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In 2015, I hosted a podcast called Health Matters where I interviewed leading health experts. Believing that Bible study and prayer are to the spirit what healthy eating and exercise are to the body, I asked each expert for their “quick tip” on the four branches of Bible study, exercise, of healthy eating and prayer.
I share excerpts from interviews with leading health experts about exercise.
1. Add resistance training
“As women of a certain age, we may think that rapid physical decline is a given. It doesn’t have to be if we include regular cardio and resistance training in our regular programs”. ~Steph Beth Nickell
2. Start small
“I would suggest starting small. Do what you can, even if you can get 5-10 minutes on it that’s great. And hopefully you’ll learn to like it more along the way if you don’t already.” ~Barb Raveling
3. Be consistent
“Be consistent. And you don’t have to work out for an hour in the gym. If you happen to be there one day, it’s great. But maybe for you, it’s walking around the block a few times. It’s okay if that’s where you have to start. But consistent. I can go out and play badminton and practice. I can go out with my kids and play 4-square and call it my workout for the day. It doesn’t have to be some extreme workout that leaves you in a puddle of sweat. But something every day. Something consistent.” ~Rusty Nokes
4. Listen to your body
“My quick tip for exercise is to listen to your body. We have so many crazy exercise programs out there. They are great for many people, but they can cause many injuries. As we begin our journey to health, keep it simple and really listen to our bodies. If something harms our body, it is not good for us. Even if everyone else on the block is training for a marathon if running hurts your knees, don’t. Really listen to your body and find a type of exercise that will help your body get stronger and not injure it.” ~Rachel Almstead
5. Every minute counts
“You know I don’t like exercise, so my advice is this every minute counts. For example, I’ll see how many jumping jacks I can do while my coffee is brewing. Or if there’s something in the microwave, I can do leg curls or arm curls. I can walk up and down the stairs during commercials when watching TV. I think every minute counts when it comes to exercise.” ~Jennifer Waddle
6. Move every day
“Move every day. You don’t necessarily need to belong to a club. You don’t need to do jumping jacks. I’m approaching a tender age and there are certain things I don’t want to do anymore but I can move. Because if you don’t move you’ll lose it. You really have to move your body in some way. Just a walk to the corner store. It’s not that bad. Half a square.” ~Brenda Wood
7. Set a goal
“I know we have a lot of listeners out there who are into different forms of exercise, whether it’s cycling or swimming. But one thing that always keeps me going is me set a goal. I always set a goal for something I want to strive for. For me it’s running. So a good way to do this is to sign up for a race. And as you know, when you sign up for something, your accountability increases a lot because you have it visible now. It’s on the calendar and if you don’t train for it, race day will come around and you’ll be disappointed and think why didn’t I train more for this? You will stay a little more consistent with things. So I think I’m just setting a goal, signing up for something.” ~CJ Hitz
8. Try 10–10–10
“Exercise three to five times a day. I know in this world we don’t have time but if you can divide it into 10 in the morning, 10 in the lunch and 10 in the evening because it will help build a better, stronger foundation so that we can help serve God better and others. So get into this exercise.” ~Renee Wiggins
9. Be properly motivated
“The key to exercise is to have appropriate motivation. You need to understand why you are exercising. The purpose of being worthy is that God calls us to be worthy. Are there opportunities for us to take action and serve and are we ready to do that? If we can answer that question and have the proper purpose and motivation for exercise, all the things that we think we want exercise in terms of weight loss, reducing medication – things like that – will all be received through faith, if our purpose is in God. So being properly motivated is key to exercise.” ~John Hayden
10. Start where you are
“For the beginner, start today and start small. Don’t try to do a whole hour. Start where you are. If it’s a 10 minute walk in your neighborhood, do it. And once you start an exercise plan, Lord knows, don’t stop. Because it’s hard to get back into the groove after you quit. So start small and keep going, be consistent.” ~ Sabrina Memminger
11. Walk
“You have to do it. If you have a pair of tennis shoes, that’s all you need. You can ride in front of the TV during your favorite program. I have women who have lost over 100 pounds walking in front of the TV during a program they liked. You can walk when you’re on vacation, you can walk the stairs at home if you need more cardio.” ~Lori Graves
12. Commit to something small
“Do something small. Commit to something small. Doing 10 push-ups or 10 sit-ups every night before bed. If you commit to something small and stick with it every day, you can always add to it when you feel the drive and motivation to do so. But if you devote yourself to at least this little thing.’ ~Summer Breskov
13. Remember the positive things
“Good regular exercise is defined as two to three times a week for at least 30 minutes at a time. Feel good endorphins, adrenaline, you feel better, your mood is better, your heart is working, it lowers your sugar, it lowers your blood pressure. Even if you don’t lose weight remember that there are other good positive things to get out of regular exercise”. ~Nicole Swinner
14. Train with weights
“Weight Train, weight trainweight training. And I do 30×5. 30 minutes of cardio, 5 days a week. 30 minutes of weight training, 5 days a week.” ~Liz Faison
15. Be ineffective
“My quick tip for exercise would be to look for ways to move throughout your day. I love the gym, but I actually tell most of my clients, forget the gym, go for a walk. What can you do throughout your day to find ways to move? To become ineffective. Take the clothes up the stairs one sock at a time. Get an inefficient habit so you can look for more ways to move throughout your day.” ~Cathy Morenzie
16. Do 30 minutes a day
“30 minutes a day, walking. I love walking. One of the things my doctor shared with me is this at least 30 minutes a dayevery day of the week will help raise your heart rate, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and all that.” ~Aggelos Barino
17. Find what works
“When you can fit it, fit it. I really struggle with this because, with my different conditions, exercise usually triggers something for me, so there is finding what works for you and not feel like you have to keep up with everyone else.” ~Kimberly Rae
18. Play
“I like to use the word play, so find something you love that feels like playing for you. So you’ll really want to go do it. If you hate the gym, then this is not what you should be doing. Maybe you enjoy a good nature walk or an amazing hike wherever you are. Whatever you love makes your body move. Go play everyday.” ~Casey Sollock
19. Do it to glorify God
“I consider exercise to be another way of worshiping God. To express to him your joy and delight in the body he has given you to manage here on earth. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that whatever we do we can do to His glory. Therefore rejoice in him. Choose an exercise you love and do it to glorify Godpraise Him.” ~Heidi Bylsma
20. Just do it
“Just do it. Whatever it is, believe me, I was shocked that I did 60-pound weights and aerobics for several years, and then I was shocked at how much weight I lost just by taking a leisurely walk.” ~Linda Williams
21. Do something
“Just start somewhere. Whether it’s just a walk or a run. Because when you start small, you can build momentum. So my advice for exercise – and there are many different kinds of exercise – is just do something. Whether it’s a walk, a run, or the gym. No need to over analyze it. Sometimes you don’t need a personal trainer, and sometimes you do. You just have to move. So if you focus on doing the little things, you’ll start to build momentum and be able to succeed in other areas of your fitness.” ~Adam Luckey
22. Find your tribe
“My quick tip for exercise is that it’s time to do it find your tribe. Because I love training with people I really love finding my tribe and finding others — for me, ladies can train at the same time I do. I’ve been walking with the same women for 20 years on Thursday mornings. At 6:30 we walk. We meet at someone’s house, sit and have a coffee together, and then go about our day. So find your tribe.” ~Julie Indl
Although the podcast is no longer available, if you would like a copy of any of the full transcripts of the interview, please email me.
This was an excerpt from the Health Matters Podcast, believing that prayer and Bible study are to the spirit what exercise and healthy eating are to the body.
Blessings on your journey to health.
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