Today I have been reflecting on the kinds of habits that divide the wealthy from the unwealthy. Financial advisor Tom Corley spent five years observing more than 350 “rich” and “poor” people, how they live, work and even sleep. He then captured the differences in his book “Rich habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals.” (He defined “rich” as earning at least $160,000 a year and keeping at least $3.2 million in assets; he defined “poor” as income under $30,000 a year and less than $5,000 in assets). His study showed it’s in their daily habits, the activities, that are the reason for wealth or poverty.

Here were some significant statistics that really stood out to me:

1.) 70% of the rich eat fewer than 300 calories of “bad” food a day, while 97% of poor people eat more than 300 calories of unhealthy food each day.

2.) 76% of rich people exercise aerobically four days a week compared to only 23% of the poor.

3.) 44% wake up three hours before their 9-to-5 job. In those wee morning hours they focus on self improvement and reading educational material. This is when most squeeze in their workout, too.

So as you can see there is a strong correlation between the habits of the wealthy and the healthy. Your brain is an organ in your body, so what’s good for the body is good for the brain.

Health is wealth and more than looking great; it’s about how it makes you feel, fewer sick days, more confidence, more energy to get work done, and more power in your body to do whatever you want to do. Starting with the “why” is important, because shallow desires create shallow effort, so your reasons have to dig deep.

It’s crucial to develop a health plan. As a strength coach, I’ve learned how valuable your body is. It’s the only vehicle to get you through life. Maintaining that vehicle is not easy, but neither is building a business–and both are possible with the proper habits, strategy & tenacity. A strong body starts in the mind, so to transform your health you must change more than just your body. You must believe your body can do anything … and that makes your abilities limitless.

I saw it best not only in my life but with my client Carolyn. She was sick and tired of being sick and tired. She was depressed and suffered from high blood pressure and skin problems. But once she started working out with me and eating cleaner, her symptoms disappeared one after another! This also gave her the confidence to start her own business as a hair stylist as well as the energy to do the things she wanted to. Not only that, she also started volunteering to cut the hair of the homeless and decided her next goal is to be come a spinning instructor. Her fitness habits transformed her health and wealth. The discipline she built by leading a healthier life helped her achieve success in starting her business and overall happiness.

Are you ready for your fitness to convert to wealth? I have 3 steps for you to start living better now, not tomorrow, but now. The power lives in the now.

Step 1: Start with asking, why? Your “why” could be as simple as you want to love yourself more. When we love ourselves, we feel better and produce better. We are more creative and innovative, two important things in business. I encourage you to write down all the reasons (more energy at work to make more money, healthier babies, more confidence at business meetings, etc.). Look at this list when life blindsides you, which it will. Trust me.

Step 2: Start small. 10 minutes a day, 4 days a week. My YouTube videos are perfect for this step, and you can start using them today at home. Eventually these will lead to longer, more frequent workouts: just keep adding time each month or week according to your own unique pace. Fitness is a journey of self-discovery. It will reveal your courage–and remember, exercise builds confidence.

Step 3: Visualize it. See yourself as the kind of person you have to become to be your best self. Chase the vision every day. It is through visualization that we can start to see the map of our desires. I love vision boards for this purpose! If you can see it, you can be it.

Bottom line, health and wealth come from the same source: the daily habits and self discipline that fitness teaches you. You only get one body your whole life. So take care of it.

Today’s food & workout recap:

• Breakfast: Protein shake w/ frozen strawberries  (244 cals)
• Exercise: One hour Zoom Booty & legs workout + 30 mins of weight training (burned approx. 400 cals)
• Lunch: 2 eggs, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1 Tbsp coconut flakes (347 cals)
• Snack: 1/2 oz. almonds, 1/2 green tea mochi, 3 Tbsp coconut flakes (427 cals)
• Dinner: Protein shake w/ 1 cup strawberries, 5 oz. of red wine (502 cals)

Total food calories for today: 1,521 = (111g, 32% Carbohydrates) (64g, 41% Fat) (94, 27% Protein)

Everyone wants to be on the summit but few are willing to hike and sweat to get there. The 1 percent control 82 percent of the wealth largely because they’re the ones willing to climb the mountain. I am happy to be climbing the mountain and taking it one day & habit at a time.