10K step obsession

Just six days before last Christmas, P and I embarked on our bid to get fit and healthy. P had just undergone his medical check-up and the doctor's recommendation was a change in lifestyle to ensure optimum health in the long run. Apart from less sodium, carb and animal protein (fish was the approved protein), exercise was touted. Thus we began walking again.

My exercise regime has been patchy in recent years and it hit an all-time low thanks to COVID. For fear of getting the coronavirus, I just stayed home and only went out on necessary errands. When I taught Pilates, I mainly exercised my vocal cords. I transformed into a major slug. My body bit back in a big way last December. Aches and pain of a wide variety and magnitude plagued me. I also had poor sleep, low moods, extra weight, fatigue... I had it all. The last straw was when my hips began to hurt and I knew this severely sedentary lifestyle was no longer sustainable.  

P's inspiration to get moving was timely for me, I needed that big push to get out of my black hole of physical inactivity. It has taken just over a month of regular walking, stretching and Pilates to get to what I would term as a barely fit level, where I am actually enjoying walking (no protesting twinges of pain in each step).

I am quite appalled at how deconditioned my body had become. The fight to get to where I am today has been painful, unpleasant and extremely challenging. I have had to force myself to go out there and walk even when my legs and feet were screaming stop and I needed multiple visits to the physio for some pretty excruciating muscle release work. It helps when one has a workout partner who is quite obsessive about walking, so thank you, P, for literally pushing me along. (P very sweetly pushes me up with his hand on my back when we hit slopes.) 

Seeing how P and his siblings were doing all their annual medical check-ups, I decided to follow suit. The good news is I am in fairly good health, just need to watch my cholesterol levels. The not so good news was the bone density scan which revealed low bone density - no surprises there seeing as I am genetically pre-disposed from both my parents. 

My whole point in posting this is when one comes to a certain age, 40 is a nice health defining number especially for women who are usually peri-menopausal (brace yourselves for the whole slew of possible issues here, sisters), it is vital to do annual medical check-ups, self-monitor undesired changes in one's body, watch one's diet and exercise. There are no two ways about it. Educate yourself on what's happening in your body and what you can do to alleviate symptoms, then do it regularly. Do not allow yourself to come to a point where you need to pop pills to control a chronic disease. There is always a better way and it involves discipline early on. 

Watching one's weight has nothing to do with vanity, but it has everything to do with good health, both physically and mentally, even spiritually. If you pride yourself on being the temple of God, surely the temple should present itself as a pristine picture of health both interiorly and exteriorly; spiritually, emotionally and physically? 

My SD just reminded me yesterday that as a woman I needed to be pretty and still have passion in and for life. I agree with him wholeheartedly. I need to be a fitting bride to my Bridegroom, one who takes care to be beautiful inside and out, a woman who attracts and brings others to Him. How can I attend to others successfully when my energy levels are low and I am in pain? How can I even attempt to cultivate virtues of wisdom, determination, gentleness, generosity, patience and peace when I am grouchy, slightly depressed and dull-witted from lack of rest? 

Loving the Lord is not merely a spiritual matter for we are both body and spirit. We need our bodies to be in good working order so that we can accomplish what He asks of us, walking where He sends us, and working indefatigably with good cheer. 

I have become quite obsessed with walking my 10,000 steps every day, and I have to say I do feel much better for it, even virtuous when I start my day with a walk. I do my intercessory prayer as I walk and I am given many moments in my walk to thank God for all the beauty of nature that surrounds me. I feel more spiritually centred after my walk and I feel good - strong and calm - in my body, mentally ready to take on whatever comes my way in the busy day.    

As disciples of Christ, we are meant to be on the move, as can be seen from how the disciples followed Jesus from place to place in His public ministry years. Move toward Him and keep up with Him by walking with Him in a healthy and fit body. It isn't always easy to be motivated, but I do highly recommend it. 

For Adela and Bev

Two little girls sitting side by side

Solemnly contemplating the world

What does the future hold? 

Now one is gone and one remains

Yet the bond of sisterhood still binds

A bond stronger than death

Lasting longer than Time

Love never fades but transcends

Swirling softly within the Father’s hands

Pure joy lighter than a cloud, or a sigh

It is but a short walk to Eternity 

Where they will sit side by side again.

Till then the one who’s gone will smile

Blessings upon the sister she loves 

And the one who remains will weep

Tears of gratitude mingled with grief. 

Crossing into 2022

On the last day of 2021, a friend texted me that she was seriously ill. Just a few days before that, I had attended a funeral service of P’s aunt. So I ended the year on a slightly sad note, yet at the same time, heartened by the faith I see in those who are grieving or in emotional disarray. 

While on a recent walk with M in the Botanic Gardens, whom I had not seen in two years, we spotted a most amazing sight, this thorny bush had mauve and white blossoms  on two of its brown tips. We were delighted by our find. 

This plant pretty much sums up 2021 for me. The year may have seemed pretty barren and full of thorns with the pandemic raging its way around the world in wave after wave; a relentless onslaught of sickness and death, yet it is up to me to be able to see beauty in life, and to perhaps contribute to creating life and light where it seems darkest night, to channel beauty.  

God never gives up on loving us, His children, and we should never give up on loving, first ourselves as He loves us, then loving others as He loves them.

So 2021 has been a year where I have slowly begun a regime of self-care to ensure I am not diminished by physical aches and pains that prevent me from doing what I would like to do. I have reached out and connected with friends whom I have neglected to communicate with in a long while and it has been fun rediscovering friendships. 

I feel that one of my most powerful ways of loving others last year was to pray for them. Precisely because I could not physically be with them or help them in concrete ways, I offered up their intentions in prayer. I also engaged in praying daily for departed loved ones, and especially for holy souls in purgatory, something P has taught me to do.   

Two things I did for mental and spiritual food was to begin two courses in the last quarter of the year concurrently. Journeying with people around the world trying to demystify and apply the nuggets we find in Saint John Paul II’s Love and Responsibility has been life-giving for me. I hope to continue applying what I am learning to enrich my life and the lives of those around me. 

Having recently finished the book of Tobit, what struck me as great advice is something he imparted to his descendants  in chapter 14, verse 9:

Now, my children, I give you this command: serve God sincerely and do what is pleasing in his sight; you must instruct your children to do what is right and to give alms, to be mindful of God and at all times to bless his name sincerely and with all their strength. 

May 2022 be a meaningful year for me, and you, where we do as He says, blessing His name and singing His praises always.