Fit Mommy Friday: Facing our Challenges

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encouraging each other

to care well

for the bodies God has given us

Welcome to the Health and Fitness Check-In column of The Christian Home Carnival, posted weekly. For encouragement and accountability, you can check in using the comments at the bottom of this post. Please feel free to join any time, and at whatever level of fitness and health you currently have.

I’ve recovered enough from my foolish swimming episode 4 weeks ago that I am now able go for daily walks in the half-frozen mud.  It’s blissful, wandering outside with the kids and the dogs in the crisp sunlight.  It feels good to be able exercise again.  I am thankful, very thankful.

Saturday I wistfully read Briana’s goal to walk 6000 steps a day and aim for 10,000 steps one day.  That evening I was astonished to notice that I had almost achieved that 10,000 step goal myself!  But it was too much, and I had sore hips for a few days afterwards.  My physiotherapist says it’s crucial to increase exercise slowly.  It takes a curious mixture of self-discipline to exercise enough but not too much. 

We all have issues that interfere with our journeys to fitness.  Most of us face a complex mixture of physical, organizational, emotional, and spiritual challenges.  Once we understand that, we can prayerfully tackle the different challenges, taking steps to overcome them.  

The physical weakness that slowed me down for a month is no longer a major problem.  Now I’m fighting the lure of chocolate-covered peanut butter balls, crisp gluten-free peppernuts, and spicy speculaas cookies.   

What’s your fitness challenge?  And did you achieve your goals this week?

Here’s how I did:

Record my fitness accomplishments each day…yes.

Do my eye exercises 3x a week … Yes, although I must admit that I did the last set just now so I could say I did them.  Since they should, ideally, be done several times a day, I’m increasing my goal to 5 times a week.  Although it’s not much, it is a step in the right direction.

Go for a daily walk and take at least 6000 steps a day … I only walked 4 times, but I’m thankful that is possible again. Here are my daily step totals: 6000, 9600, 4600, 5900, 5700, 7200.

Do my physio exercises daily and slowly build up to the half program by December 31 … While I didn’t do them daily, I did do them.  Some of the exercises seem to hurt my neck, so I just skip those.

Avoid sugar five days a week … Not at all.  This is my biggest struggle these days.

Eat lots of vegetables, including fresh ones, and yoghurt … Yes.  And bacon. (Yum!)  Somehow a high-fat breakfast makes the whole day better, but that could be dangerous.

Relax daily… Most days I was able to rest.  Yesterday’s French lesson with Miss 14 put me to sleep so the children gently covered me with a blanket and let me sleep for an hour.  It turned out to be a blessing because I was alert enough to pick up our van from the mechanic’s in the dark.

Have fun with the kids, including active fun… Swimming, walking, playing with the dogs, cleaning up the yard and garden (fun for me, not so much for them), as well as laughing, reading aloud, and even playing a board game.

How about you? Did you exercise, eat well, and relax happily this week? Let’s encourage each other to care well for the bodies God has given us. Please link up your health and fitness post in the comments below, and don`t forget to link back here from your post. Then enjoy visiting and encouraging other Fit Mommies just like you.