Jan
13
2010
Why do I exercise?
It makes me feel better.
It helps me manage my stress.
It helps me control my weight.
I like the way I feel after I shower and dress.
It helps me think more clearly.
It energizes me.
It helps me take better care of my body, God’s temple. (1 Corinthians 6:19)
It keeps me fit so I can do other things that require a degree of fitness.
I enjoy being outside when I run.
Perhaps you have made a resolution to become more fit or to be more consistent with exercise. Over the years as I’ve worked with many, many other people to help them with their physical activity regimen, I’ve seen that the more important the benefits they received from exercising the more likely they were to keep at it.
As you head into 2010, and if being physically active is important to you, I’d urge you to take a few minutes and make a list of the reasons why you’d like to be more physically active and more fit. Put on this list the reasons that are very personal to you as I have done above. Then you might consider checking off the top three reasons why you’d like to be more consistent with physical activity and focus on these most significant benefits. It may also be helpful to review the level of importance that these benefits are her to you. The more important they are to you and the greater value you place on them, the more likely they will truly be a motivation for you to exercise.
Now, get in that workout ……….. and make it a great day!
Nov
03
2009
I wanted to pass along information about an online magazine that many of you might want to know about.
The Fit Christian is published bi-monthly by His Work Christian Publishing out of Ketchikan, Alaska. There are typically articles on exercising, healthy recipes, gardening and a spotlight on a Christian athlete. You can elect to receive the magazine free by email.
Enjoy!
Aug
07
2009
Monterey, California - 1981
Today I went for a short run before the summer heat and humidity rose too much. The forecast high in Charlotte is 93. On many of my runs I get ideas for my posts on my blog and that was the case today.
The thought popped into my mind that I have been running over 40 years. It’s actually been 42 years as I started in the 10th grade in Atlanta, Georgia. Through high school, prep school, college and then for a time afterwords, I enjoyed success as a long distance runner… the longer the distance the more competitive I was. My last major run in a competition was the Louisville Marathon in 1985. Since that time, I’ve run primarily to stay healthy, fit and manage my stress. I also enjoy it.
As my thoughts during my run continued, I wondered how many miles I might have run over the years. I suspected that I could come up with a pretty good estimate because I kept good records when I was competing in school and afterwords for a while. When I finished my run, showered and ate, I went upstairs to pull my running logs off the shelf of my bookcase. I used 3-ring spiral notebooks, typically using one page to log my running efforts during each week.
High School Running Log
Looking over the notebooks revealed some neat facts and memories. On Sunday, September 1, 1968, I ran my 1000th mile. During three years of high school, I logged 1,914 miles. The most covered in one day was 18 and the most in a week was 60. At West Point, I ran during cross country, indoor and outdoor track. At the peak of my competitiveness, I was averaging close to 8 miles/day and on Thursday, December 13th, 1973, I passed the 10,000 mile mark!
Over the last 25 years or so, my runs have been about 2-3 miles and I’ve gotten out two or three times a week. By my calculations, I have covered approximately 39,000 miles over these last 42 years. Wow! I had no idea. I am amazed that my joints, especially my knees, have held out. It’s a good thing that I have not continued with the competitive running. I can’t imagine that my knees would still be hanging in there if that was the case.
I have had a major shift in my overall motivation for working out and staying in shape in the last handful of years. It’s so that I can stay healthy which helps me better do the work that God calls me to do. I know that I am more alert, have more energy and can stay better focused when I work out on a regular basis. Keeping fit also contributes to reducing my chances of the many lifestyle-related diseases that could set in and hamper my efforts to do things for God.
Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10 that “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Certainly, it is a miracle in itself that God designed the human body so that it could run 39,000 miles and more over a lifetime. He has put our bodies together in unimaginable ways. My Heart has beaten at least 1.8 trillion times over the last 58 years. Imagine that! Another miracle.
In 1 Timothy 4:7-8 we are reminded by Paul “Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.” (New Living Translation – First Edition)
Personalized License Plate
Clearly there is much benefit to being physically fit, but it is even more important to be spiritually fit. Spiritual exercises like reading the Bible, praying, surrendering to God, serving others and forgiving others are all important aspects of one’s spiritual fitness program.
