Where are you today and in what direction are you headed?

The answer to these two questions can shed perspective on the current state and direction of your life, putting you in position to make a positive change, which emphasizes growth.

The six tips below speak to growth versus a fixed mindset. Use these learnings to take the next positive step towards Optimal Health and Wellbeing.

• View challenges as opportunities. Having a growth mindset means relishing opportunities for self-improvement. 
• Try different learning strategies. There’s no one-size-fits-all model for learning. What works for one person may not work for you. 
• Celebrate growth with others. If you truly appreciate growth, you’ll want to share your progress with others in the OPTAVIA Community, or me, your OPTAVIA Coach.
• Make a new goal for every goal accomplished. You’ll never be finished learning. Just because you’ve accomplished your first health goal doesn’t mean you should stop there. Growth-minded people know how to constantly create new goals to keep themselves stimulated.
• Take risk in the company of others. Stop trying to be perfect and let yourself goof up now and then. It will make it easier to take risks in the future.
• Take ownership over your attitude. Once you develop a growth mindset, own it. Acknowledge yourself as someone who possesses a growth mentality and be proud to let it guide you throughout your journey to lifelong transformation, one healthy habit at a time™.

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, about other ways I can help you push through your goals, while establishing a growth-mentality.

The holidays are quickly approaching. With this busy time of year, there is always this fear of losing sight of your goal. Stress, doubt, a little bit of boredom—these can sneak up on you and make it easier for you to succumb to the triggers in your life.

First, take stock. You’ve already accomplished so much. You don’t need a personal trainer, your own chef, or super willpower to maintain your new, healthy lifestyle; you just need the proper motivation.

Know your triggers; defuse your stressors.

Do you have triggers? A trigger is something that sets off a habitual behavior. Sometimes it’s the smell of a donut at a coworker’s desk. Or it’s a favorite show that signaled your time to open a large bag of chips and settle on the sofa. Perhaps you always end a meal with dessert, or, upon passing your favorite fast food joint, your steering wheel seemed to turn toward the drive-thru on its own.        

Stress is our most common trigger for overeating and engaging in other unhealthy habits. When you feel overwhelmed, old behaviors can resurface. Here are some tips to help you survive this holiday season.

• Be aware of triggers. If you continue to reach for the chips at a holiday party, walk away from the food table and continue to socialize elsewhere. If that bowl of chocolates at your coworker’s desk tempts you every time, walk a different way back to your own desk or turn your head as you pass. Keep healthy snacks and Fuelings on hand so that when you do need to eat, you know you are making healthy choices.
• Remember your goals. Plan for success. Let nothing stand between you and your goals.
• Ask for help. Your OPTAVIA Coach is here for support! I can guide you toward the best ways to defend against stress and your triggers.
• Keep a journal. Track your emotions and behaviors so that if you veer off course you can bring yourself back on track. Every obstacle you encounter will teach you something, so use any setbacks to reassess your goals and spring into corrective action!
• Be kind to yourself. Even if you don’t yet believe it, you deserve to be healthy. Your Optimal Health journey is measured in progress, not perfection. Don’t punish yourself for mistakes, and above all, don’t give up!

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, about other ways you can I can help you identify triggers in your life this holiday season.

A Lifetime of Optimal Heath.

“After reaching my highest weight in 2016, I knew I had to do something.  I tried different diets and even three different diet pills with only minimal success.”

Karen then reached out nearly a year later to her husband’s aunt who was an OPTAVIA Coach. She knew she wanted to lose weight, but she also wanted to feel better.

“I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Sjögren's Syndrome. I was constantly fatigued and suffered from joint pain.  I had blamed my autoimmune disease for how I was feeling. I really didn’t know that my weight was causing so many underlying problems with my health. I thought that fatigue and joint pain were my new normal.”

Since August of 2017, Karen has lost 55 pounds*. She is feeling so much better and has so much more energy that she’s able to exercise and do activities with her two active children.  

“I am finally drinking enough water, getting a good night’s rest and my body feels so much better since I have been eating healthy.”

Karen loves that she is fitting into smaller clothes and that she can run up and down her stairs without getting winded.

“It’s so fun to get compliments from others about my transformation. I even fit into my wedding dress again after 17 years.”

Karen’s OPTAVIA Coach has cheered her on through her journey to lifelong transformation, one healthy habit at a time™. Her Coach has been encouraging and helpful – she’s always there to answer any of Karen’s questions or concerns.

“I have learned a lot about myself and how to handle emotional eating. It’s been so great to see the successes of others in the OPTAVIA Community.”

Karen decided after a few months on the OPTAVIA Program that she would like to pay it forward and help others to feel as great as she felt so she became an OPTAVIA Coach.

“It’s been so exciting and rewarding watching others transform their health as well. I’m so grateful I found this program. I am looking forward to a lifetime of Optimal Health!”