The Gym.

So I made a bold commitment last week of agreeing with God that no matter if I was uncomfortable, didn't want to do something, or even if it scared me I was going to obey what he wanted me to do. One of the biggest parts of this is the way I treat my physical body. I grew up in a home where exercise was not really a part of my day to day life. The only time that I got any actual exercise was with participating in sports. I was heavily involved in athletics in the summer with softball and that was probably the time that I got the most exercise. In saying that, I certainly didn't know how it affected my body or that it was the exercise I was trying to get. I just loved to play softball.

In the same respect, diet was not really a huge issue either. I grew up in the Midwest which means that most dishes that you eat are either fried, covered in gravy, or just made with the fattiest cuts of meat. I really didn't know the benefits of a healthy diet or making sure I got enough fruits and vegetables. It was completely cultural for me to view food as a way of celebrating and certainly a way to relax. I quickly understood that and used food for years to comfort some of the other unhealthy things that were going on.

On top of these two crucial pieces for health, I also didn't really value doctor's appointments nor their orders. I would go to the doctor if and only if I had strep throat, chicken pox, or something else just as serious that required the bubble gum tasting antibiotic Amoxicillian and other than that, there were no appointments. I don't remember going in for regular checkups even at the eye doctor or dentist...until there was a problem or braces. As you can see, in my home health was just not a priority.

This is not a post to bash my parents or even to put down the state of Indiana. It is just a start of why this problem is what it is. I have made a commitment to start caring about my health. This means the following:

1. Take my diabetic meds as directed. (Yes, it was hard to commit to that before)
2. Do 30-40 minutes of exercise EVERY day.
3. Eat appropriate meals to correspond with diabetic plan and demonstrate moderation in things that are NOT in the plan.
4. Get regular checkups with general physician, female doctor, diabetic doctor, dentist, eye doctor, etc...
5. Take care of my mental health by doing stress relieving quiet time each day.

For the most part, these are the guidelines that I think I need to learn to carefully take care of my body. I am sad that it took 30 years to figure this out but....at least it is a start. I will be excited to share with you all on my journey to lose some weight and see my health increase significantly. Keep me in your prayers. It's hard to be obedient.