Health and Fitness...from a Christian Perspective.

For moms, whether working or staying at home, taking care of our bodies tends to take a backseat to, well, everything else that we are responsible for. I'll admit to struggling with guilt. Budgets are tight...so who am I to spend extra money on healthier foods? I should be doing everything I can to stay frugal in every facet of life, right? Because that's the godly, responsible thing to do... right?

Not necessarily.

Do you think it's a coincidence that God created nature's bounty to be so incredibly fruitful and nutritious? Do you think it's also a coincidence that when we choose to eat right and stay active, our bodies AND our minds work at maximum efficiency?

Me neither.

It is no coincidence that exercising releases "happy"hormones into our brains and our mood is improved. God created our bodies, and not one cell in our body, nor the way it functions, was created that way merely by happenstance or coincidence.

It took me a long time to wrap my head around this. I've always had a passion for healthy eating and exercise/physical activity. However I looked around and saw many of the moms around me saying that they just couldn't find the time or money for these things...as if they were a frivolous luxury, like a pedicure. I started to question myself. Was I being vain? Selfish?

No. There is nothing holy or pious about being unhealthy.

1 Corinthians 10-31 says..

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God."

If we are to make manifest the glory of God in whatever we do, including what we eat and what we drink, should we not be treating our bodies, our TEMPLES, with respect and dignity?

What better way to do this than to live a lifestyle that allows our bodies to function in the way that God created them to? Healthy, natural, and pure. God gave it all to us.

Every time you make the decision to live well, you are bringing glory to God's creation.

So, the next time your 'mommy-guilt' starts to kick in when you're trying to find a way to fit those healthy ingredients into your family's meals or maybe even find a few minutes to yourself to exercise, stop yourself. Stop yourself and instead of feel guilt, feel GRATITUDE. Gratitude to God for providing us with the fruits of the Earth so that we may live healthy, full lives.