>>Tips for Exercising & a Healthy Life
NOTE: Before starting any exercise program, consult your physician.
Inquiring Minds Want to Know . . .
Need some ideas to get started exercising? Doug Jones polled RHEMA alumni on Facebook (he got a whopping 189 comments!) and asked, “What type of exercise do you do on a regular basis?” Here’s what some of your fellow grads are doing:
In their 30s
Regina Roberts (’94, ’95)—Gym three or four times a week, plus chasing four little kids all day!
Paul Ricketts (’95, ’96)—Basketball
Dana Dow Buhs (’96, ’98)—Pilates, Step/Toning Class, yoga, bicycling
Jon (’92, ’93, ’07) and Kim (’05, ’06, ’07) Slusser—Jon: racquetball, squash; Kim: running, Tae Bo
In their 40s
Matthew Parks (’99, ’00)—I ride the exercise bike while checking Facebook.
Elizabeth J. Murray (’08, ’09)—I get outside to exercise, no matter what. I run 20 to 30 minutes, then do 10 minutes of sit-ups/push-ups and stretching.
Brad Allen (’91, ’92)—Gym three times a week, Stairmaster, and weights
Gary Warlick (’81, ’82)—Lift weights one day, run two miles the next
Lesa Edens Jones (’89, ’90)—Three times a week at the gym: weights, rowing machine, treadmill, and so forth
In their 50s
Darlene Willborn (’09, ’10)—Circuit weighted machines, elliptical, treadmill, bike, walk. I do NordicTrack and sit-up machine at home.
Mark Money (’88, ’89)—Wii Fit plus the accompanying 30-day challenge on http://easportsactive.com
Larry Hutton (’82, ’83)—Work out five days a week. Lift weights three days and cardio two days.
Cherie Brant (’82, ’83)—15 minutes of stretching every morning
Guy Evans (’80, ’81)—My regular exercise is boxing. I attend a local boxing gym.
In their 60s and older
Larry Phalen (’82)—I play golf (without a cart) and occasionally go for a walk.
Jay Dodd (’03, ’04)—I exercise on the treadmill and swim regularly at the local YMCA.
Sam and Sherlyn Smucker (’77)—Sam: treadmill and strength training. Sherlyn: two days of strength training with some cardio.
10 Benefits of Exercise
- Gives you more energy—to accomplish more with less fatigue
- Helps you lose weight
- Keeps you young by strengthening muscles, skin, organs, and bones
- Decreases your blood pressure; makes your heart more efficient
- Helps relieve stress
- Decreases the likelihood of blood clots; less chance of heart attack or stroke
- Controls blood sugar
- Helps you sleep better
- Helps your digestionSaves time and money (sick in bed, at the doctor, cost of drugs and medical care, and so forth)
Lifestyle Makeover
4 Steps to Getting a Grip on Health and Fitness
Step #1—Give yourself a break. So you’re not in the shape you want to be in. Feeling bad about it doesn’t help. It’s not how many times you fall down—it’s how many times you get up again! Today is a new day! Don’t be afraid—you can do it!
Step #2—Start embracing that which helps you. Hang around healthy people and glean from them (stop secretly hating them!). Be willing to admit you probably need to change some old ways of thinking, even if it’s uncomfortable at first.
Step #3—Just do it. We’re all busy. But when you’re fit and healthy, every area of your life and ministry improves. You can find 20 to 30 minutes twice a week to exercise.
Step #4—Be patient. Everything good takes time. Be committed. You’re changing your lifestyle here. Determine to be fit for the rest of your life. Stay with it!
Get Up and Move!
Don’t have time to work out today? Even 10 minutes of walking is better than nothing! Do it three times a day and there’s 30 minutes. If you work at a desk, get up every hour and walk briskly down the hall. Stand up while talking on the phone. While watching TV, get up and do some stretches. Do housework or mow the lawn yourself. Park farther away so you have to walk a bit. Plan family outings that require movement.
Keys to a Long & Healthy Life
- Get enough sleep.
- Do some form of regular exercise.
- Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day.
- Eat healthy foods that fuel your body.
- Refuse worry and doubt.
Getting Fit at Church
Here are some RHEMA grads offering exercise programs in their churches . . .
- Real Life Church, Columbus, MS, (Pastor Martin Andrews ’91, ’92) offers a Monday night Pilates class. It operates as a small group and meets in the children’s facilities. www.RealLifeMS.com
- Lighthouse Christian Center, Pittsburg, CA, (Pastor Jason Younger ’92, ’93) holds a martial arts class on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the church gym.
- Living Word Worship Center, Minden, LA, (Pastor David Divelbiss ’95, ’96) holds Zumba classes for women on Tuesdays and Thursdays led by a certified Zumba instructor from their church. www.lwwcMinden.org
- Destiny World Outreach Center, Killeen, TX, (Pastor Chad Rowe ’90, ’91) offers “Fit for the King,” a 6- to 8-week cardio and strength training course based on biblical principles. www.destinywoc.com
- Abundant Life Fellowship, Roseville, CA, (Pastor Doug Bird ’84, ’85) has The Lord’s Gym, a sports outreach center with exercise, basketball, karate, etc. You have to see it to believe it. www.lordsgym.org
Change Your Mind . . .
If you want to see a change in your fitness, start giving it some attention. Get some “want to” by learning about exercise, right foods, vitamins, and so forth. Some of us have a lifetime of bad habits to
undo. The way to get inspired and stick with it is to take in information about exercise and right foods
that encourages you (see Resources on page 20. Check out every website!). Keep a book or magazine by your bed. Vow to pick up a new nugget every day that will get you on track to health (even if it’s just
reading a page or a paragraph). Change your mind to change your life—one step at a time.