The writer of Hebrews encourages us to run the race that God has set before us and we are to do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. (See Hebrews 12:1-2) In the middle of the 12th chapter, we are encouraged to mark out a straight path for our feet so those who follow us will not stumble and fail but will become strong.
I’m thankful to God that I’m still able to enjoy my short runs and that while I am on them, He gives me the inspiration and creativity from which I can share spiritual truths with my readers. I’m also thankful that He has given me the ‘work’ to encourage others of the faith to “remain on a straight path.” I pray that He is also using me to share the Gospel with those who do not know Him.
In the ‘race’ of your life, don’t give up. Stay the course. If you are a believer, others are watching you and many need to experience the love of Jesus that flows through you. Go deeper in your faith. If you don’t know God in a personal way and are looking for spiritual strength to help you cope with the stressors of life, consider accepting Jesus into your heart and receive His strength, peace and joy.
Questions to Ask Yourself
What ‘work’ has God called you to do? Is your health an obstacle for doing this ‘work?’
How spiritually fit are you? Are you engaged in meaning spiritual exercises throughout each week?
Do you have real peace, joy and hope because you experience Jesus’ love?
Related Material I’ve Written on Spiritual Fitness and The Connection
Article – An Introduction to Spiritual Exercises
Article – Assessing Your Spiritual Fitness
Article – Surrender: A Spiritual Exercise For a Healthier Life
Web Page – 18 Spiritual Exercises for a Healthier Life
Scriptural Basis for the Faith and Health Connection Ministry
“For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.” Galatians 5:6-8
Jul
09
2009
Adidas Rom Running Shoe
I’ve been running for about 42 years and my estimate is that during that time, I’ve probably broken in a new pair of shoes about every two years. Using that logic, my guess is that I’ve run through more than 21 pairs of shoes. Who knows. The number could be much higher. Earlier this week, I began breaking in my latest pair of shoes during the summer’s heat. I’ve always thought that breaking in a new pair of shoes was a neat thing to do and I thought it would be fun to capture the experience in a post. So, here’s a brief look back at a bit of my running shoe history and a connection between these shoes and my Christian faith. Read more of this article »
Mar
18
2009
Today’s USA Today ran an article that defines what moderate physical activity is.
National guidelines urge all Americans to engage in “moderate physical activity” at least 2 1/2 hours a week, but what does that mean? A stroll? A run?
A new study has the answer – Moderate is equivalent to a brisk walk, or about 1,000 steps every 10 minutes.
To determine what level of activity was in the moderate range, researchers had 58 women and 39 men (average age 32) walk on treadmills while a machine measured their energy expenditure. They found that moderate exercise amounted to 92 to 102 steps a minute for men and 91 to 115 steps a minute for women.
“Imagine you’re late for a bus. You’re in a hurry. It’s not a leisurely stroll, it’s a brisk walk,” says researcher Simon Marshall of San Diego State University. The study will be in May’s American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Dec
26
2008
Physical Exercise Guidelines – A few months ago the US government released it’s latest guidelines for Americans on physical activity. I made a post here. A summary for adults is:
• Engage in 2 1/2 hours a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes.
• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups performed on 2 or more days per week.
Our country recognizes that physical activity plays a role in many health outcomes including premature death; diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression; risk factors for disease, such as high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol; physical fitness; functional capacity (the ability to engage in activities needed for daily living) ; mental health, such as depression and cognitive function; and injuries or sudden heart attacks.
Spiritual Exercise Guidelines - 1 Timothy 4:7-8 says “Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. This is true and everyone should accept it.” 1 Timothy 4:7-9 (New Living Translation, 1st Edition) God tells us, speaking through the writing of Paul, that spiritual exercise is much more important than physical activity.
Wouldn’t Americans benefit from a comparable set of spiritual activity guidelines that offers comparable spiritual health benefits? I’d like your thoughts on this matter. In the Bible, God certainly provides a wealth of information on this topic. Let’s develop a concise description of the types and amounts of spiritual activity that would provide us with good spiritual health and overall quality of life.
Post your comments here. In the weeks to come, I’ll pull them all together in a statement similar to what is provided for physical activity. God knows, our country sure could use such a set of guidelines.
Enjoy the holidays!
Dec
09
2008
Do you walk for regular exercise? Many people do.
