Remember, it doesn’t have to be a traditional team sport such as football, baseball, basketball, or soccer. It could be swimming, various Frisbee games, beach volleyball, running, cycling, tennis, golf, surfing, or skateboarding. Keep trying new things and play your game.
Something to Talk About
1. What kind of nontraditional sports do you like to do?
2. Why is it a good idea to play sports?
3. What are some sports that you have tried that weren’t a good fit? What did you not like about them?
Tip of the Day
Whatever sport you play, make sure to always wear the proper protective gear. Helmets when you are cycling and skateboarding are a must.
DAY 49–TAKE A HIKE
A Word from Amy
Something to Think About
Don’t you just love to spend time outdoors? I do. One of the coolest ways to get exercise and also spend time together with your family is to go for a hike. What’s more fun than hiking up a mountain and getting to be in the middle of God’s creation?
Hiking is good cardiovascular exercise because it gets your heart rate up. It’s also a great way to strengthen your leg muscles because some hikes require you to walk on a steep incline. The neat thing about hiking is that you can get so wrapped up in the beautiful nature and scenery that it doesn’t seem like hard work. Exercise is great when it doesn’t feel like exercise.
Our family has hiked in Paris Mountain State Park several times. The park has many beautiful trails that run along shallow creeks and ponds. When you get to the top of the mountain, the view is extraordinary. You feel like a pioneer on an adventure. It’s a great feeling to share with your family.
We don’t have to always think of exercise as something competitive or difficult. Exercise can come in the form of a peaceful mountain trail on a warm summer day. So go ahead, take a hike.
Something to Talk About
1. What are some ways that hiking helps your body?
2. Why is hiking a good family activity?
3. Does exercise always have to be competitive?
Tip of the Day
When you go hiking, make sure to bring plenty of water and some snacks. You can make your own trail mix using almonds, granola, and dried cranberries.
DAY 50–YOUR OBSTACLE COURSE
A Word from Amy
Something to Think About
Phillip and I did something really fun last year. We participated in an obstacle course called the “Mud Run.” The first thing we had to do was dive into a pit of muddy water and swim through it under a net. Then we had to crawl under a military Hummer, scale high walls, wade through creeks, swing on ropes, and finally, we had to run four miles. While we were competing, we felt like soldiers in a jungle. Let me tell you, it was tough! There were some moments where I wondered, What have I gotten myself into? It was a dirty, sweaty, and fun event, and when I finished, I felt great.
That obstacle course is a lot like life. At times it’s challenging and you just want to quit. That’s when you need to dig down and find the resolve to keep moving. The same thing is true for your journey to be healthy. Sure, it may be easier to sit on the sofa or play video games all day instead of playing a sport or taking a hike. But you won’t succeed on the path to good health if you don’t push through the hard times and get active.
Today, get out there and move your body. Be the master of your obstacle course.
Something to Talk About
1. What kind of obstacles do you need to overcome when it comes to your health?
2. What are some mental obstacles that you face when it comes to exercise?
3. Why does it make you feel good to overcome challenges?
Tip of the Day
Organize your own neighborhood obstacle course. Use your play set, sprinklers, water slides, old tires, or anything that can make it challenging.
Finding Balance
Life usually doesn’t go according to our plans or schedules. And while it’s necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle to live an optimal life, it can get challenging sometimes. Especially when we get detoured along our journey by things out of our control. Learn how to find balance just when you need it most so you don’t get off track on your journey to good health.
DAY 51–BALANCING ACT
A Word from Amy
Something to Think About
Have you ever been to the circus and seen the seal that balances on a ball and also balances a ball on its nose? Do you ever feel like that seal? Having to balance school, homework, sports, friends, and your chores? You may feel that if you add one more thing to your life, you’ll fall off the ball. Well, sometimes you have to fall off the ball and mix things up a little to actually make changes that are good for your life. There are times when we have to be a little out of balance in order to put our focus on a particular goal.
If you were driving a car and it started sliding toward the ditch, you would have to jerk the steering wheel to get the car back where it’s supposed to be. For a minute, everything might feel chaotic, but it’s necessary to get the car back in the right place.
It’s the same thing with our health. At first it may seem that the changes you’re making are actually making life harder, but in the long run it will be worth it. When I was gaining health, the majority of my focus was on losing weight and exercising more. I rearranged my whole life to meet that goal. I realized that in order for me to be successful, I had to focus completely on what I wanted to achieve.
Give yourself permission to focus on being the best you can be. Balance will come back to your life in time.
