On Sunday afternoon, fitness came to the forefront at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center during the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Appropriately titled “Mind Over Matter,” this panel featured a discussion on how to focus on physical health as a way to practice mental wellness.
Moderated by Dr. Eric Griggs, the conversation centered around the fitness trainers Albert Brock and Corey Calliet, all New Orleans natives who advocate for healthy practices in both their lives as well as their careers. “My journey with health, wellness and fitness when it came to transforming my body, it really became more mental for me because I realized when you change your body, you can change your mind,” Calliet said. “The body is the easiest, but the hardest thing because you can control it, but once I did that I started to see my life change.”
The discussion also included topics such as the many misconceptions with health and wellness, the biggest challenges that their clients face, and the power of social media. Calliet and Brock also spoke about staying motivated in one’s physical activity, because it affects so many other facets of life.
Oftentimes, finding a trainer or establishing a consistent gym routine can be tedious, especially for someone working a 9 to 5. Also, the most difficult part is finding out how to start or where to begin. Griggs asked his panelists this heavily-asked question, and how to navigate past it properly. “Find a community,” Calliet said. “Fitness is not fun when you’re by yourself.”
Brock added, “Just give yourself grace, and take it day by day, weight by weight, and stay focused.” As these three health professionals spoke about physical fitness, it was the importance of one’s mind that emerged as the true catalyst for wellness.