Healthy Body
Some of my favorite passages of scripture are about God making His home in us (like John 14:23). My heart is thrilled with the belief that even though I am not perfect, God has chosen to live in me. But with this most wonderful gift comes a huge responsibility.
God has entrusted the care of our bodies to us. We have been given the task of keeping God's dwelling place healthy and fit.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19 - 20 ESV
You are not your own. Jesus paid with His very life for you. He died on the cross after being tortured and mocked and spit upon so that you would be acceptable in the eyes of God. Jesus paid your debt to sin in full as a free gift because He loves you. In addition, He has sent the Holy Spirit to you so that God can dwell in you.
We are a three part being: we have a body, a spirit and a soul. Like a three legged table, if we neglect to care for any one of these then we are out of balance and we will fall. Peace will remain elusive without diligence on our part to maintain each component of our being.
We feed our spirit and discipline our mind with the Word of God. Many of us try to ignore our physical bodies under the assumption that God only cares about our heart. But look again at the verses above - our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our physical body is the house of God's own Spirit. This means, we need to spend equal time caring for and maintaing our physical bodies.
As a nurse I have seen hundreds of patients complaining about various problems that could be eliminated if they would only discipline their bodies. Our society is full of miracle pills and drinks and equipment that is promised to instantly change our physical bodies without any effort on our part. These are all lies!
Your body did not get into the shape it is in overnight. If you are overweight or out of shape it is not because that is "just the way I was born." No the condition of your body is a direct reflection of how much you require it to do.
As a teenager and into young adulthood, I struggled with my weight. I was fat, out of shape and I hated my body. I tried the pieces of "chocolate" you ate before meals to curb your appetite, binging and purging, and I attempted to exercise a couple of times but none of it worked. The more I exercised, the more I thought I could eat and so I would put on weight and then in my ignorance, I would say that I cannot exercise because "it made my thighs fat."
Finally I got sick and tired of always being sick and tired. I made the decision that instead of chasing a body shape or look, I would pursue health. I began to make better food choices. I quit eating processed foods and eliminated pop and alcohol from my diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats made up my food intake. I really had to have a talk with myself that I would not starve and that I was not doing without by not eating breads, sauces, pasta or any other high starch food.
In addition to eating better, I started walking and lifting weights. Within a few weeks, my body began to change. I got stronger, I felt better, and I looked better. It has been 15 years since I started living healthy and I have never felt better.
Your body did not get into the shape it is in overnight. If you are overweight or out of shape it is not because that is "just the way I was born." No the condition of your body is a direct reflection of how much you require it to do.
As a teenager and into young adulthood, I struggled with my weight. I was fat, out of shape and I hated my body. I tried the pieces of "chocolate" you ate before meals to curb your appetite, binging and purging, and I attempted to exercise a couple of times but none of it worked. The more I exercised, the more I thought I could eat and so I would put on weight and then in my ignorance, I would say that I cannot exercise because "it made my thighs fat."
Finally I got sick and tired of always being sick and tired. I made the decision that instead of chasing a body shape or look, I would pursue health. I began to make better food choices. I quit eating processed foods and eliminated pop and alcohol from my diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats made up my food intake. I really had to have a talk with myself that I would not starve and that I was not doing without by not eating breads, sauces, pasta or any other high starch food.
In addition to eating better, I started walking and lifting weights. Within a few weeks, my body began to change. I got stronger, I felt better, and I looked better. It has been 15 years since I started living healthy and I have never felt better.
If you struggle with dieting and exercise don't condemn yourself and don't give up. Even if you have tried everything and cannot seem to loose weight - don't give up. You can, with the power of the Holy Spirit, have a healthy body. Start with where you are and use what you have. I did not find success through a gym membership or a pill (although I did try supplements to improve your metabolism but they did nothing for me).
Choose to eat foods that are natural (not necessarily organic) but in their natural form. Avoid canned or processed foods. Stay away from all fast foods and bleached flour or rice products (like white bread). In addition to choosing better foods, get active. Walking is the best form of exercise so get out there and move. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of brisk walking a day but if you can only do 10 minutes, then start there and work you way up.
Your body is the temple - the very dwelling place of God. Treat it with respect and take care of it.
Heidirn
P.S. If you have questions, feel free to leave them in the Contact tab at the top.
Choose to eat foods that are natural (not necessarily organic) but in their natural form. Avoid canned or processed foods. Stay away from all fast foods and bleached flour or rice products (like white bread). In addition to choosing better foods, get active. Walking is the best form of exercise so get out there and move. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of brisk walking a day but if you can only do 10 minutes, then start there and work you way up.
Your body is the temple - the very dwelling place of God. Treat it with respect and take care of it.
Heidirn
P.S. If you have questions, feel free to leave them in the Contact tab at the top.
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