Something to Talk About
1. In what ways is it good to have a little chaos in your life?
2. What things can you stop doing so much so you can focus on the goal of being healthier? Watching too much TV? Playing video games?
3. Do you ever feel as if you have a lot to do but not enough time?
Tip of the Day
If you don’t have one already, get a day planner and get organized. Effective time management is a big key to creating balance.
DAY 52–FEAR FACTOR
A Word from Amy
Something to Think About
Have you ever wondered why so many times in the Bible God tells someone to “fear not”? Do you think maybe it’s because He knew what a big deal that message is and that we would always need to be reminded of it?
Fear is everywhere. If you watch the news, there is always something to be afraid of—cancer and other diseases, car accidents, violent crimes, deadly earthquakes, a bad economy. I don’t watch the news anymore because I don’t want to be frightened by the negative and scary information being reported.
Let’s be honest. There are a lot of things we can be afraid of, but fear is not the only thing out there. We also have hope. The best part of trusting in God is that we can believe that everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. The Bible tells us that “the LORD directs the steps of the godly” (Psalm 37:23 NLT). This verse has given me much comfort over the years through my own trials. If I trust God and do the right thing, then He will direct my path. Through Him, I will fulfill my purpose and destiny. This verse gives me the permission to mentally relax.
Any fear you have will only hold you back. It’s time to let go of fear and trust God with your life while you are on your path to getting healthy.
Something to Talk About
1. Read Psalm 37:23 in the Bible. What does it mean to you?
2. What are some of your fears?
3. What should you do when you’re afraid?
Tip of the Day
Every time you think of something that scares you, pray. Ask God to help you trust Him more than your fears.
DAY 53–PERSEVERANCE
A Word from Amy
Something to Think About
Ever have one of those days when nothing goes right? Of course you have. Everybody does. It’s a part of life. During those times, it’s easy to get
discouraged and think you’re never going to reach your goals. This is when you have to persevere, which is a big word for “stick it out and don’t quit.”
In my journey to get healthy, there were times that I wanted to give up. Maybe you have felt the same way. So what can we do when we’re tempted to quit? The short answer is: the right thing. We will all have days when we’re tired, sick, unmotivated, or just don’t want to eat healthy and be active. Those are the days when you cannot quit. You have to keep going.
This is true for anything that truly matters in life. The winner is often the one who perseveres. Winners know if they will not quit, they will win. Think about all the people who have started something great and quit. They might have had a bad day or series of bad days and just gave up on their dreams. They may have stopped short of doing something great because they didn’t persevere. I cannot begin to tell you how many times during my journey that my mind told me I was not going to make it. But I refused to give up and kept going. And guess what? I made it. And you can too.
Life will always have its ups and downs. But never let the downs stop you from moving forward.
Something to Talk About
1. What is something that winners know?
2. What does perseverance mean?
3. Have you ever felt like quitting? What did you do?
Tip of the Day
Running up bleacher stairs is one way you can get some good cardio exercise. Check with a local high school to see if they will let you use the bleachers at their football field. Then see how many times you can run up and down them and test your limits.
DAY 54–LIFE ON THE EDGE
A Word from Amy
Something to Think About
How many of us dream about having a normal (which to most of us means boring) life? Very few of us, I’m sure. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a country-music singer. Almost every day, I would stand in the living room and sing at the top of my lungs. My dad was a radio announcer, and for my sixth birthday, he surprised me by taking me to a country-music show where I met a famous country singer. I even got to sit on her lap while she was waiting to go on stage. I was so happy, I felt as if I were in a movie.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t sing very well, so I let go of that dream. My point is, no one ever says, “I want to be ordinary when I grow up.” We all start out dreaming big dreams such as wanting to be an astronaut, a doctor, or even the president of the United States. We all want to live a life that’s on the edge and that contributes to mankind in a significant way.
I’m convinced that we allow setbacks in life to keep us from dreaming. When we experience heartbreak or difficulty, we want to protect ourselves from feeling pain again. But to live a balanced and healthy life, you have to dream. Do the hard work and challenge yourself, but never forget the importance of dreaming.
If you get knocked down, get back up. If you fail, try again. If life throws you a curveball, keep swinging the bat. If we keep focused on being great in whatever we do, we will always live a life on the edge.
Something to Talk About
1. What do you want to be when you grow up?
2. What do you do when life throws you a curveball?
3. What do we allow to cause us to stop dreaming?
Tip of the Day
Make a list of what you think is great about you. See how many things you can write down, and ask your friends and family to add to it.
