By Dr. Bomi Joseph, Ph.D
A chronic health condition that causes pain, stress and financial problems can create enormous suffering. Many physical health issues are linked to unhealthy beliefs and attitudes... and some can be avoided with the tips you will learn in this article. Getting yourself up a state of Peak Health and fitness is not difficult: it just takes right mindset plus a set of healthy habits, applied consistently, and a willingness to self-correct whenever you start to veer off course.
Here are 9 essential attitudes held by radiantly healthy and functional people.
Read them, absorb them and make them a part of who you are!
Our body is our “vehicle” that carries us through this life and we only get one body. If we wear it down with bad habits like smoking, overeating, drinking or not exercising then we are not taking good care of ourselves. Taking good care of yourself takes effort, which is much easier to do if you love & respect yourself. Healthy and fit people believe that deserve the best, they are worth it and that being lazy or inconsistent is cheating themselves. If you deeply and profoundly love and respect yourself, you will go the extra mile and do whatever it takes to be healthy.
It’s not just about you: your health affects the others around you. Your health is directly linked to how much radiance and energy you have. It also affects your relationships with others and changes their obligations towards you. A dad who is always drunk or hungover won’t be a loveable “hero” to his kids. A wife who becomes obese may cause her husband to feel shame and genuinely worry about her health. A man who develops health problems may burden his wife with having to care for him for many years. Even if you don’t have a spouse or family yet, making the effort to attain Peak Health will make you much more attractive and inspiring to your future partner.
Rather than just try to “lose some weight” you should aim for something more specific and tangible like “lose 20 pounds,” “bench press my body weight,” or “remain sober for 1 year.” Write your goals down and then tell everyone about them so they can help you stay accountable. Be willing to do whatever it takes to bring yourself one step closer to meeting your goals. Don’t just aspire for ‘pretty good’ goals, aim big and it will encourage you to make more effort.
Peak Health is all about making a consistent set of good habits, putting in hard work now for pleasure (or lack of suffering) later:
Making these investments now will hugely pay off in your future. Think of it as adding to your “wellness 401k.” Towards the end of our lives we wish for more health, not more money!
It has been said that a righteous man falls 1000 times and gets up. With each failure on your health journey, you learn something that didn’t work and you also get one step closer to your goals. Top biohackers are extremely curious people who are always keen to try something new. To be in Peak Health, you may have to try a dozen different diets or 50 different supplements over the course of a few years to find the perfect combination that works for your genes and chemistry. While that might sound daunting, the alternative is far worse! Try to see the attainment of good health as a journey and process of discovery -- one that you are delighted to undertake. Each new step is the right direction helps bringer you closer to your goals.
If you go the gym and lift 25 lbs. each and every time, you’ll develop a certain level of strength but you’ll never actually make any gains unless you increase the weight level. If you are only comfortable cooking a couple of basic dishes, branch out and expand your repertoire. If you lose a few pounds and feel better, use the momentum to go ‘all the way’ until you reach your ideal weight. If you beat your personal exercise record, set a new one. Absorb new ideas: read books, listen to podcasts and find new natural health “gurus” who inspires you. A lot of times we'll turn a “blind eye” to the exact thing we actually need the most (e.g. someone addicted to sugar will get squeamish even thinking about diabetes and refuse to get their blood levels checked). This is a signal to push past your comfort zone and confront whatever needs to be done. Be courageous and go for what seems difficult now. What you sow in tears you’ll reap in joy.
We’re not going to lie: getting healthy can take a lot of hard work and self-discipline. When you finally get to your goal weight, beat a personal record or get you bloodwork in the zone that your doctor has been asking for, you should celebrate! Don’t be afraid to “brag” a little bit, post a selfie or buy a new outfit, or treat yourself to a health-related luxury that will help you reach your next goal. Don’t forget to celebrate those small incremental successes too, acknowledge each step you've made in the right direction.
When an unhealthy person starts to exercise, they experience great discomfort: it aches, burns and hurts to breathe with each additional rep or step. But as you get healthier your tissue becomes more “high performance” as your ability to recycle ADP into ATP (energy production molecule) dramatically increases. The further you improve, the more pleasurable it gets and it keeps getting sweeter. An ultra-fit bodybuilder or marathon runner thinks that lifting 500 pounds or running 26 miles is an nearly orgasmic experience. So give up the “short term” thinking that being healthy is bland, boring, experience and difficult! Adopt the “long term” thinking that health is a great pleasure and a form of freedom – ability to travel, try new activities and be free from the pain, suffering and stress that is caused by chronic health issues.
Attaining Peak Health has innumerable benefits and little downsides – other than the effort it takes. Emancipate yourself from unhealthy habits, reintegrate with nature and reclaim the Peak Health that is your birthright.
Millions have done it and you can do it, too!
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