Exercising More

I’ve never been a gym guy, and have often used the excuse that my work gives me enough exercise. This year, I’ve been getting back to some regular exercise. One thing I’ve found after several months now is the power of even just 15 minutes of stretching and a regimen of pushups, planks and jumping jacks can have.

Now I am certainly not an exercise expert and it has been quite a while since I’ve taken exercising regularly seriously. Like probably the 10 years since high school…. But I’m enjoying it more now.

I’ve also learned the importance of rest. Pacing myself is something I’ve always struggled with in life. Which increases the change of burnout. But just as important as exercise is, so it stopping and resting for a day can be restorative and stress relieving too. Exercising more regularly has also been teaching me that its not all about achieving a longer or higher goal. And you don’t have to start off fast. A sustainable, achievable goal is in reach. You can “run longer” through pacing yourself appropriately. Injury risk goes down through proper preparation.

Sometimes it is nice to just exercise and think of nothing, at other times I find it nice to combine exercise with other activities. For example, listening to a podcast or when unwinding in the evening with a television show after a long day, doing 15-20 minutes of exercises seems to improve rest and relieve stress. What creative ways have you combined exercise with your daily life?

Also, what has exercise taught you about your spiritual walk with Christ? I know for me I am being reminded that many of the truths I’m “re-learning” getting back into exercising regularly apply not only to the health of my physical body but are good reminders for my spiritual life as well. I don’t have to run 110%, 80% is more sustainable. Far too often for Type A’s our spiritual zeal can result in burnout rather than a grace pace. The Lord will allow difficulty to increase our endurance and lessen our ambition. May you and I decrease, and may He increase in our lives.