Accountability Partner

So, who do you have in your life to help keep you accountable as you move forward toward a healthier lifestyle? If you said, ‘the one in the mirror’, WRONG ANSWER! If you said, ‘God;He speaks to me about everything’, that may be true but, WRONG ANSWER! What HUMAN BEING other than yourself do you allow to look in your face and say, ‘Now you know you need to put that doughnut down!’ Who, after you’ve eaten like there is NO tomorrow, do you have in your life to tell you, ‘Today is just one day. You will do better tomorrow.’ Who will you listen to if they tell you, ‘Come on…give yourself a break….you’ve been doing well…..you deserve a little treat.’ Accountability is one of the reasons I continue to attend Weight Watchers® meetings on a weekly basis, and weigh in monthly as suggested for all Weight Watchers® Lifetime members. I have a roomful of people to keep me accountable EVERY week! (And even so, I wish I had an accountability partner who would call me some evenings and simply ask, ‘What are you having for dinner?’; because the dinner meal is often where I blow it. Often I’m running around and don’t have time for a nice meal OR, I get home and start munching (even healthy snacks can be dangerous if you eat too much of them), then lose my appetite because of all the healthy munching then by 9pm I’ll want to snack. HELP!) As a matter of fact I just returned from a Weight Watchers® meeting earlier tonight and my son said, ‘Why do you have to still go to those meetings?’ I politely informed him that I don’t ‘have’ to, but. I ‘choose’ to! So, who have you chosen to help keep you honest….to encourage you to run one more lap…..to take that walk with you when you don’t feel like it…..to eat crunchy veggies with you instead of crunchy potato chips? I have learned on this journey of embracing healthiness as a lifestyle that not only do I most certainly need God’s help, but I need a person or persons that will help me along the way when it’s difficult to do what I know to do! Sometimes I feel like the Apostle Paul when he said, “For what I am doing I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what hate I do.” (Romans 7:15) Another version puts it this way, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead I do what I hate.” I’m sure you’ve been there too! Come on! Be honest…..You have! That’s why we all need someone to help keep us accountable. So, who in your life needs you as much as you need them in this area? Who will be honest with you, and allow you to be honest with them? Who can you trust to hold you accountable? Your husband? Your wife? A co-worker? Your child(ren)? A sibling? A friend? A church member? Accountability is key!

Masters or Slaves?

Most women take pride in being masters of multi-tasking. As little girls we watched our grandmothers, mothers, and aunties take on several things at one time and we learned and then mastered the skill of multi-tasking with our own individual style. And, rightfully so, that we multi-task; there is just so much for us to do. It seems as if a woman’s work is never done. So, Yes, we do need to be able to accomplish/complete/work on more than one task at a time and do them well. Our husbands, children, and employers, are all counting on us to be able to do more than one thing at a time. That’s what women do! Isn’t it?! (And of course whatever we have been taught about the roles of men and women also have influenced our behavior in this area.) But, I wonder …..are we masters or slaves? It is almost impossible for me – and most women - to come home from work and sit down and do nothing; even if I’m tired. Yet my husband – and most men, as wonderful as they are, and we love them dearly – most men don’t have a problem with this. They come in and plop right in front of the television and it’s O.K. with them. No guilt. No shame. No fuss. Just peace. Unless I am exhausted, something within me won’t let me sit down until I’ve ‘done’ something, i.e. cooked, straightened up, opened mail, called someone, typed something, etc. Have I really mastered multi-tasking or have I become a slave to it? And, when I am multi-tasking do I make it even more challenging to have a healthy lifestyle? I believe I do. Knowing when our bodies need rest – and giving it that rest -, and not allowing ourselves to get stressed out is also a part of being healthy and fit. I believe we will have more time to eat healthier and exercise if we’re not ripping and running doing a gazillion things at one time or if we are not pushing our bodies beyond what they can actually handle! Years ago I was challenged to stop ‘doing’ and ‘be’. Just be a wife. Be a mother…....more being and less doing…. What a concept! It’s not easy……I NEED HELP!!! Observe the men in your life. Notice how they are not even TRYING to do more than one thing at a time and life goes on and they are not stressed out. There are always going to be dirty dishes. Children are always going to need something. There will always be dirty clothes in the laundry. If you miss a game there will always be another one. If you miss a church service, buy the tape, or there will always be another one. There will always be something that needs to be done. But we only get one life; one body; one mind. “……I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life…..” Deut 30:19a

I'M ADDICTED!!

