where fitness and public health meet

As someone who works in public health, I am familiar with how many facets of health are interconnected. Public health researchers know all too well that exercise helps prevent or manage many different chronic conditions. But changing a person's behavior to live a healthy lifestyle is much harder than it seems. And yet it remains the key to helping people live better lives.

I became a personal trainer after completing my BSEd. By this point, I had been weightlifting for several years, though at times more consistently than others. I became a trainer in part to help friends who approached me at the time asking me to train them. But also, knew I wanted to improve my knowledge of exercise science and my own capabilities in the gym.

This is where I learned that implementing healthy habits is difficult, especially when it comes to encouraging these habits in other people. There are so many factors to consider here, I can only list a few:

• Psychological factors, like motivation and desire to change or stay consistent

• Behavioral factors, like habit forming and using trackers

• Access barriers, such as the ability to access a gym or have a safe place to exercise

• Physical barriers, such as conditions that prevent people from being able to walk, run, or move in certain ways.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, and because no two people are the same, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to fitness. I really, really, wish there was!

Despite these barriers, there are ways to work around them. And this is where public health providers and personal trainers cross, or create blended PTs/epis like me. It is the responsibility of both of these fields to use methods we know work to change behavior, and to guide people to wellness.

So in the spirit of this post, here are a few basic steps you can take to change your mindset, behavior, and lifestyle:

1. Take honest stock of where you are currently. Are you motivated to consistently exercise? Have you tried to exercise before but fell off track? What has helped you stay on track the most?

2. What is the biggest barrier to improving your health? And additionally, what is the biggest barrier to being consistently active? Most people will say it's a lack of time, in which case I encourage you to consider multitasking, such as riding your Peloton while watching TV or including your kids in your workout for fun.

3. Think about what your absolute favorite form of exercise is. And if possible, work that into your schedule more often or consider close alternatives. For me, my favorite sport(s) are skiing/snowboarding, but obviously, that's not something I can do every day. Alternatively, I enjoy weightlifting, because psychologically I get just as excited about challenging myself and lifting heavy weights as I do going down the mountain at high speeds.

Remember that there are many other aspects to health besides the physical, such as your social health and mental health. Activities that improve multiple facets of your health are often the ones people do most frequently over time. As an example, if you like walking outside and socializing with others, see if you can join a walking group!

Hope these tips help and blessings to you on your fitness journey!