“I can’t.”
“I’ve tried this before, and it never works.”
“I struggle with consistency so that a new fitness lifestyle change won’t work.”
“It’s too hard.”
“I’m not giving up this…”
This list can go on and on. The excuses are never-ending, and that doesn’t help get anyone anywhere. Trying anything that is hard makes it easy to find excuses. Nevertheless, the reward is greater than the easy road. It all starts with the thoughts we allow to run through our minds. If we don’t believe we can do hard things, we won’t.
19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
There is an alternative approach to consider. Give it a try for a week and assess how you feel. Often, people dive into healthy habits too aggressively and end up losing motivation quickly. Setting smaller expectations and goals initially leads to the likelihood of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the long run. Establishing a gradual path can make adopting a lasting and nourishing way of life easier.
Here are some additional tips that can ignite a new mindset. Remember that if the mind isn’t transformed and prepared for a change in health, your body will only follow suit for a short time. There is fitness information in droves; however, here are a few that aren’t widely mentioned often enough:
- Educate Yourself: Learn about different workout techniques, proper form, nutrition, etc. Knowledge empowers us to know what’s best for us. Not all things work for all people. Customizing what is needed for your specific health needs keeps you engaged in your fitness journey. Talk to your healthcare doctor about your plans. This is highly educational and beneficial for your next health steps.
- Set Clear Goals: Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) fitness goals. This strategic planning method is highly effective. It can minimize the lure to take on too much at once. For example, committing to walk (outside or in place at home), jump on a trampoline for 5 minutes and limiting sugar intake in half may be a small step for some but just right for you. Versus doing 30 minutes of a HIIT workout and cutting all sugar from your diet immediately. Your health is yours; make it your own.
- Pray. Start Slow…BUT START: Time to give those goals life! Can dry bones live? Yes, they can when you speak to them. Prayer is powerful. Incorporate it into your health practices. Pray for a mindset shift and the get-up-and-go attitude you want. Putting the key in the ignition is only the start, but you must put it in gear if you want to get anywhere. Get up! Go! It doesn’t need to be perfect, but it does need to be practiced.
- Take Time to Recover: Your body will be developing strength and endurance. It would be best if you also had time to allow your body time to recover from this new lifestyle. Increasing sleep hours if you aren’t getting 8 hours significantly affects how fast your body shifts. Improving water and relaxation can reset your mind and help keep your focus intact.
It’s time to get a strong, healthy mind and body to keep up with the Spirit of God in you. Imagine what you could do if you were in peak health.
