Living a healthy lifestyle isn't complicated. It's pretty simple actually. Are you ready?

Health is a habit. That's it. Period. The end.

According to Webster's Dictionary, a habit is "an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary." Making healthy choices becomes a habit; a practice. Like brushing your teeth, or saying thank you or stopping when the light is red.

Everyone has good habits. Everyone has some not so good habits too. Once a habit has developed, it isn't necessarily easy changing it. But it's not impossible either.

And there lies the beauty, the power and the challenge. Old habits may die hard, but new habits can be acquired. You can change your life by simply changing your habits.

The intention with this column is not to guilt people into being healthy. Guilt really isn't that healthy. The intention is to motivate and inspire people to develop a lifestyle of healthy habits for body, mind and spirit. But there is only one person who can make changes in your life and cultivate new habit patterns.

You.

There are seven habits, or rounds, of health for body, mind and spirit. Each aspect of health is aligned with a chakra, or energy center, in yoga. In each article, I want to Beat the Health Out of You will explore one of these seven habits of health.

Ding. Ding. Ding.

Round 1 - Nutrition

Round 2 - Exercise and Physical Fitness

Round 3 - Education and Personal Growth

Round 4 - Family and Community

Round 5 - Environment

Round 6 - Global Activism

Round 7 - Spirituality

I really do want to beat the health out of you. Our collective fight is to get healthy in all seven areas. This is a fight we can win, but it does take discipline and patience to endure.

It's a battle we all must wage within; developing new reservoirs of willpower and discipline as old habits are undone and better ones are forged. It is never too late to take care of and celebrate this wondrous human body temple you are blessed with. Each of us is a walking miracle! Take an anatomy course to discover just what how amazing you are.

An unknown author of the poem 'Dream Big' said, "The start of something new brings the hope of something great." Every day is a new day, a fresh start, a beginning.

It's time to ask yourself 'What new habits do I want to acquire?' The future of your health lies in what you do today. Now. This moment.

Don't delay. Start now. It's time to clean the closet of your habits and get rid of those habits that aren't serving your health. Out with the old and in with the new. It's not a new year, but it's time to get ready for a healthier, new you.

Fight for what's right. Everyone deserves to look good. Everyone deserves to feel good about themselves. Everyone deserves to be confident. Everyone deserves joy, success and happiness. These are birthrights for all. These blessings are the fabric of humanity that we share.

Here's a toast, (with water, of course) to your health; physically, mentally and spiritually. Here's a toast as we develop better habits together.

May you know what a blessing you are. May you use this life to discover all the power and grace that is within you.

Peace, love and health to you. You deserve it.

Love Sumya

You can listen to Sumya's radio show, "Beat the Health Out of You,"
Sundays 1-2 p.m. live on the internet at www.710kcmo.com www.sumya.com

Sumya Anani is a former 4X world Champion in professional boxing. She is an Asst. Professor of Physical Education at Johnson County Community College , where she coaches 11 sports teams with weight training conditioning and yoga. She teaches yoga and leads annual yoga retreats to Jamaica , Guatemala and Colorado .

The yoga retreats are titled ' The Path of A Spiritual Warrior .'