Exercise

The Mayo Cinic website has a list of seven benefits of regular exercise.  The obvious benefit is aiding in weight loss. Here are the others:
2. Improving your mood.
3. Combats chronic disease (like diabetes and heart disease).
4. Combats chronic fatigue.
5. Promotes better sleep.
6. Put the spark back in your sex life.
7. A fun thing to do.

Despite all of these potential advantages, most overweight people don't exercise because it is decidedly NOT fun. Psychologists who study human motivation say that what will inspire a person to change behavior is a desire for something that they want AND a belief that they can attain it. If exercise is seen only as a means to loose weight and if you don't really believe that you will loose weight, then you won't be motivated to exercise. So for now, forget about exercising to lose weight. These are the Sacred and Fit recommendations for exercise.

#1- Start with "baby" steps 
When I was first learning to declutter my house, I used the FlyLady method. FlyLady helped me to see that any huge task (such as seeing the floor of my laundry room) could be completed if you took small steps every day. FlyLady suggests divding your home into five zones, focusing on only one zone per week and de-cluttering 15 minutes per day. She has other suggestions, such as a weekly one hour "House Blessing" and doing a load of laundry every single day. Slowly, these little steps done consistently make a big difference. I got through my dissertation doing these "Baby" steps. The habits for a healthy lifestyle won't happen all at once. However, if you keep your focus every day, you will reach your goal.


#2 Try out different physical activities
Who says that exercise has to involve big machines or a gym membership. Those are certainly options, but if you hate the gym, what else could you do on a regular basis or to supplement the time on the treadmill? Here are some suggestions:

Take a cycling or jazzercise class
Buy an exercise video for when you don't want to leave home
Join Bikram "Hot"  Yoga
Walk to work or somewhere else that you need to get to on a regular basis
Jump on the mini trampoline to fast music.
Go dancing.
Make a regular "power-walking date" with a friend 

If you already have an exercise routine how about introducing Interval Training to your work out.  The good thing about Interval Training is that it can be used with just about anything you are already doing. The goal is to exert yourself in short spurts for as hard as you can and then to have a brief moving rest period. Three spurts within 30 minutes and you're done.



#3 Spiritualize your Exercise
How about exercising as a part of your spiritual practice. Exercise as an act of worship. Consider the exercise your prayer time. Carry one Bible verse with you to the gym or on your walk. Memorize it. Contemplate it while you exercise. For the duration of the Sacred and Fit Program we will be focusing on the Beatitudes of Jesus. Memorizing them and thinking about them are critical to this program....However, you need not limit yourself. What scriptures can you find that encourage a change in behavior based on the empowering presence of Jesus the Christ. How about these two for starters....

2 Corinthians 5:17  (Darby Translation)

  ¹⁷So if any one [be] in Christ, [there is] a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold all things have become new:


Romans 8:11. (Young's Literal Translation)
  ¹¹and if the Spirit of Him who did raise up Jesus out of the dead doth dwell in you, He who did raise up the Christ out of the dead shall quicken also your dying bodies, through His Spirit dwelling in you
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Write in your Notebook answers to the following: 
Do you enjoy exercise? If you do, write down some of the reasons. If not, think about what new thoughts will you need to bring to exercise so that you can begin to enjoy it?

What will your weekly exercise routine include? How many times per week will you exercise? Can interval training be incorporated into your program? If so, do you plan to use interval training?

What can you do to make your exercise program, Christ-empowered and Spirit-inspired?