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.
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