Title: G41 - Reaching Optimal Health

Intro: What does optimal health mean to you? Being able to run a marathon, lowering your cholesterol or just having enough energy to make it through the day? Whatever your health goals are, wellness experts at Mayo Clinic have tips on how you can reach them.

“I WILL HAVE HALF A SANDWICH AND AN APPLE.”

AFTER YEARS OF YO-YO DIETING AND ON—AND—OFF EXERCISING, JULIE WILLIS IS FINALLY GETTING SOMEWHERE.

"I'VE BEEN VERY CONSISTENT WITH MY EATING PROGRAM, BUT I JUST STRUGGLE WITH THE EXERCISE ACTIVITY PART OF IT."

JULIE KNOWS THAT IN ORDER TO LOSE WEGHT AND MAINTAIN IT, SHE'S GOT TO MOVE MORE. BUT STICKING TO A PROGRAM HAS BEEN HARD TO DO. MAYO CLINIC WELLNESS EXPERT JON GIESE SAYS JULIE IS NOT ALONE.

"THEY FALL OFF THE WAGON. 6 WEEKS. MOST PEOPLE DO."

JON HELPS KEEP PEOPLE LIKE JULIE ON TRACK. HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES ARE IMPLEMENTING A NEW PROGRAM. IT'S NOT ABOUT MAKING RADICAL CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE, BUT ABOUT USING THE RESOURCES YOU ALREADY HAVE TO MAKE REASONABLE, REACHABLE GOALS.

"ONE OF THE MAIN TOOLS WE USE IS SCALING QUESTIONS."

SUCH AS, ON A SCALE OF ONE TO 10, HOW MUCH DO YOU VALUE YOUR HEALTH, OR WHERE ON THE SAME SCALE WOULD YOU RATE YOUR CURRENT HEALTH? THEN THEY ASK WHAT OPTIMAL HEALTH MEANS TO YOU.

"IT MEANS HAVING THE ENERGY I WANT AND BEING ABLE TO GET THROUGH MY DAY WITHOUT BEING TIRED."

"WE ASK THEM WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THERE?"

THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE HONEST AND SAY THAT MAYBE YOU WON'T WALK 5 DAYS A WEEK, BUT YOU CAN FIT IN THREE. OR MAYBE YOU CAN'T LOSE 20 POUNDS IN A MONTH, BUT COULD SAFELY LOSE 5. THE PHILOSOPHY IS IF YOU MAKE ATTAINABLE GOALS IN THE SHORT TERM, YOU WILL DO BETTER IN THE LONG RUN.

"YOU'RE WILLING TO TAKE ON GREATER AND GREATER CHALLENGES BECAUSE YOU'VE EXPERIENCED SUCCESS IN THE PAST."

SUCCESS THAT'S MOVING JULIE TOWARD HER WELLNESS GOALS.

FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS.

Tag: If you want to start moving toward your goals, Jon recommends you decide what your goals are, visualize yourself there and set reachable goals as stepping stones toward the long term. He says it can work and Julie is living proof.

For more information, visit our Website at www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge.

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