DON'T FIGHT THAT FEELING!!!

I FEEL A HALF-MARATHON COMING ON!!!! I’ve been able to run a little more lately and it feels wonderful! Though I had gotten use to power walking and even appreciating its benefits, I’ve missed running. In the past several weeks, I tried a little running here during my morning walk…and a little more running there...….and a little more….and a little more….so far, so good; so far, no signs of the tendinitis in my foot that made me switch to walking last year. IT FEELS GREAT!!! I FEEL A HALF-MARTHON COMING ON!!! Can’t you feel it?!!! Perhaps for you, it’s not a half-marathon that you feel like doing, but don’t you feel like adding an extra block to your daily walk? Don’t you feel like adding an extra lap around the track? ……an extra set of leg lifts to your routine?……..more pounds to the weight your lifting?……desserts three days a week instead of five?......one piece of pizza instead of two?.........two scoops of ice cream instead of three? AREN’T YOU READY TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL AS YOU MOVE FORWARD TO A LIFESTYLE OF BEING HEALTHY AND FIT?!! Well, don’t fight that feeling! Your mind may want to do one thing but your body may not agree! Remember, “…the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41b)I’m reminded of the conversation my mind had with my body the morning after the Marathon earlier this year. Actually, the conversation started the night of the Marathon. It went something like this as I set the alarm clock for the next morning:

Body: Why are you setting the alarm so early? The Marathon is over. We’re not training any more. We don’t have to get up so early. We can sleep in 30 minutes more.

Mind: Hmm….you’re right….that would be nice…but, why stop doing what we achieved just because the Marathon is over? If we can now walk 4 miles in an hour, and still have our devotional time first, then get back in time to get Reub’s breakfast, get him started on his devotional, fix Reuben’s coffee, and get dressed and get to work on time, why should we stop?

Body: The Marathon is over! We’re not training any more!

Mind: But why go backwards! Why not go forward? Why not begin to work on our speed and pace ….besides, remember during the second time we did the Marathon, we had stopped running for a bit and walked past those two guys talking about how many months before the Marathon they started training and the one guy said, we really should train every day…....every day leads up to the Marathon!

Body: But that’s not us! We’re just regular people! Come on! We’ll get to sleep in 30 extra minutes....…the way we used to!!! Are you crazy?!

Mind: But that’s ridiculous? Why go backwards...the least we can do is continue what we were doing even if we don’t begin to work on our pace and speed.

Body: THE MARATHON IS 10 MONTHS AWAY!!! GIVE ME A BREAK!!!

Needless to say, the mind won. I have maintained my ‘training’ regimen, but it hasn’t been easy. (But during and afterwards, I SIMPLY LOVE IT!...it’s the getting up that can be a challenge) And, as soon as Reub got out of school for the summer, although I have kept up my one hour routine in the morning, (after my morning devotional, of course), I’ve been able to sleep in those extra 30 minutes, because Reub has been out of school. I’m in for a rude awakening next week when he goes back to school. Pray for me!

So, be prepared for a fight, when part of you is ready to move to the next level, but the other part of you is saying, ‘what’s the rush’. THAT’S THE FEELING YOU WANT TO FIGHT! But don’t fight the feeling to go up a little higher in your health and fitness goals! Don’t fight the feeling to walk a little brisker! Don’t fight the feeling to bake or broil that meat rather than fry it! Don’t fight that feeling to try brown rice instead of white! Don’t fight that feeling to actually measure out a serving size of food! WHAT A CONCEPT!!! Don’t fight that feeling to switch the movie DVD to an exercise DVD!

Don’t fight that feeling!!!