Give up or try again?

By Vicki Heath

CHARLESTON, SC — When the world says, "Give up," hope whispers, "Try one more time." This may be your "one more time."

So many have experienced defeat in the area of health and wellness. You may be in that spot today.

Vicki Heath

If you declared in January, along with so many others, that you would do whatever it takes to lose weight this year, you may be sorely disappointed in yourself once again.

From personal experience and from what the Bible says, fitness is not really about how determined you are, but what kind of thinker you are. Wellness starts in the mind. We need some adjusted thinking about what it takes to become fit.

You do have the power to change your thinking. The Bible says that Christians have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) and He is able to transform your thinking. Romans 8:5 says, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit" (ESV).

When we set our minds and adjust our thinking on exercising and healthy eating, it can become a consistent part of our lives. For most of us, the most common thought that needs adjustment is that exercise is punishment for an imperfect body. We have to change that thinking to an understanding that exercise is an excellent way to improve one's health and enhance our quality of life.

We also need to adjust our thinking about how hard it is. Yes, there may be some discomfort associated with walking or other basic exercise activities but this is temporary. It may last an hour, a day, or even a week but eventually it will give way to strength. Consistency will bring results if we do not give up. And yes, it may be the hardest work you ever do – that's why it's called a workout.

And this whole eating thing – is it really going to kill you to deny yourself a second helping of ice cream? Jesus has called us to sacrificial living. He said to those following Him, "If anyone comes after me he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23 NIV).

Sacrificial living calls for denying myself, as does getting to my health goals. Therefore, I choose to sacrifice what I think I really want for what I know I really need.

Today is a new day and my new favorite saying is "a setback is just a set up for a comeback." Welcome back to fitness.

Vicki Heath is the national director of First Place 4 Health, a wellness program for balance in spirit, soul, mind, and body based on giving Christ first place. The FP4H movement began in 1981 as a ministry of Houston's First Baptist Church and became a separate nonprofit ministry in 2010. FP4H counts groups in 12,000-plus churches, fitness centers, offices and homes, with more than 500,000 participants.