Fitness Study

I know many have already returned to school. If there is one thing that I remember it’s all of the homework and study assignments the teachers assigned. The harder we work, the better our grades will be.

Sports are another thing that we have to work at to be good at. We have to listen to what our coach is telling us and practice the movements correctly in order to improve. Becoming good at a sport takes a lot of perseverance.

Living a healthy life also takes time and dedication. As you get older become more independent, you will have to make the decisions about how you are going to live. You’ll have to decide what you’re going to eat, what you’re going to get at the grocery store, and how often you’ll exercise. When you leave home, how you live is going to be in your hands––will you be prepared or not?

Can you think of another thing that takes time and dedication? I can––being a Christian. There are 24 hours a day and seven days a week (168 hours in a week). How much of that do you spend studying or even reading your Bible? Ten or fifteen minutes a day (one hour and ten minutes to one hour and 45 minutes a week)? And how much of the rest of the day is spent doing homework, practicing for sports, at a job, sleeping, shopping, watching TV, eating, or exercising? How important is God to you? “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16-17). When God is the most important part of our lives, the amount of time we spend in study and worship will reflect that.

While reading isn’t the same thing as studying, it is a good place to start. There are several things that you can do. Read or listen to the Bible while you exercise. Most treadmills, stationary bikes, and elliptical machines have a place for you to set a book while you exercise–– take your Bible. Or take your CD player outside with you and listen to the Bible on CD. I often listen to it while driving. You can also bring a Bible with you wherever you go, in your purse or backpack, to read when you are waiting for an appointment or for a friend to meet you.

You can also start a memorization program during breakfast––memorize a few verses every day. Or, if you have a question about something, write it down and later see if you can find an answer for it.  Strategies for success offers some good tips for memorization, such as these:

  • rewrite and organize notes
    • include any questions you have about a verse
  • create index cards on key terms or definitions. Example:
    • LOVE has many different meanings in Greek, and are separated into different words, unlike the one word that we use (Vine’s dictionary)
      • Agape – expresses the deep and constant “love”
      • Phileo – “tender affection”
      • Philanthropia – “love for man” “kindness”
      • Philarguria, “love of money”
      • review and recite notes frequently

      Developing these habits for Bible study may also help us when it’s time to study for school.

      REMEMBER:

    • Study habits matter
    • What you practice matters
    • If you want to be a genuine Christian in God’s eyes you need to know what’s in the Bible so you can put it into practice!

Time for Breakfast

I suggest breakfast as a good time to sit down and work on memorizing verses or passages in the Bible because breakfast is an important meal and this will encourage you to sit down and eat it. Research has shown that people who eat breakfast, on average, weigh less than those who don’t. By skipping breakfast, your metabolic rate slows down and your blood sugar drops. As a result, you become hungry and have less energy. This sets you up to impulsively snack in the morning––often on high-fat sweets––or to eat extra servings or bigger portions at lunch or dinner.

Eating breakfast is important, but it’s equally important that it’s a healthy breakfast. Breakfast choices are endless, but whole-grain cereals top the list as the best choice for weight control and improving health. A Harvard study found that participants who ate whole-grain cereal every day were 17 percent less likely to die over the next several years from any cause, and 20 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, than those who “rarely or never” ate whole-grain cereals. Look for cereals that list whole grain or bran as their first ingredient and contain at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving. Bran cereal and oatmeal contain at least 7 grams per serving, or about 25 percent of the recommended daily intake. (I like the bran cereal mixed with nonfat yogurt!) To learn more, visit Meals Matter or Mayo Clinic.

Food of the Month: Bananas

Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 and are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium. Lack of B6 in a diet can cause weakness, irritability, and insomnia. The potassium found in bananas helps to regulate blood pressure and may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Potassium is also essential for helping muscles to contract properly during exercise and reduces cramping. A medium-sized banana provides 400 mg of potassium––11 percent of the daily value––and contains 110 calories and 4 grams of fiber.

By Megan Skinner

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Comments

  1. Hi Megan! You have given me a great idea! I know it is most important to read and study the Bible, but another idea might be to get the New Testament on tape. I actually have a set and after I read your article I thought how great it would be to use my Eliptical while listening to the New Testament!

    I haven’t used the Eliptical for a while because we took the TV out of the exercise room. Now I am going to listen to my Bible tapes and I’ll get my exercise!! I still think it’s most important to read and study the Bible myself, but if that will make me get on the Eliptical more often then that will be good for me in both ways!

    Thanks for your articles! You do a really great job!!

  2. Reading this article gave me the idea that I can also put Christian music onto my I-pod and listen to that while I’m walking. Thanks for your healthful inspiration!

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