Phil Parham

by The Amazing Fitness Adventure for Your Kids

  I want you to remember one thing: Everyone needs a coach. A coach challenges and pushes you. A coach will help you realize your potential. I have friends who are very successful, and every time they take on a new project, they hire a coach. This is the strategy of many wealthy and successful people. Even famous athletes have coaches. A coach can be a teacher, a mentor, or even a big brother or sister who is your cheerleader during your journey to better health.

  Who are the coaches in your life? Your parents, pastor, friends, or other family members? Lean on them for support, and you will be more successful in whatever you do.

  Something to Talk About

  1. Do you have coaches in your life?

  2. What have you learned from them?

  3. Why should you have support as you change your lifestyle habits for the better?

  Tip of the Day

  The next time you go to a sporting event, watch how the players interact with their coaches. Notice that the team looks to their coach for guidance on how to play the game and win.

  DAY 59–SWEET DREAMS

  A Word from Amy

  Something to Think About

  God made our body to need times of rest in order for us to grow strong and healthy. Your parents know this. That’s why they always make sure you get enough sleep. We need eight hours of sleep per night (more if you are young) so that we can regenerate ourselves and be ready to go the next day.

  Have you ever had a sleepover where you stayed up all night with your friends? Did you notice how you felt the next day? I bet you were so tired you couldn’t think clearly. You probably didn’t make much sense when you talked because your brain and mouth didn’t seem to be working together. And I bet you went home and slept, and when you woke up, you felt like a different person.

  Getting your rest is a big deal, so go to sleep and have sweet dreams about being healthy.

  Something to Talk About

  1. Why do we need sleep in order to be healthy?

  2. How many hours of sleep do you need per night?

  3. If you are not getting enough sleep, what changes do you need to make to ensure you get enough?

  Tip of the Day

  Make sure you try to keep a set bedtime every night. Doing that will help you get the proper amount of rest you need.

  DAY 60–THE BEST MEDICINE

  A Word from Amy

  Something to Think About

  Have you ever heard a joke or watched a funny movie that made you laugh so hard you could hardly catch your breath? Even though you couldn’t breathe for a second, I bet that afterward you felt so good.

  Do you know that laughing is actually good for your health? You’ve probably heard the saying “Laughter is the best medicine.” Well, it’s true. People who laugh a lot are healthier than people who are sad, mean, or angry all the time. This is just one reason why we need to make the effort to have a good time and enjoy our friends, family, and our lives.

  The Bible even says in Proverbs 17:22 that “a cheerful heart is good medicine.” What does it mean to have a “cheerful heart”? It means to be happy and full of joy. It’s easy to get angry when someone is mean to us or upset when things don’t go our way, but we should not let those feelings stay in our hearts.

  If we become angry with someone, we need to forgive them quickly. When we are mad at people and don’t forgive, we can get a root of bitterness in our hearts. This keeps us from being cheerful. This is not healthy for our attitude or for our bodies.

  I love to be happy. I love to be around people who make me laugh. I love funny movies and television shows. I love to laugh because it makes me feel good and it’s good for my heart. So keep laughing and keep being healthy.

  Something to Talk About

  1. Why is laughter like good medicine?

  2. Why should you forgive other people?

  3. What is something that makes you laugh?

  Tip of the Day

  Watch a funny movie tonight with your family and laugh your way to good health.

  Strong Mind = Strong Body

  When you want to get physically stronger, you have to start with your mind. The power to succeed is found there. Learn how to be in charge of your mind and make the commitment to never give up.

  DAY 61–MENTAL STRATEGIES

  A Word from Amy

  Something to Think About

  The mind is the boss over the body. It is in charge. That’s why before we can get our body healthy, we need to change some things in our mind. Here’s the deal. The thoughts you think and the beliefs you believe will determine the direction your life takes.

  I want you to use your imagination. Think about what you want your future to look like. What kinds of things are you not able to do now that you want to do? Think about what your life will look and feel like when you are able to do those things. Think about these things with the confidence that it will happen and imagine what that feels like.

  We all have recordings in our subconscious that we have been listening to our whole lives. These recordings are of tragedies and triumphs. If our mother told us that we were a great artist when we colored her a picture in kindergarten, we probably love art. If we were told as a child that we were an athlete, we probably see ourselves that way. If we were told we were chubby, then no matter what weight we become, we may still see ourselves as chubby. We need to make new pictures and recordings so we can see ourselves differently.