As I recovered from surgery for prostate cancer, I was not able to run for a period of time, so I walked. I also remember when I conducted a walking program at the Army War College for participants of a personal wellness program. I committed to only walk as my aerobic exercise for a period of 8 weeks. On some days I would walk twice as I led groups in their exercise, sometimes for four miles each session. That meant I was walking 6-8 miles on some days. I was surprised that I lost body fat and that when I began running again, I seemed to not have lost my level of conditioning. The point is, walking is certainly a way to lose weight and to stay in good shape if your level of intensity(I) and frequency(F) is adequate. (Read this short article on applying the FITT principle to your physical and spiritual fitness program.)
So, what does walking with God look like? Today’s devotional from Our Daily Bread, written by Marvin Williams, addresses this topic. Here’s an excerpt:
“What did it mean for Enoch to walk with God? It(today’s scripture) describes Enoch’s close communion with God—as if literally walking by His side. Also, it refers to Enoch’s unswerving obedience to God in a corrupt culture. God rewarded Enoch’s faithfulness by taking him to heaven while he was still alive. Death would not have the final word in God’s creation.
Enoch’s walk with God reminds us that it is possible for all of us to enjoy intimate communion with the Lord. Let’s commit ourselves to walking faithfully with Him every day.”
As good as walking physically is for your health, ‘walking with God’ is terrific for your spiritual health, just as Enoch experienced. His reward for walking with God is that he is spending eternity with his Father.
What would a closer walk with God look like to you?
Nov
15
2008
Ready for a sneak peek at the top 20 fitness trends for 2009? The American College of Sports Medicine survey predicts next year’s trends.
# 13 on the list is Wellness Coaching. Coaches support our clients in making behavior changes for better health and wellness.
See this link for the entire listing.
Nov
10
2008
Spending two days in the hills of Smoky Mountain National Park with your two boys is great for your spiritual, emotional and physical health. It is an especially sweet thing when it’s a day before your birthday!
Danny, my younger son, drove up from Savannah, Ga. to join Drew, my oldest, and me on this past Thursday evening. On Friday, we drove 4 hours to the park and pulled my car up to a large campsite just inside the park. Knowing it was going to rain, we used my larger tent and enjoyed a short overnight stay.
The next day, Saturday, we broke camp and loaded our backpacks up for a 9 mile hike down Fork Ridge Trail into a primitive site deep into bear country. It was all downhill…. and a little over a half mile drop in elevation. I imagine my pack was about 30 pounds.
When we were about 1/2 mile from our predetermined campsite, we spotted a black bear… about 350 pounds… in the stream bed we were walking along. It was about 30 yards away. I’m disappointed that I didn’t have enough time to snap a photo of the bear. As we watched him amble into the woods and head up the hill, we scooted down the trail.
After we pulled our unused food and personal gear up into the trees to protect it from bears, we sat around the fire and talked about spiritual things and our faith. That was a particularly special time.
Hiking out on Sunday morning took 5 1/2 hours… almost entirely uphill. Needless to say, our legs were burning when we finished and walked out to the car at the top of the ridge.
Being in this beautiful park and enjoying the spectacular natural setting that is God’s creation was an awesome experience. The air was crisp, the smells of the forest distinct, and the companionship of my two sons was priceless. This all made my 58th birthday a special memory!
Oct
08
2008
On Tuesday the government released new physical activity guidelines for Americans. The link I’ve provided offers resources for individuals and health professionals.
Here is a summary by age groups:
Children and Adolescents (aged 6–17)
• Children and adolescents should do 1 hour (60 minutes) or more of physical activity every day.
• Most of the 1 hour or more a day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.
• As part of their daily physical activity, children and adolescents should do vigorous-intensity activity on at least 3 days per week. They also should do muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activity on at least 3 days per week.
Adults (aged 18–64)
• Adults should do 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, preferably spread throughout the week.
• Additional health benefits are provided by increasing to 5 hours (300 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an quivalent combination of both.
• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups performed on 2 or more days per week.
Older Adults (aged 65 and older)
• Older adults should follow the adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to limiting chronic conditions, older adults should be as physically active as their abilities allow. They should avoid inactivity. Older adults should do exercises that maintain or improve balance if they are at risk of falling.
Moderate Activities - You can talk while you do them, but you can’t sing.
Vigorous Activities – You can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath.
Go get some activity today!
