You Are Worth It!

It is sad when someone does not consider herself or himself worthy of receiving something good. I believe that the reason some people do not even begin to exercise is that they do not consider themselves deserving of the investment in their bodies. A woman may say “it’s not worth it,” when what she is really saying is “I’m not worth it.” Over the years, this kind of thinking becomes comfortable, secure, a trap. She never spends the time and energy needed to receive the benefits of exercise – a stronger heart (as we discussed last week and a more capable body.

What would it take to convince someone trapped in a lie of unworthiness, of valuelessness, to believe that he or she is worth it? Confronting a lie is scary and difficult, but the truth is powerful and victorious. The truth tears down lies. The truth is that you are valuable. God purchased you at a price. “For you have been bought with a price,” the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:20. The price was the life of God’s Son, Jesus, who died on the cross for you, for me, for the world. The reason? God is merciful and gracious (Psalm 134:8) and He loves you. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) “Us all” includes you!

Do you believe this? For some, it is hard to accept this gift of love. Possibly, growing up, whatever you did was never good enough, or you were not treated as though you were loved. Or maybe you feel that no one values you in the job market or accepts you as you are. But, think of the good shepherd who already had his ninety-nine sheep with him and went off to hunt for the single lost sheep because he cared so dearly for it. (Luke 15:4-7) Or how about this: Matthew 6:30 of The Message Bible says “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers – most of which are never even seen - don’t you think He’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do His best for you?” If God cares about these hidden wildflowers that seem to have no obvious purpose, how much more does God care about you!

So let’s focus on the truth. God loves you and cares about you. “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) If we are loved by God, if we are on the receiving end of this extravagant love and have the blessing of eternal life, then let’s live accordingly. You are worth taking care of! It may be a daunting sacrifice for you to begin exercising (or whatever you need to do to improve your health). Focus on the truth and live in the confidence of God’s love and care for you!

For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:20

Yes, starting to exercise can be daunting, but I hope to make it less so by encouraging you to find ways to add activity to your day. It is a worthwhile goal to include 30 minutes of moderate activity each day. If losing weight is one of your goals, a good strategy is to slightly cut back on your calorie intake -- by about 100 to 200 calories per day (That alone would add up to 10 to 20 pounds lost in a year!) – and increase the number of calories you burn. (In other words, more activity!)

Let’s look for a moment at calories. A calorie is a unit of energy. Food you eat contains energy, measured in calories. Your body requires energy, also measured in calories. Your body uses calories for all its activities, including rest. Your body draws on calories to maintain and repair every cell and system. Even your brain requires over 300 calories per day (based on a 150-pound man). You use calories while you get dressed, digest food, care for your family and pets, move around your home or office, and every time you take a step. Some people have more “nervous energy” and cannot sit still. These people burn an estimated 300 additional calories daily just in their fidgeting (as reported in Science magazine in 2005). Urban sprawl and mechanization (thanks to automatic washing machines, garage door openers, riding lawn mowers, automobiles, etc.) in the last several decades have detracted from our calorie burning to the tune of 100 to 200 calories per day. That adds up to 10 to 20 pounds gained per year!

How do we counteract this? You have to build into your daily life opportunities to burn calories. This means starting new habits, such as parking your car farther away. (Take a look at where cars are parked in store parking lots and you’ll see how few people actually do this!) Stand up from your desk to reach items you need. Walk around while talking on the phone. Ban the remote control. (Or how about giving up one tv show per week and go for a walk instead?) Take a ten minute walking break whenever you can, either outdoors, in the big box store, or around your own home.

Here are activities you can combine to burn more calories. Choose four of these activities to burn approximately 100 calories. (I say approximately because it depends on your current weight, your muscle mass and how much effort you put into it.) Always check with your doctor before starting any kind of exercise program!

Do Four of these activities to burn 100 Calories:

Ten minutes of walking – from car to store, bus stop to work, etc.
Ten minute walk with your dog.
Ten minute leisurely walk with a friend, family member or while on the phone.
Ten minutes of household chores.
Ten minutes of leisurely bicycling.
Ten minutes of raking leaves or gardening.
Five minutes of brisk walking.
Five minutes climbing stairs.

You may double up. For example, take the dog for a ten minute leisurely walk and then walk briskly for 5 minutes. Do this morning and evening and you’ve burned 100 calories. On a different day you might go for a ten minute bicycle ride in the morning, walk an extra ten minutes between your car and the store, climb stairs for five minutes, and then in the evening, walk ten minutes while talking on the phone. Mix it up to adapt to your schedule, weather conditions and interests so you don’t get bored. Let this be the beginning of a new habit resulting in more activity built into your day!