  See yourself as healthy and strong. See yourself as an athlete. And today, I am telling you that you are an athlete who is healthy and strong. Now believe it for yourself.

  Something to Talk About

  1. What are some recordings (good or bad) you have about yourself?

  2. What do you imagine your future will be like? What will it feel like?

  3. In what ways does the body follow the mind?

  Tip of the Day

  Write down your top three goals for the next year. Establish some steps that can help you get on track to make them happen.

  DAY 62–BEING A TEAM PLAYER

  A Word from Phil

  Something to Think About

  Have you ever heard of the Tour de France? It’s a challenging, three-week-long bike race that takes place in France and nearby countries and has about 200 riders participating in it. These cyclists ride up steep mountains, over cobblestone streets, and through the countryside. It is a grueling and treacherous ride, and only the very best riders in the world are qualified to take part in it.

  The competitors in this race are members of teams. The riders in each team decide which member they want to help be the winner of the race, and the team members then work together to accomplish that goal. If that person wins the race, the entire team feels as if they, too, have won, because they all worked together. It’s a great picture of teamwork. Not one person can do it all on their own. They all need each other.

  God wants us to live life that same way. He called us to be a part of His team where we all win together. I like to think of this in terms of being healthy. Sometimes you feel as though you are sacrificing things (like not eating certain foods or giving up watching a TV show so you can be active instead), but you have to remember that you are choosing health so your whole family can win. Be a team player and live the life of a winner.

  Something to Talk About

  1. What are some ways your family is working as a team during this “Challenge”?

  2. What are some areas where you can show more support to another family member to help them along?

  3. What are some sacrifices that you have had to make so that the other members in your family can be successful?

  Tip of the Day

  Get some exercise and play flag football in your backyard. Invite the neighbors to join your family and make it a team effort.

  DAY 63–TRAIN HARD TO WIN EASY

  A Note from Phil

  Something to Think About

  I recently watched an interview with a female professional runner from
Kenya. She said something that really struck me. She said you have to train hard if you want to win easy. Toby Tanser wrote a book with the same title. In Train Hard, Win Easy: The Kenyan Way, he shows how the best distance runners in the world work very hard in their training. There are no shortcuts to their success. They run the best and they train the best.

  Many times we do not think that the little things we do to reach our goal matter, but they do. I was in a competition to lose weight, and I was changing my life at the same time. Every single day, I made decisions to work hard and train hard. Seven months later, I had dropped 151 pounds. I kept a goal and a constant vision in front of me. I pictured what it would feel like to win. Gaining my health felt great! My life hasn’t been the same since.

  Every day we get to choose what we will do with our day. We can do things that are good for us or bad for us. I know sometimes it’s tough to push ourselves to do something we may not want to do (though it’s good for us), but when we do, the payoff is worth it. Remember, train hard to win easy.

  Something to Talk About

  1. Can you think of a time when you had to do something really hard, but after you did it, you felt really good about yourself?

  2. How hard are you working on this “Challenge” to better your health? What can you do better?

  3. What are some ways you can train hard now so that you can win easy later?

  Tip of the Day

  Try arm wrestling your brother, sister, friend, or parent. It’s a fun game, and it makes your arms stronger!

  DAY 64–CHANGING YOUR EMOTIONAL RESPONSE

  A Word from Amy

  Something to Think About

  My parents divorced when I was 10. I was very sad when I got the news. I remember my mom saying that I was the oldest, and I had a big job now because I had to help her take care of my sisters. I know that she was trying to make me feel important, but at the time all I felt was this huge burden come over me. I had to grow up at the speed of light. It was hard for me, and I began to eat to feel better.

  Have you ever felt sad and so you ate something to make you forget the pain? This is an emotional response that can be bad for your health. The only time we should be eating is when we are hungry. We shouldn’t eat when we’re bored or sad.

  If you have this unhealthy habit, every time you go to the refrigerator, ask yourself if you are hungry or if you want to eat because something is bothering you. If you’re upset, go for a walk (this helps me a lot!) or talk to your parents or a close friend. Find a buddy and go to the park or ride bikes together. There are many ways you can handle how you feel besides eating something that may be bad for you. Remember, only you can break the cycle.

  Something to Talk About

  1. Have you ever stuffed yourself with food because you were bored or sad?

  2. Is anything bothering you now? Spend some time sharing as a family and support each other.

  3. How can you work together as a family to help each other change your emotional response to food?

  Tip of the Day

  When someone hurts you or says something mean to you, be quick to forgive. Not forgiving someone doesn’t hurt them; it only hurts you.

