Returning to Health —
A Whole-Person Endeavor
Ten Statements of Lasting Health
Through Healthy Means
“The greatest wealth is health.” — Virgil
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
Health is Life
Health is our natural state and the primary asset to protect so we can enjoy all else we have. The proverb, “A healthy man has a thousand problems, but a sick man has only one,” captures the profound truth that when healthy, we have the freedom to pour our energy into work, relationships, fun, education, and growth ambitions, even dreams for the future and longevity planning. However, when health is interrupted, all energy is redirected to restoring or managing it while everything else falls to the side or, at best, is being delegated.
Although health cannot be bought back, it can be re-established. Whether you work on your own or turn to online searches you may figure out solutions to your symptoms, a problem-solving approach that can help, but it may be temporary.
Returning to Health — A Whole-Person Endeavor
Ten Statements of Lasting Health Through Healthy Means
“The greatest wealth is health.” — Virgil
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
Health is Life
Health is our natural state and the primary asset to protect so we can enjoy all else we have. The proverb, “A healthy man has a thousand problems, but a sick man has only one,” captures the profound truth that when healthy, we have the freedom to pour our energy into work, relationships, fun, education, and growth ambitions, even dreams for the future and longevity planning. However, when health is interrupted, all energy is redirected to restoring or managing it while everything else falls to the side or, at best, is being delegated.
Although health cannot be bought back, it can be re-established. Whether you work on your own or turn to online searches you may figure out solutions to your symptoms, a problem-solving approach that can help, but it may be temporary.
The advantage of working with a health coach is that your return to health is viewed as a whole-person endeavor—where all areas of life—physical, mental, emotional, social, familial, vocational, and spiritual—are honored and integrated. This holistic perspective acknowledges that everything is interrelated, and connecting the dots provides a fuller picture from which a more comprehensive approach to care can emerge—one that considers your short-term needs, long-term goals, and promotes behaviors that sustain health and life. Nourishing foods, adequate rest and movement, managed stress, constructive environments, and meaningful relationships are all healthy means almost always part of this comprehensive approach to re-establishing health—and they’re yours to keep for life.
You are already whole, resourceful, and the expert in your own life. A coach’s role is to draw out your potential and empower you to build on your strengths, motivations, and values to create habits aligned with your vision.
The Role of Perseverance, Identity, and Skills in Lasting Health
If you’ve spent years putting in the effort—cleaning up your diet, moving more, tracking macros, cutting back on sugar—you’ve already shown motivation and desire to launch your goals. But if you’re yet to see the results you hoped for, you’re not alone. One of the most common challenges in holding on to change is staying consistent until new behaviors become second nature. Most people set outcome-based goals and lean heavily on willpower—a finite resource—so it’s no surprise the effort often stalls, or they change course, before perseverance has a chance to develop.
But what about being-goals? Psychology research shows that when behaviors are tied to identity—”Who do I want to be?”—they’re far more likely to stick, not just while habits are forming but long after goals are reached. If this transition still feels out of reach, getting that personalized guidance and support from a health coach while you navigate the turbulence of progress and habit formation may be just the vehicle to carry you forward into becoming your envisioned self.
Along with building staying power, many clients also discover that developing new health skills to pair with their current ones helps further optimize their efforts and boost confidence. Working one-on-one with a health coach can assist you in acquiring additional skills such as:
- Planning, shopping, prepping, and cooking in ways that support your health goals
- Reading and applying nutrition facts and food labels for balanced nutrition
- Building physical fitness for independent and self-sufficient living
- Back-casting with an implementation roadmap and built-in accountability
- Choosing sustainable, manageable self-monitoring
- Developing a growth mindset that includes identifying barriers, anticipating stressors before they derail progress, and learning how to make effective course corrections after setbacks
- Strengthening positive self-talk and coping strategies that promote well-being
- Celebrating progress in meaningful ways that reinforce motivation, confidence, and commitment
When partnering with a health coach, clients also receive timely and meaningful feedback, and compassionate support. This component makes all the difference—especially early on, when old patterns feel more familiar than new ones. Like a rocket taking off, it is the launch that requires the most energy, when both the learning curve and the effort to initiate change are at their peak. This is often when people stop, pull back on supportive actions, or chase something new—mistaking slow progress and awkwardness as proof that things must not be ‘working.’ But many improvements begin internally long before they’re visible, which is why trusting the process is key.
