By Donna Smalldone
If you could transform your health without
drugs or surgery, would you? Although most
people dream about a future of better health,
lowered disease risk, and overall increased
well-being, many don’t progress simply because
they don’t know where to begin. Perhaps you’re
one of them.
Your transformation to optimal health begins
by making the fundamental choice to take
charge of your health for the long-term. Proper
motivation is key to the success of your journey.
Optimal Health is simply living life the
healthiest you can with what you have. To successfully
move toward your optimal health, you
must first decide to shift from problem-oriented
motivation like, “I don’t want to be fat,” to
solution-oriented motivation like, “I want to be
healthy.” The difference is subtle but profound.
On page 28 of his book, “Dr. A’s Habits of
Health, Optimal Health Practitioner,” Dr.
Wayne Scott Andersen encourages us to change
our emphasis from what we’re against to what
we’re for. “It’s the same with any fundamental
choice. Once you make the choice to be
healthy, you’ve made it your business to act
in accordance with your goal. You’re taking
full responsibility for your actions rather than
letting circumstances drive your decisions.
You become the author of your own life story.”
Statistics show that 85 percent of people
who go on a diet and lose weight will gain it
back within two years because they lacked behavioral
support and guidance. They addressed
the fat on their bodies but never addressed the
“fat” in their heads. In other words, they lost
weight but didn’t change their habits.
As a professional health coach, the number
one lesson I teach my clients is: reaching a
healthy weight is not the destination, but
rather, just the first, natural step toward
long-term healthier living. As people become
healthier, they find the energy and confidence
that comes from a healthy body and healthy
mind, helping transform all areas of their life.
A key thing I ask my clients to do once
they’ve made the fundamental choice for
health, is write down a list of five things they
will eliminate or add to their life as a result
of achieving optimal health and their ideal
weight. We call it their “why”; their reason for
wanting optimal health. Your “why” is your
“way.” Each one of us has a unique “why,”
including: to add years of health to my life to see my children and grandchildren grow; to
eliminate negative thought patterns, worry,
anxiety, and depression; to do something for
“me” and adopt value and self-worth; to simply
have more time to think about other things
besides my weight and what I’m going to eat.
My client Bob in Maryland lost 180 pounds
of fat for life and is now doing things in his
retirement he never dreamed possible.
In his words, “I feel wonderful. I smile and
am happy. I can go sledding and play tennis
with my grandkids. Not a day goes by that I
don’t receive at least one compliment on my
new health. I am saving money on clothes, food,
and medicines. My cravings have been gone
since the first week and I can’t believe how
simple and stress-free this plan is. Several of
my medical labs went from ‘critical’ to nearly
perfect and I’m off almost all medications. The
thing I love most is the improved health and I
believe this program saved my life. By example,
I’ve been able to influence others toward their
own optimal health, including my wife, my
sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and coworkers.
I am so happy I fit into the world.”
There is a difference between being non-sick
and being healthy. It’s the difference between
surviving and thriving. You deserve the latter.
It’s time to stop what you are doing, challenge
yourself to make a change, and choose optimal
health.
Smaldone is a COPE certified independent
health coach.
Photo Courtesy Donna Smalldone