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WEEKLY COLUMN BY DAVID BENTLEY |
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GETTING FIT
It's the first week of January, and, although I'm not a professional prognosticator, I could have predicted what I'm seeing. There are few empty parking spaces around the fitness club, and people of all sizes and shapes are walking through the doors with gym bags in tow. We have more walkers, runners, and bicyclists on my street than cars. Signs announcing Weight Watchers meetings are posted everywhere, and my friends are refusing to ingest sugar and other assorted dietary demons. We are attempting to redeem our holiday sins of commission and omission by earning indulgences through strict diets and obsessive exercise routines. We feel the sluggishness in our bodies and notice the snug fit in our clothing, even if we refuse to look at ourselves in the bathroom mirror or step on the scales. Unable to remain in denial, we've made resolutions and taken action to improve our physical condition, but what happens to our mental and spiritual states? When we replace holiday stress with excessive exercise and overly restrictive diets, are we helping our emotional condition? Does this new behavior leave us feeling closer to each other and to a power greater than ourselves? We're in the winter season -- a time for rest, reflection and renewal. The days are getting longer, but each one is merely minutes longer than the one before. Change is taking place, but it's happening slowly rather than all at once. As we make amends for our excesses, let's do so with moderation so that we still have opportunities to rest, reflect and renew ourselves. Exercise and diet come in many forms. In the long run, reading a good book, writing in our personal journals, or stopping at a beach for contemplation may be just as important as working out at the gym and eating the right foods.
© 2003 David Bentley David Bentley, M.Ed. & Personal Coach, coaches clients through the game of life, helping them find balance, clarity of direction, and purpose in an ever-changing world. He can be reached by phone at 360.378.8436 by e-mail at david@coachbentley.com or visit his Web site: www.coachbentley.com |
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