Okay. It's way past January 1st. A whole week has gone by and I am still needing to get my butt in gear and refocus my life. It has been a whirlwind the past couple of months, with trying to sell our house and all the fun get togethers of the holidays. We were very thankful to receive an early gift, as our house sold just a few days before Christmas! Praise God! His timing is always perfect! As I mentioned in December, the holidays are a time of celebration and treats. But the past few weeks I have had insomnia by night, exhaustion by day and I know that my body is trying to tell me to get back on track, chuck all the junk that found it's way into my cupboards, and get proper rest and exercise.
Personally, I am not one who craves physical activity! I'll be honest. If I have some free time I'd much rather curl up on the sofa with a cup of tea and a good book and don't bug me till tomorrow. I am thin by my genetics and therefore don't get much sympathy from the other curvy women in my life! What I wouldn't give for a few more curves! I'm probably the only woman in America that actually welcomes monthly bloating! But thin does not translate to healthy. The media has so warped the thinking of women and men everywhere. For me, I do it only because I know that I have been entrusted with this one body and it is my responsibility to care for it.
New Years resolutions are not for me! I can't take the guilt! But if I could encourage anyone out there, I'd say just do something that makes you happy. We don't need to be extreme...just make some small changes to make exercise a part of our daily lifestyle...bottom line...get movin'.
At least 3 times a week we should be participating in some form of exercise for at least 30 consecutive minutes. And our daily goal should be to raise our heartbeats and break a sweat. Organized exercise is not for me personally. I'd much rather play basketball with my kids for a half hour or go for a walk or hike. If you need to have alone time, go to a gym. For me I like to find something I can do right at home otherwise I won't make the effort to do it. In the winter I rely on yoga, pilates, a stair stepper and small weights. Rochester is the second cloudiest city in the U.S. and therefore many people here suffer from the winter blues. As long as it's not icy out, we need to get outside and get some fresh air every day. To breathe deeply is so important and a great stress reliever. We especially need some sunshine on our skin for at least 10 minutes a day. If this isn't possible take a vitamin D supplement during the winter.
What does the Word say? 1 Timothy 4:8 "...for bodily discipline(exercise) is only of a little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." That's one of those scriptures I wish I could overlook! God didn't say bodily exercise was of NO profit for us. He said godliness holds promise for this life and the next. Therefore, bodily exercise only holds promise for this life.
God knows the inner workings of our bodies. Exercise keeps every body part healthy. First of all just the act of raising our heart beat gives our heart muscle a good workout. It also is bringing increased amounts of oxygen to every cell, muscle and tissue. Exercise most definitely aids our proper digestion and elimination of waste. It also stimulates brain function. Many diseases that affect our minds are linked to a sedentary lifestyle.
So find something that you can fit into your lifestyle and tell yourself your goal this new year is to take better care of yourself. We take care of everyone else, everyday, this is one time where it is encouraged to be selfish and do something that is just for us. It will eventually make us feel happier (all those great endorphins being released!) relieve the stress our lives throw at us, and make us live longer and healthier. And in that way, it IS a gift to those we love the most. Because we all know, when Mama's happy, everyone is happy! Thanks for sitting and taking the time to read this post, now get off that tush and get movin' :)
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