Photo by Iyan Kurnia on Unsplash
I hosted a podcast called Health Matters where I interviewed leading health experts. Stephanie Nickel is a freelance writer and editor who collaborates regularly HopeStreamRadio, labor doula and former personal trainer. Steph is selectively interested and selectively engaged.
Why are exercise and a healthy diet important for Christian women?
“Eating healthy and exercising has so many benefits. We have more energy, sleep better, work more efficiently, get things done faster. And whether you’re a Christian or not, these things are really important.
“I know from the other side that if you spend a lot of time worrying about your dress size or what the scale says or obsessing that you’re not getting enough exercise, it can backfire.
“But there are so many positives that I just think are part of being a good steward of the body God gave us.
“And while we’re here on earth we do things with our bodies. We know we have to go here and there and we have to stay as healthy and strong as we can.
“Although we can’t fend off every disease that comes along, if we exercise our bodies regularly, our immune system works better and can fight these things off.
“Most of us realize, especially when we get to be women of a certain age, that sleep doesn’t always come as well as it might have in the past and it would be nice to know that if we exercise regularly (not right before bed) then we will sleep better and we are more awake and fresh and ready to face the challenges of our day.
“Eating well is really the same thing because if we eat foods that weigh us down and make us feel sluggish and sluggish, then we won’t be able to work as efficiently as we want, our minds won’t be as sharp as they are. it must be, and it is really difficult to do those things which God has given us to do in a day, if we do not feed our bodies as they should, and keep them moving as they should.
How can busy women find time to take care of their mental and physical health?
“This is a huge challenge. I could probably make a fortune if I could give you the one size fits all answer.
“I heard a story where a teacher had assigned his students to write down every minute of the day what they did for an entire week. It would be tedious but very doable.
“Then they looked at the list of priorities they had set and then compared it to the time they had spent in each different area during the week and realized that it had been reversed. The things they said were most important actually got the least attention and vice versa.
“So I think the first thing we have to do is realize that we’re never going to find the time to do what’s important, we have to do it. We have to choose our priorities well, and if, as Christians, we want to put the Lord first in ministry and family and what we say is important to us — prayer, Bible study, all of that — then we’re going to have to plan our day in such a way that this can happen.
“Because if we get up and start running as soon as our feet hit the ground, it’s likely that enough things will come to distract us that the things we really want to be most important in our lives won’t fit into our lives . program.
“It’s important to wake up maybe an hour earlier if you’re a morning person and you can do that. Or stay up a little longer after your family is tucked in for the night and do those things that are important. Capture these moments throughout the day.
“We all have those little moments during the day where we’re waiting in line or on hold on the phone or something where we can say even a short prayer, where we can pray for the people around us. to let our minds race to the next 10 things to do.
“It’s not easy to prioritize, but I think it’s critical if we’re going to put everything on our schedule. There are only 24 hours in each day and there should be some things we let go of. It’s very easy to let go of those things that are really important to us and think, “I’ll do it next week, next month, or next year.” We have to make it happen today and let go of some of those things that we think are important, but maybe they’re not as important as we thought they were.”
Stephanie challenged me to think about my priorities and make time for the things I valued most. I recognized the need to be intentional with my limited time.
Although the podcast is no longer available, if you would like a copy of any of the full transcript 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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