Hey there!  I’m super excited because starting today, I’m embarking on something I’ve never done before.  Over the next 6 weeks, I’m going to be doing a series called #FabHealthFitBody, which is designed to teach you about the most critical components to living a healthy lifestyle, creating a body you love, & becoming your best self!  Spoiler Alert: You’re gonna love it! 😉

So get this: I recently did a survey of some of my audience, & over 75% of the people who responded either said they’re struggling with their health & want to radically transform their life, OR they’ve started taking SOME steps towards a healthier & happier life, but they’re ready to take their health to the next level.  In other words, less than 25% of the people said they already live a super-healthy lifestyle & that they’re truly happy with their overall health & body.

I created this #FabHealthFitBody series specifically for those 75% of people who aren’t where they want to be yet with their health, but have the desire to step into the healthy, happy life they were created for.  The people who know there’s a better life, & they’re ready to take action on creating that life for themselves. If that sounds at all like you, then I’m so genuinely excited that you’re here, because this series is for YOU, my beautiful friend! ☺

In this 6-part series, I dive into topics like a healthy mindset, motivation, nutrition, fitness, detoxing, & more — all of which are essential pieces to achieving your healthiest, happiest life.  And I also have an awesome resource for you that goes along with this series, brings the major concepts together, & will help you start taking action right away.  It’s called the Fab Health Fit Body 5-Day Challenge!

It’s basically a 5-day healthy lifestyle plan that will help you start cultivating a positive mindset, becoming a fat-burner, detoxifying your body, reducing inflammation, & making progress towards your health goals!  Download it for free below, & start reaping the amazing health benefits!

 

 

Alright, let’s dive into today’s topic, which is all about mindset & motivation.  Now, this might seem like kind of a weird topic to start with (or even include) in a healthy lifestyle series.  But here’s the thing: Mindset & motivation is a HUGE aspect of health that’s overlooked — & most people, health programs, or health professionals don’t address it!

In fact, this is the #1 reason why most people fail to see results with their health or don’t reach their health goals (whether it’s losing weight, sticking to a healthy nutrition or exercise plan, having more energy, reducing their stress levels, or whatever it is).

That might seem like a bold claim.  But hear me out!  I could give you the best nutrition plan, fitness plan, or wellness plan in the world, but if you don’t learn to master your mindset & motivation, it won’t matter!  Without sustainable motivation & a healthy mindset, you won’t be able to stick to any type of plan or lifestyle long-term. This is why this post is #1 in this #FabHealthFitBody series.  You have to address your mindset & motivation FIRST if you want to commit to living a healthy lifestyle, creating your dream body, & loving your life.  So please: Don’t take it lightly or underestimate the importance of this. 

Now when I say “mindset”, there are really a few key components that fall into that category, which I’ll talk about in this post:

1. Understanding What True Health Is
2. Increasing Your Motivation
3. Creating A Positive Mindset
4. Reducing Your Stress Levels
5. Creating Healthy Habits & Routines

But before I dive into these mindset & motivation topics, let’s discuss a few major myths when it comes to overall health & wellness.

 

3 Major Health & Wellness Myths

 

First of all, let me start by saying that it can be hard to change your perspective & outlook on your health — especially if you grew up believing a lot of the common health myths & misconceptions I’m about to share with you.  But shifting your mindset about health will give you a solid foundation to start becoming your healthiest, happiest self! 😌

 

Myth #1

 

Myth #1 is that your genetics determine your level of health.  But the TRUTH is that your health is about 98% due to lifestyle factors — NOT your genes!  There’s only a tiny percentage of very rare cases where a health issue or disease is PURELY genetic.  

Here’s how it works: It comes down to something called epigenetics.  And in simple terms, that means that your lifestyle & your environment can turn your genes on & off.  Now it’s true that certain people have genetic TENDENCIES toward specific diseases or health issues.  BUT, that’s exactly what it is: it’s a TENDENCY — it’s NOT a given or a for-sure thing.  For example: Someone might have a genetic tendency towards breast cancer, but if those specific genes aren’t turned ON through lifestyle factors, then it won’t be expressed & it will NOT result in breast cancer.  

