What is Wellness?

What is wellness? According to the World Health Organization, wellness is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

At Bull Dawg Athletic Training and Physical Therapy, we believe that the road to a fit and functional body does not begin and end with exercise and nutrition — the journey begins with the right mindset and attitude. 

Wellness includes developing healthy habits that help you become the best you can be. It is not a radical change in lifestyle but a gradual modification of how you live. We know incorporating changes into our daily routines can be challenging, especially when wellness is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Trainer Kenny enjoying a natural sauna in Costa Rica

It’s the small things we do on a daily basis that will impact our lives most, like exercising in a way that works for your body, adding whole foods to your diet, keeping in-season fruits or nuts on hand to avoid snacking on fast food or sweets, or ordering our lattes with unsweetened almond milk instead of syrup. Doing this for a few weeks will result in losing more than a few pounds; it will also benefit your overall health — from reducing the risk of various diseases and health conditions to improving your mood and supporting brain development. 

Trainer Kenny doing yoga in Deep Creek, Maryland

Food and exercise are not the only factors when considering your overall health and wellness. The quality of sleep you’re getting or the amount of negative stress in your life can also overstimulate your body, making you feel worn and old. Meditation and yoga are great tools for dealing with stress. Sometimes when life seems overwhelming, tools like journaling can be helpful; other times, a therapist or counselor may be the best answer.

Achieving wellness is a conscious effort. Everyone is different, and even if we seemingly suffer from the same issues, the solutions may differ for each of us. What will help us, in the long run, is an open mind, a holistic approach to health, and a toolbox of information that we can use to help carry us through this journey called life. 

Learn more about our holistic approach to fitness and wellness today, and if you need our help getting started on your own wellness journey, contact us for more information.