So, if you read my earlier blog, you might remember that I started running a few years ago. I started running because I went to the doctor, and he told me that things would go downhill quickly healthwise if I continued my lifestyle. He also recommended that I changed the way that I ate… primarily, changing what I ate… meaning less fried food and added sugar for the most part.
Things went well. I enjoyed running. I ran in a 5K a couple of months after I started. About a month after that, I ran a 10K. Three months later, I ran a half marathon.
Guess what?!?!? I enjoyed running half marathons. For the next year, I ran several half marathons.
Then, I decided to train for a marathon. Everything was going well until I hurt my knee a few weeks before I was scheduled to run a marathon. I ran it anyway. Stupid, I know. (I never claimed to be smart.) I finished, but much slower than I planned. (For those who care about these kinds of things like I once did, I finished in 4:45.)
I had already registered for three half marathons over the next two months. I ran them also. See, I told you I was stupid. I tried to get back into the rhythm of training, but it never worked. Three months later, I ran another half marathon, and it was brutal.
So, I stopped exercising for a long time. And, when the exercise stopped, the bad eating habits returned.
Within a year, I had gained way too much weight. I didn’t weight as much as before I started running, but I was getting close.
So, I started exercising and eating better again… Sometimes. Kinda. Maybe. If I felt like it.
And, I realize now that it really affected my life. Not just my health… but I became more stressed. And my relationships suffered. And my attitude suffered. And everyone around me suffered. (Maybe not everyone, but it felt like they were suffering… maybe I just wanted them to suffer.)
But, now I’m back on track and have been for a while. I’m eating better… as long as there is no ice cream in the house. Ice cream is my kryptonite… well, almost anything sweet actually. And, when I eat something sweet, I want to keep eating. Eating sweets increases my appetite. Strange, but true.
And exercise… yes, I’m exercising. Probably not as “religiously” as before, but that may be a good thing. I no longer exercise to track my miles; I exercise because I want to be healthy. (I once ran over 1000 miles in a year… I know because I tracked my miles… for a year… and I have a t-shirt to prove it.) Four or five times a week I will go walking or go to the gym, depending on which one I feel like doing that day.
Occasionally, I may write about health related topics… about exercising… about eating and my constant battle against ice cream. No, I’m not a health guru… and I don’t want to be a health guru. This will not be a health blog. But, I’m trying to take better care of myself, so I may write about it some. And, if I find something that helps me, who knows, it might help some of my readers too.
So, I’m probably not as healthy as I was when I was training for a marathon, but I’m healthier than I could be… and getting healthier.
Thanks for sharing Alan. At the very least this is an encouraging nudge in the right direction I know I could use it from time to time.
Seth, I’m glad this was encouraging for you!
Thanks Alan. I went through a similar experience this year, lifting weights. I downloaded a cool app, tracked my lifting and increased the recommended amount and was feeling pretty good. After about 6 months and feeling pretty strong, I hurt my elbows (golf elbow, even though I don’t play golf much). I haven’t lifted since, it has been about 3 months. I realized the program I was following may not be the best for longevity and my push for results was not realistic. I will get back to light lifting soon but am content to not stress about the “religiosity” of the program.
Thanks, Kirt! I’m glad I’m not the only one.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Scripture is plain, it is a blessing to eat the fat and drink the sweet. I suppose it helps if you’ve been following the herds all week. Good to have you blogging again. jl
Thanks for the encouragement, Jim… I think.
Thanks Alan,
The Word is True–“we all are tempted in the same things”–crazy how that is. Yeah, I have the same challenges, but–If I may need, I encouraged my wife to work out with me–and it’s working out great. So what I learned was “I” need support as well as my wife.
Cool writings man!
God Bless
Jim Schultz
Yes, Jim, it does help to have a partner and encouragement from others.
Life is a training course, mistakes help the man to change and correct himself for better. Some people may realise about their mistakes, some don’t. What is the purpose of living? Jesus said, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mat 16:26)
The mistake of every man/woman is conquering and achieving better goals in their life time, while the spirit gains nothing and resulted in depression, or other kinds of physical or mental illnesses. Certainly, the people living around him/her also suffer in consequence because we are social being and all related to each other. When a stone thrown into a pool of water, it disturbs the entire pool. Every action or word of us always affects people around us whether for bad or good. The Holy Bible gives us a lot of lessons, but do we follow the Most High God’s commandments?
The Churches say, “We are under grace not law”, for this reason no man/woman has changed in their life style and continue to live as they are, following the same way that leads to destruction. The fruit of that theology is clear as we see men and women in disarray today. Some are looking for other gods, others plunge deeper into their carnal satisfaction.
The entire world system is in chaos, as the book of Revelation has said, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” (Rev 18:2)
The only escape is to step out of that system and follow the Most High God’s commandments, as the Holy Bible says:
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Blessings to you and your family.
Thanks for the comment, Duc. I’ve found that my physical health sometimes affects my spiritual health, and vice versa.