Thoughts on Working Out

Like nearly everyone, I started off this new year with the goal to be more healthy. Now, obviously, this goal quickly spiraled into the goal to work out more. I am a huge advocate of exercise. It is something that I believe everyone should do, and it is something that I do not do enough of. Whether it is cleaning, chasing after children, or hula-hooping on Wii Fit, it is my belief that people should be up and moving as much as possible.

The other night, I decided to go to the gym…that is, until it happened. The inevitable I don’t want to go to the gym meltdown (please tell me I’m not the only one that has these). Then, I started thinking about why I wanted to go to the gym. Here are my thoughts:

Why go to the gym (at that particular moment)

I was a little down on the self-esteem

I wanted to start losing the few pounds I’ve gained since marriage and a desk job started

I want to be “skinny”

I want to be considered “attractive” by the population at large

As I explained these things to Scott (dear husband, you are more than I deserve), I thought to myself NO! I don’t want to jump into the perpetual loop of bad self esteem, exercise to exhaustion, eat nothing to be skinny…repeat. I know too many people who exercise to look good, be skinny, lose weight when they don’t need to, be a size 4, 2, 1…you name it. I myself have really struggled with this in my life.

That’s when it hit me – if my reason for going to the gym is to be skinny and lose weight, then I shouldn’t go.

If my reason to go to the gym is to exercise so that I can have a healthier life, to enjoy time with others, and to take care of the body that God has given me, that’s an entirely different reason.

I’m not there yet. My exercise routine currently consists of working on my self confidence and my mental attitude. Until I am at the point where I am working out to be healthy (not skinny, look good, lose weight, etc…) then I will not go to the gym. And you know what? It’s working.

After forcing myself not to work out the other night, I read Genesis 1, explaining that God created everything, and called it all good. That means me…God called me good. He didn’t say “Sarah is good when she is skinny, at her ideal weight, and barely eating to stay thin.” No, God said “this is Sarah, and she is good.”

Just something to think about.

-Sarah