I caught up with bodybuilder and lifestyle coach Eliz Fulop to ask her some questions about her ideas around health and fitness.
Ed: Why is health important to you?
Eliz: Health is important because I believe that my body is the temple of God, and if I want to be successful, I must treat it that way. To me, health means a combination of mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.
What I put into those three, is what I get out. Whether its food or reading, positive input will yield positive output. What you put in, you get out. Therefore, health to me means I am putting the highest level of quality “ingredients” into my body and mind so that I can operate at the highest level of my capabilities to achieve success.
What is your dietary philosophy?
I believe that any dietary habit, in order to be healthy, has to start with the base of having a healthy relationship with food. Food is a nourishment to the body and mind. Again, what you put in, you get out. It not only shapes your body, but it shapes your mind. My diet consists of nothing that you would see in a commercial, and typically, everything you could grow in a garden. I eat my greens. I am a firm believer of taking the right supplements to increase the benefits of your lifestyle. Coffee should not be a part of a healthy lifestyle, and I try to use substitutes, but it is a work in progress.
What do you look for in health products or brands that you support?
When it comes to supplements, I make sure that they are tested by a third party for banned substances. I make sure that they do not contain any harmful chemicals and are backed up by scientists, doctors, as well as health and fitness professionals. This is something that I have found in Advocare products, therefore I mainly stick to them.
How do you stay motivated to work out and eat healthy during the cold winter months?
When I was growing up in Europe, I was training for the Olympics in cross country skiing. Because of this, I mostly love working out outside in the winter. It makes me feel most alive. Eating healthy shouldn't be something that is only done with the goal of achieving a certain physique. That should be the byproduct. If that is the mindset one approaches health with, then keeping a clean diet will be easy no matter the time of the year.
What do you find are the biggest stumbling blocks for someone who wants to improve their fitness and what are the best ways you’ve found to overcome them?
It all starts with the mindset. Mindset, attitude, and the right preparation is what's always lacking for people that end up not achieving their goals. People are usually lacking their "why". They don't ask themselves why they are even shooting for this goal. What is driving them? What will it mean to them if they don't achieve it? What will be the consequences? People don't ask themselves the right questions and don't spend enough time on meditating on their goals and dreams. You must write down your goals and also wrestle with yourself about them. Ask yourself those questions and visualize it for yourself. And once you have a strong enough why that drives your goals, nothing will be able to stop you from achieving them. Self-discipline and sacrifice is key. To achieve goals, you have to understand the importance of delaying gratifications in order to have something greater in the future.
Do you have fitness goals for yourself? If so, what are they?
My fitness goals are to train hard all year to be in excellent shape for hardcore skiing in the winter. My goal is to have abounding energy every single day and feel great in my skin.
What gives you the most energy?How do you maintain peak energy levels?
I have a routine. I have to spend an hour of quiet time every day by reading and prayer, then I try to exercise every day for at least an hour. Keeping my mind sharp and my body sharp keeps me energized throughout the day. Adequate sleep and the right diet and supplementation is key as well. I also make sure I work towards my goal and purpose every day so I feel driven and energized all day.
What does balance mean to you? How do you stay balanced?
I have success in my social life, work life, and spiritual life. There is not an area of my life that is lacking. And there is not an area of my life that is being neglected because of another more dominating area. I stay balanced by keeping God at the center of my life and letting Him guide me in my work life and personal life.
Where can people find you online if they want to stay in touch?
- My Instagram is: @witnessthrufitness
- Website: wheystediaries.com
- On Facebook, you can find me by searching my name: Eliz Fulop