Monday, July 14, 2008

Habits: An Update

Well folks, as of today I've exercised everyday since July 3rd. And by exercise I mean that I've run/walked 2 miles everyday. I've discovered that:

1) If you haven't exercised in a while and you try to run, your lungs will protest vehemently
2) Dogs always bark at you, no matter how many times you run past them
3) I'm hungry more often and only crave water to drink
4) I turn the color of a lobster after only 3 minutes of running
5) Exercise is never fun (ever ever ever ever), but it does get easier
6) I need more sports bras or I end up doing laundry more often
7) The earlier you run, the cooler it is

I know... lots of deep stuff. But this is a pretty huge step for me.

The last time I was regularly exercising was to lose the weight I gained after my sophomore year of college (think at least 15lbs) and when I got to a weight I liked, I just stopped going to the gym. I've maintained my weight mostly by a restrictive diet (rarely any red meat or pork; not a lot of bread; lots of fruit and veggies) and I've avoided regular exercise since. Frankly, I've enjoyed it.

This last semester, however, I started reading a book by female pastors about the preaching process. Each of them had different habits, but one that was common to almost all of them was regular exercise. That blew my mind! What does sweat have to do with exegesis and homiletic construction? Apparently, a lot. Their main reason to include exercise in daily life was the importance of physical health as it relates to spiritual health. Poor health affects every part of your life - emotionally you are negative, spiritually your focus is on yourself rather than on God and others and mentally you are slower. Exercising regularly helps you to avoid these emotional/spiritual/mental sand-traps; for me, it has also provided with several sermon illustrations.

So, I'm running. And maybe one day I'll run the whole time instead of interspersed walking. And maybe one day I'll run 3 miles instead of 2. And maybe one day I'll run without thinking of how my sides hurt and my lungs ache and sweat is running down my face. But until then, I'll still run because I know its good for me, because I know I need it, and because I know that the road to a disciplined life starts slow.

Oh and while I was running, I saw a poster for a missing cat - an all white cat with one blue eye and one gold eye. Named Fred. Sucks to them - I'm not giving him back.

6 comments:

Anglopressy said...

I've also heard that not exercising regularly, binge drinking, poor diet and reading infrequently increase your chances of developing Alzheimer's. I'm not sure what the link is, but I hope that if I read more than most, I can off-set my lack of exercise due to my smoking.

But I will say, good for you. I know the times I get to run or go to the gym, I feel, sleep and look better.

Grace and Peace,
Jared

Anonymous said...

Ghost is FRED?!?!

Another Texas Family said...

Wanna do the half marathon in January in Houston?

Unknown said...

Isn't a half marathon 13 miles?

Anglopressy said...

13.1.

Katy said...

Hey! I'm so honored that you "lurk" through my silly blog. =) Now I have another to lurk through as well. I was going to vote for whichever of these goals makes you sweat the least amount. That's my goal usually. =) But props on the working out!