It’s not going to go how you think.
Your big breakthrough won’t be shocking to most.
Others might even believe you’re hiding your “secret.”
There are no secrets to better health. At least, not the type you typically hear.
Your big breakthrough will look like consistency, require support, and feel like habit.
It will push you towards doable behaviors and away from measures that are extreme for you.
You might think that finding one workout or food will change everything.
You’re told that’s when the weight comes off, and then the dark cloud will leave.
It’s all an illusion.
Your big breakthrough will hit when you stop looking for the one thing.
When you separate appearance from pain.
When you no longer connect the mirror to your identity.
Your appearance is not who you are.
Or what you’re about.
Your identity is built on intention and purpose.
And your health is a byproduct of what you think of yourself.
You must believe.
In you.
At all times.
In all situations.
In all body types.
Shifting your mindset will allow you to improve your health and change your body (if that’s your goal).
It’s not the other way around.
Your big breakthrough is learning to explore what holds you back.
It’s a process that doesn’t start with exercise selection or food choice.
Your big breakthrough is realizing you have struggles. We all do.
Those struggles do not mean you are weak or broken.
Awareness is the spark of strength and awakening.
It will light a path to breaking down what stands in your way.
Your big breakthrough comes by accepting yourself — at your best and your worst.
It’s learning to not throw in the towel when nothing seems to work.
Realizing the bad days are part of being human.
And letting go of perfectionist goals.
It’s about accepting the dual existence of struggles and successes.
And knowing that both have their place in your life.
Your big breakthrough is realizing it’s not about looking good.
It’s about living well.
By your standards.
On your terms.
And, in a way that allows you to make the most of your days.
Your big breakthrough will occur when the pain of your current situation is greater than the pain it takes to change.
When you believe that the person you can become is more than just an illusion.
Your big breakthrough, when it happens, won’t result in discomfort.
It will make you feel like everything is finally in the right place.
Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.