Fit For the Mission

By Lisa Jarvis

 It is so easy to make excuses as to why we don’t eat as healthy as we can or take care of our bodies.   We justify bad health decisions in so many ways. We think we don’t have time, we think we can’t cook, we are too tired, and the list goes on. But when it comes down to it, there is unfortunately, a price to pay for a poor diet or lack of exercise.  For one, our clothes get tight and uncomfortable and we feel bad about how we look. We pay the price by feeling sluggish with low energy. Maybe the doctor needs to prescribe new medications that we must take. It is a known fact that more and more Americans struggle with obesity and other diseases linked to poor food choices. We might suffer with aches and pains which prevent us from enjoying activities we used to love. The more extra weight we are carrying, the worse we feel, leading us to be inactive and it becomes a vicious cycle!  An unhealthy lifestyle can literally take years off your life!  We all know that a healthy lifestyle, including eating right, getting enough rest, staying hydrated, and getting exercise can not only help you live longer, but also help you enjoy your life so much more!  A healthy lifestyle can simply start with a decision. It can start with a decision to value yourself, and the people who love you, enough to take of your health, and see it as the gift that it truly is!  When you see yourself through God’s eyes and realize how loved and valued you are, it changes how we care for this wonderful gift of life that we have been given. I want to share how I went from tired and weak to strong and energetic just by a shift in my mindset, realizing how important my health is, and that there is no magic pill to health and fitness. Most importantly, I relied on God to help me! It is not about going on yet another diet! Diets are a temporary fix. Changing my lifestyle for good was my goal.  I decided to live up to what God has made me capable of.  It began with me realizing that if I was going to feel strong and healthy, it was up to me. I began making good food choices and getting the exercise I needed, relying on God in everything! Wow, did it change my life!

I have always eaten fairly healthy, and was always pretty active, but it was when I hit age fifty that I really started feeling tired all the time and started gaining weight.  I was feeling the effects of menopause and it was depressing!  By the time afternoon rolled around each day, I was ready for bed! Trying not to take medications to relieve the symptoms, I started reading about clean eating and exploring what I could do to jumpstart my metabolism with new kinds of exercise that I hadn’t tried before.  After doing some research, I cut out added sugar and overly processed foods from my diet.  I chose foods with as few additives and preservatives as possible. I focused on lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, like olive oil and avocados, and whole grains. After a little while, I really noticed a transformation.  Not just a transformation in how I look, but the amount of energy I had!  I noticed I had much more clarity of thought!  My frequent headaches went away, my blood pressure got lower, and I have a much more positive outlook!  I didn’t realize what a connection there was between a good diet and exercise, and a good mood!  My eyes even look brighter!  I thank God for leading me to not give in to “just feeling older” but to get up and decide to change things!  I started going to the gym, eventually joining several group fitness classes, and doing cardio workouts along with weight training. I made some great new friends at the gym too!  I began to see results which boosted my confidence.  With each fitness goal I reached, my confidence grew and it spilled over to every area of my life!  Things I only dreamed about doing before are now possible because I believe in myself! At age 52 I went back to college to get a degree in Culinary Arts! I was in classes with much younger people, but I fit right in and had a great time!   I found that there is no shortcut to feeling and looking my best. The “magic pill” is a combination of eating heathy foods, in moderation, and having a regular exercise routine. It isn’t magic, but it works!  With Gods help, I am living a very healthy and fulfilling life, with the energy to enjoy it! I graduated from culinary school and started my healthy food blog, Food for Thought! I got certified as a group fitness instructor and I teach Body Pump at a local gym. I am now enjoying teaching a fun workout class and sharing healthy recipes, with folks all over the world!

 People often ask what I do for my workouts.  When I tell them what I do, most people say something like “that is too much work for me” or “I am not much of an exercise person”.  But I have to say this, yes, getting up every morning for three years at 4:45 am and being at the gym at 5:30 a.m. is hard work. Joining a weight training class when I felt terrible about myself and couldn’t do one push-up was hard. Doing cardio over and over, day after day, on the elliptical is hard. Having self-discipline is hard!  But on the other hand, feeling tired, sick and weak was hard too. Feeling bad about myself was hard. Having very little energy was hard.  So, I guess you can say, I chose my hard, and boy am I glad I did!  I feel amazing!  I love looking back at an old picture of myself and seeing progress. I love feeling so much stronger than before.  I love enjoying outdoor activities and challenging myself physically.  It is so worth any small sacrifice that I have made. It started with that decision to make good health a priority, taking action, and turning those actions into daily habits. Yes, daily choices to eat right, get my workout in, and just be positive, turned into habits. Then habits became a lifestyle! I always say, if you are alive, then God has a purpose for you! He has placed people in your life to serve and enjoy. God has surrounded you with opportunities to share His love with others. It is hard to serve and be your best, with no energy. When we see our health as Christ-centered and not self-centered, it becomes about being the person God created us to be and representing Him the best that we possible can. There are things about our health that we cannot control, but much that we can!  

Having said all that, even if you go the gym and exercise every single day, but you are eating a poor diet full of junk, you are probably not making much progress. They say abs are made in the kitchen and I believe this to be true!  You cannot out-exercise a poor diet!  But with the combination of a healthy, clean diet and exercise, you can reach and keep your fitness goals. Your family will benefit too! They will be eating healthier and be motivated by your commitment to good health. Some days are hard and I don’t feel very motivated. On those occasions, I turn to the Lord for encouragement. Turning to Him for help and guidance in every area of my life, including my health, keeps me grounded and focused on the big picture. If I am caring for myself, I am much more able to care for the people I love! I feel a sense of purpose and I know that by taking care of the body God gave me, I am much more able to serve Him and serve others and live my life to the fullest, the way He intended.  Remember your health is like a bank account. You have to keep making wise investments! You can’t expect a healthy “bank account” if you are continually eating foods that will destroy it!  Now is the time to get started.  It is never too late to decide to start investing in your health. Remember what it says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”. This includes your health!

Putting the very best fuel in your body and getting regular exercise not only makes you look better and gives you more energy, but it can actually elevate your mood!  Unfortunately, when we feel down or depressed, we crave foods high in fat, carbohydrates, and sugar. If we eat too much of all that, we end up feeling worse.  Research has shown that a healthy diet doesn’t just improve your physical health, such as your heart and your lungs, but also your mental health. Research studies have found a link between eating foods that contain nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, vitamin D, magnesium, and B vitamins, among others, is linked to emotional well-being. I know that when I started eating clean, one of the things I noticed was that I felt like a fog had lifted, so to speak. I could think more clearly and was much more alert. I was just in a better mood and my family is really glad about that!  A good diet, along with proper hydration, enough sleep and exercise can have you feeling like a new person!

In Christian Women Living, I will be sharing some of my favorite tips and recipes!  I am going to share with you some of all all-time favorite healthy recipes from my blog, Food for Thought. My recipes are simple and well-balanced.  Like I have said, I feel the key is simply eating properly portioned, balanced meals.  It’s nothing new, but something we have gotten away from.  I will also share with you some of my ideas to help you plan meals, as well as good meal prepping tips, and helpful ideas for a healthy lifestyle. One of my favorite Bible verses is Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” The life, purposes and missions God has given us should motivate us to represent Him the best we can! Let’s get healthy together!