Health

Reaching My Goals

I love how God helps us keep our goals in mind as we persevere. 

When I first started to jog regularly, at the gym, I thought I was making some progress by jogging 3.5 mph.  Hey, it was something:)  Then I progressed to 4.0 mph, which was about killin’ me a first.  Recently I pushed myself a little bit farther and started alternating between 4 and 4.5 mph.  I really felt good about that.  Then a few weeks ago I noticed a lady who was working with a personal trainer, nearby.  This lady looked very new to working out and seemed to be extremely out of shape.  I about had a heart attack, myself, though, when I saw the PT put the lady’s treadmill up to 5.5 mph!  To me, that was how fast "runners" go…clearly this lady was not ready for that!  She would make her run 5.5 mph, then make her do 20 jumping jacks, over and over again. 

This caused me to think about my own goals with running.  Surely if this lady could do 5.5 mph for even a minute at a time, I should be able to do that.  So I put myself to the test the next time I was there.  I started out with my warm-up and then gradually, for a minute at a time, kept upping my speed.  A fascinating thing happened…I was able to keep up with the turning belt below me!  I honestly couldn’t believe it. 

Since then, I’ve learned to push myself a little bit further each time and not to settle for what I’ve always done.  This week I actually jogged 1.5 miles in 19.5 minutes, twice!  To a typical runner, that’s not a big deal, but for me…it’s huge!  I’ve never done that before.  This is the girl who would take several P.E. periods just to pass the mile for the physical fitness test, throughout junior high and high school.  I think the requirement was to do it in under 15 minutes, just to pass.  I am mortified to tell you that it usually took me a few tries just to get my mile at 15 minutes.  (Sad!)  So here I am, quite proud of myself for getting closer to my goal of being about to run a full 5K.  If I work on my endurance, and pace myself, I’ll be fine to complete my 5K this summer, with no problem!

How much more do I need to challenge myself when it comes to maturing spiritually?  Paul says to Timothy, "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (1 Tim. 4.8)  The Lord is, absolutely, concerned about my physical well-being.  As a matter of fact, I sense His presence cheering me on each time I come closer to reaching my running goal!  But, as always, He wants me to apply what I’m learning about the physical to the spiritual aspect of my life.  "Keep challenging yourself to be a woman of God and work on your endurance!  Pace yourself.  You’re only 27! :)"  That’s what He’s challenging me with today-with a smile:)

I’m Not Lovin’ It

Wow…my stomach hurts…

I’d be lying if I said that I was on a "healthy eating kick" recently.  I couldn’t honestly describe it as that.  But my eating habits have certainly evolved into something more of an intentional way to fuel my body, as opposed to a way to indulge my every desire for food.  Make sense? 

Needless to say though, while I haven’t given up fast food items altogether, I’ve made much wiser choices when it comes to them-especially these past few months.  Between you and me, I’ve only had french fries once since the first week of November.  (I’ll accept all types of applause at this time:) 

This evening when I was running around, kinda hungry for some dinner, I decided to stop at McDonald’s and grab something quick, without having to step out of my eating regime.  A cheeseburger and small fries are a decent number of Weight Watchers points so I opted for that in my hurry.  Let’s see, about 7 o’clock this evening my body told me that it wasn’t such a smart choice for me to have that for dinner.  My stomach started hurting with a disgusting pain (do you know that feeling?).  The thing that stinks is that it’s past 10:30 and I still feel that way.  Not good:( 
Antimcdonalds
The best thing about it is that I will probably not be too tempted with McDonald’s cheeseburgers,
or any fries, any time soon.  🙂  All I need to think of is this disgusting, horrible feeling and it should do the trick. 

I’m simply not lovin’ it!

Cardio! Cardio!

My freshman year of college I was introduced to TAEBO.  Billy Blanks led my friends and I through many a workout that year on the 3rd floor lounge in Miller Hall.  Taebo is so much fun!  As with anything, it got old to me at times, but I’ve gone back to it every now and then.

Taebocardio
Three years ago I asked my mom for the newest Taebo Cardio workout.  I got it in the midst of doing a few different types of workouts at the time.  Needless to say, I never really got into it.  Billy Blanks is a very motivating person to do a workout video with, but he also pushes you.  Every time I would start this particular video I would tire out and quit halfway through (it’s only 44 minutes long). 

About a year and a half ago I loaned this DVD to a friend and I just got it back this weekend.  With it being so cold out, I’m really unmotivated to go to Curves so I decided to pop in Taebo Cardio.  All the way through Billy shouting, "Cardio! Cardio!" and "Work it!  Work it!", I stuck with it.  The funny thing is that when I made it to the end I thought, "Oh, that wasn’t so bad…I must’ve been really outta shape before!"  Take one look at me now and you’re thinking, "Before?"  But I’m telling you, staying committed to working out and taking care of myself has been such an incredible journey for me!  And while the outward results don’t come as quickly as I’d like for them to, the inward results are fascinating to me.  It may not seem like a big deal to you, but it’s huge to me.:)  Plus, the other day I jogged the better of 2 miles (thanks Jamie for the use of your tread mill) and that felt great! 

