Archive for Fitness

August Update

{ August 21, 2009 @ 3:04 pm } · { Fitness, Growing in God, Katie-bug / Mommyhood }
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I have done a horrible job of maintaining this blog, but hopefully I will do better in the future.  Seems like when I am at home, the hours just fly by and before I know it, the day is over!  But here is what is going on with us these days.

Katie is growing like crazy.  She started sitting up about two weeks ago, and is now a seasoned professional.  She only lasted about two seconds at first, and now she can sit ’til she decides she doesn’t want to anymore.  Her temperament is so sweet…she is a really happy baby now unless she is hungry or tired.  Size-wise, she is still small as far as weight goes, but is in the 90th percentile on height, so it looks like she’s going to be a mini-Ben as far as physique goes. 

Ben and I started an in-depth Bible Study through Liberty Home Bible Institute.  It takes about two years to complete; we started about two weeks ago, so only one year and fifty weeks left!  I’d had this ever-increasing hunger for the Word, which is probably the first time in my life I’ve actually CRAVED to know more about the Bible, to dig in deeper and just learn everything I can.  I thought this course would satiate that hunger.  The strange thing, though, is that the hunger has just increased all the more.  It’s interesting that the more I learn, the more I want to know.  I hope I never get to a point where I say “Okay, now I think I’ve learned all I really need to know about the Bible”.  I want to just continue craving it and devouring it until I drop dead (when I’m very, very, very old).

I started preparing for a half-marathon, which I plan to do in the fall (well, November, if that is considered fall) with my friend Liz.  I started a separate blog at runningformegan.blogspot.com.  Feel free to track my adventures in running on that blog.  It is one of the biggest physical challenges I’ve ever faced.  I am not by nature a good runner, so setting out to do something like this is a huge undertaking for me, mentally AND phsyically.

Ben’s job is going really well, and for being classified as a part-time job, he is getting plenty of work and able to support our whole family on that (and our Guard pay) alone.  What a huge blessing.  He works about ten minutes away from where we live, so is able to come home to eat lunch with us, and doesn’t have a long commute to or from work each day.  We are so blessed and so thankful for how things are going right now–couldn’t ask for more.

That’s pretty much it for now…I post updated Katie pics fairly often on Facebook, so if you’re on there, great, if not, you’re missing out!  I’ll try to post a few on here soon just in case, though. :-)

Confession

{ September 2, 2008 @ 6:20 pm } · { Fitness }
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I, the self-proclaimed health enthusiast, have a confession to make.  My eating and exercise habits have taken a SEVERE nosedive since I found out I was pregnant.  Granted, there is no need for them to be as strict as they were before, but now they are really pathetic.  I eat what I want when I want, rarely exercise, and only recently starting feeling bad about it! 

I don’t believe that pregnancy is the time to be super-strict about either of those things, as one might tend to go overboard, but I do believe it is VERY important to ‘practice what you preach’.  I have decided to go back to keeping a food and exercise journal (or diary, whatever you want to call it), to help hold myself accountable.  So I will be posting what I eat and what I’m doing for exercise on here as often as possible (except when I am out of town or have no internet access).  I think if I’m posting it for the whole world to see, I will do much better. 

Having a healthy baby (and being a healthy mom) is my ultimate goal, and I think what we do with our bodies AND what we put into them plays a very large role in the health of the baby.  Also, I am planning on natural childbirth, so the better shape I’m in, the more endurance I’ll have for labor and delivery.

I weighed about 148 when I found out I was pregnant, and I weighed 163 this morning (after a yummy weekend at my grandparents’ house), so I am up about fifteen pounds so far.  I’m okay with that.  Our baby girl is growing as she should and seems to be perfectly healthy at this point, but it’s time for her momma to step it up a notch.  So here goes!

Wanted: Temple Repairs!

{ May 16, 2008 @ 12:56 pm } · { Fitness }
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Picture a Christian. What does he/she look like? Sit and think about it for a minute. Did you picture an attractive person who is in good shape? Neither did I. Based on my encounters over the years, I automatically picture someone who is thirty to forty pounds overweight and isn’t doing anything about it.

God tells us in First Corinthians that our bodies are the temple the Holy Spirit who lives within us. We are ordered to honor God with our bodies. Christ lives WITHIN US! Despite that, we consume massive quantities of unhealthy foods all in the name of “fellowship”. We crack jokes about it when we’re around other people. We don’t exercise and use the excuse that it takes away from time with our families. Well, they should be exercising, too! If you don’t care of your temple, who will? Will you be surprised and angry at God one day when you get adult-onset diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, or something else that was completely preventable? Taking good care of yourself is not merely suggested by God, it is MANDATED.

Another verse tells us “whatever you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God.” Why does it specifically mention eating and drinking? How can you honor God with what you eat and drink, anyway? Just pray before you eat it? Do you sit down at McDonald’s and ask God to bless that Quarter Pounder to the nourishment of your body? Eating to the glory of God means eating something that is good for your temple. Eating wholesome, nutritious foods that will nourish your body and give you strength and energy to get out in the world and tell others about Christ. The whole reason we are on this Earth is to lead others to Christ, to further God’s Kingdom. Nothing else matters. Nothing. But how can we fully expect to have the energy and focus to do that when we are pumping our bodies full of preservatives, unhealthy fats, chemicals, and processed junk?

Recently after several months of eating healthy, nutritious foods, I spent about three days eating all the stuff I used to eat. Whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I was really looking forward to enjoying some pizza, cookies, burgers, cake, and all the other ‘goodies’ I used to have on a somewhat regular basis. I quickly found that I was lethargic, sleepy, and unable to focus at work. I felt unattractive, bloated, weighed down, and frumpy. I couldn’t wait to finish that last day and get back to eating healthy! I gained about 13 lbs in those three days, and although quite a bit of it was water weight that I quickly dropped, about five pounds of it is solid fat.

I am just amazed at people who have filled their lives up so much (usually with things that really aren’t important from an eternal perspective) that they are now unable to take care of themselves, and often, their children. It’s heartbreaking, and their children are bound to repeat it. We as the Body of Christ should set the example. We should take better care of ourselves than anybody else. Then when people ask us what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, or even just compliment us on our healthy lifestyle, it opens a door for us to tell them about Christ. What a great opportunity.