I had three reasons NOT to participate in the Los Angeles Marathon this year. One, the organizers moved it to May 25th! How inconsiderate! The weather will be much warmer than in March when the event is usually held, which can be very hazardous to the participants. Two, the tendonitis in my left foot will not allow me to run. I would have to power walk the entire event. I really miss running. Though I have not run the entire 26.2 miles yet, each time I’ve completed the event I’ve run for a longer distance and I was looking forward to running even more miles before starting to walk, this time around. Though I am beginning to enjoy power walking and its benefits, would I have the same thrilling experience if I walk the entire route, I wondered? Three, I HATED the route last year! It was awful!! We could see the finishing point then the route would take us South!!! It was so discouraging mentally! And to my knowledge I don’t think they are going to change the route this year. All good reasons, right? NOT!! I’m addicted! I don’t even know why I THOUGHT I would not participate! I’m addicted! You know how addictions are, right? You can’t always explain them. You don’t always understand them. You just do them. For me, from the marathon it’s the camaraderie…..!....the adrenalin!..... the crowds cheering you on..!... Striving for a personal best!...AND OF COURSE, THE MEDAL!!!!!! Yep! I’m addicted! By God’s grace I’ll once again be one of 20,000! My adrenalin is starting to pump at just the thought of it!! So what are some of your addictions? Certainly, when we hear the word ‘addiction’ we don’t think of anything positive or fairly harmless like the addiction I just described. Often an addiction is something that can cause us harm and that we need to be rid of. As you move forward in your health you may have discovered an addiction that you want out of your life. For example, another addiction of mine is night time snacking. Even though I now snack on healthy foods, it’s still an addiction that I’d like to be rid of. I don’t want to give it up all together but I need help in this area. Let’s join forces. Let’s pray for each other that we will have the strength and desire to stop our unhealthy addictions. Remember, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Phil 4:13)

P.S Don’t think I have decided to walk the Marathon without any effort up until now or a plan to train from here out. NOT! Since I haven’t been able to run, I’ve been walking about 15-20 miles per week. And in the last couple of months, since I knew I was contemplating doing the Marathon, I walked to my Weight Watchers meeting several times which is just shy of 10 miles total, to see how my feet would feel after such a walk. So! Now the real training begins! I’ve got a good 7 weeks. So I will add additional miles during the week and 10-12 miles at one time on Saturdays until the event. If God be for me, who can be against me! (from Romans 8:31)

Never Alone

The words of the chorus of a beautiful hymn called ‘Never Alone’ are, “No, never alone, no never alone. He promised never to leave me, never leave me alone.” Believe it or not, it has been my experience that even at our work-out venues not only will the Lord be with us, but he’ll send someone to be there with us to remind us that we are not alone; we are in this together; I’m getting fit with you; you can do this! When I power walk in the mornings I usually look like ‘who shot John and why’. I usually have on a big bright yellowish, orangish jacket (my Overcomers jacket), an off white winter hat like a skull-cap, green winter gloves, wearing my glasses (I don’t sleep in my contact lenses.), swinging a small golf club as my rod and staff to comfort me, stepping fast and strong as if I am in a parade with my baton like I did when I was a child. It is an interesting sight to say the least. But just the other day I had the nerve to see a woman who was going in the opposite direction, say to me, ‘You go to West Angeles, don’t you?’ IT WAS 5:15AM! A few days later a group of runners ran past me and as we said ‘Good morning’ to each other, I looked at one of the women and she was a parent from my son’s school! IT WAS 5:15AM! And, just a few weeks ago a co-worker came to me asking for some exercise tips. She said she had gotten into a slump and she knew I would be able to help her. I gave her some suggestions and she came back to me the following week excited because she said early morning work outs are working out great just as I suggested. She said she started going to the gym at 4am (4 am was her choice, not mine) and to her surprise she was not the only one there! When I first started running at the track (Boy, I miss running!!), my husband used to be concerned because I was going so early, but I quickly found out that it was a group of the same people at the track there at the same time every day and they were not just ‘there’ they were there for each other. Eventually, you start acknowledging each other, and noticing when one misses a day, and encouraging each other. A great camaraderie can be experienced when people gather together to be fit. So, don’t be fooled. Don’t be deceived. Don’t convince yourself that you will be the only one somewhere. Go on! Get out there! Remember, He promised that you would never be alone.

Aging Gracefully

Just what does it mean to age gracefully? More aches, illnesses lasting longer, and less patience. Just how does one do that gracefully? Well, one way may be to continue exercising! I know….I know…..some of you are so SICK of hearing about exercising!!! Well, get over it! Authors Chris Crowley and Henry Lodge, M.D. from the book ‘Younger Next Year’ say,...... “Decay – that’s the message the brain sends to your body after around age 40 if you are sedentary……Conversely, the latest science has found that exercise overrides the “decay” signal by sending powerful chemical messages to the brain and body to grow and stay strong. Aging is inevitable, but researchers say that exercise – along with other lifestyle factors – slows down the degeneration of the body and brain so that you can enjoy an active and healthy life well into your eighties or beyond." (O.K. We need to stop right here and give God a SERIOUS Shout Out! Isn't He awesome?! Adam and Eve 'blow it' for us all in the garden of Eden so now we have these decaying bodies. BUT GOD gives us a way to override the 'decay' signal! Well, I'll just praise Him myself then! HALLELUJAH!!!.....but I digress...) SO,if you are 40 or older you just OUGHT to be running to your closet and putting on your tennis shoes right about NOW ! Ready, Get Set, Go! How many more studies or quotes do you need to read before you ‘get it’? And, if you are not 40 yet, don’t even think you will WAIT until you turn 40 to choose a regular exercise regimen! Not! I think that is highly unlikely! Look, I know it’s not always easy. Take this morning for example. Oh, my GOSH, was it hard for me to get up for my walk! First of all, when I hit the snooze button on the alarm I noticed how cold my house was! Goodness! It felt like ice! Yet, it was so warm under the covers! I just couldn’t get up! Then, when I hit the snooze button a second time, I noticed how GO-OO-OOD my bed felt! Must I get up, I thought?! Can’t I skip today’s exercising, I thought?! But, finally, after hitting the snooze button a third time, I got up. As a result of those delays, since I do my morning devotional before I do anything else, my 60 minute power walk had to be reduced to a 45 minute power walk so that I could get to work on time, but it was still worth it, because believe it or not, it wasn’t as cold outside as it was in my house, and, before I knew it I was having a good ‘ole time on my walk! I was mad at myself for hitting the snooze button three times! I wanted my 15 additional minutes! What a great way to start the day! See! It’s always better once you just get up and do it! Isn’t that what we tell our children?! So, what do you need to jump-start your exercise regimen? We simply don’t have any more excuses for why we don't exercise because we now have too many choices! So, find what works for you and choose to age gracefully – no matter how old you are.

