"Muscle Bound" beyond the Body to a Life Style!

#GarrettCobbs and I tutoring workout terms during reading...

It was a busy day, people were racing from one station to another, grabbing items obviously on paper lists that they brought with them or ones from memory. Few people had time to smile, say anything, only time to rush their baskets squeezing wheels forward toward the end destination to checkout and get home or wherever they needed to be. It was in the checkout line that I met her, a woman about my age with a shopping cart overflowing with grocery items and household needs. She looked tired, overwhelmed and ready to melt into the floor. I smiled and mentioned what a nice day it had been, offering words of encouragement. She looked at me like a deer caught in headlights, as we as southerners say.

It was all it took, as it usually does. My sons have teased me for years, that I can find out about everyone in the grocery line and the clerk by simply saying, "Hello" and looking in their shopping cart. It's a gift I suppose. This particular woman began telling me her life story so I listened. Her husband had walked out and recently moved in with the woman she thought was her best friend. Those groceries were the first she had been able to buy because she had finally got alimony. He refused to help with their two daughters who both had Autism and were over the legal age for child support. Then she went on to tell me how her health was in serious condition due to the stress. I tried to keep my eyes focused on her face, but they slipped to her shopping cart. It was then she said, "I know, I need to eat better and exercise, but I just don't have time." It as then, I took a deep breath, said a prayer and opened my mouth...

I have said a thousand times, deciding to live healthy is a choice. You an't sit by me and offer a single excuse not to live a healthy life style.  For the same amount she was buying what was in her grocery cart, she could have made a difference in her life and in her home. Her focus had to change to, let the man go, he isn't worth the time he is occupying in her head... Then I made some daily suggestions to help her daily, one step in front of the other, and soon she would see the courage that lives deep within her to move forward in her life.

Simple Tips for "Muscle Bound" 

within Daily Living:

1.  First thing in the morning, make your bed! It sounds simple, but there is something about walking in your bedroom and seeing the bed made, pillows propped up and then when you crawl in the sheets at night from being made that morning.
2.  Get up an hour earlier than normal, even if you don't feel like it, meditate. Take this time to mediate, read scripture, list at least three things you are grateful for, read devotionals, pray, focus on your breathing, read positive influences. Do not pick up the newspaper or turn on the news! Have this quiet time before the rest of the house gets up.
3.  Walk at least 1 mile everyday. This can be at lunch or while you are waiting on the kids practice at soccer. Use downtime or while you waiting for someone or something.
4.  Drink 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water every day then add two more. Can't stand water? Then add lemon juice or lime. Move away from sodas, beer, wine, any other beverages that exceed water. If I have coffee, my other beverage, I have three 8 ounce waters for 1 cup of water. I drink more water than that, but I do make sure I have at least that much.
5.  Don't journal? Write down what God has taught you about life that day.
6.  Get dressed everyday, preferably first thing in the morning, wash your face, comb your hair, whatever, but get dressed!
7.  Clean on thing everyday. Declutter something everyday too. It takes less than a minute to dust a table and you can clean the shower while you are in it! Decluttering an area can take as long as you want, but doing one spot a day will get your home more relaxing easily in 30 days!
8.  Send someone a nice note via snail mail! While you are waiting in the carpool line or at the doctors office, write a quick note and drop it in the mail. This can change the course of someone's day.
9.  Start a workout routine and do it even when you don't want to. Everyday, Garrett and I do some type of activity even though it may surround Special Olympics. I also run, workout at the gym, hike and walk. Garrett participates as well. We are active.
10.  Get involved in a group of people that share moral and disciples that you are passionate about. It is important to me that church be a part of my life. My friends are my small group from Sunday mornings. Then I have in addition to that a Bible study group that share the same principles I do about raising Garrett and creating a home sharing love and happiness.

When I was tutoring Garrett last week, we looked ahead at one of our reading projects. The comic book portion of our reading, Archie, the opening segment was about working out. I can't wait for us to read this week about Archie and his friends adventure. Garrett and I read a chapter book and he has spelling words to go with our study. At this time we are studying how to have a healthy body in hopes that he will grasp a better understanding of diet and exercise.

We all can look too much at the negative in our lives, situations that make up our realities. However, we have to get to the point that simple things we do everyday can give us a bit more confidence in bringing us joy so that we can live in hope, peace and courage when stresses come our way. It is proven that when we eat better, workout and live a healthy life style that when crises happen, we are better prepared emotionally to handle it. Try these tips for thirty-days and see how you feel.

Hugs, Rita