“Your life today is the result of your choices yesterday.
Your life tomorrow will be the result of your choices today.”
By: John C. Maxwell

Mindset & Resolve – The Critical Enablers for Health & Wellness

Before delving into this topic, you may find it helpful to understand a few health‑related data points regarding the current health profile of Canadians generally:

An alarming 63% of Canadians are overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 30). 49% have high‑risk abdominal fat (waist >102 cm for men, >88 cm for women). This combination of excess weight and fat is most linked to chronic disease.

Approximately 65% of Canadian deaths are caused by chronic diseases linked to lifestyle choices: not choosing to maintain a healthy diet, not choosing to maintain healthy weight and fat levels, and not choosing to maintain a regular regime of exercise.

While Canadians tend to live about 82 years on average, they are spending 15–17 of those latter years in declining health. That means more trips to the doctor, the hospital, and more medications. This is clearly not a great way to spend your senior years.

Data sources: Statistics Canada (CHMS, HALE), Public Health Agency of Canada (Chronic Disease Surveillance).

Beginning Your Health & Wellness Journey

Most people begin their Health & Wellness journey by searching for the perfect diet, the perfect workout, or the perfect supplement. But the truth is simpler and far more powerful: long‑term health begins with the Mindset you bring to the journey and the Resolve you bring to your daily choices. Without these two pillars, even the best plan collapses. With them, almost any reasonable plan can succeed.

My Personal Story

More than 25 years ago, I made a decision that changed the trajectory of my life. I wanted to achieve and sustain excellent health well into my sixties and beyond. That meant maintaining a stable weight, a healthy body fat percentage, and a daily energy level that allowed me to live fully and think clearly.

I set clear targets:

  • Weight: 138 lbs
  • Body fat: 15.5%
  • Daily intake: ~1800 calories
  • Macronutrient ratios: 50% non‑processed carbs, 30% protein, 20% healthy fats

These weren’t “diet numbers.” They were part of a disciplined eating routine — a system I could follow for life, not a temporary fix.

My exercise routine evolved with age. In my forties and fifties, I ran and lifted weights. In my sixties, I shifted to walking, stretching, and bodyweight resistance training. The activities changed, but the Mindset and Resolve behind them stayed constant.

And because I wanted to keep my brain sharp, I committed to lifelong learning: building a blog, writing thoughtful posts, studying math, exploring economics, listening to nonfiction audiobooks, and learning Spanish. Health, for me, has always included the body and the mind.

What Mindset Means

Mindset is the internal orientation you bring to your health. It’s the “why” behind your choices. It’s the long‑term vision that guides your daily actions.

A strong health Mindset includes:

  • A clear picture of the life you want to live
  • A belief that consistency matters more than perfection
  • A willingness to evolve your routines as your body changes
  • A commitment to lifelong physical and mental vitality

Mindset is not about hype or motivation. It’s about clarity.

What Resolve Means

Resolve is the daily follow‑through. It’s the quiet discipline that shows up when motivation fades.

Resolve looks like:

  • Eating healthy most of the time, without chasing perfection
  • Maintaining a consistent exercise routine
  • Choosing active engagement over passive consumption
  • Making decisions that support long‑term health, even when they’re not convenient

Resolve is not rigid. It adapts. But it does not disappear.

Why This Foundation Matters

Without Mindset and Resolve, people fall into the diet cycle: start strong, struggle, quit, repeat. That cycle is built on temporary rules, not long‑term clarity.

With Mindset and Resolve, you build a system — a way of living that becomes part of who you are. That’s why I’ve been able to sustain my health for more than two decades. It’s not because I found the perfect plan. It’s because I built the right foundation.

How You Can Apply This

Before you change anything about your eating or exercise routine, ask yourself:

  • What do I want my health to look like 10, 20, 30 years from now?
  • What routines can I sustain for life, not just for a month?
  • What small daily choices will move me toward that vision?
  • What habits am I willing to commit to with resolve?

Start with clarity. Then build consistency. The rest will follow.

Closing Encouragement

You don’t need a diet. You don’t need perfection. You need a Mindset that aligns with your goals and the Resolve to follow through. If you build these two pillars, your health journey becomes not just possible — but sustainable.

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