In the Habits of Health, Co-founder and independent OPTAVIA Coach, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, defines optimal health as, "the highest degree of health that is possible for you to achieve." In order to create and maintain optimal health, you need to organize your life around whatever matters most to you.

While success and financial freedom* are great, your status and material things do not define you. Having fulfillment, purpose, and motivation are several critical components of reaching optimal health and wellbeing. However, knowing what's truly going to fulfill and satisfy us can sometimes be challenging to figure out.

Below are some concrete ideas and tips for enjoying some areas of life to reach optimal health:

• Take up a new hobby. Find a craft, sport, or adventure that you’ve always wanted to try, and do it.
• Explore nature. Reconnect with nature and breathe fresh air by taking daily walks.
• Eat healthy foods. The food you put into your body can impact your mood and energy levels. Having a healthy diet can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of disease.
• Take time to recognize your mood. Having the flexibility to recognize when change needs to happen and adjust your lifestyle accordingly.
• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep plays an important role in physical health, brain function, and emotional wellbeing. Aim to get between seven to nine hours of sleep each night to allow your body ample time to revitalize.
• Manage stress. Realizing that you are in control of your life is the foundation for managing stress. Take charge of your thoughts and emotions by identifying the stressors in your life and utilize coping methods that are healthy and productive.

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, for other ways to create optimal wellbeing on your journey to Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time^®.

This Saturday, November 13, 2021, is World Kindness Day, a day that presents us with the opportunity to reflect upon kindness.

Kindness is not only a simple act that can spread happiness and positivity, but it can help improve interpersonal relationships, social connections, and boost your overall wellbeing, which can help you to achieve success on plan.

Here are just a few ways you can celebrate World Kindness Day:

• Reach out to the OPTAVIA Community. A quick message or text to someone in the OPTAVIA Community goes a long way. Let them know how much you appreciate them and how grateful you are to have met through OPTAVIA.
• Phone a relative. Call and loved one or friend you haven't spoken to in a while and catch up. Texting is great, but nothing compares to a heart-to-heart phone conversation!
• Help a stranger. Hold the door for someone, share your lunch, or purchase coffee for someone behind you. Sometimes, the smallest actions have the most significant impact!

Remember, implementing just one small act of kindness can leave a positive impact on others. Please reach out to me, your independent OPTAVIA, Coach to learn more about kindness.

Running through Life

Tim struggled with his weight for 25 years. He felt that nothing worked despite his many efforts to lose weight with different weight loss programs. He began to feel tired - he had a severe lack of energy all the time.

Tim was scrolling through Facebook one day and noticed a picture of an old friend showing his weight loss. Tim immediately reached out to his friend to learn more about how he had lost the weight.

“After telling me about OPTAVIA, I decided I needed to try this. Within a short amount of time, I was feeling better and losing weight in the process^*."

Not to mention, as Tim turned 70, he was feeling more energetic than ever!

"I have a couple of small businesses and a homeless street ministry, and this new lease on life has changed my outlook, and I now look forward to other things my life has in store for me!"

Tim was so moved by his experience with the OPTAVIA program that he decided to become an independent OPTAVIA Coach himself so he could pay it forward and share his experience with others!

Tim is forever thankful to his independent OPTAVIA Coach for introducing him to this life-changing program. Today, he spends most of his time teaching how healthy habits can help achieve health and wellness goals.