It can be said that being fit, healthy, and energetic often takes more than one element to achieve, and indeed, to maintain. In fact, in terms of looking after one’s health and wellbeing, many medical practitioners suggest a holistic approach – where individuals actively focus on ensuring that all components of their physical and mental wellbeing are healthy, thriving, and performing at their peak and optimal capacity.
Some health advisors and experts also affirm that a holistic approach requires an individual to be not just fit and active in body (by exercising regularly, and by cultivating a healthy, balanced, and nutritious diet), but also to focus on fostering a positive mindset and healthy frame of mind to achieve the best possible, holistically-balanced lifestyle – essentially building a wholesome, healthy life focused on positivity, wellness, and self-care.
Staying Fit
How then, to stay fit? Medical practitioners and health experts alike generally agree that cardiovascular exercise is extremely important to maintain a healthy heart, increase energy levels, and maintain healthy body weight.
Joining a gym can be a great way to achieve one’s cardio goals, with many gyms offering cardiovascular exercise equipment to help keep your daily steps up – including treadmill machines, low-impact elliptical cross trainers, rowing machines, and arguably the most effective cardio machine available – the Stairmaster. Using the Stairmaster, also commonly known as the “Stepper”, can help cut down the workout time required due to the high-impact nature of the workout on this machine. This is thanks to its high incline “step-up” motion and the rapid-speed cardio settings of the machine. Some personal trainers even go so far as saying that 20 minutes on the Stepper is equivalent to 40 minutes on a treadmill – making it a highly effective and time-efficient way to train and maximise your cardio workout – especially when time-poor!
But where is the best gym located, and how should you choose where to train? For most Melbourne locals, finding a gym within close proximity to their home can be a highly motivating factor, as minimising the transport time required to travel to and from one’s chosen gym location can also help reduce the temptation to make excuses and ultimately end up not attending or completing a workout session at all!
To be fair, great gyms can be found in multiple locations across Melbourne there is a gym to be found in almost every suburb! Try a gym in Port Melbourne if that’s close to you, or in Dandenong or Frankston if that’s more suitable. A gym in Caulfied North would be appropriate for anyone living in the Inner South Eastern suburbs – including Malvern, Ormond, Bentleigh, or Carnegie, for example.
Staying Healthy
Coupled with a great fitness routine, many medical advisors explain that the key to staying healthy is to maintain and cultivate a nutritious, balanced diet. There are many different sources of advice for this, however, one of the most popular methods recommended by dietitians and nutritionists is to create a meal plan.
Meal prepping is also a popular strategy for many focusing on cultivating a healthy diet. To meal prep, a meal plan is created and the planned meals are prepared in advance – often at the beginning of the week, or on a Sunday. This helps set up and prepare for a week of nutritious eating, and also ensures that you are not reaching for unhealthy snacks or meal choices when time-poor or in a pinch, as all of your healthy food options are already on hand and ready to be eaten! This also helps to ensure that you are sticking to your meal plan and feeding your body all the nutrients you require to get through your week healthily, and well-nourished.
Staying Positive, Energetic & Full of Life
Finally, many holistic health advisors suggest that the key to staying energetic and full of life is by cultivating a healthy state of mind through active self-care and positive thinking.
A positive mind can be fostered in several ways, but one of the most popular methods is gratitude journaling. This practice is also recommended by professional psychologists, and can also be coupled with meditation to ease stress, soothe the mind, and actively foster and cultivate a positive mindset – hence increasing overall wellbeing, and contributing to general health.
