Motivational Monday – Feed Your Body & Your Soul

 

What do you do when You’re feeling hungry? You seek food. At a woman’s health event that I attended; the theme was Feed Your Body & Your Soul. As believers in Christ, the message was that you feed your soul though the Fruit of the Spirit.

May is Women’s Health Care Month. As you feed nutrients to your body, don’t let your soul starve. Feast on the Fruit of the Spirit which are – Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.

Let’s focus on one fruit today – Joy. According to Rose Publishing, joy is more than happiness. “It is not based on financial success, good health, or popularity. By believing in God obeying his will, receiving his forgiveness, participating in fellowship with other believers, ministering to others, and sharing the Gospel, believers experience joy.”

There was joy in the room as I sat and listened to a speaker feed us nutritional facts for our bodies. She shared things we can do to have increased energy and improve our sleep. One of the things that stood out for me was that we need to “feed your gut fiber. Fiber comes from plants.”

We are encouraged to eat a variety of foods that provide fiber, not simply the same foods over and over. Beans are high in fiber, as well as other proteins. Whole grains also made the list of things to include in our diet. Always on the list for feeding our bodies is to drink plenty of water.

Your body is now on its way to being well fed; time to feed your soul. You can do this through prayer, Bible Study, attending a retreat, or attending a church service. Perhaps listening to gospel music energizes you or soothes your soul. Find a positive connection that strengthens your faith and adds to your feeling of joy.

One other thing the event speaker encouraged was to, “invite social connectedness as part of your healthy lifestyle.”

Chew on this – when you feed your body and soul the proper nutrients, you can increase your well-being. What will you feed your body and soul?

Wellness Wednesday – National Women’s Health and Fitness Day

 Peloton Bike Ride -  Session for a first timer

Thank you Peloton. Several of my fit friends post pictures of themselves working out with the popular Peloton Bike to encourage others. I learned a few things about my body as I took my first ride on the Peloton bike. Today, September 29^th, is celebrate as Women’s Health and Fitness Day.

Today I celebrate with a fitness story. Along the fitness journey you may become bored with your routine workout, or just want to try something different. While away from home at a conference, I checked out the hotel fitness center. I was pleasantly surprised by the size and variety of equipment available.

As I completed bicep curls and headed for the Elliptical machine, I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eye. It was the Peloton bike staring at me, flirting, as if to say, come on over here, give it a try. I rolled my eyes at the Peloton, and got on the elliptical, moving my arms and legs at varying speeds.

It wasn’t until the next day, that I had the courage to venture over to the Peloton. I climbed onto the seat, slid my feet into the pedal straps, and scanned the menu choices for a workout. I attempted to get my rump positioned appropriately on the seat, but it kept fighting me, and would not fit. It certainly gave new meaning to the word fitness.

I selected a workout tailored to my needs, it said first timer. The trainer was encouraging and kept me motivated. I felt as though he was talking directly to me. The session was only 20 minutes, but it was intense. I may need to repeat that session a few more times before I’m ready to take the training wheels off and advance to a more intense workout.

What is your fitness routine like? If you’re not doing anything, just start. Do something at a moderate pace to get your body moving. Walking counts too, don’t discount the benefits of walking. Since it’s National Women’s Fitness Day, commit to doing one thing today related to fitness. One step, one day at a time, will lead you to your end goal.

Get fit and take a friend with you.

Motivational Monday – Health is Wealth

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” Mahatma Gandhi

Have you ever experienced an ailment…headache, backache, upset stomach? These are all conditions of discomfort, they can be mild or severe, but none the less they’re uncomfortable. Now think about how you feel when you awake to a new day with energy and no pain anywhere in your body. Health is Wealth.

What are you doing to invest in your health? You make regular deposits into your bank account, do the same for your health. If you have been inactive for a while, build walking into your routine. If you’re already walking, walk faster (or run if that’s your preference). Progressively build upon what you’re doing. Every step you take is an investment in your health.

The best way to achieve success is to not make drastic changes (my opinion). In my case, if I had said I was giving up drink pop for good, it would have seemed unachievable. Instead, I started out by giving up pop for 30 days. On the first time I was unsuccessful, the second time I made it a little farther. By the third attempt, I no longer HAD to have my daily Diet Coke.

It’s been a few years since I’ve let go of my pop crutch. I’ll have one every now and then, but nothing like I used to. My latest challenge is to make healthy eating choices. I exercise regularly, so I know my focus needs to be on the foods I eat. When I was young I used to hear my grandmother talk about the “middle-aged spread.” I didn’t know what she meant by that. Now I know.

Grandma’s reference to the middle-aged spread meant gaining weight (after a certain age) that just won’t go away. It’s the battle of the bulge. It’s those moments that you feel if you breathe in the aroma of certain foods you’ll instantly gain weight. It’s the reason I rush past the snack aisle in the grocery store (must not make eye contact).

As you focus on your health and wellness, know what your triggers are. If you know you can’t eat just one potato chip, don’t keep them in the house. If you need to start with baby steps, buy a snack-sized bag of chips and not the family size. So you want to start a fitness routine, but don’t have time in the evening? Wake up a little earlier and start your day with morning stretches or some other exercise.

Health is wealth. “Healthy is an outfit that looks different on everybody (Author Unknown).” Chose a health and wellness routine that fits your lifestyle.

“Fall in love with taking care of yourself. Mind. Body. Soul (Author Unknown).”