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| Healthline’s Inside Mental Health podcast host Gabe Howard scored the chance to chat with world renowned personal trainer, businesswoman, author, and television personality Jillian Michaels. Read some of the best quotes from this episode below. |
| *This interview has been edited for length and clarity. |
| Q: |
The way we manage our physical health changes over time, which can affect our mental health as well. What are your thoughts on how folks can navigate this experience as they age? |
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| A: First of all, it’s about meeting people where they’re at, right? Like everything in life, there’s a spectrum of where people begin and advance on their journey with anything. So don’t be intimidated if you’re starting out by walking around the block with your dog.
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| The second piece of this is that a lot of people think that aging is this foregone conclusion, and it’s this slow descent into decrepitude, but that isn’t the case. It’s never too late. You can take control over any aspect of your health at any point. And I think it’s really important that people know that. |
| Q: |
Let’s talk about those action steps, and let’s talk about this concept of “as soon as you choose to.” How do you do that? |
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| A: It’s about slowly making good choice after good choice, or better choice after better choice, then that trend reverses and over time gains forward momentum. A body in motion tends to stay in motion, figuratively and literally.
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| The number one question I get is: "How do I get motivated?" Motivation is something that has to come from inside of you. Inspiration is something that comes from outside of you –– it’s a podcast you heard, a book you read, a show you watched on TV and you identified with the protagonist. Then you went, “Oh my God, if they can do it, I can do it,” right?
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| While inspiration can jump-start the car, we’ve got to have something to keep it going. This really does come down to, as cliché as it’s become to say this, your “why.” You really need to take time and think about [that].
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| Q: |
How do you help people find their “why”?
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| A: You’re going to ask a bunch of questions. I mean, that’s what I would do to anybody I work with. |
| What do you see happening if you put in the work? What are you actually showing up here for? What does “healthier” look like? What is your fantasy of feeling more comfortable? Did something scare you straight? How did that make you feel? Do you want to vow never to feel that way again? Is it a sense of control? Is it feeling more confident at work, professionally, in your romantic relationships? Are you more comfortable going out dancing with your friends, or are you excited to meet your great grandchildren? |
| I think you really have to start thinking about what it looks like in detail, how your life is going to improve, and how it’s going to feel. But it requires asking yourself those questions and taking the time to do some soul searching.
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| Click here to listen to the full interview on our Inside Mental Health podcast. And don’t forget to scroll down to the end of this email to rate this interview!
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