Solidifying healthy habits takes time—often several months. With a coach by your side, confusion turns into clarity and you’re supported in carrying your initial momentum through obstacles—staying focused and accountable, yet flexible enough to adjust your strategy as needed. A coach also helps you recognize what to expect along the way, so you remain engaged, hopeful, and grounded in the long view. As your confidence in your new trajectory grows, perseverance is forged—the bridge from early effort into lasting habits.
So, even though re-establishing health doesn’t happen overnight, it follows a rhythm. Each stage of the journey builds on the one before it, with its own unique challenges and opportunities.
From New Habits to Lifelong Integration
Once healthy behaviors have been sustained for six months or more, clients typically enter what behavioral science calls the “maintenance stage.” This stage is more automated but not passive—it’s about actively practicing the skills that support your health and identity while keeping progress steady. Here, new behaviors feel more integrated, and temptations or setbacks become fewer and easier to navigate—signs of habits taking hold.
What follows are glimpses into the lives of those even further along the path—individuals who have sustained their health through healthy means for five years or more. Many public health organizations recognize the five-year milestone as a marker of lasting transformation with minimal risk of relapse. These stories illustrate what’s possible when alignment, balance, and consistency merge long enough to create the flywheel effect of established habits—the bedrock of sustainable health and well-being.
Ten Statements of Lasting Health Through Healthy Means
- Prevention is Freedom
“A health scare was the wake-up call that helped me regain my health. Working with my care team, I got out of autopilot and embraced the mindset that “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”—it’s easier (and far less costly) to prevent issues than to manage consequences. Instead of excuses, now I find all the reasons and ways to take care of myself, my health, and my well-being. Prevention IS my strategy.”
- Striving for Balance in a Hustle Culture
“I was taught that success meant powering through even when sick or burned out. Now I ask what’s beneath the craving, the fatigue, the urge to overachieve—and I treat that as the real work. When something feels off, I don’t push harder; I recalibrate. My self-care and well-being are priorities that fuel my best self.”
- Self-Belief with Infrastructure
“I used to eat purely for taste—mostly processed foods. Over time, my hormones paid the price. Learning that food can be powerful medicine helped me shift: I rebuilt my diet and lifestyle in ways that support hormonal balance. I learned many health principles in the process and I now identify as a health-first person. I organized simple routines, cleaned up and shaped my environment so healthy choices are within reach, and stay connected to a network for encouragement, inspiration, and accountability. I trust the new habits and systems I’ve built to sustain my balance—and my vision for health and vitality.”
- Biology Shifts Toward Life-Supporting Design
“I was warned to cut artificial sugars and move a lot more—or risk type II diabetes. With coaching support, I made the changes. My taste buds adjusted and my cravings softened. I used to say, ‘I can’t have it without sugar’; now I say, ‘I can’t have it with sugar.’ My joints don’t ache like they used to. I enjoy food more now, not less—and I don’t feel like I’m on a diet at all. I work with a personal trainer on and off to keep my exercise plan well-rounded and my body composition is the best it’s ever been. I feel good in my body. I wake up rested, my mood is brighter, my energy is steady through the day, and I recover faster. I rarely get sick—and my labs and tracking reflect it. I now trust my body to know what the right calories and weight are for me. My overall health is my assurance.”
- Being the Outlier as a Light
“Whatever was freely available at work I indulge in it—and paid for it later; it didn’t register that there was a ‘tax’ on my energy and weight. Afternoon crashes were common, and the scale kept creeping up until I found myself buying larger-size clothing. That’s when I knew I needed support. Working with a weight-loss coach, I learned that weight isn’t accidental—healthy weight is built from many small, repeatable choices. Planning ahead and simple preparations shifted my options—and my results. Now I don’t mind being the one who brings the nourishing dish or skip a trend to stay aligned with my health priorities. I’m not trying to stand out; I’m clear on what supports my weight and what doesn’t. And if that quietly encourages others toward a healthier lifestyle, even better—maybe they become a light for someone else.”
