Nine weeks from today we leave for the magnificent deserts of the American Southwest. Places where we find the beauty and majesty of God’s creation on full display. We can’t wait. That particular region has the ability to refresh our hearts and renew our souls like no other. Maybe it’s the air, maybe it’s the solitude, or maybe it’s just the opportunity to unplug from technology for a while. It’s just…rejuvenating.  Yeah, that’s a good word…rejuvenating!

We’ve got a lot planned and a lot we want to do and there’s only two things standing in our way. Time and energy. Time is limited and there is only so much we can do with that situation. We are doing our best to plan our trip so that we make the best use of our time.

Energy on the other hand is something we can expand. There is nothing worse than someone in your group dragging everyone else down and holding you back from doing another hike or a few extra miles. Oh wait… there is something worse than that. Feeling like YOU are the one dragging everyone else down and holding everyone else back from doing another hike or a few extra miles. Maybe I overstate my case. We need to be understanding of physical limitations and we want people to be safe.  But there is an element of frustration that is experienced when the physical limitation is simply the fact that you are out of shape. The good news is there are a couple of simple things we can each do to improve our physical fitness and raise our energy level to help us accomplish whatever it is we want to accomplish in life. Whether it’s hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim in a day or playing soccer with your kids, we could all use a little more energy.

LOSE A FEW POUNDS

It is amazing how much losing weight helps increase energy. Imagine this—you have to wear a jacket for the next week that weighs twenty pounds. Everywhere. It serves no purpose but to sap you of your energy and stamina. Oh, wait…maybe you already are. Maybe it’s only ten pounds. Maybe it’s sixty pounds. How much weight are you carrying around that serves no other purpose than to exhaust you? What would your life be like without that weight? What could you do that you are just too tired to do right now? Let your imagination be your inspiration.

EAT RIGHT

One of the simplest and most effective means of eating right and losing weight is counting calories. I said simple, not easy. I know…Boring! It’s age-old and it works almost universally. It is doubly beneficial. Looking for foods that are low in calorie leads you away from a plethora of foods that are unhealthy. It is possible to eat Twinkies and count calories, but if you’re going to stay under 1200 calories you’re not going to be eating very many of them. Not to mention the fact that you’ll have no calories to eat anything else. By necessity, you will be avoiding butter and starches and looking for lean protein and complex carbohydrates. One of the best things we have found to simplify the complexity of counting calories is the MyFitnessPal app for smartphones or at myfitnesspal.com. Again with the age-old advice, but that which is monitored improves.

GET ACTIVE

I never cease to be amazed at the increase in energy that results from physical activity. Let me get this straight—I expend energy and as a result have more energy…mind blown! It’s true. We use a couple of apps to help monitor and plan exercise. We like to run, so we use a C210K or couch to 10K for cardio. These are designed to take a person from the most lethargic of lifestyles and prepare you over time for a 5 or 10 kilometer run.

We’ve also been using a 30 day fitness app to encourage some strength training together as a family. You can choose to do a full body workout or work a particular group of muscles. Exercise is not nearly as difficult when you have someone to do it with, so grab a friend or family member and get out there and do something. They can keep you accountable. Keeping a fitness log also helps. It is no fun to look back at your month and see that you have only exercised 3 times.

Time and energy…we can all do our best to make the most of what we have. Time marches on. Use it wisely. Increase your energy. Don’t let being out of shape keep you stuck indoors on the couch.

Spring is right around the corner. Let’s get ready for it.

See you outside,

Mike