I’m really starting to wonder what my deal was when I didn’t care so much about my health or how my body felt.  Seriously-what’s up with that?

Grab a cup of coffee…

…this turned out to a be long post for me.  It started yesterday and got finished tonight.

I’ve been making a list, and checking it twice…but trust me, this has nothing to do with Christmas presents.

What I’m thinking about, though, is my list for the new year.  A couple of my blogging friends have already posted their resolutions for the new year…all while I watched my last round of 24.Season 5.  (Are you surprised?)  This doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been on my mind or that all I think about is 24-really, it isn’t.

The other I told a friend that I wasn’t sure of too many goals for this year.  After thinking more about this, perhaps I have overlooked the significance of some things God’s been working on in me and the part that they’ll play in my life this year. 

368 days ago God used a sermon to begin a revolution in my life.  Throughout the course of one year I have experienced a defined character upheaval.  My year ended on Sunday with a reminder of something huge that I learned this past year…God’s more concerned with my character than my comfort.  As painful as that may be at times, the journey has been worth it.  It’s not over though, as I feel like my race has only begun. 

Really, last year I didn’t make resolutions-I simply asked God to change me.  Since that worked better, I think I’ll repeat that one act.  God, please change me.  One of the things that I ask Him to change in me is my motivation to act upon goals though:)  Somehow this is turning topsy turvy on me…

As a continuation of change in 2006, I want to continue in upping the health-factor of my body.  If my heart has to take up rent while here on earth, as the landlord of this flesh, I should make it worth it’s while to stay here!  Tonight Phil said that Jesus transforms us on the inside and it shows on the outside.  Preach it, little brother!  I’m going to be adamant about my workout and running routine each week-you know, stick with it.  After all, I am training to run 2 5K’s and a 10K this year.  (Praise God!)  Today I even got my principal, the PE teacher and another teacher in on a physical fitness thing we’re going to do at school, ending with a 5K to raise money for something, in May.  I’m pumped.  I’m definitely in way over my head-so thankful God’s bigger than that.

I started my Bible reading plan to read the Bible in chronological order in a year (thanks for the Bible, Dad:) and realized that I’ve never read the Bible in a year before!  This actually amazes me because it’s not even that much reading a day.  I’m already seeing that this may have to be upped for next year.  As I’ve been reading I’ve already been able to see that I am going to be challenged in my faith this year.  I can see that I’m going to wrestle with my faith over things I’ve never felt the need to touch.  Honestly, it scared me a little at first.  But then God reminded me of my desire to grow and be stretched.  Here we go for another ride! 

My prayer life will increase as I continue to address my need for more of Him.  I have a gut feeling that He will continue to strip away from me.  Perhaps it will be common knowledge about things I’ve always thought about but never truly believed…I don’t know.  This goes hand-in-hand with the whole "wrestling with my faith" thing.

I want to invest in people more.  Because I find that a natural thing for me to do, I tend to actually forget about it sometimes and discontinue being intentional about it.  That needs to go, for sure.

This post has turned into a real-life conversation with me, where I say a lot of things, mostly connected somehow, and neverending…sorry:)

Have a memorable year!  I can hardly see past tomorrow morning (which is quickly approaching), but it’s going to be a great one for me……….

Oh yeah, and one more thing…January 27 is my 10,000th day!  What should I do to celebrate?  A party with 10,000 guests?  Do 10,000 sit-ups?  Watch 10,000 hours of 24?…yeah, that doesn’t even make sense.  Help!  Whatever I do, it should be something that I can’t do on my own.  Life’s more fun with other people.

Beating my Body

Just walked in from a quick jog. I’m beat. 

Last night I worked out at Curves and was ultra-motivated to jog.  So I went to my friend Jamie’s house and used her treadmill.   My goal was simple-one mile.  It was during this time that I realized just how out of it  I was.   I don’t have the guts to even write about the whole experience.  Nonetheless, by the grace of God, I accomplished my simple goal.  🙂

This morning, being my first day off (woo hoo!) I was supposed to get up and work out.  My body laughed in my face and said, "Not after what you did to me last night!"  All day I’ve been fighting with myself, knowing that I need to be determined to do this thing.  I am committed!  So, with less time to acutally exercise, I went out for a jog anyway.  It was only for 15 minutes and I have no idea how far I went, but I took Paul’s verse about "beating his body" in a physical sense…because my body was certainly not in line with my heart.