisfaction gained from them. That’s because we demonstrate self-love to ourselves.
Through intentional self-care activities, we increase our perception of self-worth and self-esteem, which can make a massive impact on a client when it comes to maintaining an exercise or nutrition plan!
Empowering Your Clients Through Self-Care in Fitness
When your clients approach their healthy activities with a specific intention of self-care, they amplify the satisfaction derived from these actions.
By demonstrating self-love through intentional self-care activities, clients enhance their perception of self-worth, self-esteem, and crucially, self-efficacy—the belief in their ability to handle life challenges, including maintaining an exercise or nutrition plan.
Check Out: 7 Ways to Motivate Your Personal Training Clients
The Planning Imperative in Fitness Self-Care
While seizing spontaneous opportunities for well-being is commendable, the planning aspect of self-care is paramount, especially for individuals with demanding schedules common among fitness enthusiasts. Allocating dedicated time for self-care reinforces the intention to prioritize one’s well-being. This proactive approach is essential for ensuring consistent self-care practices amidst busy lifestyles.
The Benefits of Building Self-Care Habits in Fitness
The benefits of habitual self-care in the fitness domain extend beyond physical health. Regular self-care practices have been proven to reduce anxiety and stress, enhance self-awareness and productivity, and foster resilience—the ability to bounce back swiftly from challenges. In moments of stress, doubling down on self-care rather than neglecting it is crucial for maintaining well-being and sustaining progress toward fitness goals.
Self-care has been shown to be one of the best means of combating stress. In fact, a study of students showed that a program entailing some components of mental, physical, social, or nutritional self-care practices prevented stress from increasing throughout a semester of school [1].
Similarly, psychologists-in-training that undertook Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) demonstrated significantly lower stress levels, had higher burnout resistance and were more resilient to stressors [2].
Check Out: Habit Coaching: A Guide to Transforming Lives
Incorporating Self-Care into Client Programs
For fitness professionals, integrating self-care into client programs is pivotal. Self-care should be positioned as a fundamental habit, enhancing clients’ self-efficacy and commitment to their health journey. Rebranding healthy habits as self-care fosters a positive shift in clients’ perception, setting the stage for sustained success.
Begin by introducing small self-care actions aligned with clients’ interests and preferences. Encourage them to view these activities as acts of self-love and empowerment. Utilizing tools like habit coaching with ABC Trainerize, as well as our client communication features, facilitates clients’ planning and execution of self-care practices. Assigning daily habits (whether related to being active, sleep, mindfulness, etc.) helps to reinforce accountability and engagement, particularly for clients navigating the “self” aspect of self-care.
Challenges and Solutions in Adopting Self-Care Habits
Clients may initially struggle with prioritizing self-care, particularly if they prioritize others’ expectations over their own needs.
However, personalized guidance and accountability mechanisms (such as habit tracking and direct messaging in ABC Trainerize) play a pivotal role in supporting clients’ self-care journey. Regular check-ins and group support foster a sense of accountability and progress, empowering clients to embrace self-care as an integral part of their fitness regimen.
In essence, self-care in fitness is about intentional, planned actions that enhance clients’ overall well-being and resilience. By integrating self-care into client programs and leveraging tools like ABC Trainerize, fitness professionals can empower their clients to prioritize self-love, self-care, and holistic health.
Habit Coaching with ABC Trainerize
We know that healthy living starts with healthy habits. That’s why we’re passionate about empowering fitness pros to take a holistic approach to health and wellness.
ABC Trainerize’s habit coaching features allow coaches to track client progress, celebrate their success, and help them achieve their goals one small change at a time.
We provide everything you need to help your clients build and practice good habits when it comes to their activity, nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness every day.
Empower your clients to be 1% better every day by signing up for a free 30-day trial today!
References
- Marney A. White a , Margaret Mayera , W. Michael Vanderlindb , and Dana Allswede. Evaluation of a Behavioral Self-Care Intervention for Public Health Students. (2018). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH EDUCATION, VOL. 49, NO. 1, 40–47
- Shapiro, S. L., Brown, K. W., & Biegel, G. M. (2007). Teaching self-care to caregivers: Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the mental health of therapists in training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 1(2), 105-115.