Your body is a masterpiece that stands brilliantly unique in a world of 7 billion people. The mere fact that you are alive and your body is functioning in harmony is beyond remarkable. Every minute, your body completes billions of complex chemical reactions that make college chemistry look like kindergarten art class. Here's some AMAZING facts about our incredible bodies...

• If the human brain were a computer, it could perform 10 thousand-trillion operations per second. The world's most powerful supercomputer, BlueGene, can manage only .008% of that. (source: How Stuff Works)

• Your body produces 23 million new cells each second. Every 14 seconds, you produce more cells than there are people in the United States. (source: ASU)

• In one day, your blood travels 12,000 miles around your body. That's four times the distance across the US from coast-to-coast. Red blood cells can travel your entire body in roughly 20 seconds. (source: Viral Nova)

• Your heart beats about 100,000 times per day and about 35 million times per year. (source: PBS)

Are you really going to thank this loyal, finely-tuned machine that breathes, beats, and fights to keep you alive every second of the day by living a sedentary lifestyle and eating unhealthy, even toxic, food?

Your body needs regular activity, vitamins, minerals, macronutrients, amino acids, and lots of water to function properly. Show a little appreciation for your amazing body by cutting out the processed garbage, filling your plate with wholesome food, and staying active.

A friend recently asked me, "How do you maintain such a healthy lifestyle?" My initial response was, "Where do I even start?!" Maintaining a healthy lifestyle isn't rocket science, but too often people get caught up in the latest diet fads and exercise DVDs that promise life-changing results with a swipe of your credit card and three easy payments. To ensure a sustainable healthy lifestyle, I believe we all must start with a more fundamental approach that, when used purposefully, will transform your life.

So here is my not-so-secret secret...I maintain a healthy lifestyle using my DRIVING FORCE, MINDSET, and KNOWLEDGE.

Everyone knows the fundamentals behind living a healthy life: getting plenty of physical activity and eating a balanced, wholesome diet full of fruits and vegetables. So why do so few of us fail to put this into practice?

We haven't taken the time to give ourselves a strong enough DRIVING FORCE to overcome our endless list of excuses. Your driving force is the reason, or reasons, that will push you to take action in any area of your life. Your driving force is undeniably the most important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Here are some examples of strong driving forces:

• An overweight parent decides that they no longer want to see their child playing soccer by herself in their backyard.

• A fast food regular learns from his doctor that he is pre-diabetic and at serious risk for heart disease.

• A couch potato decides that she is going to drastically change her diet and begin training for a local 5K so she never again fears fitting in an airplane seat.

• A thin, non-athletic man looks at his frail figure in the mirror every morning and envisions himself becoming a ripped fitness magazine cover model.

The stronger your driving force(s) the stronger your will and the more definite your action. If your desire for an extra side of fries exceeds your desire to live a long, fit, healthy, disease-free life, then forget it. You won't change your ways until a strong enough driving force presents itself. Your driving force all starts with a realization that you are not where you want to be with your health at this time in your life. You need to accept that you have momentarily faltered, maybe numerous times, but you have NOT failed. Once you realize and accept where you are, you need to understand where you want to go and begin taking small steps toward making this destination your reality.

Long-term healthy living cannot be based on deprivation. You have to re-train your MINDSET. It is not about denying yourself a slice of cheesecake for dessert, it is about preferring to eat a bowl of fruit because you love the fresh, clean taste and you love the way it makes you feel nourished and invigorated. I eat healthy foods because I want to, not because I have to.

After developing the right motivation and mindset for taking action to improve your health, you need KNOWLEDGE of the tried and true principles behind healthy living. Too often people fall into the traps of gimmicks such as 10-minute six pack videos, magic fat burning pills, and expensive dieting fads. 

You must stop hiding in ignorance and take control of your health with the power of readily-accessible information. Ignorance is NOT bliss, especially when your health is on the line.

Summary

1. Take time to audit and accept where you are right now in terms of your health. This is the first step to effect change. You have the power to change!

2. Don't think about health in terms of "I have to..." Think instead in terms of "I want to..." "I feel grateful for..." and "I enjoy..."

3. Research healthy eating using reputable sources providing information backed by evidence - no gimmicks! Here are some great resources to get you started:

• foodmatter.tv

• deliciouslyella.com

• chriskresser.com

• chrisbeatcancer.com

• kriscarr.com

• wellnessmama.co

4. Remember, healthy eating cannot be based on deprivation. The path to true health does not require calorie counting, but you must be consuming wholesome foods.

TAKE MASSIVE ACTION NOW 

Here are 3 action steps to jumpstart your healthy lifestyle. Please be sure to download, print, and complete the PDF version (click here: MASSIVE ACTION WORKSHEET) to stick somewhere you will see it often (on your refrigerator, mirror, desk...).

ACTION STEP 1: Ask yourself the following questions. This self-audit will help you understand where you currently are and how you should start working toward your goals. 

What are the driving forces that will push me to take action?
What are my 3 main health/fitness/wellness goals
Are you on track to achieve them?
Are you satisfied with your diet?
How much enjoyment do you get from your diet?
If someone asked you why you eat and live the way you do, what would your answer(s) be? Do you feel good about these answers?

ACTION STEP 2: Ask for advice and guidance. It is very likely that you know someone who leads a healthy lifestyle. It doesn't hurt to ask them questions! Simply start a conversation by saying, "Hey _______, you seem to have an effective approach to maintaining your health and fitness, would you mind telling me how you got started?" A simple compliment and request for advice delivered with genuine interest will get you very far!

ACTION STEP 3: Cultivating the right mindset requires accountability, both to yourself and to a trusted individual or group of individuals. To stay accountable, you need to set measurable goals, but you can't keep these to yourself or you can easily talk yourself out of pursuing them. Instead, you must declare them publicly to hold yourself accountable. In order to make this successful, you will have to stay in close contact with your accountability partner(s). It will only require a 5-minute email or phone call daily.

I'll leave you with one final thought: healthy living does get easier and more enjoyable with time! Do your best to get started and let the positive momentum bring you great health and happiness!

Here's to your health,

Leif