- The Dynamic/Stillness Combo for Optimal Functioning
“Confusing fatigue with hunger was my biggest challenge. Now I recharge with a time-out, meditation, gentle yoga, or I just go to bed early. At first, taking breaks to recharge used to feel unproductive, but I’ve learned that the better I recover, the more dynamically I can show up. Prioritizing rest helped me eat less calories, drop 3 pants sizes, and it has increased my mental clarity, creativity, and energy too.”
- Responsibility Becomes the Turning Point
“Probably the best thing I did was take the reins of my health. Stress and low mood had me numbing out. I’d been following others’ lead—‘taking the edge off’ with a drink—until one drink turned into a few most nights. I wanted to stop the cycle but couldn’t on my own. That was the turning point: I worked with a clinician and a coach to put new daily choices into practice and get my health back on track. Alongside support for abstinence, I learned to read labels, choose with intention, track my body’s signals, and replace numbing routines with antidotes like nature walks, water, and fruit. The more I learned, the easier it became. Discerning what helps or harms isn’t a mystery anymore. I took back responsibility—and with it, my health, my confidence, and my peace of mind.”
- Peace Becomes the New Safety Net
“For years, I tried to lower my cholesterol without success. I also wanted to lose weight, but my body felt heavy and stiff. A plant-based diet became a solution to both. My labs improved. My body is more resilient; I move more easily and sleep more deeply. I’ve experienced real healing—food is medicine, as the saying goes. I’m no longer on high alert, waiting for the next diagnosis. There’s peace in knowing I’m less likely to depend on loved ones. I get to live on my own terms—free from the drag of preventable disease and the stress it placed on my body, mind, and family.”
- Vitality Is Visible and Magnetic
“I thought I’d lost my spark. I was perpetually lethargic—nearly bedridden—and starting to shut down. I asked, ‘What changed? What are these signs telling me?’ I soon learned that they were signals of disease. That sent me down a path to investigate what sustains health and life, what prolongs it, and what might even slow visible aging. Returning to the basics was my first decision—simple but not at all easy. With thoughtful care and patience, I experimented to see what truly restored my health. Now people comment on my energy and positive attitude, bright eyes, glowing skin, open posture, and strong, lean muscle. Some even say I look younger than I did ten years ago. When they say, ‘I want to do what you do,’ I know my spark is back—and it’s a blessing if it inspires others to improve their health.”
- Well-being as the New Normal
“After struggling with gut issues for years, I took the detective role to figure out what helps, what doesn’t, and how to rebuild my gut the natural way. I eat more intuitively now—slowing down, listening for hunger and satisfaction cues, and choosing what feels supportive. I have fewer cravings and my mood is more uplifted. I know my digestion improved because I don’t worry about how food will affect me anymore; I call it a calmed gut. My weight has found a comfortable place too. I feel like my quality of life has expanded in every direction. Now that my energy isn’t going into managing symptoms or chasing weight loss, it’s freed up—for self-care, for my goals, for my loved ones, for my purpose. I relate to my needs and everything around me with more ease and compassion. I feel emotionally available, spiritually aligned, and fully alive. I’m not just functioning—I’m flourishing. I look forward to traveling in my 70s, hiking with my grandchildren, and volunteering in my community. I love the rhythm of life I’ve created!”
Which of these stories sparks a sense of what might be possible for YOU first?
Lasting change is a whole-person endeavor—one where every aspect of life is supported in harmony as you take ownership of your health and your future. Coaching is the unique health service that can complement your return to health or optimize it further through healthy means around diet and lifestyle. It’s a distinctive partnership that honors your strengths, values, and the vision that brings you alive, while helping you release what no longer fits and make space for what’s ready to grow and evolve.
If this holistic path resonates with your desires and feels like one you haven’t fully explored, let’s walk this next stretch together. You don’t have to sort it all out alone. The right coaching partnership can help you bridge the gap—from cycles of effort and frustration to the vitality, balance, peace, and well-being you’ve been seeking.
Author: Coach Camy
Publisher: Global Consicous LivingSM | 7/1/2024
👉 Experience a coaching conversation by booking a free discovery call with Coach Camy. Together, we can explore what optimal health and lasting well-being could look like for you.
👉 Read next: Lifestyle: A Trajectory Setter where you can find inspiration on how to upgrade your lifestyle by design.