Move It and Lose It
Note: If you missed yesterday’s post by Rachel Lee Carter on her new book Fashioned by Faith, be sure to scroll down to catch it! You might win a signed copy of this fabulous resource!!
Do you hate exercise?
Me too.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to shake images from my past: being the last around the track in gym class; not being able to do the minimum numbers of chin ups for the President’s fitness test thingy every year; stinking at the ‘dashes’ in track–50 yard, 100 yard. Yep, I was more dwaddle and waddle than dash.
It still affects me today. Even though the gym I go to is full of mostly normal (and several elderly) people—it is a gym/hospital rehab combo, not a trendy gym– I still hate that I can’t crank up the treadmill to the speed of the gal next to me.
But I haven’t hated ALL exercise.
I used to love to play softball. And swim. And I was a cheerleader for years and captain of my college’s dance squad. (no snide remarks, please!)
I liked these activities because I thought they were fun and I was actually sort of good at them.
So, while I am in a bit of a movement slump recently, I’ve decided to quit focusing so much on the movements I loathe and try to go back to some I love.
Yep, just bought me a hip-hop dance exercise dvd . And I will have no audience, thank you very much! I’m hoping it will make the movement more enjoyable.
And I’m also planning on combining walking (which I don’t mind too much) with chatting with friends ( which I love). My Made to Crave Bible study is finished but some of us want to get together to pray and walk.
I think I’ll call it Made to Move.
We’ll just have to be careful we don’t walk to a coffee shop, grab an iced latte and drink back all the calories we just burned!
Now, tell us– what exercise do you enjoy?
There may or may not be a Starbucks gift card for one of you, chosen randomly, who comments! (You’ll just have to promise me you won’t use it for one of those screamin’ goodies in the glass bakery box!!!)
P.S. Thanks for the reminder in the comments from Gabriela. Have any of you memorized any scripture like we talked about back in March on this post? Let us know!!
Moving Blessings,
I LOVED Zumba while I had a gym membership, but we now live 30mins from the closest gym with a class. Since we homeschool, that drive (+ the gym and gas costs…YIKES!!) makes it impractical. However, I also LOVE Dance Dance Revolution :) Thanks to my hubby and son, I own many discs and can dance away whenever I like. I’m working on jogging, too…just managed 4.25 miles last night in the 50mins my kids had piano lessons. Do what you love because it’s better to move, no matter what you’re doing!!!
Yes, that will-power to get out of bed early and greet the day with hard work and sweat! NOT the most motivating at times, but I am a regular Walk at Home (Leslie Sansone) video girl (I own about 10 to keep it interesting.). I also hike with my boys at least once a week. We also do Scottish Country Dance – culture AND P.E.!!!
I really enjoy walking with other moms after we take our kids to school. I also like to ride bikes with my husband and children. Probably more than anything else, though, I LOVE to dance! Since wedding receptions and nights out at dance clubs aren’t always accessible, Wii games work in a pinch. My girls and I have started dancing together at least once a week…such fun!
I really do enjoy running. Yes, I do enjoy it ~ most days anyway! (wink, wink) Never thought I would like running until I tried it last summer. I think it is one of those exercises you either love or hate. And I’ve found I love it : ) Happy dancing!
Well, I am not good at staying consistent with it, but my friend and I do the Leslie Sansone Walking DVD’s and we have different ones so we try to switch it up so we dont get bored with it. I would love to play tennis, but I have such bad knees that that is a hard thing to do. I dont have a bike, but I LOVE to bike ride. :) I did it alot when I was a teen and had AWESOME legs ;) hehehe
I love to walk with my husband at our local park. The only problem is I have been diagnosed with tarsal tunnel syndrome in my feet (that is carpal tunnel in hands.) My feet are asleep 24/7. It can be quite painful. I am believing for healing – pray with me please.
I am going to continue walking as much as I can as soon as the deluge of rain stops here in Pennsylvania.
I also love to swim but rarely get an opportunity. I have always been a complete failure at sports so that won’t work. I love to dance but get few opportunities.
Hope I don’t sound like I’m whining. I just need to keep on trying.
The Lord will provide what I need.
I love walking with my daughter or my friend but the weather has been so miserable that I have not been very motivated. Bike riding and the Wii Fit are also fun options.
I enjoy biking and water walking our two lazy rivers at two different water parks. They leave a few jets on and one can walk with the current or against it. In the off-season, water aerobics of all types of classes is available at the YMCA’s.
I did not grow up loving exercise for many of the same reasons as you but as I got older it really has become a stress release. I like running, because it burns more calories than most in a short period of time and I love lifting weights. I teach a water aerobics class for seniors and I love the wisdom that comes from these lovely people.
Since you love to dance, I would suggest you try Zumba. It really is alot of fun!!
I love hiking – not just walking, but hiking trails, wilderness hiking, etc.
