exercise – Page 2 – Salvaged Faith

My life in this past year as a pastor has not been that great for my health. I have way too many sweets coming across my office desk from well-meaning and excellent bakers and cooks in my congregation. And since I love food, I can’t say no. Not to mention that as a United Methodist every gathering has food of some sort.

I’ve mentioned this many times, but I haven’t balanced my eating habits with my exercise habits well. But finding my rhythm is also about finding better patterns of behavior. So to start off this year right, I dug an unused piece of exercise equipment out of my parents’ basement today… and not only did I bring it home – but I actually used it!

I must admit, I’m encouraging myself to work out by allowing myself to indulge in a guilty pleasure while doing so… one episode of grey’s anatomy for each 45 minute workout. I have to admit… it’s been months, literally, since I last intentionally exercised. And after about 15 minutes, i thought my thigh muscles were going to explode… or implode… or something. But I was almost halfway through the episode and I allowed that to keep me focused and got through the whole 45 minutes. I’m dreading how my legs will feel in the morning.

I walked out of church this morning (very briskly, I might add, since it was -1 degrees Farenheit!) with my arms loaded with four gift bags full of christmas goodies. Cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, peppermints, etc, etc, etc. Thank you so much to all of the wonderful church members that have blessed Brandon and I with these sweets =)

As I sit here eating some white chocolate covered pieces of pretzely goodness, I suddenly start thinking about that commercial where the people become donuts and burgers… you know – the “you are what you eat” message. And I pause for half a second… before eating the next chocolate covered pretzel.

All things in moderation is a very good motto. My confirmation kids helped me to eat half of this little baggie full of pretzels this morning – it’s probably not so bad if I finish the rest of this one baggie.

But in thinking of moderation, there is such thing as excess and there is such thing as neglect. As in, none at all, zero, zip, zilch (how come all of those start with z’s?). And in thinking of the counter to all of this sugary goodness, I do have to admit that I have done a big fat nada in regards to exercise lately.

I could blame the cold weather, but that’s just an excuse. I’m making a promise to myself, right here, right now, that I’m going to borrow the unused cardio machine at my parents and start using it! I have to use it at least four hours a week… split up however I manage to do it. That is my promise, and if I can borrow it before then, it will be a pre-new years resolution.

It’s not so much a matter of how much I weigh – although I have been scared to step on a scale since before Thanksgiving. But it’s a matter of feeling healthy. I know that my GERD will be helped by losing even five or ten pounds. I know that I’ll have more energy if I exercise more regularly. I know that my back and my neck will feel better. I know all of these things, I just have to do it.

Posts Tagged with exercise

Sweat.

healthy bodies and christmas candy