ARE YOU “FIT” TO BE A PRINCESS?

Are you fit? Fit to be a princess, that is?

Today I’d like to address the issue of being physically fit. When I say that, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Dread? Excitement? Perhaps something in between those two ends of the spectrum?

What does this have to do with identity, you may ask?

As a daughter of the King of Kings, you have a responsibility as His heir  – with the imprint of His image engraved into the DNA of your heart – to care for the physical body He has given you. Deeply woven within the imprint of His image in your image, is the gift of choice and volition. So, yes, identity and care for your physical body are intertwined. 

This podcast is not about shaming! If you are not used to any physical activity at all, that’s okay! The motivation behind this podcast is to show you as an heir of the King, your worth and value have been established, but that does not relinquish our stewardship and responsibility to care for the one of a kind person we are! But how do you even start to address this part of self-care?

For easy recall, I will discuss topics using an “A, B, C” formula.

So, for starters, let’s ASSESS your fitness score using a scale between 1 to 10. 1 is no activity or exercise whatsoever, while 10 is daily activity or exercise. This purpose of this is simply to gain a current baseline of where you are.

Now let’s set aside your self score, and I’d like to share some recent statistics from the CDC website:

1. 117 billion dollars are spent in annual health care costs associated with inadequate physical activity.
2. Only half of adults get the physical activity they need to reduce and prevent chronic disease.

Before I go further, let’s not dismiss chronic disease. This is a condition that takes time to be established. For instance, you don’t             wake up one morning being a type 2 diabetic; rather, more times than not, it’s a condition that takes time in developing before becoming a diagnosis.

3. The prevalence of obesity between 2017-2018 was 42.4%. This does not include people who are categorized as “overweight”.

What we know about obesity is that it increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Although we have heard that it lowers the risk of the aforementioned conditions, being physically active improves mental health, cognitive function, and provides benefits to healthy aging.

So why is obesity on the rise when, of all times, we have more information about exercise and nutrition than any preceding generations?

I theorize that it’s due to our personal backstories. 

My book, Identity Unveiled, uses the framework of backstory and change the story. These concepts apply to whether or not we are physically active.

First, let me make the distinction between being fit and being athletic. I consider myself physically fit but I’m not in the least athletically inclined. I see athletes of days gone by who are now in the obese category. 

The great news is that you do not have to be athletic to be fit or get fit!

But let’s get back to the backstory. Your backstory can include what was or was not modeled in your family of origin. Did your family members exercise? How did this impact your current beliefs about activity and exercise? Attached to your backstory are beliefs that affect your action or inaction in the present. Your current views of exercise may or may not have had a spillover effect from your backstory.

Let me share my personal backstory for the purposes of illustration:

From an early age – approximately 4, I think – a military doctor diagnosed an on again, off again heart murmur that had resulted from multiple strep throat sicknesses as a toddler. Growing up, I always interpreted that information from my mother as “I can’t exercise because I have a heart problem.” From that part of my backstory, I interpreted a current belief that prevented me from taking any action regarding this component of self care.

I remember well in middle school the absolute dread I would feel before P.E. class. It was ranked as low as math class for me. I had more stomachaches before P.E. than any other class I attended. Specific times of detesting class were the days that we had to jump and flip on the trampoline as well as making up a routine on the balance beam. Is anything worse than that? I think I may have opted for algebra instead! 

During that same period of time, I had a growth spurt, so my father – an avid P.E. teacher and coach – thought that meant that I was capable of playing basketball. We spent endless hours at a neighbor’s basketball court where he taught me form and how to shoot. He finally realized that it wasn’t going to happen. I was grateful for that!

Now let’s fast forward to college. I waited until my senior year to take freshman P.E. That feeling of dread came back once again. I had to run the mile in a designated period of time. My only goal was to keep up with my roommate who informed me she had jogged in high school. I was thankful I didn’t pass out or worse!

I began exercising when my husband was in graduate school. My mom had purchased the Jane Fonda workout book, VCR tape, and aerobic bench as motivation for me to get started.

I learned that my heart actually could withstand aerobic activity! 

My backstory beliefs changed because I had gained weight and didn’t realize it until I couldn’t fit in some of my clothes. That was the motivation I needed for change.

What is your backstory? 

How does that story impact your level of activity or exercise now?

