My Whole-Person Approach to Fitness
When somebody comes to me for personal training, I’m not just looking at what exercises they can do. I’m interested in the whole person standing in front of me. How are you feeling? How much energy do you have? Are you sleeping well? Are you stressed? Do you feel confident in your body? What do you actually want to be able to do with your life?
Because all of those things matter.
I’ve studied and taught lots of different areas of wellbeing over the years — personal training, yoga, breathwork, meditation, relaxation, nutrition, NLP and EFT — and I think that’s probably why I see fitness slightly differently. I don’t believe we can neatly separate our physical health from everything else that’s happening in our lives.
You can have the most beautifully designed exercise programme in the world, but if you’re exhausted, stressed, not sleeping properly and dreading every workout, you’re probably not going to follow it for very long.
That’s why I like to start with the person rather than the programme.
Two women of exactly the same age could come to me wanting to “get fit”, but what they need could be completely different. One might need to build strength and muscle. Another might need confidence to walk into a gym. Someone else might be very fit already but need more mobility and recovery. Another woman may have spent years looking after everybody else and simply wants to start feeling like herself again.
I think that’s particularly important for women in midlife. Our lives can be incredibly full. Work, relationships, children, ageing parents, menopause, changing bodies and years of putting other people’s needs first can all be part of the picture.
Sometimes getting fit isn’t really about getting a smaller body.
It’s about coming back to yourself.
I love strength training because there’s something incredibly empowering about realising you’re becoming physically stronger. I love yoga because it teaches us to notice our bodies rather than constantly judging them. I love breathwork and meditation because they give us tools to slow down. And I love mindset work because the things we say to ourselves can either support us or make everything feel harder.
For me, these things belong together.
A session might involve strength work, mobility and cardiovascular exercise, but I may also bring in breathing, stretching or relaxation. We might talk about food, sleep or what’s making it difficult for you to exercise consistently. We can look at your goals, but also at how those goals fit into your real life.
And I want it to feel enjoyable.
Of course there will be moments when I encourage you to do another repetition or challenge yourself a little more. That’s part of becoming fitter. But I don’t believe you have to hate every minute of exercise for it to be effective.
I want you to discover movement you actually enjoy.
Most importantly, I want you to begin trusting your body again.
Your body isn’t something that has suddenly failed because it’s changed as you’ve got older. It’s an extraordinary thing that has carried you through your entire life, and it can continue learning, adapting and becoming stronger.
That’s what my approach to personal training is really about.
Strengthening the body, calming the mind, building confidence and helping you feel more at home in yourself.
Not chasing perfection.
Not punishing yourself.
Just becoming stronger, healthier and more in flow with your life.
Selena Personal Trainer, Yoga Teacher & Wellbeing Coach In Flow Wellbeing Studio, Cheltenham
