Get Active & Stay Active
Here’s the truth, I’m not a fitness trainer. Exercise has never been a passion of mine the way that nutrition is. But I understand the importance of it. I understand that it is necessary for our bodies to stay active, so I live by Sir Isaac’s First Law: An object in motion tends to stay in motion. An object at rest tends to stay at rest.
So if there is one thing you need to know about keeping your body in shape, it’s this: one way or another, stay active.
Now, I can only assume you are starting off where I started, the beginning.
My Fitness Journey
Actually, I might have been a little bit further behind than the beginning. It had been almost a year since I last exercised. Even though it had been months since my full release following shunt surgery, I was still afraid to exert myself in any way. Simple tasks such as bending, squatting, or any form of straining, even reaching, had been known to cause spikes in my spinal fluid pressure. Exercise seemed out of the question.
But there was a problem. I had lost too much weight from being sick, and I couldn’t seem to gain it back. I knew I would have to start increasing what I ate and consuming higher amounts of fat and protein. But I knew I couldn’t sit around while the pounds built. I would have to learn to balance diet and exercise. I would have to start building muscle in order for my diet to do its job.
I waited till I had been mostly symptom free for about a month, and I started slow and gradually. Day one, I don’t even think I could do two pushups. I wobbled out of balance with every lunge. Sit-ups were still too scary to start, knowing the strain it would induce. But I started, and thank God, I didn’t have any issues. The next day, I was at it again. Nothing changed in a day, but at least I had stayed committed.
By the end of the month, I had exercised nearly every day. I had gone from one pushup to fifteen. I could balance my lunges like a yoga pro. I had even managed to start incorporating 5 lb. weights, and yes, I was doing sit-ups! As a couple of more weeks went by, I began seeing the muscles forming. I began seeing the skin around my bones filling in. I wasn’t getting fat. I was getting healthy.
You see, I didn’t have a one-time goal of getting “summer ready” or “wedding day ready”, where I could go back to my old habits as soon as the event was over. I just simply chose to be healthy and started where I could to make that happen. It’s all about deciding to make the right choices.
Do not, I repeat, do not run and get a gym membership, thinking you’re ready to take this thing on. Don’t think that if you’re paying for it, you’re bound to use it. I firmly believe that until you have learned to discipline yourself at home and have become consistent in your exercise routine, save your money. How do you expect to find time for the gym if you haven’t even found time at home?
But how can I lose weight and build muscle without the equipment I need?
Be honest with yourself. How many pushups can you do? How many sit-ups? Pull-ups? Squats? Until you have mastered the form and balance of performing exercises like these, you do not need to worry about weights. Learn to lift the weight of your own body first.
You can lose weight no problem without any equipment at all. When I worked in property management, one of the most common questions clients would ask was if there was a gym on property. No, but there were several swimming pools and also direct access to a bike/ running trail. What an excellent way for anyone to stay in shape!
Pay attention to the phrase “build muscle”. Build – to construct over a period of time. Gradually. And we are starting small and gradually, where you can begin to build muscle without equipment for the time being.
Don’t worry. Eventually, we will move forward and grow (or shrink, depending on your health needs). In the meantime, take one day at a time and make the most of it. Looking ahead at a calendar of workout routines that you need to check off can be intimidating. Instead, focus on the day’s task. Just because you missed your chance in the morning doesn’t mean you cant squeeze it in at night. In fact, what’s stopping you from moving this very moment? It is time to get up and get active!
Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.
– 2 Timothy 2:5
What are some of the things you enjoy doing to stay active?
Let us know in the comments section below!
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