And this is why mastering your mindset & motivation, eating healthy, exercising, detoxing, & all these other things we do to create health in our bodies, is so powerful — because it literally has the power to turn on & off certain genes, & all of these lifestyle factors play a role in determining your overall health.  

Now the fact that your lifestyle determines your health rather than your genes is actually GREAT NEWS!  It means that you have so much control over your overall health!  So just because your mom or dad or grandpa or grandma suffered with obesity or cancer or heart disease, doesn’t mean YOU have to!  That’s amazing, right?!  I hope that if you’ve struggled or worried about getting a certain health issue that your family members have had, that this is freeing for you right now.  YOU are a VICTOR, not a victim.  And YOU have the power to take back your health! 💜

 

Myth #2

 

Myth #2 is that your body needs outside help (like medications or even surgery) to heal from certain health issues.  But the TRUTH is that your body is a SELF-HEALING, self-regulating organism — & it doesn’t need any outside help to heal itself.  

In fact, there’s no medication or drug or surgery that can HEAL your body.  Sure, they can cover up symptoms & might give you temporary relief from a SYMPTOM, but they never get to the root CAUSE of health issues.  

Now, I’m NOT saying that medications & surgeries don’t have their place.  They were designed to be used in emergency situations — and thank God for that — because they can save your life in a crisis.  BUT, they were never intended for & will never be able to build health in your body or heal your body — only your body can do that.

 

Myth #3

 

Myth #3 is that if you FEEL good, then you must be healthy.  But the TRUTH is that health isn’t just about how you FEEL — it’s about how well you function & HEAL overall.  In fact, it’s right there in the word “Health”: The first 4 letters are H-E-A-L — “Heal!”.

So what this truth means it that you could FEEL fine, but there could be underlying health issues that you don’t even know about.  One way to grasp this concept is to ask yourself this question: Do you know anyone or have you ever heard of anyone who has felt totally fine, but then all of a sudden had a heart attack or got diagnosed with cancer?  I’m guessing you do — or at least have heard of people like that. Because unfortunately, it happens fairly often!  Many times the first symptom of heart disease is a heart attack.  But the thing is, we know that cancer & heart disease don’t just develop overnight — it takes YEARS, sometimes decades to fully develop & can be building in your body silently for years & years without causing any symptoms.   

Now, I do NOT say this at ALL to scare you — on the contrary, I say this so that you are fully equipped & empowered to take action on your health & live a healthy lifestyle — because THAT will give you the best chance of ACTUALLY being healthy, & not just FEELING good!  This truth is why it’s so important to live a healthy lifestyle day-in-and-day-out, regardless of how you feel! 

 

5 Ways to Start Mastering Your Mindset & Motivation

 

Ok, so now that we’ve covered a few of the biggest overall health myths, it’s time to dive into 5 ways to start mastering your mindset & motivation.

 

1. Understand What True Health Is

 

The foundation for living a healthy lifestyle is understanding what true health really is & what it’s not.  This step is foundational because your beliefs about health dictate the actions you take or don’t take.

Part of this step is realizing & understanding the truths about health (rather than the myths) that I discussed above.  And to piggy-back off of those truths, here’s what the World Health Organization defines “Health” as: “A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”  Did you catch that? Health is NOT merely the absence of disease — in other words, just because you FEEL good, doesn’t mean you’re necessarily healthy — just like we covered before.

Understanding that health is more than just feeling good (it’s about HEALING at the highest level), and knowing that health is all-encompassing (“physical, mental, and social well-being”), will give you the mindset needed to make all aspects of your health a priority in your life on a consistent basis.

Another part of understanding what true health is all about is realizing that your health affects every single aspect of your life.  Your health doesn’t just affect YOU, & your health goes way beyond just looking good, feeling good, or even “being healthy” just for the sake of being healthy.     

Because if you lose your health, it affects everything else negatively — & you could even lose everything.  Your job, your financial security, your marriage, your relationships, your joy & peace, your fun & recreation, your impact & purpose — all of that & more can happen if you lose your health.  

