I first heard this quote from Susan L. Taylor, former editor-in-chief and editorial director of Essence magazine, many years ago and it has always stayed with me. She was speaking at a conference about the need to take better care of ourselves, and to make wellness a priority.

It is not always easy, staying on track when it comes to better health, but at the end of last year I shared that I wanted to optimize my health. I took a few important steps – finding a medical practice that understood a more integrative approach to wellness, recognizing my personal baseline, determining where I wanted to go, and putting together a plan. (I discussed my approach to planning here if you want to see how I set my goals.)

In short, there are four variables I need to manage—food, movement, stress, and sleep—and by paying more attention to these areas I can set reasonable goals and go after it. Periodically I’ll update on how it is going, but this is a lifestyle change, not a quick-fix.

Why now? It is this simple—I’m a grown woman who wants to take better care of herself. No excuses. I know what I need and I’m going for it.

Have you faced challenges on your fitness journey?