DAY 55–MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
A Word from Amy
Something to Think About
My oldest son just got his learner’s permit to drive. His dad is too afraid to take him driving, so I’ve been chosen as his “instructor.” I’ve noticed on these scary (for me, at least) drives that he tends to go too far over on the right side of the road. He focuses on the oncoming cars so much that it makes him veer toward the opposite side of the road. I find myself constantly telling him to drive closer to the middle.
It’s the same in our lives. We can get so excited about something that we focus only on that one thing. Before we know it, everything else gets ignored. For example, we can put so much attention on our friends that we neglect our schoolwork or we can put so much time into having fun that we neglect our responsibilities at home.
We can’t be extreme in any area because that takes us out of balance. Think about this. No one wants to sit in a chair that has one leg longer than the others; it’s crooked and hard to stay on. When we are out of balance, we become like that unstable chair. We need to keep all our legs, all our activities, in balance.
Something to Talk About
1. What are some areas in your life that you tend to focus on more than others?
2. What happens when we focus on only one thing?
3. Why is balance important?
Tip of the Day
Here’s a great way to get organized. Buy a family calendar where you can write down all the activities and events that family members are involved in. Use different color markers for each person.
DAY 56–SNOW DAY
A Word from Amy
Something to Think About
Where I live in the South, it doesn’t snow very often. When it does, it’s such a rare event that everything shuts down. This is a beautiful time where my little corner of the world gets covered in a white blanket and my family gets to snuggle up in the house together. We love to watch old movies in front of a fire and drink hot chocolate and eat popcorn.
On days like these, I’ve always felt that I had permission to be a little lazy. I can relax and not think about any work or responsibilities because God is giving me the day off. All of us appreciate this day of rest.
Just like your family, ours can get a little busy with school, after-school activities, and church events. Sometimes we have so much going on that it’s easy to get burned out. To have a balanced life, we need to make sure that we take time to enjoy ourselves and relax.
It’s not good to sit in front of the television all the time, but it’s good to have a family movie night or game night once a week. It’s not good to ignore your responsibilities, but it’s always a good idea to go on family vacations or even spend a day doing something fun.
All work and no play makes life dull. Don’t forget to take time to enjoy life and each other.
Something to Talk About
1. What are some things you like to do as a family to relax?
2. Do you get snow days? Does your family do anything special on those days?
3. What is your dream vacation?
Tip of the Day
Make a “family fun night” jar. Get some note cards and have everyone write down something fun they would like to do as a family. Put the cards in the jar, and once a week, pull one out and do it.
DAY 57–RIDING THE ROLLER COASTER
A Word from Amy
Something to Think About
Isn’t it fun to ride on a roller coaster? The anticipation you feel when you slowly go up the incline and then the thrill of the sudden drop is both scary and exciting. Riding a real roller coaster is fun, but it’s not fun when you’re riding one with your energy levels. I’m talking about being up one minute and down the next. One minute you feel happy and full of energy, and the next you are tired and cranky.
You ride the energy roller coaster because your body isn’t getting the proper fuel it needs, and your blood sugar gets out of balance. When you are unbalanced, your energy levels go out of whack. The only way to keep it balanced is to eat whole, healthy foods and to always combine a protein with a carbohydrate.
We need to eat the right stuff. Sugary foods such as candy, cookies, and sodas are an instant ticket on the energy roller coaster. The sugar quickly gets into your bloodstream and gives you a sugar high for a while, and then it takes you back down the hill.
Remember, keeping balance in your life starts with what you eat. So choose your food wisely and keep off the roller coaster.
Something to Talk About
1. What foods are an instant ticket on the energy roller coaster?
2. What should you always eat together to keep your blood sugar stable?
3. How do you feel when your blood sugar is not stable?
Tip of the Day
Part of keeping your blood sugar stable starts with eating a balanced breakfast. Stay away from sugary cereals and choose a whole-grain cereal and some form of protein, such as eggs or turkey bacon or sausage.
DAY 58–SUPPORT: EVERYONE NEEDS IT
A Word from Amy
Something to Think About
I can’t tell you the exact day it happened, but I remember one day thinking about my life and realizing that I had a lot of people around me helping me get healthy. I had a doctor, a dietician, a therapist, my family, and my friends to support and encourage me. I was also fortunate to have an amazing trainer and coach when I first lost a lot of weight. He would pick me up on Saturdays, and we would hike or run bleachers at the local high school. He held me accountable each and every day. I truly believe I would not be where I am today without his encouragement.
Phil Parham Page 15