BUT, here’s the good news: If you have abundant health, it affects everything else positively — & you have the best chance of reaching your full potential & living the life of your dreams! 😍 I personally feel like reflecting on this reality can be really motivating to continue to live a healthy lifestyle for the long-term.

 

2. Increase Your Motivation: Discover & Anchor To Your “WHY”

 

The second thing we need to look at it when it comes to our mindset is motivation.  In order to actually stick to a healthy living plan long-term & make it a LIFESTYLE (rather than just a short-term “health kick”), you have to learn to harness your motivation & stay motivated regularly.  Otherwise, I could tell you exactly what to eat, how to work out, & what toxins to avoid — but if you aren’t motivated to DO IT & take action, it won’t matter.

So, one of the best ways to boost your motivation is to discover your “WHY”, & anchor to it regularly to stay motivated.  Your “WHY” is your motivation to keep you moving forward.  It’s WHY you do what you do. It gets you up in the morning & helps you keep going day in & day out.  It’s something you can anchor to when you need a boost of motivation.     

To discover your “WHY”, ask yourself these questions: WHY do you want to be healthy?  WHY do you want to eat healthy & work out on a regular basis?  WHY do you want to reach your specific health goals?  Whatever your health goals & dreams are, WHY do you want that?  So let’s say you want to lose 20 pounds — ask yourself WHY?

Here are a few examples of what someone’s “WHY” could look like:  “I want to be healthy so that…”

• “…I have the energy & health to provide for my family.”  
• “…I live with confidence in a body I love.”  
• “…I’m healthy & around for long enough to see my future grandkids get married.”  
• “…I can be financially smart & prosperous.”  (Because the truth is, investing in your health NOW will save you thousands of dollars down the road because of less medications, surgeries, & hospital bills. #truthbomb)  
• “…I have the health & resources to travel the world.”  
• “…I can celebrate 75+ years of marriage with my husband.”  
• “…I’m a leader by example for my family, friends, & circle of influence.”  
• “…I have the health to accomplish my purpose & do the things I love.” (#yesplease! 🙌)

Keep in mind that it’s okay to have more than one “WHY” — those last few on the list are all examples of “WHY’s” that have motivated me in my life so far!

Your “WHY” will act as a fuel to your motivation.  Anytime you start slipping with your health (or any goal in your life), remember WHY you started in the first place, & anchor to that.  When you don’t feel like working out after a long day, think of your WHY.  When you don’t feel like making a healthy dinner, think of your WHY.  Remind yourself that things might be tough sometimes, but it’s absolutely WORTH IT! ☺

 

3. Create A Positive Mindset: Incorporate Positive Affirmations Into Your Life

 

Creating a healthy, positive mindset is also super important to overall health & wellness.  Our mindset, thoughts, & words directly impact our health, happiness, & results in our life.  Negative thoughts & words cause more stress, which negatively impacts our health.  Positive thoughts & words lower our stress levels, increase peace & joy in our lives, & improve our overall health. 😌 

Our thoughts & words are SO incredibly powerful — and oftentimes, our life & experiences tend to reflect the dominant thoughts we have & words we speak to ourselves.  This is why you can’t neglect your mindset if you want to live a truly healthy, happy life!

One of the best ways to improve your mindset & create positive self-talk is by saying positive affirmations regularly.  You can say positive affirmations that have to do with any area of life (who you are, your health, your character, relationships, career, finances, your dreams, etc.)

Now, when you’re coming up with some affirmations for your health & your life, you’ll want to make sure they’re effective.  So for the most effective affirmations, make sure they follow these 3 guidelines:

1. Personal: They apply directly to you & you can relate to them.  Affirmations should evoke strong emotions in you — they should make you excited & hopeful & you should really be able to FEEL the words that you’re saying about yourself.
2. Present Tense: Use words like “I am…” or “My life is…”, rather than “I will be…” or “Someday I’ll have…”.  Even if the affirmation isn’t completely true yet, it’s so much more powerful to speak AS IF it is!  The more you say it & think it, the more you’ll start to believe it & take the necessary actions to get to that point.
3. Positive: This might seem obvious, but make sure there’s no negativity in your affirmations.  

