Hi Friends,
God created our amazing bodies with muscles and joints that are meant to move. And that old saying, “use it or lose it,” certainly applies to these awesome parts of our bodies as well. If you do not move your muscles, they will get smaller, lose their strength and not be able to do what they were meant to do, like keeping our balance when we are walking, for instance. Similarly, if we do not move our joints, the cartilage within the joints are not nourished, limiting our range of motion. This can potentially cause the bones in the joints to grind against each other, leading to all sorts of pain and arthritic problems. Again, God created us to move, yet if you are like me, the thought of exercise is not the most motivating thing! But here’s an important point: any movement, big or small in range, long or short in duration, is good for us. This of course requires self-discipline. Listen to what the great Apostle Paul says:
“Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1Co 9:26-27 NIV
We must have control over our bodies. If we really want to be as healthy as we can be, then we have to use self-discipline and be active even, and especially, if we don’t “feel like it.” Just like the best diet is one you will stick to, being active requires we do things that we will do consistently, more often than not, so find what inspires you. Choose activities that you will enjoy. Activities where you can do more than just one thing at a time. And activities that can be social so they can strengthen your body, soul and spirit. The following are 10 suggestions to get your creative juices flowing.
1- Dance & Worship. I love Christian music, especially songs that get me up on my feet, lifting my hands up towards my Loving Father and dancing to His glory. Even when Rebecca was in her wheelchair, I used to put on some of my favorites and dance around with her, swaying her back and forth, forward and backward. The look on her precious face was priceless! Dancing as we worship God is a great way to move our bodies and our hearts at the same time…and if it was good enough for King David, it is good enough for me! (see 2Samuel 6:14) So turn up the radio and just dance!
2- Walk & Talk. Here’s another 2-for-1 example that has become my habit. For some reason, I find it difficult to just sit as I talk to someone on the phone, so what I usually do is walk around my home as I talk. You would be surprised at how many extra steps that can add up to! So reach out to a friend in need and add some steps to your day while you’re at it.
3- Walk with Jesus. One of my favorite morning routines, (when I actually do it), is getting on my treadmill as I read the Bible on my iPad. Don’t have any exercise equipment where you can do this? No problem. Go outside or to your nearest mall for a walk and listen to the Bible through one of the endless Bible apps available. (My favorite app is YouVersion click here for more info) Can’t concentrate on God’s Word? Then walk and talk to Jesus about whatever is troubling you. Sometimes I will spend my whole time on the treadmill praying for others as I walk. The point is to move while engaging with God, so use your imagination and grow in Christ as you grow physically healthier too.
4- Bounce. Have you seen these mini-trampolines called rebounders? They have been around for over 40 years and offer so many health benefits. They can, not only work all your muscles from your back, abdomen, buttocks and legs, but they can also help with detoxification by stimulating our lymph system. In addition, they will help our endurance, balance and coordination and increase our bone strength too. I got one for Christmas last year, and WOW, what a workout it can be! But even if you don’t own one, you can still bounce on the floor, but please make sure to use a soft surface, like carpet or rubber mat. Or you can bounce by simply skipping around using a jump rope. The vertical movement will leave you energized and ready to hop to it. (sorry about the bad pun, I couldn’t resist ;))
5- Drink…a lot. Not only is it vital that we keep ourselves well hydrated for optimal health, but it also can get us moving! Because if we drink, a lot, we will also have to go to the bathroom, a lot. That’s a quick way to make us get up and walk, right? Here’s another tip I use, I make sure to keep the pitcher of water away from my desk, so I have to get up to refill my glass often. Hey, whatever works.
6- At Your Desk: Stand Up. I am sure you have seen this new trend, stand at your desk instead of just sitting the whole time. Standing uses a little bit more calories than sitting (88 cal/hr versus 80), but it can also encourage you to move around more too. For example, it is much easier to march in place, do some squats or calf stretches when you are already standing.
7- At Your Desk: Sit On a Ball. Here’s another innovative idea, they even have special chairs that you can place those big inflatable balls on if you feel unstable. They cause us to move our position frequently (which is more motion) as well as strengthen our core muscles. All this can improve our circulation too. Think I am going to check it out…but in the meantime, I’ve read that a rolled up towel might help out too. Or here’s another idea: sit on the floor to do some reading or work on your laptop. That makes us move positions more frequently too.
8- At Your Desk: Every Hour. Set an alarm to take a quick walk every hour or so. You don’t have to walk long, five minutes around the office or home is good. Add a fast paced jog and it’s even better. This can go hand in hand with the “fill up your glass with water” thing I mentioned above too. Again the more we move the better it will be for our overall health.
9- No Excuses…Use the Internet. There are so many free exercise ideas and classes on the good old wide world web that we really don’t have any excuses. No need to spend any extra money or go to any special place, YouTube is filled with all sorts of options we can do right in our home.
10- Ones We Should Know. Here are a couple that everyone talks about, but in case you’ve never heard them: a- park your car far from where you are going to get those extra steps in, b- opt for the stairs over the elevator or escalator when you can, c- clean the house (yuck, enough said), d- get one of those fit trackers, they tend to challenge us to reach the 10,000 step per day minimum goal, and e- walk with a friend, you can motivate each other to keep moving. (see Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
All movements count, my Friends, and the more we make these life choices to exercise our muscles and joints, the healthier we will be and the more fulfilling our lives will be also. I know I want that. How about you? Then won’t you join me?
Until we meet again, keep lifting your eyes to God, He’s closer than you think.
<>< Peace, Diane
