Once you reach optimal health, Co-founder and Independent OPTAVIA Coach, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, recommends striving for UltraHealth, a state of health that pushes your body to be the very best in a state where it operates at optimal efficiency.

UltraHealth is seen as an augmentation of the Habits of Health lifestyle through:

• Dietary optimization: Once you achieve optimal health, consult with your healthcare provider, and follow Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen’s recommendations in the Habits of Health on the optimal diet and calorie intake for you during this stage.
• Movement enhancement: Increased activity and robust movement several times a week can help build optimal cardiovascular musculoskeletal and brain health! Come up with a safe and efficient exercise plan to share with your Coach and healthcare provider.
• Brain-health optimization: Our brains need exercise just as much as our bodies! Try completing puzzles, playing games, reading books, writing, painting, and even having conversations with friends to get your brain moving.

Ask me, your Independent OPTAVIA Coach, about additional tips on achieving UltraHealth.

The new Habits of Health Transformational System provides steps from Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, Co-founder & Independent OPTAVIA Coach, to follow to reach longevity; including a number of basic actions and behaviors that will reduce your likelihood of falling prey to preventable diseases, accidents, and an unhealthy lifestyle:

• Create a Healthy Environment. Eliminate unhealthy food, drink clean water, ensure smoke detectors are working, and lock all the doors in your home.
• Get a Yearly Checkup. If you didn’t see your healthcare provider before you began your weight-loss journey, do so now! Make sure you continue to get checkups at least once a year to ensure you are staying healthy.
• Go to Your Dentist. It may surprise you to know that dental care is critical for optimal health. Schedule an appointment at least once a year to ensure your oral health is intact.
• Reach and Maintain Your Healthy Weight. Reaching a healthy weight not only may lower your risk for disease but may also lengthen your lifespan*
• Incorporate the Habits of Health. From learning to eat right, incorporating movement into your daily routine, and making sleep a priority, the Habits of Health will take you on a complete journey.
• Obtain Optimal Health. No matter what your age is, optimizing your health is a fundamental principle of living longer.

^*No one can predict how long we are going to live, but research suggests that making an overall lifestyle change by taking an active role in your choices and behavior, including losing weight, eating healthier, moving more, and reducing stress, has the potential to help you live a longer, healthier life

If you haven’t already watched our transformative video series, featuring Your LifeBook – Elements 01-26, on CLIENT ANSWERS, please engage and take a deeper dive into each element. These videos, Your LifeBook, and me, your Independent OPTAVIA Coach, can help you work towards reaching the ultimate accomplishment of achieving optimal health and wellbeing

1. Self-Interest: This level is all about yourself: you are focused mainly on your survival needs, your sense of belonging, feeling a part of something, and your personal self-esteem/ego.
2. Actualized Self: You are currently at the point in life where you are figuring out what is important to you and your desires.
3. Integrated Self: You are now able to open your window of tolerance and able to accept the fact that we all have different opinions and views.
4. Selflessness Self: You have a universal way of thinking and helping others, despite any differences you may have.

To jump to the next level, you should accept accountability for your choices and actions, and take the necessary steps to become the most genuine, humble, and compassionate version of yourself.

Reacting in stressful situations can be difficult, so follow these tips when working to achieve higher consciousness and reaching the next level:

• It’s not about who wins. Choose to be kind, and adapt this philosophy into your daily routine, if possible. Petty arguments can happen frequently, but you can avoid wasting precious time and energy by preventing an argument before it begins.
• Be nice for the sake of being nice. Complement or do good things for others without expecting anything in return. We often fight for attention, praise, compliments, and favors, but the most compassionate and genuine people are those that do good deeds and don’t expect a thing in return.
• Your reactions speak volumes. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Let it roll right off your shoulders! Everyone has flaws, but nobody likes it when they are exposed. It’s important to accept that criticism is part of everyday life. It’s up to you not to take it personally.

If you haven’t already watched our transformative video series, featuring Your LifeBook – Elements 01-26, on CLIENT ANSWERS, please engage and take a deeper dive into each element. These videos, Your LifeBook, and me, your Independent OPTAVIA Coach, can give you the tools to empower yourself to create optimal health and wellbeing.

Positive thinking and proper control over your emotions can lead to more confidence, an improved mood, and combat adverse thoughts, which often lead to unwanted stress and contribute to health problems.

Recognizing how our emotions are structured is the next step toward transforming unhealthy habits to healthy habits when faced with a difficult or uncomfortable situation.

Create a positive mindset and better understand your emotions with these tips:

• Positive affirmations. Positive self-talk can calm and control stress. Try starting your day by talking in a positive way. Saying, “I can do this, and “I will try my best”, or “I can handle this by taking one step at a time”, will help keep your mindset open to developing positive thinking that eventually lead into healthy habits.
• Turn “setbacks” into “set forwards”. Instead of focusing on a life event that set you back from achieving your goals in the past, use it as a lesson to grow and move forward so you can handle a similar situation differently in the future.
• Breathe. It’s critical to take time to practice deep breathing – at the beginning of your day, when you have a midday break, or before bedtime. Deep breaths cue the brain to calm down and allow you to refocus or slow your thoughts.
• Surround yourself with positive people. Reach out to me, your independent OPTAVIA Coach, or others in OPTAVIA’s Community to talk through any challenges you may be facing on your health journey. Use your social network or call a positive friend or family member.

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, for more ways to “keep your glass full” on your journey to Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time^®.

While success and financial freedom are great, your status and material things do not define you. Having fulfillment, purpose, and motivation are several key components of reaching optimal health and wellbeing. 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 breathing 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.

If you haven’t already watched our transformative video series, featuring Your LifeBook – Elements 01-26, published on CLIENT ANSWERS, we invite you to engage and take a deeper dive into each element. These videos, Your LifeBook, and me, your independent OPTAVIA Coach, can give you the tools to empower yourself and move forward in creating optimal health and wellbeing. Check them out!