Not only is there a personal backstory about exercise, but what are your current BELIEFS?

These may be conscious or unconscious beliefs you have about exercise. Here are a few I’ve heard:

Something’s going to get me one way or another, so why bother?

I’m happy being middle-aged! It is what it is!

I don’t have time!

What if you looked at this form of self care as a spiritual issue? Dr. Ed Young, senior pastor at Second Baptist Church in Houston, TX writes that “God wants all of you…your mind, your soul, your body” (emphasis added, 6 Weeks to Transformation ebook).

We are told to present our bodies (a command) as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). Furthermore, since God, through His son, paid the price for us on the cross, our bodies aren’t ours! They belong to Him!

Gary Thomas quotes Dr. Young in his book Every Body Matters: “We cannot have total heart health if we focus on the biological heart and ignore the spiritual. But true spirituality means accepting the stewardship of the physical heart God has given as well.”

Furthermore, Thomas asserts strongly that taking care of our physical bodies is the impetus for fulfilling our God-given mission and purpose here on earth. He writes that “protecting your health is the same thing as protecting the vehicle through which God wants to change the world” (p. 45).

What if you changed your beliefs about self care through exercise by reframing the idea that….

1. It’s a stewardship issue because you’ve been bought with a price
2. It will enable you to fulfill your mission

We have looked at your assessment, your backstory, and your beliefs.

Now let us consider CHANGE! What would it take for you to change? A health crisis? I hope not! Why not be proactive with your health? 

Here is something to consider: what is your medical history? As some of you know, I’m adopted, so I have no medical history to rely on. The only thing I know is that my suspected biological father, the former shah of Iran, died of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I have consulted with my doctor who has advised that I get blood drawn yearly to check my white blood count. Otherwise, I am making the CHOICE to be as proactive with my daily and lifestyle choices as I can. 

So, if you’re like me, you don’t know what’s working against you! If you have the benefit of knowing what kind of disease runs in your family, you know what’s working against you! Either way, you need to take care of yourself. It is a daily choice. It is your volition. It is your will. Yes, this goes back to being a daughter of the King of Kings and is part of what makes you created in His image – the ability to choose!

Keep in mind that your chronological age doesn’t necessary equate to your biological age. Your physical fitness “age” can actually be younger than your chronological age. 

Here are some further benefits as you consider CHANGE and CHOICE:

1. Whatever you do will have a cumulative effect. Just as many diseases that cost us billions yearly are chronic conditions, consider exercise the perfect substitute that has cumulative benefits! You choose – chronic or cumulative?
2. You increase your mood by exercising which produces mood-enhancing endorphins.
3. Take responsibility instead of making excuses.
4. Don’t trick yourself into believing that lie that you’re healthy simply because you have no disease. The absence of disease is NOT health.
5. You will sleep better. Just remember not to exercise within two hours of bedtime.
6. Stress reliever. Just 15-20 minutes of brisk walking reduces cortisol.

What’s your action plan?

Please consult with your physician if you have had no physical activity. 

Think about a realistic goal. What about twice a week?

What activity? Don’t choose something you hate!

During COVID, many gyms still haven’t opened. Make it simple. 

What about brisk walking? What about a free weight for strength exercise? What about a yoga mat?

Be creative! One of my gym friends who I haven’t seen in months sent me a short video of herself simply jogging in place at home. 

Don’t use the gym being closed as an excuse. The correct question is: What CAN I do right now?

A. Start with an activity – what do you think you would enjoy?

B. Start with a realistic goal – how many times per week?

C. Reward yourself at the end of the week – coffee with a friend. The goal is to form a new habit. Do not reward yourself with bad food.

D. Think lifestyle and long-term – what you do today adds up!

E. Grab a friend or your spouse.

F. Get moving! It doesn’t matter what you haven’t done; it matters what you’re going to do today.

If you need further assistance with an action plan for getting started, my book on Amazon, Change Unveiled, is a wonderful tool. Grab the book, grab a friend or Zoom group, and have fun. I’ve suggested three separate action plans – beginner, intermediate, and advanced as a guideline.

Rememeber, this is not a contest. It’s all about personal self-care because you – the one of a kind you – is a daughter of the King. Because you are of value and worth because of WHO you are, it is your responsibility to not only consider yourself worthy, and but also worth the effort!

If you have today, you have the choice to change!