Fitness and proper nutrition truly go hand-in-hand. Focus on eating clean and filling your plate with veggies, fruits, whole grains and lean proteins. And, everyone hates to do it, but calorie counting is crucial to weight loss as well as maintaining a healthy physique.

Don't blame anyone or anything for your situation or problems. When you do that, you are saying that you are powerless over your own life—which is utter crap. An empowering step to reclaiming your life is taking responsibility.

Don't shut down your emotions. Embrace them. Your emotions are your internal compass telling you whether or not you are on track. Use them to help cultivate your passions or motivate you to change situations and circumstances that hold you back from achieving your goals.

Many different factors make up a fitness phenomenon, but the most critical are a sense of community, a ton of fun, a sense of accomplishment, and an empowering component that makes people feel they can become or do anything they want.

At its core, health is simple: eat the right amount for your body, don't ingest chemicals or fake foods, and move more.

Visualize what you want out of life and think big. Don’t feel undeserving. We're all deserving of living our dreams—some of us realize it and some don't. You’re not doing anyone any favors by living small. Embrace these truths and step up. The world is waiting.

Thriving. That's fighting... Surviving is barely getting by.