I have to say I love being on the treadmill, I do intervals run a minute walk fast a minute. what helps me stick to it is reading a good book. Yesterday I was re-reading a chapter from INS while on the treadmill and it helped me complete 50 mins!. God revealed during this time that we need to focus on his for help and for weight loss transformation. It is from him and from within us that we are able to excercise to loose weight. He showed me I can accomplish anything when I shift my focus from things onto him and let him do the transforming…It was an ahha practically in tears from a chapter while running/walking on the treadmill It reminded me that I am nothing with out God and that threw him all things are possible. Had I not been reading his word I would have not been able to stay on the treadmill. I may have let myself quit earlier. I am sucker for weight loss things, from videos for dance, yoga,Zumba video game etc etc…quipment yadda yadda yadaa..same results it fails with time. It is an eternal transformation that I needed because all those things motivate and fade away and become boreing but God and his word are living, and full of treasures and his motivation is continuous! If I win I would use the money to treat my 89 year old grandmother to a decaf starbucks drink. But I personally love the vanilla chai latte (hot) they are delicious!
I love to walk, either with my husband, a friend, or even by myself. I have my Mp3 player (I don’t have an Ipod yet) loaded with upbeat Christian Songs and love to listen to them as I walk. My goal is to graduate to jogging and/or running, and perhaps in a few pounds less I’ll manage to do that. I’ve read Made to Crave, and since January I’ve lost nearly 35 pounds! Finally learning and accepting that my body is God’s Temple and worthy of being taken care of has been such a blessing. I feel much closer in my relationship with God, and I feel better physically. I have so much more energy, and my goal is to use that new found energy to serve God in a greater capacity than I ever have before.
Karen,
Thank you for the challenge from March, Date with James, to memorize something from the Scriptures by May 1st!!!! I started the Reshaping It All with Candace and today’s verse is the one I’ve finally began to memorize here!!!! It’s amazing!!! I’ve been coming across it a lot lately even at the Royal Wedding!
Thanking God for everyone He has used to bring me back to memorizing His Word!
I love dancing around the living room with my kiddos! I also enjoy walking (outside, not on a treadmill WITH music in my ear).
I enjoy swimming, biking, and walking. Also dancing – have tried some videos and like my Richard Simmons the best. It is easy to follow and fun. Also like Leslie Sansone walking videos – again very easy to follow and uplifting (she is a believer). I’ve got to stop waiting for the sun to come out here in southeast Michigan – and just get outside and enjoy the flowers telling me it is spring!
Which hip hop dvd did you purchase? Do you like it? I love to dance – sweetheart husband not so much. So stopped to dance all together. Previous video’s (yup the VHS kind – been awhile) that I purchased i never seemed to like. If you like your hip hop – please share!!
I do enjoy walking, but only in fair weather – which I can usually find some excuse why the weather is not fair!
Walking at the park…with my husband or friends…talking and walking…the best of both worlds
:o)
I have put on quite a bit of weight—-ugh!!! I like to walk,but really like to do it with someone. I really have to do something tho–I know I will feel better–and probabaly look better too!!!! Thanks and blessings,Barb
My favorite exercise is walking. It give me a chance to pray and reflect as I walk. Have a blessed day. Starbucks is a treat for me, as it is so expensive. When I do get one it is a 1/2 decaf 1/2 regular coffee with lowfat milk. A card would be nice.
I love walking – more outside than in, but will do either. I really love the treadmill when I have my ipod (which is loaded with inspirational and some funky dance songs) with me. I just started back to the gym and am loving the classes – who knew??? :) Zumba and step are the 2 I have tried and I am planning to be there for kickboxing tonight. Gonna get the body, I was created to have one of these days. :) Thanks for the reminder to MOVE!!!!
I never thought I would say this, but after following the Couch to 5K training program, I actually enjoy running. Really, I “run” so slow it’s just kinda like fast walking, but I get out there and do a half hour of running/walking and I feel good when I’ve finished. And I am totally an aerobics chick, too. I think it goes back to our cheerleading days!
I like walking if I have someone to walk with – the walking is relaxing but when you go with someone else and just chat about whatever it feels more like an indulgence than exercise.
I love to swim. I used to be a really strong swimmer, but knees and hips and shoulders that give me problems mean that I have been forced to adapt my strokes. So while I won’t win any races and look a little funny, I am one happy girl as I get in the pool and swim laps. As I swim I pray for family and friends and give thanks that I am able to be where I am and doing what I am doing. The time passes in a flash.
Good morning!!!!
I like dancing ( aerobic, ballet, tap)!
This is the first part of the verse I am memorizing for me from Romans 12:1
“I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.”
Let’s see if I got it right:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
YES! I need the correct punctuation though. Now I can start memorizing the next verse: Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
I do enjoy walking (when the weather is nice). I’ve been doing 20 min. of various workouts online (I like the hulu.com Self workouts). 20 min. works for me! I try to fit in some other kind of exercise later – walking, praise moves (stretching – with Bible verses to meditate on). I make sure that 3 days a week my 20 min. includes strength training. I do see a difference even from that short time and that motivates me.