How does your Garden Grow?

Here's another article from my church's website.

Spring is just around the corner and after a long, cold, hard winter, thoughts of spring remind us of new life, energy and new beginnings. Spring is the perfect time to plant a garden and if you’ve made your New Year’s resolution to become healthier, let’s talk about what you need to plant in your GARDEN.

First you’ll need to plant 3 rows of "SQUASH"

1. "Squash" your fear
2. "Squash" those feelings of failure
3. "Squash" low self-esteem

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

Armed with this promise from God, plant 5 rows of "Peas".

1. PLAN:

In order to start on the journey off the couch, you need a plan. "Of course!" you’re saying, but you would be surprised how many people just "know" that they need to do something but don’t have a plan. Just wanting to do it is not enough.

First, you need to determine realistic and yet challenging goals for yourself. Next, you need to decide WHEN you’re going to exercise and WHAT you’re going to do. Don’t just leave it to chance and hope that you can somehow fit some exercise in. My clients probably got tired of hearing me say, "Knowledge is power. " But, it’s true. Spend some time researching the basics of exercise or consult a personal trainer who can help you construct a plan that’s right for you.

After you’ve decided on a basic plan, get even more specific.

Ask yourself these questions on Sunday:

• How many days am I going to work out this week?
• How long am I going to be working out in each session?
• Will you be at the gym? outside? In your basement?

A sample plan might look like this: Monday, Wednesday and Friday: Walk for 30 minutes and do 30 minutes of strength training. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday walk for 30 minutes. Your plan might need to be different. That’s OK. The point is; you need to find the plan that will work for YOU. The latest workout DVD or book will do you no good if it’s not something you can or will follow. A safe, realistic plan will give you the results you’re looking for and help safeguard against discouragement and injury.

2. PARTNER:

The next "P" is to have a partner in your workout plan for the week. Many people say that they can’t find a partner for exercise, but you might be surprised if you asked a neighbor. You’d be amazed at how much your motivation can increase when you combine socializing and exercising.

While training for my first marathon, I joined a running group that helped me tremendously. A warm bed is easier to get out of when you know that someone is waiting for you. Some people find this same kind of motivation from participating in group sports or fitness classes. Just don’t try to go it alone. That’s a recipe for discouragement. A partner can gently push you and hold you accountable. And don’t tell yourself that you’ll wait until you get into better shape and then you’ll workout with someone else. Do it now.

Building on our first "P" the PLAN and now our second "P" a PARTNER your workout plan could look like this:

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday - Walking with neighbor
• Tuesday, Thursday - Strength train with personal trainer
• Saturday, Sunday - Rest or allow walking the dog to be my exercise for the day

3. PATIENCE:

One of the main reasons that people drop out of an exercise plan is that they get impatient. We all know the benefits of working out; both physically and mentally, so, why do we give up too easily? Well, for one thing, we forget that it took a little while for the weight to come on. It’s hard to swallow our pride and accept where we are in regards to our fitness. We focus on the past and not on the present. "I used to be a size 8!" "I used to be able to run a 7 minute mile in high school." We get so impatient to get back what we used to have, that we burn out too quickly.

The advertising industry knows that it’s tough for most people to be patient. Just look at any fitness magazine and you will see on the cover things like "Perfect Abs without doing any Work!" "Lose 10 pounds in three days!" The "quick fix" exercise plan is usually dangerous, definitely unhealthy and many times ineffective. Just remember, you didn’t put this weight on overnight: If you haven’t been exercising on a regular basis for a while, then I can guarantee that it will be hard in the beginning. But, be patient. You will get stronger and you will see results if you stick with it. It may be cliché but it’s true: "slow and steady wins the race.

4. PERSISTENCE:

The dictionary defines being persistent as refusing to give up in spite of opposition, obstacles, and discouragement; even to the point of being obstinate. I love this. In this highly sedentary world, we need to be so persistent in our efforts to stay healthy that some would call us obstinate. I tell my clients all the time that they just need to be consistent and stick with it. If working out five times a week is going to cause you to burn out and then do nothing the next week, then it’s better for you to work out only three times a week and do that consistently.

It is said that the marathon is just the final victory lap of all of the hard training and preparation. This is where you see results: stay with it; week after week. Make exercise a habit and a priority.

5. POSITIVE:

This brings us to our last P: Be Positive. The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 2:14 " Do everything without complaining"

Believe it or not, even exercise can be done without complaining! :) Try to have fun with it and know that you are doing something worthwhile for your body.

Exercise improves your mood, helps you lose weight, helps combat depression and chronic illnesses and helps you sleep better. Need more reasons to do it? Come talk to me, I’ve got lots. We all know how important it is to exercise and be healthy. So, the question is, what’s in your garden? Do you have plenty of P’eas ?