A few examples of positive affirmations include:

• “I am physically, mentally, emotionally, & spiritually healthy.”
• “Every aspect of my life is filled with love & happiness.”
• “I have the health, body, & life of my dreams!”

 

4. Reduce Your Stress Levels

 

Another part of mindset that has a huge impact on overall health is stress levels.  Excess stress is detrimental to our health, so we have to learn how to deal with it in a healthy way.  Remember: We can’t always control what happens to us, but we CAN always control our response & perspective on the situation.  

Stress is not just an uncomfortable feeling, negative mindset, or unpleasant emotional state.  Stress affects every aspect of your health — physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually!  

Just to name a few health issues, stress can lead to:

• Headaches
• Muscle tension & chest pain
• Sleeping problems & fatigue
• Digestive issues
• Weight loss resistance & excess fat storage
• Inflammation
• Hormone imbalance
• Anxiety
• Lack of motivation
• Depression
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Obesity
• Diabetes

😳 That’s nothing to bat an eyelash at, right?!  I don’t know about you, but I want to do whatever I can to manage stress in a healthy way and create a peaceful life, so that I can avoid these stress-related issues.

Now, there are countless ways to naturally reduce stress levels & promote a more peaceful, relaxing, & happy life.  Everyone is different, so you have to find what works for you!  But some ways that tend to be effective for natural stress-relief include drinking calming herbal tea, taking a warm bath, doing a quick workout, writing in a gratitude journal, getting a massage, snuggling with a puppy, & prayer or meditation.  It’s also important to make time for self-care & relaxation on a weekly & even a daily basis!

 

5. Create Healthy Habits & Routines

 

The last aspect of mastering your mindset & motivation that I want to talk about is creating healthy habits & routines.  

Your habits determine your results!  If you want to transform your health, reach your health goals, & maintain a healthy lifestyle, then creating healthy habits is a MUST.  Forming new habits & breaking old habits can be difficult, but it’s absolutely possible with some discipline & motivation.

“Motivation is what gets you started.  Habit is what keeps you going.” -Jim Ryun.  

I think this quote sums up the importance of habits beautifully, especially when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.  Like this quote says, motivation is just what gets you started.  You have to KEEP having motivation, & make motivation a HABIT.  The HABITS are what really keep you going, & therefore what will allow you to get the best results with your health & your life.

Something I highly recommend that can help you create & track healthy habits is my favorite habits-tracking app, called Way Of Life.  It allows you to see trends in your lifestyle habits, helps you build positive habits, & break negative habits.  This app is extremely helpful in creating long-term success with living a healthy lifestyle!  I recommend upgrading to the Pro version rather than the free version (it’s less than $5), since you can then track an unlimited number of habits. I personally use this app every single day, & I track pretty much all of my healthy habits with it! ✅

 

Your Action Steps

 

Alright, my friend — I’m going to end each of the posts in this #FabHealthFitBody series with some action steps for you.  Because let’s face it: Some words on a screen aren’t gonna do you any good if you don’t implement the strategies! #amIright?! 🙃

So here are your action steps from this first post all about mastering your mindset & motivation:

1. Start learning to trust your body & its incredible intelligence & healing power!  Trust that your body can heal itself.  Trust that you already have everything inside of you that you need to reach your biggest health goals! 💜
2. Write down your “WHY” (Why do you want to be healthy or reach your specific health goals??).  Preferably write it somewhere you’ll see it every day, & remind yourself of it on a daily basis.
3. Write down at least 1 positive affirmation about your health, & say it out loud every day.
4. Decide on some natural stress-relieving strategies that you’re going to incorporate into your life on a regular basis.  Also, schedule time for weekly & daily self-care activities & relaxation.
5. Download the Way Of Life App on your phone to start tracking & creating new healthy habits each day.
6. Want to start creating fabulous health, a fit body, & a happier life?  Download the free Fab Health Fit Body 5-Day Challenge below!