The Importance of Fitness

I used to be the girl who didn’t like to exercise in any way, shape or form (unless you count dancing). It was so bad when I was a kid that even though I have a pretty competitive personality, when the teacher said a race was going to happen or they were going to time us running a mile I would think, “Whatever!” I always walked the mile and came in last and I didn’t care that I was last. And those Presidential Fitness tests, forget about it, I wasn’t even going to try and climb the rope.

When I was a newlywed I worked as a server in a 3 story restaurant for years and that job naturally kept me fairly fit or at least let me burn the calories from all the junk food I consumed. But then I entered my 30’s and became a stay at home mom who was way less active and the pounds started to creep up. I wasn’t becoming obese, but the scale was going higher and higher and I knew something was going to have to change. I didn’t want to give up the sweets, so exercise was going to have to be it. We bought bikes and did that some, but didn’t stick with it. We bought a Wii and I did that some, but didn’t stick with it. Then my husband decided that he needed to make a serious life change and lose weight for good.

He hired a trainer and started going to the gym four days a week. He was losing weight and getting stronger and I was just going to the gym when I could, but not really committing. I watched my husband have more and more energy and while he doesn’t “like” working out, he made it a part of a permanent life change. He was day in and day out making a choice to get stronger, healthier and in turn live longer for me and the kids.

Then he said he wanted me to start working out with him and the trainer. Even though I wasn’t totally committed at the beginning, I liked that it would be something we could do together, so I joined in and did whatever the trainer said. And guess what? I have pretty much turned into a “workout girl” and I really do miss it when life gets so busy that we miss our regular workouts. Weight training my arms is my favorite thing each week. I was so proud this summer when I did 40 real push-ups, not the cheater girl kind I had started with over a year ago (which by the way I could only do 1 or 2 of when I started). We no longer meet with a trainer because we know we have made the life change to stay fit. My husband is very meticulous and he puts us through the paces each week.

Fitness is important. I am sure you have heard all the token phrases from every diet product commercial on the market. But for it to take root in your life like it has for us, you need to find the reasons it’s important to you and you alone.

Here are some of my reasons to get you started as you think about this in the coming year:

• I want to live a long time for my kids and not in a sickly state. I don’t want to end up like family members who are in terrible health and on 10 kinds of medicine because they didn’t care for themselves when they were younger. Visiting them in assisted living or nursing homes is just sad and I want to try and combat that now.

• I want to be a good example for our girls while they are little. I don’t want them to have to struggle to make fitness important in adulthood like we did. I believe that if we make it a part of their life now, they will stick with it.

• I like laughing and joking with my husband while we exercise. Exercise is a hobby for us now.

• I want to take care of the body God has given me.

• I want my cute clothes that are still a little too tight to fit again.

• Cookies are my favorite food group and I don’t want to give them up.

 
Louanne lives in Texas with her awesome husband and two daughters. She loves Jesus, cookies, reading, crafting, laughing a lot and baking. She homeschools her girls and also runs a mentorship program for at risk children in a local elementary school. Louanne also enjoys documenting her family’s adventures through photos and blogging, finding coupon deals and making gifts for family and friends. Louanne blogs over at www.dwimble.com and you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.