  DAY 65–DON’T LOOK BACK

  A Word from Amy

  Something to Think About

  Have you ever done something that later you wished you hadn’t? Maybe you got in a fight with a good friend or told your mother you cleaned your room when you really didn’t. The grown-up word for when you feel bad about things you did that are wrong is regret.

  I know that feeling pretty well. I spent many years not taking care of my body. When I finally made the decision to get healthy, I started feeling bad about letting my body get to such an unhealthy state. But you know what I realized? That looking back at the things we’ve done wrong will never change anything. We can’t relive the past, so it’s best to learn from it, make changes for the future, and move on.

  Sometimes when we look with regret at the things we’ve done, we get so consumed with our failures that we can’t move on to new victories. The Bible says in Micah 7:19 that when we ask God to forgive our sins, He casts them into the depths of the ocean. That means He doesn’t even remember them. So why should we? The Bible also says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

  See, nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes. The key is to learn from our mistakes and do better. So don’t look back. Today is the day to start over. Look forward to your new healthy future.

  Something to Talk About

  1. Can you name something you have done that you regret?

  2. How can you learn from that mistake?

  3. What are some steps you should take when you do something wrong?

  Tip of the Day

  Think of something you have done wrong that you feel guilty about. Write it down on a piece of paper. Now tear the paper up and throw it away. This illustrates what God does with our sins when we ask Him to forgive us.

  DAY 66–TALK TO YOURSELF

  A Word from Amy

  Something to Think About

  Have you ever seen someone talking to themselves? Maybe you looked at them and thought they were crazy. I believe that talking to yourself can be a good thing once in a while. Now before you ask the men in the white coats to take me away, listen to what I’m saying.

  Getting healthy can be a struggle sometimes. There are days that you would much rather eat pizza than chicken and vegetables. There are times when you know you should do something active, and all you want to do is lie on the sofa and watch television. Those are the days when talking to yourself is a good thing. Those are the days when you need to tell yourself what to do.

  When I have rough days, I tell myself that I love to exercise. Just by saying that to myself, I start to believe it. When I convince myself that I’m doing something I love to do, rather than doing it because I have to do it, it makes me want to do it. I also tell myself that I will eat healthily. If I’m the one making the choice of what food to eat, and my mom and dad aren’t telling me what to do, I don’t mind so much.

  We are in control of our mind, but sometimes we have to trick it into doing what we want it to do. That’s why talking to ourselves isn’t such a bad thing. Now get out there and tell yourself who’s boss.

  Something to Talk About

  1. What are some things you can tell yourself that will help you make the right choices?

  2. Who is responsible for making the right choices in your life?

  3. What can you say that will trick you into making the right choices?

  Tip of the Day

  When you’re running down the street in your neighborhood and you start to get tired, tell yourself you’re just going to run to the next mailbox. When you get to that mailbox, tell yourself you’re going to run to the stop sign and so on. By tricking yourself into running these small distances, you’ll find that you will run longer than you thought possible.

  DAY 67–WATCH YOUR MOUTH

  A Word from Amy

  Something to Think About

  Has your mother ever told you to “watch your mouth!”? If she has, she was probably telling you that because you said something that wasn’t nice or you talked back to her. Well, I want you to watch your mouth in a different way. I want you to watch the words you say about yourself

  I’m talking about the negative things we say, such as “I can’t do it” or “I’m not good enough.” No matter what you’re talking about, it’s never a good idea to focus on the negative. We need to say positive things about ourselves.

  I always hated sports and going to gym class. I would tell myself, I’m not the athletic type or I’m not able to do the same exercises as the other kids. I found out later in life that I was telling myself lies. And I also believed all those lies for many years.

  We have to say positive things about ourselves because whatever we say is what we really believe. That’s what the Bible tells us: “The mouth speaks what the he
art is full of” (Matthew 12:34). The truth about us is found in that great book. The Bible says such things as, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10), and “I can do all this through [Christ] who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). This is what we need to be saying about ourselves because this is the truth.

  So the next time you are tempted to say something negative about yourself, don’t do it. Say something positive instead.

  Something to Talk About

  1. What are some good things you can say about yourself?

  2. Why is it important that we don’t say negative things about ourselves?

  3. What does the Bible say is the source of the words that come out of our mouth?

  Tip of the Day