Are You Unequally Yoked?

Many people think that the scripture 2 Corinthians 6:14, which begins with, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers..”, is advice strictly for those who are getting married. Of course, it is in reference to all relationships, and now we see we can also apply it to our friends and their beliefs about their health. Studies have proved that often we have a tendency to be as healthy or as unhealthy as our friends and family members. “A study of more than 12,000 people found out that when a person becomes obese, their friends are 57 percent more likely to also put on weight. Their brothers and sisters have a 40 per cent increased risk of becoming obese and their husband or wife a 37 per cent greater risk.” Another study proved, “Obesity can spread from person to person much like a virus, according to researchers. When one person gains weight close friends tend to gain weight too….You change your idea of what is an acceptable body type by looking at the people around you.”…….Hmmm…Of course this does not excuse us when we give in to every whim and fancy by overeating and/or eating foods that we know are not good for us. Neither does it excuse us when we choose to be sedentary rather than active. I still believe that what we choose to put in our mouths and whether we choose to move our bodies more than anything else determines whether or not we enjoy a healthy lifestyle. But, I do think these studies have some merit. I do think it’s much easier to stop and pick up a dozen of donuts when you know you have people to help you eat them! If no one in your inner circle is going to admonish your poor choices and encourage you to make better ones, I suppose the only recourse is a life of eating poorly and being sedentary. So, let’s ask ourselves some questions. First of all, what do my friends and family members, those people whose perceptions I value and think are important; what do they really think about being healthy and fit? Is it important to them that they be healthy or do they just say that and then eat anything they want and rarely exercise? Secondly, do I allow their behavior to influence my choices when I know what is right for me may not be what they advise? Though I am not encouraging you to fire your friends and get some new ones, it may be time to assess just what kind of influence your family and friends are having on you. Your health is worth that much; isn’t it?

The Truth and Nothing But the Truth

Last week as I was reading one of the many fitness magazines that I love to read, in an article about New Year’s resolutions, the writer recommended that we stop “Why-ning”, i.e. stop asking ourselves questions like, ‘Why don’t I have a better job?’, ‘Why isn’t this and that right about my life?’ etc. Actually, when it comes to moving forward to a healthy lifestyle, I would encourage us to go right ahead and ask the Why questions, as long as we are truthful in our answers:

QUESTION: Why is it that I STILL don’t have a regular exercise regimen?
Truthful answer: Because I’m lazy.

I know that was painful, and you are just about ready to exit out of this blog, but let’s be honest with ourselves. Men, you are more selfish than women and you know it. Anything you want to do, you do it. Women, not only are we masters at multi-tasking (which I have decided is more of a curse than a blessing….more on that next time…), but in general, if there is something we want to do, no matter what the circumstances are, we will FIND a way to do it. It doesn’t matter what or who we have to move around, re-adjust, or re-schedule, we will find a way to do what’s important to us.

QUESTION: Why don’t I eat more fruits and vegetables?
Truthful answer: I choose convenience rather than quality.

Whether it’s because of convenience or unwillingness to cook, be honest; you are making a choice. If we are not careful, not only will our fast paced society keep us from missing out on what’s really important in our lives (God, family, relationships, giving back), it may also prevent us from taking the time to eat healthy.

QUESTION: Why do I gain the weight back as soon as I lose it?
Truthful answer: I continue to go on diets. I refuse to make lifestyle changes.

Diets don’t work. But, you already know that, don't you?

QUESTION: I know what to do to lose weight and be healthy and fit, so why won’t I just do it?
Truthful answer: I want a quick fix; I want it to be easy AND I still want to be able to eat any and every thing I want.

Now what did our mothers always tell us? Anything of value is worth working for……it takes hard work for long lasting results…..if you don’t work for it you won’t appreciate it……if it happens over night it won’t last a lifetime…Well, our mothers were right!

Here’s an idea: Instead of not being totally honest with ourselves and making New Year’s Resolutions that we won’t keep, why don’t we simply choose to apply what we already know?! “The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9

What a concept!!!

Have a Happy Healthy New Year!