Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. Every weekday, we help you make sense of the complex world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and providing quick tips designed to help you stay healthier in under 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.
Today’s Health Upgrade
Number you won’t forget
The success mindset
Weekly wisdom
Identity crisis
Arnold’s Podcast
Want more stories from Arnold? Every day, Arnold’s Pump Club Podcast opens with a story, perspective, and wisdom from Arnold that you won’t find in the newsletter. And, you’ll hear a recap of the day’s items. You can subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Longevity
Number You Won’t Forget: One Inch
You don’t need a six-pack to be healthy. But an expanding waistline is one of the clearest indicators of increased health risk.
Research suggests that each additional inch of waist size can raise your risk of dying, regardless of your BMI.
Researchers tracked more than 100,000 adults (48,500 men and 56,343 women) aged 50 and older to investigate whether waist circumference predicts mortality risk.
The scientists found that the bigger the waistline, the greater the risk of death. In fact, men with waistlines of 47 inches had twice the mortality risk compared to those with waists under 35 inches. Women with waists greater than 43 inches faced an even higher relative risk compared to those with waists around 30 inches.
But the real shocker? The risk climbed steadily within every BMI category, including normal weight.
For every inch increase in waist size, mortality risk rose by three to six percent.
The researchers believe that excess visceral fat — the fat deep in your abdomen — drives inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysfunction, which can accelerate heart disease, cancer, and other chronic illnesses.
While that might be frustrating, the scientists found that shrinking your waist reverses your risk, meaning it’s never too late to make a change that protects your future.
To assess your current state, measure your waist at the level of your belly button to determine your starting point. And then work towards making gradual progress (patience is the key).
The changes don’t need to be dramatic. Focus on small habits, such as resistance training a few times a week, increasing protein and fiber intake, and reducing consumption of sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods.
If you can trim your waist, you’ll do your heart, metabolism, and lifespan a favor.
Together With Yeti
The Success Mindset Strategy
Have you ever sworn, “This time I’m really going to do it!”—only to find yourself right back where you started?
Good intentions alone rarely lead to success. However, a subtle planning tweak might significantly enhance your chances of achieving your goals.
Forming a specific plan—deciding exactly when, where, and how you’ll act—can increase your odds of success by up to 65 percent.
That’s the key finding from a meta-analysis of 94 studies investigating "implementation intentions," a strategy where you set detailed “if-then” plans (e.g., “If it’s 7 a.m. on Monday, I will go for a run.”) rather than vague resolutions like “I’ll exercise more.” Compared to simply having strong intentions, creating these precise plans had a significant effect on achieving goals.
Making detailed plans does two powerful things. First, it boosts the mental accessibility of your intentions, so you’re more likely to recognize the moment to act when it arrives.
When you have a plan, it automates the response, turning what could be a difficult decision into an almost reflexive action. These processes help you initiate your goal behavior, stay committed despite distractions, adjust when things aren’t working, and conserve energy for future efforts.
Preparation is the first rep of every successful day. You can't buy better habits, but you can purchase tools that make habits feel more effortless. A great everyday carry can ensure that you're prepared for any scenario.
One of our favorite tools is the Yeti Ranchero™ backpack. It's an all-in-one bag that covers you for work, workout, or travel.
Work-life balance is challenging enough, but the right bag can ensure you have everything you need, whether you're at work or heading to the gym. We love this bag because it opens in seconds, allowing you to grab exactly what you need. And the vertical zipper means no more digging for shoes or chargers. It's water resistant and seemingly life-proof, so it can handle wherever you need to go.
Whether you’re packing your workout gear or your laptop (or both) for a busy day of meetings, your essentials stay separated, protected, and ready. And with stretch side pockets designed for any drink, hydration is never an afterthought.
Don’t let disorganization derail your plans. Make your preparation as strong as your ambition, and grab the Ranchero to make your life a little easier.
Mindset
Weekly Wisdom
Turn Wisdom Into Action
Think about the area of your life where you feel most stuck—your health, your career, your relationships. Now ask: What’s the one thing I keep doing that gets me the same disappointing result?
That pattern probably made sense once. It protected you. It kept things predictable. But now it’s just keeping you small.
Growth isn’t about bulldozing through resistance. It’s about replacing an old formula with a better one. Identify the habit. Question why you still follow it. Then try something new—even if it’s small. That’s how progress begins.
Better Questions, Better Solutions
Is Your Identity Holding You Back From Success?
Old Question: How do I stay motivated to eat better, move more, or sleep on time?
Better Question: Who do I want to become — and what does that person do every day?
We’ve told you that motivation fades. And that it’s better to focus on your actions to create momentum.
But if you find yourself stuck, it’s time to look at who you are and who you want to be. Because here’s a reality that’s backed by science: Your identity influences (and can control) your behaviors.
When your habits conflict with how you see yourself, they won’t last. But when every action reinforces the kind of person you want to become, change becomes automatic. Instead of chasing outcomes, you’re now embodying values.
Researchers have explored how identity-based motivation impacts behavior change. People are far more likely to persist in new health habits not because they had better willpower, but because they believed those habits aligned with who they were becoming.
For example, instead of saying “I’m trying to exercise more,” participants who internalized the idea, “I’m an active person” showed greater consistency and long-term adherence.
Change takes time and is difficult. But doubling down on your identity makes hard choices easier. When you believe “this is who I am,” you no longer negotiate with yourself. The salad isn’t a sacrifice—it’s a natural choice for someone who takes care of their body.
To break free from your old habits, stop focusing on what you want to do. Start deciding who you want to be. Then prove it with a small daily action. We’ve seen it work for tens of thousands of people.
It’s time to change your inner thoughts. No more, “I need to go for a run,” but “I’m the kind of person who doesn’t skip movement.” You won’t tell yourself, “I should eat clean,” but “I fuel my body like someone who respects their health.”
The more you act in alignment with that identity, the stronger it becomes—until you’re not chasing your goals, you’re living them.
And that’s it for this week. Thank you for being a part of the positive corner of the internet, and we hope you all have a fantastic weekend!
-Arnold, Adam, and Daniel
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
