Fit Talk

by Melissa Williams Netherton

OK, ladies . . . summer is almost upon us, and it’s time to focus on fitness! Let’s face it: Working out has a positive effect on your physical appearance, but that isn’t the greatest benefit you get! In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, we’re told to glorify God with our bodies. While this verse is mainly speaking to the Corinthians about steering clear of immoral behavior, it would also be fitting to take care of our bodies so that we’re healthy and able to serve the Lord! The first mistake many people make when planning a fitness routine is not planning! Below are some suggestions on how to make fitness a part of your life.

1. Not a runner?
If you don’t like to run, don’t! There’s no need to participate in exercises you don’t actually enjoy. There are so many ways to get in shape! So find something you really like, and jump into it.

If you’re an outdoorsy girl, try bicycling or skating. Or get a group together to take a scenic hike. If you prefer to work out in the comfort of your own home, get some kickboxing videos and some hand weights. There are lots of cool options available; just take the time to figure out what you enjoy the most!

2. Make exercising part of your normal routine.
You may have the best intentions of fitting in fitness three times a week, but if you don’t actually get it on your calendar, you’ll soon find it’s the first thing to get brushed aside when your schedule gets crazy. Remember, this is your appointment with YOU to feel better and stay healthy! You wouldn’t brush aside an important meeting with your teacher or a special pep rally at school, so be sure not to miss your appointment with you.

3. Join a sports team or class.

To continue reading click here: Brio Magazine website 

Today I attained one of my New Year’s resolutions! I had written down that by May 31st (I gave myself a good chunk of time, but as you can see I didn’t need it!) I would achieve my goal of running 5 consecutive miles.

Today I ran 5 miles on the treadmill without stopping! I listened to upbeat running music which I believe helps keep me motivated to take the next step. This is the most I’ve ever run in my life! Several months ago I ran 4 consecutive miles (I thought that was great), but lately I’ve been motivated to try for more distance. Last week I was reading a great running magazine and was inspired to run further. It explained that I should run about two minutes slower than my normal pace in order to persevere and not get too exhausted. So, for example, if you usually run a 10 min. mile (6.0mph) then try running at a 12 min. mile (5.0mph) to go the distance. For me 5.0mph is too slow so when I ran I kept the pace between 5.5 and 6.2 mph.

I was also inspired when I watched a national track meet on tv. The 1st place winner ran the 1500 in less than 4 minutes!! She beat the world record! Now that’s amazing.

Well, I hope you are well on your way to achieving your goals this spring (and yes I did say spring! I have spring fever in case you couldn’t tell:)

Your fitness motivator,

Layna

Have you ever found yourself thinking?

Tomorrow I’ll eat healthier

Tomorrow I’ll eat my veggies

Tomorrow I’ll join the gym

Tomorrow I’ll do this and that is an excuse I find myself thinking on a regular basis. The problem with saying tomorrow I’ll exercise is that tomorrow never comes; tomorrow turns into today, so we just say the same old thing and the cycle repeats itself. But we can change those unhealthy habits. (They weren’t always a habit were they?) It takes 21 days to break or form a habit.

Not all habits are bad. For example, going to the gym on a regular basis has now become a habit for me (a good one). Forming a good habit takes 21 days too, so why not break a habit by replacing it with a healthy one? You could take a walk instead of sitting on the couch eating your daily dose of ice cream. An extra benefit: you get your exercise in for the day.

During the holiday season when everyone is writing their New Year’s resolutions, I challenge all of you to forget saying “I’ll do better tomorrow” and start saying “I’m doing better today.”

Today I’m eating healthy

Today I’m eating my veggies

Today I’m working out at my new gym

Stop saying tomorrow and start saying today.

I have a passion for exercising that most people can’t comprehend. I love to workout; I love the challenge of surpassing my personal records. I have belonged to a gym near my house for about three years. Throughout these years, it has been interesting to observe the four types of gym members: the passionates, the faithfuls, the sporadics, and the never-goers.

The first type, the passionate group, consists of fanatic people who basically live at the gym. Like me, the people who belong to this group love to workout. You can see them sweating away one night and the next morning they are back at it; it’s as if they never left the gym. These people are talented; they can read a magazine and listen to music while running on the treadmill. They can talk on the phone, watch TV, and burn calories on the elliptical machine all at the same time. These enthusiasts don’t just exercise for twenty minutes and call it quits; they exercise for at least an hour, seven days a week. When they exercise, the passionate group really exercises. They challenge themselves to go the extra mile—literally. These people were not always as passionate about exercising as they are now; they were once a part of the faithful group.

The second type of gym members is the faithful group. These individuals are very dedicated to exercising and visit the gym at least three times a week. They are determined to achieve their goals, but they don’t go to huge extremes to attain them. They exercise for a reasonable amount of time—usually 30-40 minutes per session. Some of them even lift weights. Most of the faithfuls joined the gym to lose some weight and shape up. Sometimes, once the faithfuls are satisfied with the outcome, they relapse to the sporadic group.

The third type of people who exercise at a health club is the sporadic group. Every once in a while the members of this group step foot into a gym. At first, they do a great job of exercising on a regular basis, but then they start to skip a few days here and there. Soon, instead of running on the treadmill, they are watching re-runs of their favorite TV shows while eating a bag of Doritos. These people will continue to vegetate until something or someone motivates them to take action. It may be their doctor’s warning about the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle or the ten pounds of stuffing they ate during Thanksgiving dinner that ignites their willpower. Once the benefits of exercising outweigh the comforts of staying at home, the sporadic type is back at the gym. The individuals who belong to the sporadic group go through a cycle of emotions related to inspiration, lost momentum, and apathy. They start by exercising on a regular basis, then skipping a few days, and finally they stop going altogether.

The last group is the never-goers. In order to fulfill the first step in their New Year’s resolutions, these individuals join a gym, but that’s as far as they get. When February rolls around, their first bill is opened with a puzzled look. They exclaim to themselves, “What? I belong to a gym?” Still, they pay the bill thinking that someday they’ll take the time to hit the gym.

Next time you are in a gym, take time to evaluate the people who are working out. You will see the passionate group—the fanatics who bike to the gym, exercise for an hour, and bike home. You will also see the committed group trying to lose a few pounds after Christmas. You may see the sporadic group finally taking Dr. Phil’s most recent advice. On a rare occasion, you may run into a new member of the never-goers who just joined the gym. One characteristic of all four groups is that they have started their journey of a healthier lifestyle.

A good, positive (but realistic) attitude is important for a healthy lifestyle. Good news for you-you are the one who decides what kind of attitude you will have-yes, you and no one else. You decide to be optimistic when things at work go wrong. You choose to attempt that tough math test with confidence. You decide that today you are going to exercise with enthusiasm. Exchange your poor attitude for a cheerful attitude and see how your day goes! (and tell me about it)
Here is a quote that I find very inspiring~

Attitude
by Charles Swindoll

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company … a church … a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you … we are in charge of our Attitudes.