The Nonathletic Athlete

1 Corinthians 9:26-27

“Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.”

Isaiah 40:29-31

“He gives power to the faint, abundant strength to the weak. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, they that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.”

Proverbs 24:5, 31:17

“A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might.” “She girds herself with strength; she exerts her arms with vigor.”

1 Corinthians 9:25

“Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.”

My three older siblings are athletic monsters.  They all have participated in sports and have worked out in the gym over the years.  Then fifteen years after the youngest child was born, I came along.  From the very beginning it was obvious that fairies, unicorns, and everything pink was the direction that I was going.  When I played soccer, I was the cute kid in front of the goal picking flowers and chasing butterflies.  During volleyball, I kept my eye on the ball but feigned having contact whenever possible.  I was so well known for pretending to play the game that when I scored the winning point in one game by hitting the ball trying to protect my face, everyone felt that it was divine intervention.  

I have always wanted to be athletic and work out but it always seemed like there was a barrier from allowing me to participate in a physical fitness regime.  As I became more immersed in the Word of God, I discovered that my physical body is a gift from God that I am responsible for taking care of.  This ignited a new spirit in me to figure out what a nonathletic person could do to to work out and also to discover motivation to keep me going.  Here's what I came up with for myself.  Hopefully it will help others that are in the same boat that I was in.

Relieves Stress
            When I work out, it gives me time to let go of everything else that is going on in the world and to let my mind focus on myself for a while in a healthy manner.  This relieves the stress of all the things that I need to do each day.

Food Choices

When you work out you become more aware of how your body burns calories and builds muscle.  The food that is put in your body should be seen as fuel to help your body to function and become healthier.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Is this a workout that I can do?
            It is good to challenge yourself, but do not make the workouts so difficult that you are not able to continue.  I am personally not an extreme cardio or weight lifting person but I do want to be strong and fit.  Workouts that I have found that I can do successfully are yoga, free weights using lower weight more reps, and swimming.

Where do I feel most comfortable working out?
            Workouts in the gym, in classes, and in my home are in my realm of experience.  You have to figure out what is most comfortable for you.  I have had difficulties going to the gym alone.  If I have a fitness buddy or a couple of buddies, I am more comfortable.  We adapt our work outs with what each of us is most comfortable with.   In addition to becoming more fit, I am spending time with friends and benefit from their fitness knowledge.

How do I figure out what fitness regime is best for me?
            The main goal is to get your body moving.  Do not look at what other people are doing or compare yourself to them.  You are you!  Think about what you like to do.  Maybe you like being outside, so you could take walks in the neighborhood or at the park, etc.  You can start out by just a nice stroll and enjoy being out.  As you keep up this routine, you can maybe pick up the pace or walk a longer distance.  Do it your style. 

            Maybe you have never done any physical activity and have no idea what to do.  Look on the internet for ideas.  Look at classes offered at the Park and Rec.  Maybe a dance class would be fun and I am not talking about extreme Zumba or aerobics that take you out after the first fifteen minutes.  You can do online programs at home.  Maybe you would like to try yoga but have found it to be too difficult.  Try doing a chair yoga class or video.  Just start doing something consistently.  Over time you will feel better and will start expanding your options.    

Make a reasonable plan and then do it.  Yes, pray for help when you need it.

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.