When I was younger, I was an athlete. I did everything from soccer to ice skating to softball and gymnastics. I lived a really active lifestyle and loved to play outside, and then one day it wasn't so fun.

At Pepperdine (well, in 2004 at least), we were required to take a PE class as part of our general education requirements. I loved it while we were learning about the body and nutrition, but it took a turn for the worst when I discovered that in order to pass the class, we would have to run for 45 minutes and swim for 30. What??

That semester, in that class, was the first time in my life when I felt out of shape. I could barely jog for 15 minutes, let alone 45. And swimming—don't even get me started on that. Like the overachiever I am and always have been, I dutifully trained so that I'd get an A in the class. But I didn't like it one bit.

Why is it that exercise loses it's fun when we grow up? Is it possible to enjoy it again and even find time for it once we become real adults with real life responsibilities and time commitments? Those are the questions I've asked myself over the years, and I'm glad to say that I finally have hit my groove and like to work out the way I did when I was a kid. Here are some of the things that helped me learn to love regular exercise—I hope you'll give them a try!

Pick a time.
Are you a morning person or a night person (or even a noontime person)? Over the next few days, take some time to observe when you feel the most physically energetic. You may be a morning person because you like to read and sip coffee, but find that nighttime is a better workout time for you—giving you the chance to stretch your legs after a long day of work. Since I hate the heat and the sun (I know, who am I?), I always plan to exercise before work. In addition to cooler weather and cloudy California morning skies, I also enjoy the post-workout high, which fuels me for the work day.

Schedule it.
Once you know the general time of day you're aiming for, put exercise on your calendar. Maybe it's just once a week to start, or maybe it's every weekday. I've found that by planning to exercise between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m., I enjoy the freedom that comes with having it planned. There is never any guilt associated with my workouts, because I know I've "budgeted" my time to fit it in.

Find your sport.
The question here is, how do you like to move? Are you a runner? A hiker? A power walker? A swimmer? A yogi? A gym-goer? If you're unsure, give several different kinds of workouts a try and see what feels like fun. Alternatively, you can also choose a sport based on convenience—after all, that's one of the reasons I decided to start running! You'll be much more likely to stick with a workout if it's easy for you to do.

Get the gear.
Nothing creates exercise eagerness quite like awesome workout gear. I'm not just talking about a good pair of shoes—which is obviously an essential, unless yoga is your thing—I'm also talking about clothes that make you feel like a superhero. Personally, everything I work out in is from Lululemon or Target, and all of my workout clothes make me feel like I could go run a marathon. That's what you're looking for! These are may all-time fitness gear favorites:

• Nike Free running shoes
• C9 by Champion sports bras (from Target)
• Lululemon Cool Racerback tank
• Lululemon Run: Speed Short
• Lululemon running tights (mine aren't available anymore, but try these)

Make a playlist.
Music goes a long way when it comes to creating a fun workout environment. Spend some time perusing iTunes for the kind of music that inspires you to move. Not sure where to start? Here are some of my current favorite workout tunes:

• Imma Be by Black Eyed Peas
• Titanium by David Guetta & Sia
• Temperature by Sean Paul
• Good Time by Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
• Some Nights by Fun
• Too Close by Alex Clare
• As Long As You Love Me by Justin Bieber
• Home by Phillip Phillips

What don't you like about exercise? Do any of these tips inspire you to learn to love exercise?

P.S. Good news: I read an article yesterday claiming that intensive exercise for two minutes is as good for your heart as a 90 minute run! Read more here.



Photo Credit: Keeping Fit by John & Tina Reid, via Flickr

The decision to get healthy is simple; one day you say to yourself "I want to be healthy." There, done. The follow-through however, not so much. We decide to "get healthy" because we realize something is wrong, off. Our bodies grow sluggish, our skin dull, and our waistbands increasingly tighter. This is not the realization that "you could stand to lose a few pounds", or "pretty girls are more popular"—this has nothing to do with those lies. Instead it's the realization that your body truly is a gift, a temple of sorts. And if you keep going on the way you do now, one day the temple will crumble and you'll be left standing amidst the rubble wondering how to put yourself back together.

It wasn't until my senior year of college that I decided it was time to get healthy, but by then I was such a mess of bad habits that it was hard to know where to start. 


What does it mean to eat healthy? Do I need to exercise everyday? How do I get healthy without becoming anorexic or obsessed with my body? 

These questions constantly ran through my mind at the beginning of my journey to personal health. I consulted the internet, read through countless women's magazines, and even delved into a few 300+ page books on proper diet, nutrition, and exercise. I was surrounded by information, but stuck in indecisiveness. Afraid to make the wrong choices, I didn't really make any choices at all. Things stayed that way for a long time, until I realized two things.

1. God has promised me power over temptation and evil. 1 Corinthians 10:13
2. He promised take care of me, feeding and clothing me. Matthew 6:26-34

For some reason we don't seem to think about God when thinking about getting healthy, as if our bodies are tied to this earth and deserve no thought in heaven. But I think we forget that our bodies are gifts from God—they are capable of climbing mountains, swimming oceans, embracing loved ones and comforting one another. More importantly our bodies are our vessels in this world, meant to take us everywhere man can walk to spread a little piece of God’s love. Therefore by ignoring our bodies and treating them with little regard, we are literally trashing a gift from God.

The day I truly started getting healthy was the day I realized God had already given me everything I needed to succeed. Here's a tip: you don't need to know a whole lot about nutrition and diet to get healthy. Simply eat from the natural bounty that God has given us and you're well on your way to health.

Just by eating a diverse selection of fruits and veggies you are giving your body everything it needs to sustain and rebuild itself. Eat colorfully and live vibrantly, pick from the plethora of tastes and choices God has provided. It's amazing that everything you would ever need to survive God has put into his creations. An apple for example has no excess, every part of it is edible and nutritionally good: low in calories, high in fiber, and with no saturated fats or excess oils, you have nothing to worry about when eating an apple. That is how much God loves you, and just one example of how all he wants to give us is good.

The reason our bodies decay and grow weary is because we are putting into them things man has artificially created in a laboratory. Should you never eat cake again or indulge in the occasional freshly-baked chocolate chip cookie? Absolutely not—we were meant to live life fully and abundantly, not in deprivation and sadness. Cookies won't kill you and neither will the occasional Coca-Cola, but what is important to remember is that God has naturally provided everything you need. So live in his abundance, and choose to recognize the gift of health that God has given you, taking care of your body so that you can continue to do his work and take care of others.

"Oh taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."(Psalms 34:8)

How can you make a lifestyle change that will help you grow closer to God?